Scuba diver declared deceased following dive near Gqeberha

A tourist surfaced from a scuba dive unconscious, and despite efforts to revive him, he was declared deceased.

At 10h45, Sunday, 21 April, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were activated following reports from TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control of CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts in progress on an adult male on a dive charter boat that was heading towards the Port of Port Elizabeth and was at the time in the vicinity of the outer Bell Buoy.

The NSRI Gqeberha rescue craft, Rescue 6 Alpha (that was already on the water at our NSRI rescue station following a routine stand-by at the local Iron Man competition) was launched.

EC Government Health EMS and Relay ambulance services were activated.

Responding towards the scene our NSRI rescue craft rendezvoused with the dive charter boat a half a nautical mile from the entrance to the Port.

We found the dive charter boat crew conducting CPR on a Chinese man, a tourist.

The casualty man was transferred onto our NSRI rescue craft, and with NSRI medics continuing with CPR on the man, he was brought to our NSRI Gqeberha rescue station where paramedics continued with advanced life support CPR efforts.

After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted sadly the man was declared deceased.

The SA Police Services attended at the scene and an Inquest docket has been opened by the Police.

The body of the man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Condolences are conveyed to family of the deceased man.

It appears that the man, age 50, had surfaced from a scuba dive unconscious and he was recovered onto the dive charter boat where CPR was commenced by dive charter boat crew.