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DFEMS personnel rappel to rescue diver who nearly drowned at the Grotto
Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services search and rescue personnel rappelled from a cliff to pull out a Korean woman who nearly drowned while diving with her husband and an instructor at the Grotto area in Marpi last Saturday. (Derek Gersonde)
A dive instructor managed to revive a Korean female diver who nearly drowned at the Grotto in Marpi last Saturday.
Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services search and rescue personnel rappelled off the cliff and pulled out the woman. She and her husband, who was also so weak, were both transported by ambulance to the Commonwealth Health Center emergency room.
DFEMS spokesman Derek Gersonde said yesterday that on Saturday at 12:04pm, they received a call from the Department of Public Safety 911 for a possible drowning at the Grotto.
DFEMS medics and rescue unit from Garapan and Susupe Fire Stations responded to the scene.
Gersonde said investigation showed that a dive instructor from ATTY DIVE company had taken out a Korean couple for diving.
On the second dive, the woman was having issues with her mask. The dive instructor and the couple ascended to the surface outside the Grotto, where she became unconscious.
The instructor and the husband pulled the woman onto a tabletop. The instructor then started to perform CPR on her.
After five minutes of CPR, the woman became conscious. The instructor left the couple as he called 911.
DFEMS search and rescue personnel rappelled off the cliff and found on the rocks the 35-year-old woman, who was so weak and complained of chest pains.
Rescuers pulled her up and carried her out. The 42-year-old husband was also so weak but managed to climb out on his own.
Ambulance then transported the couple to CHC.
