WIRRAL, Australia (28 Sep 2007) -- An experienced scuba diver from Wirral complained of symptoms of nausea before he drowned in the Tasman Sea, an inquest heard. Lewis James Gavin, who moved to New South Wales, Australia three years ago, was last seen sinking down to the seabed while out on a diving exercise near Bondi Beach. The 31-year-old had swam to the shot line, which guides scuba divers from the sea surface to a shipwreck, when he told his diving friends he felt sick. Coroner's officer Donald Johnston said the group decided to make their way back to their boat when they saw that Mr Gavin had lost consciousness and began sinking further down towards the seabed. But when they found they were unable to reach the computer salesman, his friends alerted the Botany Bay water police who had to terminate their search due to bad weather. Mr Gavin's body was finally found 5km from the beach eight days later. No defects were found in the diving equipment. The Australian coroner opened an inquest and gave a cause of death as drowning. Mr Gavin's body was brought home to Birkenhead for the funeral. The inquest heard that there was no third party involvement, and an unfounded theory was put forward that Mr Gavin, who was a member of the Sydney Project Dive Team, could have carried out a technique known as flushing' where the oxygen supply is increased to alleviate symptoms of nausea - and could have resulted in his loss of consciousness. | | Despite the death of one of their own members, the Sydney Project Dive Team declines to comment about the fatality, has published nothing about it in the news section of their web site and has removed Lewis James Gavin from their members list. But Wirral Coroner Christopher Johnson said the reasons Mr Gavin lost consciousness "cannot be determined." Recording a narrative verdict, he said: "The deceased drowned in the Tasman Sea off Bondi Beach, New South Wales, after losing consciousness for reasons that cannot be determined, and sinking to the sea bed." SOURCE - Wirral GlobeSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
