A Swedish diver who spent two nights marooned on an Indonesian island with four other Europeans described Sunday how she had to fight off an aggressive Komodo dragon with her weight belt.

Helena Nevalainen told Agence France-Presse the dragon, a member of the largest lizard species in the world, lunged at her three times before it was driven off as the divers awaited rescue on remote Rinca Island in the Komodo National Park.

"It was big ... it tried to have a go at my feet," she said a day after she and her companions were rescued at the end of a two-day ordeal, including more than 30 hours on the dragon-infested deserted island.

"I threw my diving belt. He came back and bit my diving belt and then he let go. After that he came back one more time," the 38-year-old tourist said.

The Swede, three Britons and a Frenchman struggled to shore on Rinca Island overnight Thursday after getting caught in a strong current late Thursday afternoon as they dived in the treacherous waters off Komodo National Park.

She said they spent about nine hours at sea and a further 31 hours on the deserted island, which is a sanctuary for the protected Komodos off the western coast of Flores Island.

Speaking to AFP in the comfort of her hotel room in this western port of Flores, Nevalainen said she was just glad to be alive.

"I am happy I'm here and I'm alive," she said.

Manggarai Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Butje Helo, who led the search for the divers, said Saturday the five had been found by fishermen included in the search and rescue team.

"The five tourists are still in a weak state after drifting without food for two days in the treacherous waters," he said, adding that the search and rescue operation had involved dozens of fishing boats, seven cruisers and a patrol boat.

Two of the British divers have left a medical clinic on Flores and moved to a nearby island, a hotel receptionist said Sunday.

James Manning, 30, and Charlotte Allin, 25, checked out of the hotel they were staying at in Labuhan Bajo, a town on the western tip of the island.

"They came back from the clinic this afternoon and immediately checked out. A friend of theirs took them to another island, but I do not know which one," the receptionist said.

Doctors had asked them to recuperate at the clinic for two days, said a local policeman, Viktor Jemadu.

"They were suffering from dehydration and besides that, two days of rest would also help heal the lacerations they suffered from coral and stones, and from the tight bindings they were linked with to stay together," Jemadu said.

Yemris Fointuna contributed to this article from Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara.

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