An investigation is underway after an internationally-renowned professional Japanese diver died while filming a documentary on coelacanths and leatherback turtles in the Sodwana Bay section of iSimangaliso Wetland Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
In a statement‚ iSimangaliso CEO Andrew Zaloumis said 55-year old professional diver‚ Mitsuyoshi Tanaka‚ died tragically on Thursday while diving on Jesser Canyons in the Sodwana Bay section of iSimangaliso at approximately 110m. The dive team was using mixed gases and rebreathers.
Tanaka was a senior diver on the month-long dive expedition by the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers with South African specialist dive company Triton Dive Lodge.
In his statement Zaloumis said shortly before Tanaka surfaced unconscious‚ the backup divers had entered the water to meet the deep divers at 70m‚ in accordance with the standard ascend safety procedures for this kind of technical dive‚ after the marker buoys for the deep divers had surfaced without danger tape‚ meaning that all was okay and they were starting to ascend.
He said the surface support boat team and surface divers immediately brought the unconscious diver onto the boat and tried to resuscitate him. He was then immediately transferred to Mbazawa‚ met by an ambulance and taken to the nearest hospital‚ Mseleni Hospital.
Life support was administered throughout but sadly Tanaka was pronounced dead at Mseleni Hospital.
“The authorised expedition is filming the wonders of the ocean to promote the conservation and protection of iSimangaliso’s coelacanths and leatherback turtles through documentaries to be flighted internationally and nationally. They will also produce educational videos in isiZulu and English for our youth in the region‚” Zaloumis said.
He said Tanaka‚ who was a former specialist dive trainer for the military with over 25 years dive experience had a passion for nature and was "fascinated" by the creatures he was filming.
TMG Digital/TImesLIVE
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