Japanese woman dies while snorkelling in Great Barrier Reef in Australia

Authorities say the tourist was "pulled unresponsive from the water" about 2 pm on Tuesday.

Japanese tourist dies at Great Barrier Reef in Australia
A tourist snorkels above coral in the lagoon located on Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef, 80 kilometers north-east from the town of Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia. Reuters

A 75-year-old Japanese tourist died in the Great Barrier Reef while snorkelling or diving on the reef, Australian police said on Wednesday. The elderly woman is the fourth person to die at the popular tourist spot in a month.

A Queensland Police spokesman said the woman was snorkelling at the Moore Reef, which is some 40 km from Cairns, along with a tour group. She was "pulled unresponsive from the water" about 2 pm on Tuesday. The spokesman added that the crew immediately started CPR but the tourist died shortly.

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Last month, a 60-year-old English tourist died on Agincourt Reef off the popular resort of Port Douglas while diving. Again this incident came just days after two French travellers, who were in their 70s, perished while snorkelling in the same area.

According to the government, every year more than two million people visit the reef and it generates more than A$2 billion (S$2.1 billion) in tourism revenues. These incidents might have an impact on the tourism industry of the country. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation also reported that there were 10 deaths in total at the reef this year.

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