A 67-year-old Tasmanian woman drowned while snorkeling the Tangalooma Wrecks at Moreton Island, Australia on Friday, April 17. The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was a passenger aboard the Carnival Splendor, which offers snorkeling excursions to the Tangalooma Wrecks.
The Incident
A witness told Courier Mail, “The current at the wrecks was incredibly strong, and proficient and capable swimmers in our group struggled to swim from the wrecks to shore.”
He continued, “The woman who died was spotted in trouble by a camper on shore who happened to also be an off-duty lifesaver, who recognised signs that she was struggling.” The lifesaver (a volunteer lifeguard) reportedly pulled the woman to shore where she received CPR. Paramedics arrived soon after but the woman did not survive.
A spokeswoman for Carnival said in a statement, “Our Care Team is supporting the guest’s family during this difficult time.”
Tangalooma Wrecks
The shipwrecks are located on an unpatrolled beach with no lifeguards on duty. The local resort, the Tangalooma Island Resort, warns that a “strong current sweeps between the wrecks and the beach when the tide is running so don’t try and swim against it.”
The shipwrecks are just 30 meters to shore at their closest point.
Carnival sells its own “Snorkeling the Wrecks” shore excursion at Moreton Island. The excursion takes passengers to the shipwreck by boat for a guide snorkeling tour. Carnival’s website also states swimming to shipwrecks from the shore is an option “if you’re a confident swimmer.”
It is unclear whether the woman was on a Carnival-operated excursion or snorkeling independently at the time of her death. Carnival may be found liable for the woman’s death if she was on their excursion regardless of any waiver she may have signed.
Tragic Day for the Carnival Splendor
This incident was one of two tragedies to strike the Carnival Splendor. Hours after the woman drowned, a man in his 70s jumped overboard from Carnival Splendor. A massive search and rescue operation was unsuccessful and the man is presumably dead. The two incidents are not believed to be related.