French tourists die on Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour

Two French tourists have died while snorkelling together at Michaelmas Cay off Cairns, apparently as a result of heart attacks.

The two tourists, a man and woman, aged 76 and 74, were among a group of 21 elderly people on a Great Barrier Reef catamaran excursion with tour operator Passions of Paradise.

Queensland Police Inspector Peter Mansfield said onlookers were first to notice the woman, a short time after she entered the water about 10:45am, floating face down and not moving.

She was brought back to the boat and CPR was administered, without success.

About the same time, Inspector Mansfield said, the man was spotted unconscious in the water.

He was taken to the beach at Michaelmas Cay and CPR and defibrillation were attempted, but he too could not be revived.

Inspector Mansfield said the deaths were a "very unfortunate event" and that both people had next of kin on board the boat at the time.

He said Police were investigating as part of the "coronial process" and would look at any first practices the company had in place.

According to Passions of Paradise Chief Executive Scott Garden, the pair, who were unrelated, had “pre-existing medical conditions".

Garden told the ABC “we did what we could.

“It was a credit to our staff, and we also had a neighbouring doctor on another boat that offered assistance as well, so we did everything that we could.”

Col McKenzie from the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators described the two deaths as a "rare tragedy", adding Passions of Paradise was a well-respected tour operator.

While media outlets have described the death as being due to ‘heart attacks’, the presence of irukandji jellyfish with their potentially fatal sting are believed to be responsible for a number of deaths described as being 'heart attacks'.

The the tiny, transparent and potentially deadly marine stinger is active from November to March in the tropical waters of Northern Queensland, and all over Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Scientists have previously noted that fear of the jellyfish can cause significant damage to the Australian tourism industry with an estimated US$65 million in lost revenue following two irukandji fatalities on the Great Barrier Reef in 2002. 

Image: Snorkelling at Michaelmas Cay. Image used for illustrative purposes only.

6th May 2015 - THIRD GREAT BARRIER REEF SCUBA DIVING FATALITY IN THREE MONTHS

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15th May 2014 - IRUKANDJI ‘FORECAST’ TO WARN AUSTRALIAN SWIMMERS ABOUT PRESENCE OF DEADLY STINGERS 

19th November 2013 - PASSIONS WINS AUSTRALIA’S TOP ECOTOURISM AWARD

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