Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site
Home · Contact Me · Sydney Reef Dive Sites · Sydney Shipwrecks · NSW Dive Sites · Australian Dive Sites · Overseas Dive Sites · Dive Accidents and Incidents · My Yachting Adventures · 4WD Trips · Weather · Search 14 October 2024 00:18
Navigation
Home

General
About Me
My Diving
FAQ
Downloads
Web Links - Dive Clubs
St George Scuba Club
Some of my Best Photos
Contact Me

Dive Sites
Sydney Reef Dive Sites
Sydney Shipwrecks
Sydney Dive Visibility, Swell and Temps
Kelly Talking on ABC Sydney about Shipwrecks
NSW Dive Sites
Sydney Shipwreck Summary
NSW Shipwreck GPS/Marks
Australian Dive Sites
Overseas Dive Sites
Aircraft I have Dived
Old Bottles
Free Shipwreck Books

Dive Related Equipment
Shearwater Predator and Heinrichs Weikamp OSTC 2N
Uwatec Aladin Dive Computers
Apollo AV1 Underwater Scooter
Bauer Compressor
DIY Oxygen Stick - Nitrox
GoPro HD Hero Video Camera
My Camera Setup
Purchase of New Dive Boat
My Dive Boat - Mak Cat
My Old Dive Boat - Le Scat
My Dive Gear
GPS and Diving
Make Your Own Car Tank Rack

Marine Life
Rarer Sydney Marine Life
Bare Island Pygmy Pipe Horses
Bare Island Sea Horses
Bare Island Nudibranchs
Bare Island Marine Life
Encounter with Southern Right Whale and Calf

Other Dive Info
How Weather Affects Diving in Sydney
Visibility and Wave Averages in Sydney
Waves and Diving
Diving Weather and Sea Conditions
Tide Tables
Dive Accidents and Incidents
Dive Book Reviews
Site Map
Noel Hitchins 1951-2005
Lloyd Bridges - Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt
My Yachting Adventures
Below is a list of links to the main pages about my yacht, Catlypso and My Yachting Adventures:
  • Purchase of Catlypso
  • Details about Catlypso
  • Cleaning/Repairing Catlypso
  • My Yachting Adventures.
  • Login
    Username

    Password



    Forgotten your password?
    Request a new one here.
    Michael's 4WD Trips
    Click here for a list of my Four Wheel Drive and Camping Trips.
    Home Brewing
    Click here for an article about Home Brewing.
    Sydney Dive Site Hints
    "Bare Island Deep Wall has pygmy pipehorses if you look closely"
    Tina Watson Death - Dr Stanley Stutz's Statements and Evidence
    The following table summarises Dr Stutz's evidence in relation to Gabe and Tina Watson.

    Date22-Oct-0330-Oct-0420-Jan-0618-Apr-0730-Jan-08
    Who to?Queensland PoliceCampbellLt Brad FlynnQueensland PoliceCoroners Inquest
    Where?Townsville Police StationBoston, MassachusettsProvidence Police StationTownsville Coroners Court
    How? Written Statement Email Video and transcript of interview Written Statement but not signed Interrogation via videolink
    What depth when he first saw something? 5 metres NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED 5 metres 5 metres also confirms he was still at 5 m when diver 1 sank away
    Group of divers seen? Yes NOT MENTIONED Yes Yes Yes
    What were they doing? "a bunch of divers coming up toward the surface" NOT MENTIONED "at the time I didn't know whether they were descending or ascending" NOT MENTIONED "the front two divers, I thought they were ascending" - note that this was "Not diver 1 and diver 2"
    Which direction were they? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED "Down and to my left" "down and to my left" "down to my left"
    Could he see wreck? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED At first he says "I don't remember when I was looking at them - seeing the wreck" but then says "I remember the wreck being - above and to the right now" "While divers 1 and 2 were in my field of vision I could not see any part of the wreck" "I couldn't see the wreck" and "I could only see the wreck when I went down to find Roger (Robert)"
    How far from divers to wreck? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED "a lot farther than the divers and the surface" NOT MENTIONED "so I don't know where they were in relation to the wreck"
    How many in group? NOT MENTIONED 4 - 5 4 or 5 4 or 5 4 or 5
    How close were diver 1 and 2 to him? 20 feet (6 m) 20 feet (6 m) 20 feet (6 m) NOT MENTIONED 20 feet (6 m)
    How close to each other? NOT MENTIONED "at least 5-10 feet between people" (2-3 m) Spread out over 5-10 feet apart (2-3 m) Spread out over 5-10 feet apart (2-3 m) "roughly 10 feet apart"
    How deep were diver 1 and 2? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED "roughly 35 feet maybe - or less" but then says "so maybe 50 feet but probably less than that" NOT MENTIONED "I guess she was between 35/40 feet (11-12 m), maybe 50 feet (15 m)"
    When 1 and 2 together, how far was next closest diver? 10 feet (3 m) 10 feet (3 m) Do not recall but they were in the middle of the group 10 feet (3 m) 10 feet?
    Were 1 and 2 above this group? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED In the group NOT MENTIONED Did not know, could have been above or below or level
    Was the group conscious of 1 and 2? NOT MENTIONED Yes, possible not aware Yes, possible not aware Yes, possible not aware Not aware of what was happening
    Size of divers 1 and 2? NOT MENTIONED "Can you comment on the heights and build of those divers in relation to each other?" Stutz answered "No I can not" Diver 2 was bigger than diver 1, male Diver 2 was bigger than diver 1, male "He was a bit bigger than her and broader than her"
    What orientation was diver 1? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Diver 1 was on her back "Yep" "facing towards the surface" and "eyes were wide open" "looking up at me"
    Diver 2 cradling 1? Behind the divers back "but it happened so fast I am not sure" NOT MENTIONED "put his arms around her" "his hands were around her back" "arms of diver 2 were circling the torso of diver 1" "had his hands around her" and "under the arm-pits"
    Were they moving? Stationary NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Stationary
    How did they come together? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED "He came - to her - ah - and came sort of on top of her" "he was about 10 feet away from diver 1" "another diver come into the picture" about 5 or 10 seconds later
    Was diver 1 Tina? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Yes Yes Yes
    Making eye contact NOT MENTIONEDNOT MENTIONED "We did eye contact" "I could see her face quite clearly" "I could see her face"
    How long together? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Together 30 seconds "30 seconds at the maximum" and "maybe as little as 10 seconds" "I wouldn't say more than 30 seconds, possibly less"
    How did they part?"I then saw them both split apart. I saw diver 2 got to the surface really quickly. I saw diver 1 begin to sink toward the sea bed" NOT MENTIONED"Ah - when the[y] split apart - they were no other divers that came into the picture ..." "when the two divers separated" "Something happened - maybe she'd pulled her (sic) regulator out of his mouth, or kneed him in the groin"
    Diver 2 ascending "Diver 2 go to the surface really quickly" NOT MENTIONED Diver 2 "he went to the surface - relatively quickly" "diver 2's ascended" but "did not pass me at any time" "he went towards the surface" and later agreed that he went really quickly
    Diver 1 sinking "diver 1 begin to sink" NOT MENTIONED Diver 1 "sunk to the bottom" "essentially disappeared into the blackness" "she was sinking and she sunk in the blackness"
    Losing eye contact NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Lost eye contact NOT MENTIONED "I lost eye contact"
    Was diver 2 behind diver 1? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED "He was facing her", "Never" behind her "At no stage did I observe diver 2 behind diver 1" Agreed did not see diver 2 behind diver 1
    Fear NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Look of fear in her face NOT MENTIONED "she really looked scared"
    Arms and leg movement NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Arms and legs flailing "she wasn't like thrashing" "disorganised" and "moving flapping slowly up and down" "flaying basically, and she was moving her arms, not unpurposely, and her legs similarly" later says "thrashing her arms and legs"
    Were bubbles coming from diver 1? NOT MENTIONED Does not recall bubbles from her Does not recall bubbles from her Does not recall bubbles from her "I don't recall"
    Was diver 1 still moving when sinking? NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Still moving when sinking, arms side to side near head Still moving but weaker "she couldn't swim"
    How did diver 3 appear? Saw another diver come back down, not diver 2 NO MENTION but does say between 30 seconds and 3 minutes when diver 3 broke surface (after appearing?) Diver 3 came "less than a minute - probably more like 30 seconds" "dove straight to the bottom" No mention? "I saw another diver come dive in the water and go basically straight down to get her" and "I saw another diver come in from above, and make a beeline straight to the bottom" and "I was impressed by how fast he went down, honestly" and "I was stunned actually" and "He did after that period of time [enter the water - that is he was not in the water till this time]"
    Where was he when he saw diver 3 descending? Descended a few metres NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED "After diver 1 disappeared from view I accelerated my descent past the other divers" Implies still at 5 metres
    Where was he when diver 3 and 1 ascended? Past 10 to 15 metres they had started to come up NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED Does not say depth, but now implies that he went to instructor to tell about diver 1 and 2 "So I started skipping divers in my group to get down to where Roger (actually Robert) was" at 10-15 metres
    How were they ascending? Really quickly NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED
    How was diver 3 holding diver 1 "It looked as though he had her in a bear hug" NOT MENTIONED NOT MENTIONED "holding diver 1's regulator in her mouth" "he was behind her and had her in an embrace"
    How did diver 1 look? "Diver 1 did not appear to be moving or responding" Could see her face as passed by NOT MENTIONED "lifeless" and "vomit coming from her mouth" "She wasn't moving. She had blood coming out of her mouth - she looked dead to me" and "she had vomit coming from he mouth"
    How far from him did diver 1 and 3 pass? NOT MENTIONED 10-15 feet (3-5 m) 15-20 feet NOT MENTIONED Close enough to see her eyes and then "10, 15 feet"

    Click here to return to main article.

    Copyright © Michael McFadyen 1990 to 2024
    Non-commercial use of an article or photograph is permitted with appropriate URL reference to this site.
    Dive shops, dive operators, publications and government departments cannot use anything without first seeking and receiving approval from Michael McFadyen.
    This web site has been wholly thought up, designed, constructed and funded for almost 30 years by Michael McFadyen without any help from the Australian Dive Industry.
    Website created 1996!