OHS Investigates Sigatoka Resort Drowning Amid Resource Concerns

The Ministry of Employment’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Division has launched an investigation into claims that a lack of resources may have contributed to the death of a Japanese tourist who drowned while snorkelling at a popular resort in Sigatoka on Tuesday morning.

An eyewitness, who wishes to remain anonymous, described how the tourist struggled with strong tides while at a reef break and signalled for help.

The eyewitness claims that resort staff saw him in distress but appeared unsure of how to assist, and no one came to his aid immediately.

After several minutes, the resort's dive team reportedly launched a boat to search for the man, who was said to have been underwater for about 10 minutes before being located.

Two guests at the resort, one of whom was a doctor, performed CPR on the man.

However, they claim that the resort lacked essential medical equipment, including a defibrillator, which could have potentially helped save his life.

The eyewitness also stated that an ambulance was called during the emergency, but the man was initially transported to Sigatoka Hospital in the back of a pick-up truck.

According to the report, the ambulance arrived about 10 minutes later and met the truck on the way to the hospital, before taking the man the rest of the way.

The Ministry of Health has not yet responded to questions about the availability of ambulance services on the Coral Coast.

In response to the incident, the resort issued a statement saying that their team responded quickly and professionally to the emergency and did everything they could to help.

They also expressed gratitude to the two medical professionals who were on-site and assisted with the situation.

The police are continuing their investigation into the drowning incident.