Scuba diver dies on KZN south coast

A Gauteng tourist died during a scuba dive at Shelley Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast on Thursday.

The National Sea Rescue Institute said personnel from Shelley Beach responded to alerts raised by a dive charter boat that one of their divers had experienced difficulty.

"They were conducting CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) on a 65-year-old Krugersdorp man reported to have stopped breathing from unknown causes during a scuba dive."

The NSRI crew, Med-Evac ambulance services and SAPS search and rescue staff were on the shore to meet the boat where they continued with advanced life-support CPR. 

However, despite their efforts to resuscitate the man, he was declared dead. Police have opened an inquest docket. 

Med-Evac's Glen Preston said despite the joint efforts of all emergency staff who responded, the man couldn't be helped.

"He was an experienced diver with advanced equipment, which was checked and found to be fine.

"One of the two senior dive masters noticed the man wasn't handling the dive down well and notified his colleague. The diver was then taken back up to the boat."

Preston said the man was on holiday with his family at the time of the incident.

NSRI said the dive charter company's crew was to be commended for their efforts to help the man.

SAPS KZN media spokesperson Lt-Col Thulani Zwane said Port Shepstone search and rescue team members, along with NSRI members and paramedics, responded.

The owners of the diving charter company did not respond to queries.