Mystery surrounds the death of a doctor, 52, who was found unconscious 25m below the surface during the final scuba dive of her Caribbean holiday
- A Western Australian doctor was on a week long diving tour of the Caribbean
- Dr Fiona Sharp embarked on a final group dive off island of Bonaire on Thursday
- She was returned from a solo dive when she was found unconscious at 24 metres
- While cause of death is unknown, she is being remembered as an outgoing diver
A respected doctor died after being found unconscious 25 metres below the surface of the water while scuba diving in the Caribbean.
Dr Fiona Sharp, from Western Australia, was on a week long diving tour off the island of Bonaire when she embarked on a final group dive on October 17.
The 55-year-old was returning from a solo dive to 90 metres before she was found unresponsive on the reef at 25 metres.
Dr Fiona Sharp (centre), from Western Australia, was on a week long diving tour off the island of Bonaire when she embarked on a final group dive on October 17
The 55-year-old was returning from a solo dive to 90 metres before she was found unresponsive on the reef at 25 metres
Dr Sharp was using a rebreather during her dive, which re-uses the diver’s own air, but she was found with the loop out of her mouth.
According to XRay magazine, she was brought to the surface and rushed to hospital, but did not regain consciousness.
It is not yet known what caused the anaesthetist’s death.
The 55-year-old worked at the hyperbaric medicine unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital while also worked as an expert in underwater emergencies, Nine News reported.
News of Dr Sharp’s death has devastated her friends, family and the diving community.
‘It is with great sadness we have lost the best daughter, sister, sister in law and aunty to the ocean today,’ her sister, Donna Bird, wrote on Facebook.
‘She passed doing what she loved. We will miss her fun loving, energetic and bubbly nature.’
Managing director of Perth Scuba, Lee Johnson, said the 55-year-old was one of the ‘most amazing people you could ever meet’.
While it is not yet known what caused the enthusiastic diver and anaesthetist’s death, she is being remembered as an outgoing and passionate woman
The 55-year-old (left) worked at the hyperbaric medicine unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital while also worked as an expert in underwater emergencies
‘She had so much personality and was always the one people would surround at gatherings or at any opportunity to not only listen to her fantastic stories, but just to be around,’ he said in a statement.
‘She always had such a positive outlook on life.’
Professional diver and writer, Rosemary Lunn, said Dr Sharp was ‘ever vibrant, sparky and mad-as-a-box-of-frogs’.
‘Immensely colourful – clothes, personality, language – she bubbled with life force. You knew when Mad Fi was in the room. Am more than a bit upset,’ she wrote.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the family.