Surfer saves diver knocked out by wave - New South Wales

[DandyDon]

Police seek surfer who rescued scuba diver

A male scuba diver died after slipping on rocks while trying to exit the sea on New South Wales’ Central Coast in Australia - and now police are trying to

divernet.com

A male scuba diver died after slipping on rocks while trying to exit the sea on New South Wales’ Central Coast in Australia – and now police are trying to identify a mystery surfer who managed to bring him back to shore in challenging conditions.

Emergency services had responded to reports of a diver unconscious in the water at Terrigal Haven, about 90km north of Sydney, at 5.45pm on 20 October.

The diver, who was 51 years old, had been shore-diving with a buddy but the pair had headed back in as the weather had changed. He had been trying to climb onto rocks in a heavy swell when a large wave struck him, causing him to slip, hit his head and fall back into the water.

At this point a male surfer who had seen the incident entered the water on his board and brought the diver back to shore, where CPR was performed until the arrival of NSW Ambulance paramedics. The diver was airlifted to hospital in critical condition, and died there a few days later.

Brisbane Water Police District detectives working to produce a coroner’s report have now appealed for the surfer, or anyone in the community who can identify him, to come forward, because he might have information that could help with their investigation.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Heading is misleading as the diver died.

Interesting, first I have heard of this accident. Presumably they were trying to dive the Skillion Cave, as Terrigal Haven itself is very protected. See my website for more information about the dive site. Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site

More information from NSW Police website.
Latest News - NSW Police Public Site

A search shows nothing else about this matter till two days ago, even though it happened almost three weeks ago.

 

[DandyDon]

Heading is misleading as the diver died.

Do you want the whole story in the heading? The surfer did indeed save him and gave him the best chance possible at surviving but it just wasn't enough.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Do you want the whole story in the heading? The surfer did indeed save him and gave him the best chance possible at surviving but it just wasn't enough.

Perhaps "Diver dies despite Surfer rescue attempt".

 

[clownfishsydney]

Spoke to a friend who lives near there and is a regular diver. He had not heard of this accident till the press release was put out a few days ago. The club of which he is a member had not talked about it. Still nothing else in the press.

 

[Shawn C]

Perhaps "Diver dies despite Surfer rescue attempt".

Agreed. I came to this thread expecting a happy ending

Surfer tried to save dive knocked out by wave - New South Wales​

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Well, given the diver died several days later the surfer arguably did rescue them. They weren't recovering a body.

 

[Shawn C]

Well, given the diver died several days later the surfer arguably did rescue them. They weren't recovering a body.

Yeah, that's a fair point. Technically, he did save him even if it ultimately proved futile. It still doesn't change that the headline, as currently written, leads one to believe that there was a happy ending when there, most definitely, was not.

 

[Richard Dayan]

I avoid shore diving

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I avoid shore diving

I wear a helmet.

SeaRat