Updated at 1:42 p.m., Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Scuba trouble sends Japanese visitor to hospital
Advertiser Staff
A Japanese visitor who got into trouble while scuba diving off Kewalo Basin harbor was taken to Straub Clinic and Hospital in critical condition.Alex Mason, president and chief executive officer of aaadiving.com said the stricken diver appeared to be between 55 and 60 years old and was part of a Japanese tour group that had chartered his boat.
"Other divers saw him get into trouble and brought him back to the boat," Mason said.
He said the diver had no pulse and was not breathing when he was pulled onto the back of the boat.
The group had been diving in water up to 40 feet deep almost directly off Kewalo harbor.
The diver was rushed to a pier in the harbor and handed over to city emergency medical services technicians at about 12:20 p.m.
Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city Emergency Services Department, said the diver was listed in critical condition on arriving at Straub.
Mason said the man was a licensed diver and was not participating in an introductory dive program.
