Umkomaas diver in distress left critical
Her lungs were filling with her own body fluid
A diver in distress was treated by paramedics after she developed a life-threatening medical condition at a depth of about 18 metres on Monday morning, 20 March.
At 8.55am, Netcare 911 paramedics responded to the Umkomaas diving site.
They were told the woman diver had been at that depth for four minutes when she developed a life threatening medical condition.
Appropriate action from the dive master, whose calm approach under pressure was lauded, is what paramedics believe saved her life.
Paramedics learned that the dive master noticed she was battling to breathe and had become distressed. The indications that followed showed that she had a life threatening condition where her lungs was filling with her own body fluid, making breathing virtually impossible. Despite her condition, he ensured that he kept her DV in her mouth and did the necessary decompression stops en route to the surface.
When they returned to the boat, the call went out for paramedics to meet them on the beach. On the beach, advanced life support paramedics worked fervently to stabilise the patient before they transported her to a specialised hospital for further care.
“To the dive master and the dive charters, we at Netcare 911 salute you for the professional care you gave the diver,” said Chris Botha.
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