WHITSUNDAY ISLAND, Australia (20 Nov 2008) — Police and Workplace Health and Safety officers are investigating the death of a 25-year-old Taiwanese backpacker after a snorkelling incident off a Whitsunday Island. The young woman was snorkelling near Cave's Cove just off of Hook Island, on an organised trip with OzSail Skippered Charter Yachts, at around 5.30pm on Monday when she lost consciousness. A spokesperson from the company said she was pulled from the water by the crew and in accordance with emergency procedures, CPR was performed immediately and the emergency services were notified. "The passenger was evacuated to Hayman Island medical facilities (by speed boat)," the spokesperson said. After almost an hour of CPR by intensive care paramedics and the boat crew at Hayman Island marina, a pulse was found. Once stabilised the woman was airlifted by the RACQ-CQ Rescue helicopter and en route to Mackay Base Hospital further advanced care drugs were administered. She arrived at the intensive care ward at 8pm in a critical condition and died yesterday morning at 5am. Police were trying to contact her family yesterday. Operator OzSail was in the news earlier this year when two scuba divers spent some hours at sea. The spokesperson from OzSail said its deepest sympathy had been extended to the family and its thanks to the professionalism of the emergency services and medical staff. Tourism Whitsundays Chief Executive Officer Peter O'Reilly said he was saddened upon hearing the news that a young visitor had died. "Our thoughts are also with the crew of the vessel involved who did all they could to assist in the rescue," he said. About one million visitors participate in snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef each year. | 
