Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Dead diver was soon to be married

A 28-year-old woman who died during a scuba diving training session had been in the water in "close to perfect conditions" at Sydney's Camp Cove, near Watsons Bay, the diving company says.
The woman, a Nepalese national who lived in London, was pulled from the water at 5pm yesterday
Police and paramedics tried to revive her.
She had been with a group of 12 training with Pro Dive Coogee and had spent the morning practising in a pool before diving at Camp Cove, the company's director Russell deGroot said.
He said the circumstances of the woman's death were not yet known.
The diving group, instructors and other staff had been counselled this morning and dives have been suspended today.


"We are all just devastated - I know it's a cliche, but for the family in particular and for the staff and students," Mr deGroot said.
"[The group] were terrific in assisting the two instructors. They're obviously really upset and shocked to a large degree.
"Obviously, we've suspended everything and we're making sure everyone is OK."
Mr deGroot said Camp Cove was one of Sydney's calmest and best diving sites and divers in the group described yesterday's conditions as "close to perfect".
"It was a little overcast. Certainly the seas were calm.
"They had been in the pool all morning, they'd completed their theory.


The young woman was part of a group of 12 scuba diving students who had just surfaced after the training dive with Pro Dive Coogee when instructors noticed she was missing.


She was found unconscious, face down in the water, and efforts to revive her were unsuccessful.


A relative tearfully told Nine News the woman was "boisterous, fun-loving and the life of the party".


"Everyone will be missing her," he said.


Pro Dive Coogee director Russel deGroot told Nine News this was the first tragedy the company had experienced in 42 years of business.


"Everyone is heartbroken," he said. Mr deGroot told the Sydney Morning Herald Camp Cove was one of Sydney's calmest diving sites and yesterday's conditions were "close to perfect".


The group spent the morning practicing in a pool before diving at the cove.


It is not known if the woman panicked underwater, had a pre-existing medical condition or if the equipment failed.


The diving company has suspended operations, and forensic investigators are examining the scuba equipment.

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