Canadian Diver in Critical Condition - Yongala wreck dive mishap

[scuba_katt]

I read this article in the local Townsville newspaper today, and since I couldn't locate it online, I thought I would type it up for you. It's a dive incident at the Yongala wreck 90km southeast of Townsville (where Tina Watson was "murdered" by Gabe Watson). I've not heard any updates on this lady's condition. My thoughts go to her friends and family, and hope for some positive news soon.

"CANADIAN SCUBA DIVER IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER ACCIDENT AT YONGALA
by LEONIE JOHNSON
A Canadian scuba diver is fighting for her life in Townsville Hospital after a diving accident at the Yongala shipwreck yesterday morning.

The 31 year old woman's dive instructor had to pull her to the surface after she experienced difficulty diving about 10.30am. Yongala Dive staff administered CPR to the woman, who wasn't breathing when she was pulled from the water. They transported her using a dinghy to the Alva Beach boat ramp, near Ayr, where they were met by an ambulance about 10.45am.

Ayr paramedics transported the seriously ill woman to Ayr Hospital. Due to her critical condition she was airlifted by the Emergency Management Queensland Rescue Helicopter to Townsville Hopsital.

Last night she was in a hyperbaric chamber in a critical condition. The tourist was scuba diving with a group of international and Australian tourists at the popular Yongala dive site, about 89km southeast of Townsville. A Queensland Police Service spokesman said the dive group entered the water about 8.30am. He said the woman had 'experienced difficulty' before being brought to the surface.

The woman's next of kin have been informed of the accident.

Dive company Yongala Dive declined to comment on the incident when contact by the Townsville Bulletin yesterday. Police were yesterday making routine enquiries into the incident.

The Yongala has been the site of several diving incidents duringthe past eight years, including one death.

DUring a three year period, from 2000 to 2003, five people had to be airlifted to Townsville Hospital from the Yongala after suffering medical problems while diving. Most were causd by the bends or decompression sickness.

The most recent death was that of 26 year old American woman Tina Watson. She died on October 22, 2003, while diving on the Yongala shipwreck on her honeymoon. Her husband Gabe Watson was recently charged with the murder of his wife after a coronial inquest was held into her death."

If any of her friends or family are on this board, please know that Townsville Hospital is well-renowned for its Diving Medicine, and they will be doing everything possible to assist in her recovery.

Regards

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

We all pray for a good outcome.

This month's issue of Scuba Diving lists this dive site as a minimal skill level of intermediate to advanced. The number of incidents might validate this, or may simply reflect a very high volume of divers.

For those who know the site, is this skill rating justified? It raises the question of why someone like Watson was doing her very first dive there.

 

[openmindOW]

What is the depth of the wreck?

 

[vladimir]

I have done 4 dives on the Yongala, on two days about a year apart. On each dive we had a decent surface chop and strong currents, and on one dive re-boarding the boat was a bit of an adventure. I would rate it intermediate to advanced in the conditions I dived it.

 

[vladimir]

What is the depth of the wreck?

About a 100'.

 

[nadwidny]

We all pray for a good outcome.

This month's issue of Scuba Diving lists this dive site as a minimal skill level of intermediate to advanced. The number of incidents might validate this, or may simply reflect a very high volume of divers.

For those who know the site, is this skill rating justified?

I used to crew on a boat that went out there. There is nothing hard about diving it. It's in the open on a flat sandy bottom at around 100' with the top of the ship around 40ish. Not much left of the ship except the hull so it's not like there is a ton of stuff to get caught in. I guess the things that would make this an "advanced" dive is that there can be a bit of a current and one has to be able to be able to make an open water ascent or descent of 40 - 100'. I suppose the suggested ratings could be indicative of the low level of competency needed to pass an OW course.

 

[ronbeau]

We all pray for a good outcome.

This month's issue of Scuba Diving lists this dive site as a minimal skill level of intermediate to advanced. The number of incidents might validate this, or may simply reflect a very high volume of divers.

For those who know the site, is this skill rating justified? It raises the question of why someone like Watson was doing her very first dive there.

I might have messed something reading the post by how did you know it was her very first dive?

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

I used to crew on a boat that went out there. There is nothing hard about diving it. It's in the open on a flat sandy bottom at around 100' with the top of the ship around 40ish. Not much left of the ship except the hull so it's not like there is a ton of stuff to get caught in. I guess the things that would make this an "advanced" dive is that there can be a bit of a current and one has to be able to be able to make an open water ascent or descent of 40 - 100'. I suppose the suggested ratings could be indicative of the low level of competency needed to pass an OW course.

Wouldn't the ability to make a 100' descent/ascent make an AOW certification, not just an OW cert, necessary or at least preferable?

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

I might have messed something reading the post by how did you know it was her very first dive?

This info was in the NBC dateline report, if I am remembering it properly. She finished her OW checkout dives (barely, according to her instructor, who was interviewed) in a local quarry just before the honeymoon dive trip.

I believe that her fatal dive was the very first one they did together, making it her first dive after her OW checkout dives. My memory may be faulty, but I think this is accurate.

(I am referring to the Watson case, not the incident described here. There is no mention of this recent diver's experience in the news reports that I can find).

 

[nadwidny]

Wouldn't the ability to make a 100' descent/ascent make an AOW certification, not just an OW cert, necessary or at least preferable?

I'll refer you back to the last sentence in my post.
The Yongala is not a hard dive. It's people's crappy skills that make it hard.