This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/16/two-french-tourists-believed-to-have-died-from-heart-attacks-on-great-barrier-reef
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Two French tourists die from heart attacks on Great Barrier Reef | Two French tourists die from heart attacks on Great Barrier Reef |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Two French tourists have died after suffering suspected heart attacks while on a snorkelling trip north of Cairns. | Two French tourists have died after suffering suspected heart attacks while on a snorkelling trip north of Cairns. |
| Dive company Passions of Paradise said that the man and woman, who were not related, were among a group of 21 elderly French tourists on a tour at Michaelmas Cay on Wednesday. | |
| Inspector Peter Mansfield of Cairns police said the 74-year-old woman entered the water around 10.45am as part of a guided group but was spotted floating motionless a short time later. | |
| She was then brought back on to the boat but could not be revived. | |
| “While that was happening ... the 76-year-old man was observed also unconscious in the water,” the inspector said in Cairns. | |
| “He was taken to shore and CPR attempted, but that was also unsuccessful,” adding that the pair were probably in the water “less than 10 minutes”. | |
| Police said their next of kin were also on the boat, and were assisting with inquiries. | |
| Col McKenzie, executive director of the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, said the pair suffered sudden medical issues. | Col McKenzie, executive director of the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, said the pair suffered sudden medical issues. |
| “I just don’t know what it was; however, from what I was told, it would lead you to believe that they probably had heart attacks,” he told Associated Australian Press. | “I just don’t know what it was; however, from what I was told, it would lead you to believe that they probably had heart attacks,” he told Associated Australian Press. |
| “I do know that the woman was on some pretty severe medications as well.” | “I do know that the woman was on some pretty severe medications as well.” |
| Crew members tried to revive the pair, but they both died at the scene. | Crew members tried to revive the pair, but they both died at the scene. |
| “They had pre-existing medical conditions and were accompanied by a guide when they were in the water,” said Scotty Garden, Passions of Paradise chief executive, in a statement. | “They had pre-existing medical conditions and were accompanied by a guide when they were in the water,” said Scotty Garden, Passions of Paradise chief executive, in a statement. |
| A third French tourist also got into difficulties but survived. | A third French tourist also got into difficulties but survived. |
| McKenzie described it as a “perfect storm”. | McKenzie described it as a “perfect storm”. |
| “Crew on the Passions boat worked to save them all, including CPR and using oxygen, but tragically two are dead,” he told the Cairns Post. | “Crew on the Passions boat worked to save them all, including CPR and using oxygen, but tragically two are dead,” he told the Cairns Post. |
| “There was a doctor onboard the nearby Ocean Spirit who declared them dead.” | “There was a doctor onboard the nearby Ocean Spirit who declared them dead.” |
| The company had taken more than 400,000 tourists to the reef since it began operating in 1989, McKenzie said. One other fatality had occurred during a tour in 1997, when an 80-year-old died from a heart problem. | The company had taken more than 400,000 tourists to the reef since it began operating in 1989, McKenzie said. One other fatality had occurred during a tour in 1997, when an 80-year-old died from a heart problem. |