British woman dead, Instructor arrested - Saranda, Albania

[DandyDon]

The operator wants to claim she had a health issue, but no evidence given to support that.

Brit woman, 29, dies while scuba diving off coast while exploring shipwreck

A video published on an Albanian news website showed a body being taken off a red and white dive boat by seven people and carried up a beach

www.mirror.co.uk

A young British woman has tragically died in a scuba diving accident off the coast of Albania and a diving instructor has been arrested in connection with the death.

According to local police, an unnamed 29-year-old tourist from the UK drowned in the sea on Monday while exploring a shipwreck off the coast of Saranda in southern Albania, not far from the Greek island of Corfu.

Police have arrested Saimir Kushova, diving instructor and owner of Spiranca Diving, in connection with the drowning which happened during an expedition with the company.

Gazeta Telegraf reports that 45-year-old Mr Kushova had illegally employed a diving instructor in his group and had not provided the necessary technical conditions for diving on a shipwreck.

He is accused of violating the rules of protection at work and illegal employment, which, according to preliminary investigations, also led to the loss of the woman's life.

A video published on an Albanian news website showed a body being taken off a red and white dive boat by seven people and carried up a beach.

An employee at Spiranca Diving told The Telegraph that they suspect the woman may have had a health condition but are awaiting the results of the autopsy.

"We’re all very shocked. She was a qualified open water diver, she had a PADI certificate," they continued.

They confirmed Mr Kushova has been arrested but said he was the one who tried to rescue her and gave her CPR.

The young woman had sunk into the depths of the ocean, but after a few minutes, she came back to the surface and called for help, Gazeta Telegraf reports.

She was told to press the emergency button, which opens the life jacket and releases the oxygen tank, but did not manage to press it in time.

Gazeta Telegraf says the Brit's boyfriend stated that she was only 30 metres away from the boat when tragedy struck.


There were eight tourists and three Albanians aboard, it has been reported.

Investigations by the prosecutor's office are ongoing and the autopsy is yet to be carried out.

An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Albania and are in contact with the local authorities.”

 

[Bob DBF]

She was told to press the emergency button, which opens the life jacket and releases the oxygen tank, but did not manage to press it in time.

I'd like to know more about that piece of gear.

 

[Greenjuice]

Some other news outlets have picked up on the story and she has now been named.

It appears that the wreck was at 7 - 8 metres and she had descended before surfacing again in distress and then going down again; as the instructor dived in to rescue her.

An issue with her regulator before the dive was included in this follow up report from the same outlet.

Brit killed in 'traumatic' scuba diving accident while exploring WWII ship wreck

Rebecca Gannon, the 29-year-old who died, was reportedly taking part in dive off coast of Saranda, Albania, when the tragedy struck as her boyfriend helplessly watched on

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[DandyDon]

She was told to press the emergency button, which opens the life jacket and releases the oxygen tank, but did not manage to press it in time.

I'd like to know more about that piece of gear.

I'm guessing that's a nondiver's interpertration of inflating a BC with a wild remark about an oxygen tank added by mistake. I guess she was recovered with weights intact as well but would have lived if she'd dropped them.

 

[Greenjuice]

I guess she was recovered with weights intact as well but would have lived if she'd dropped them.

RIP and condolences to her loved ones.

If the story is one of surfacing in distress before going down again, one does wonder if there was a missed opportunity to have a different outcome.

 

[Bob DBF]

. I guess she was recovered with weights intact as well but would have lived if she'd dropped them.

Since we don't know exactly what happened, I don't know if she would have lived, however dropping the weights would have speeded assistance and treatment.

Not only should one practice dropping weights, but have your mind set on the conditions that the weights be dropped. Better dropping weights too soon than after one panics or is physically incapacitated and is incapable and cannot.

 

[DandyDon]

Not only should one practice dropping weights

First dive, every trip. I've been surprised at how I have to search for the handles.

 

[Bob DBF]

First dive, every trip. I've been surprised at how I have to search for the handles.

I've always used a weight belt so 50 odd years is a lot of muscle memory, but I still practice. I must admit that I started without a BC, so dropping weights was emphasized much more than today. The rule is, in an emergency, get on top and stay on top.

I have dropped my belt twice, once made me much more comfortable on the surface (no BC), the second saved my life.

 

[Scraps]

1. The comment from the dive center employee is priceless:

"'We’re all very shocked. She was a qualified open water diver, she had a PADI certificate,' they continued."​

If you can't trust an OW diver to dive a wreck, who can you trust? ("I'm shocked, shocked to find that there is gambling going on here!")


2. Another example of fine, in-depth analysis by trained journalism professionals who are uniquely qualified to explain the world's complex issues to the masses:

"She was told to press the emergency button, which opens the life jacket and releases the oxygen tank, but did not manage to press it in time."​

​

Gosh, the dive center gave her an emergency button, a life jacket, and an oxygen tank. What more could they possibly have done for her? Unless it was one of those emergency buttons you can't press until you break the glass.

 

[WeRtheOcean]

What seems odd to me is her coming to the surface and then going down again. No word that she specified anything wrong, just "called for help."