Heritage Day turned to tragedy in Smitswinkel Bay for a visiting Canadian family when a man died while scuba diving.
Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simon’s Town station commander, said the duty crew were called out at 12.16pm on Sunday September 24 in response to reports from Pisces Dive Charters that attempts were being made to resuscitate a male diver, who reportedly surfaced from a scuba dive pulseless and breathless at Smitswinkel Bay, Cape Point.
CPR efforts were under way on the dive boat, and they reported to be heading towards Millers Point.
Spirit of Safmarine III and Spirit of Surfski II were launched from NSRI Simon’s Town, and paramedics from CMR (Cape Medical Response) responded by road. “We rendezvoused with the dive boat half a nautical mile off-shore of Millers Point and NSRI medical crew were put aboard the dive boat,” Mr Zimmerman said.
CPR efforts continued and once brought ashore at the Millers Point slip-way, paramedics took over with the CPR efforts. “Despite the extensive efforts and after all CPR efforts were exhausted, the man was sadly declared deceased,” he said.
The body of the man has been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and the SA Police Services. Police have opened an inquest docket. The deceased man is a Canadian citizen, and the Canadian authorities are assisting.
