Great Barrier Reef safety concerns
In 2016, 10 tourists died while visiting Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, sparking concerns about traveller safety at one of the country’s most visited sites. Tourism operators are said to be reassessing visitor regulations after the final fatality of 2016, which saw an elderly Japanese tourist die while snorkelling.
The Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators noted that most of those who died were elderly and suffered from pre-existing medical conditions, but also said that the number of fatalities was double that of a typical year. Spokesman for the organisation Col McKenzie told ABC news: “While we are very proud of the fact we have the safest snorkelling in the world, we’ve got to sit down and have a really close look at all these events and see if there’s anything we can do.”
One potential solution that could minimise the risk of further accidents is the introduction of medical checks before tourists are allowed to take to the water, but McKenzie suggested that due to both expenses and a potentially negative affect on tourist numbers, this would not be a practical solution. Instead, the introduction of something in the nature of a disclaimer is under consideration, which would involve tourists over a certain age acknowledging that they understand the risks associated with snorkelling and diving.