The Ministry of Employment’s Occupational Health and Safety Division have completed their investigations into the the claims that there weren’t enough resources to assist the Japanese tourist who drowned while snorkelling at a prominent resort in Sigatoka earlier this month.
Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh says they OHS department is in the process of compiling a report.
An eyewitness who does not wish to be named had earlier told fijivillage News that the man was having trouble with the tides and stayed at the reef break, signalling for help where staff and guests saw him but the staff seemed unaware of what to do and no one came to his aid.
The person says after a few minutes, the dive team got their boat and went out to the reef to locate the guest and it is estimated the man was underwater for about 10 minutes.
They say two guests of the resort where one was a doctor, performed CPR and claimed there were no defibrillators or any medical equipment at the resort.
The eyewitness says an ambulance was called at some stage during this event but he was transported to the Sigatoka Hospital in the back of a pick-up truck.
They claim the ambulance came about 10 minutes after they left and understand that they met the truck in the medical centre on the way to Sigatoka Hospital and took the man to the hospital.
The Ministry of Health is yet to provide a response to these claims regarding ambulance services available at the Coral Coast.
Meanwhile, police investigations are continuing.
