Viral video of diver fleecing a tourist not real

A viral video of a diver asking to be paid to retrieve a dropped phone in West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, was staged, authorities said on Friday.

In the video, which was posted on Tuesday, a man is seen asking for 1,500 yuan ($217) to salvage a phone for a female tourist who said she dropped it into the lake.

"We can recover it in 15 minutes," says the diver dressed in a black T-shirt with "Emergency Rescue" printed on the back. "But you still need to pay half if the effort is unsuccessful."

After investigation, it was found out that the video was filmed as part of a promotional campaign for a lost property retrieval business, the West Lake management office said.

The diver was not a staff member of the official emergency rescue team of the West Lake scenic area, and the whole thing was staged, the office said, adding that any action by the company that violates the law or regulations would be addressed.

The video created a stir among Chinese netizens for the high price asked for fetching valuables such as mobile phones and cameras dropped in West Lake, one of the nation's most popular tourist spots.

During the Labor Day holiday from April 29 until Wednesday, about 2.83 million people visited the West Lake scenic area, according to the Zhejiang Department of Culture and Tourism.

Over the years, the scenic area has provided tourists with all sorts of help and services, the management office said. When tourists call for help to retrieve dropped items, such as mobile phones, the emergency rescue team always does it for free, using special poles and other tools.

More than 30 items, including mobile phones, were successfully recovered for visitors free of charge during the Labor Day holiday, it said.