Body of Tourist Reportedly Found in Shark’s Stomach, Unclear How She Died

The remains of an American woman, who disappeared in the water during a diving excursion in Indonesia last month, were later found later in the stomach of a shark, according to multiple news reports and friends of the victim. However, the exact circumstances of how she died remain a mystery.

Colleen Monfore, of Holland, Michigan, was with friends diving in the waters near the island of Pulau Reong on Sept. 26 when she was swept away by the currents, per The Independent. The guide of the boat was unable to bring Monfore, 68, back to the vessel and a search was conducted for eight days. 

Then on Sunday, Oct. 6, The New York Post reported that a fisherman captured a shark in East Timor. 

“The shark was caught but it was not in normal health. I thought it had swallowed plastic or a fishing net,” said the fisherman, via the Post, which cited news agency Asia Pacific Press. “It was cut open to find the problem and inside there were the remains of a woman.”

A black wetsuit containing the victim’s supposed remains were also found in the shark’s stomach, the agency reported.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Wednesday, Oct. 9, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said they “are aware of reports of the of the death of a U.S. citizen off the coast of Indonesia.”

“We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss, and are providing all appropriate consular assistance,” the spokesperson added. “Out of respect to the family’s privacy during this difficult time, we have no further comment.”

PEOPLE contacted Indonesian police for information on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Indonesian police did not respond to a request from PEOPLE for additional information, and authorities haven’t officially confirmed whether the remains found in the shark belong to Monfore or someone else, The Independent reported.

“The body of the woman was found in a shark in Timor Leste. It was not in Indonesian territory. We are now investigating the case further to confirm if they are the remains of anyone reported missing in Indonesia,” a local official told the outlet.

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The official said that the victim is believed to be a diver based on the diving suit found, and added the results of the investigation will be published “after more complete information is available.”

However, friends of Monfore have said that she was the one who died.

Rick Sass told the Post that Monfore and her husband Mike were on a seven-week diving tour prior to her disappearance. He said that Monfore was not a victim of a shark attack and may have experienced a “medical issue” in the water.

His wife, Kim Sass, shared the same view in a Monday, Oct. 7 Facebook post.

“Sharks have a stomach that is adapted for rapid digestion,” she wrote. “The stomach contains strong acids and enzymes that break down the food quickly into smaller particles.”  

“Colleen’s body was identifiable,” she claimed. This would not be possible if the shark had attacked her weeks ago.”

The couple said their belief that their friend had a medical issue was based on computer information and photos of the dive provided by Monfore’s husband, as well as the accounts of two other divers.

“She was an excellent diver. I don’t believe it was the environment and certainly not a shark that ended her life,” Kim added.

Rick told the Post that Colleen and her husband met in high school in South Dakota, had two children and four grandchildren and enjoyed traveling the world. 

“We used to call her ‘Saint Colleen,’ ” he told the newspaper. “She was an amazing woman. She loved nature and animals. I know she would have never wanted a shark to be blamed for this tragedy.”

PEOPLE reached out to Rick and Kim Sass for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response.