JAKARTA — A group of European scuba divers swept away in strong currents scrambled onto a remote Indonesian island only to face another threat: a Komodo dragon.

A port official said Sunday the divers from Britain, France and Sweden were able to scare off the giant lizard by pelting it with rocks and pieces of wood.

He said Komodo dragons often come out when they smell something new, including humans, whom they've been known to kill.

The five divers were swept away by treacherous currents after plunging into the water from their wooden boat on Thursday afternoon. They hit shore 12 hours later, after drifting about 30 kilometres in shark-infested waters.

The divers spent one night on Rinca island before they were rescued.