Man dies after scuba diving accident at Merimbula (NSW, AUS)

[diver257a]

Man dies after scuba diving accident at Merimbula | thetelegraph.com.au

[h=1]MAN DIES AFTER SCUBA DIVING ACCIDENT AT MERIMBULA By Sam Williams, The Daily Telegraph January 16, 2012 1:30PM

A 20-year-old man has died after a scuba diving accident on the New South Wales south coast. NSW Ambulance officers arrived at Merimbula Wharf around 10.47am (AEDT) to find in the man in a critical condition. He was taken to Pambula Hospital where he died a short time later. More details to come.[/h]

Also reported in Man dies after scuba diving accident at Merimbula | Adelaide Now

 

[Griffo]

Sad. I doubt we'll get much more info though. There was also a diver death off Rottnest yesterday, I can't see any other mention of it?
Sky News: Man dies scuba diving

 

[DandyDon]

The linked story puts his age at 40...??

 

[Griffo]

The original story defiantely said 20. Shows the quality of news reporting in Australia.

Is it just me, or a lot of scuba accidents quickly written off as "heart attacks" these days.

 

[boulderjohn]

The original story defiantely said 20. Shows the quality of news reporting in Australia.

Is it just me, or a lot of scuba accidents quickly written off as "heart attacks" these days.

Do you have information that the deaths being attributed to heart attacks are actually caused by something else?

 

[Garth]

Statistically in the non diving community 20 year olds rarely die from massive heart attacks.

 

[Garth]

But 40 year olds have a very different statistical probability.

 

[Hatul]

The original story defiantely said 20. Shows the quality of news reporting in Australia.

Is it just me, or a lot of scuba accidents quickly written off as "heart attacks" these days.

Actually the article mentioned cardiac arrest, which is almost a useless piece of information, as all deaths end in cardiac arrest, except perhaps the brain dead people.

 

[DandyDon]

Actually the article mentioned cardiac arrest, which is almost a useless piece of information, as all deaths end in cardiac arrest, except perhaps the brain dead people.

And I think the reporters are simply echoing idle rumors at times, maybe picking the one that works better for the story.

 

[DandyDon]

Follow up story praises nephew who was diving with him: Tragedy strikes family holiday - Local News - News - General - Merimbula News Weekly

Tragedy struck a Victorian family holidaying at Merimbula when a 40-year-old male member of the family died after scuba diving off rocks near the fisherman’s wharf, Merimbula, at about 10.50am on Monday, January 16.There were desperate attempts by other divers and paramedics, at the scene, to resuscitate the man, from Mornington, Victoria but they were unsuccessful.
The man’s young nephew, who was part of the extended family on holiday together, was praised for his role in the rescue attempt to save his uncle, by acting sergeant John Ziino, of Eden Water Police.
Sergeant Ziino said that the man was diving with his young nephew when tragedy struck. NSW Ambulance service said it was believed the man may have suffered a heart attack.
Sergeant Ziino said: “The young boy brought his uncle to the surface and then brought him to the shore. He did a very good job; he did extremely well in bringing him back to shore.”
Other divers assisted in giving CPR to the man as soon as he was pulled out of the water and emergency services rushed to the scene. Rescue services were called to assist in getting the man from the rocks onto the roadway above next to the Wharf Restaurant and Aquarium.
As the trolley was led along a narrow walkway at the side of the restaurant paramedics continued to give CPR before he was taken to Pambula hospital but sadly the man was unable to be revived and was pronounced dead on arrival at Pambula hospital.
Anthony Daly, who manages the Wharf and Aquarium, had arrived at the scene just as the ambulance was preparing to leave. He said the man’s family had been at the wharf.
‘‘He looked like he was in a pretty bad way from what everyone was saying, they kept working on him for quite a while here,’’ Mr Daly said.
‘‘Where we are here at the wharf, it’s ideal for diving, calm waters... it’s just one of those terrible things.’’ he said.
Experienced Sydney-based scuba diver Michael McFadyen has dived the site at least half a dozen times, and said it was ‘‘one of the easiest’’ spots in the area. (continued at link)