Police are investigating the death of an American national, Dawn Michele Rhoades, 55, who fell ill during a scuba diving tour near San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Mrs. Rhoades received Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) while being transported back to San Pedro. She was then taken by ambulance to Ambergris Hope Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The unfortunate incident was reported on the morning of February 24th. According to a police report, Mrs. Rhoades and her husband, Clark Mathew Rhoades, 53, joined a group of divers on a tour to Cypress Garden, a diving site approximately three miles southeast of Ambergris Caye. The report indicated that there were 12 divers in total, and the tour operator divided them into two groups, each accompanied by a dive master. The boat captain remained on board while the divers explored.
The report further states that after diving at about 65 feet for approximately 30 minutes, Mrs. Rhoades and her husband ascended to the surface normally. On the surface, she sought assistance from the boat captain and other divers. Once she was brought aboard the boat, she began to lose responsiveness, and foam started to come from her mouth. Witnesses reported that her face turned purple, and soon after, she lost consciousness. CPR was administered as she was rushed to the island. After docking in San Pedro, resuscitation efforts continued until an ambulance from the Island Emergency Services transported her to Ambergris Hope Hospital.
Upon examination of her vitals, the doctor sadly announced that she had passed away, and was pronounced dead at 11:05AM. Mr. Clark revealed that she was a recent breast cancer survivor.
The deceased was transferred to the morgue at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City, awaiting a post-mortem examination. Meanwhile, the incident is under investigation. The police visited the tour operator and retrieved 12 dive tanks and diving equipment used by the divers. They also took a Buoyancy Control Device for further inspection.
Share
Read more
