Experienced Sydney diver dies after being dragged to surface in underwater emergency
A 30-year-old woman was flown to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital this morning to be treated for the bends. 9RAW
An experienced female diver has died after being forced to make an emergency ascent during a group dive at Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast yesterday.
The 33-year-old woman, from Bronte, was 30m below the surface with three other divers and a guide when she began struggling for air.
One of the other divers noticed she was struggling and dragged her to the surface, where she went into cardiac arrest.
Members of the diving group put her onto a vessel and performed CPR as she was brought to shore.
She was rushed to Gosford Hospital while paramedics tried to revive her with CPR and ventilation and was put into an induced coma.
Once stabilised, she was flown by helicopter to Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital where hyperbaric oxygen therapy is available in a recompression chamber.
She was being treated for the bends - a decompression sickness suffered by divers where bubbles form in the blood stream due to changes in pressure.
She died shortly after 4pm.
Police will prepare a report for the NSW Coroner.
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