Palauan and Micronesian scuba diving legend Francis Toribiong died of natural causes Oct. 28 at his home in Costa Rica. He was 77.
Toribiong found numerous dive sites in Palau and is credited with starting the country’s diving industry.
He was instrumental in finding historic World War II shipwrecks in Palau and did some pioneering travel in Papua New Guinea.
One of two Micronesians to be inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, Toribiong helped the Pacific Island nation find its place in the world and become an independent, forward-looking state.
He achieved this, improbably, through the sport of scuba diving.
Maverick, innovator, entrepreneur, environmentalist and sheer force of nature, Toribiong was an effective, tireless ambassador for both his country and its abundant marine and land resources.
He was born poor, had no academic leanings and no talent for diplomacy. Yet he was driven to succeed by a combination of duty, faith, a deep-seated determination to do the right thing and an absolute refusal to compromise his values.
Founder of Fish N Fins Dive Shop, he was the host to generations of scuba divers from all over the world who have visited Palau to see its treasures.
He was also Palau’s first ever parachutist – known by islanders as "the Palauan who fell from the sky."
In giving him this title, people were speaking both literally and figuratively.
Toribiong had no operations manual to consult and no examples to follow. He wrote his own life. He went out into the world and said, “This is Palau – what we have is wonderful. Come and see!”
Toribiong had a major appearance in the IMAX Movie "The Living Sea" narrated by Meryl Streep with a soundtrack by Sting.
The 1995 film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short Subject. It was inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame in 2007.
Toribiong retired in Costa Rica about five years ago. He is survived by his wife, Susan, four children, many grandchildren and brothers and sisters in Palau.