Boat strike fatality - Fiji

[DandyDon]

Man dies in boat mishap - Fiji Times Online

POLICE are emphasising the need for sailors to be vigilant and to keep an eye out for swimmers and divers while out at sea.
The warning comes in the wake of a death in the Western Division where a boat operator struck a diver near a reef off the Yasawas.
"A man was taken into police custody in Lautoka over the weekend after the boat he was sailing hit a 49-year-old man who was spear diving in a reef near Nacula in Yasawa on Saturday," said police spokesman Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri.
"He was on his way to work when he hit the diver near the Vatulaca Reef.
"The diver suffered injuries to his hand and was taken to Nacula Health Centre before being airlifted to the Lautoka Hospital where he unfortunately passed away."
There have been several similar incidents of concern with one of the most serious being in 2007 where a female tourist was struck by a boat operator that deviated from a designated boat channel at Matamanoa Island Resort in the Mamanuca Group.
As a result of the incident, boating practices have been changed at island resorts.

 

[keller34]

As I read this I saw the only thing that stood out:

"The diver suffered injuries to his hand"

Then I saw:

he unfortunately passed away.

Thats all they said. He must have had a heart attack or blood loss.

 

[diverrick]

My gues it is a type, it should have said injuries to the HEAD. That would make alot more sense. BUt what do I know. I guess you could die from a hand injury if it is severe enough, and treatment is delayed.

 

[lindenbruce]

The first thing I thought of was Nathalie's post about her accident. What a tragedy. B.

 

[Sloeber]

Very sad.

Not to lump all Fijians into the mix, but it seems many of the boat operators here are rather careless. Upon taking over management of a dive operation in Fiji I had to lecture on numerous occasions the boat "captains" here (not employed by my now former employer) about divers and snorkelers in the water. It took several un-polite "discussions" to get my own captains to respect diver down flags where we were doing our DSD's, and to stop motoring through the area when we were underwater. Even after many warnings they would still motor right through our snorkel area, an area they themselves placed mooring buoys out to restrict boats from trafficking through the area. Our daily briefings included ask guests to stay safe and stay within our buoys, then the properties own boat captains were constantly driving through there. I'd tell them not to, they'd acknowledge it, then do it again the next day. Made no sense to me and was quite maddening. And these were only the employees for the location. Several times per day boats of unknown origin (taxis, pleasure cruisers, etc.) would drive right through our snorkel area or literally drive right over our diver down flag as they would beach their boat to unload people. One boat actually got our diver down flag mooring line wrapped into their propeller.

For the record I have also worked with many good boat captains in Fiji who knew, understood, and respected diving and snorkeling areas. Unfortunately in my experience this was the exception to the norm.

---------- Post added November 7th, 2013 at 12:57 AM ----------

Interesting side note... the island resort where this occurred currently has an advertisement on the PADI job board looking for a new Operations Manager.