PADI 'Discover Scuba Diving' accident kills New Caledonia tourist

A tourist who was scuba diving for the first time died during a PADI Discover Scuba Diving resort course in New Caledonia.Hiroaki Matsumoto, 48, from Kobe, Japan was scuba diving with Noumea Diving when he encountered problems and died.
Noumea Diving Manager Raoul Monthouel said the dive complied with PADI requirements and suggested Matsumoto, who was on holiday in New Caledonia with his wife, died because he panicked.
Witnesses said Matsumoto surfaced after the dive and started screaming for help.
Other divers pulled him aboard a small boat and alerted authorities.
A helicopter took Matsumoto to Gaston Bourret hospital intensive care unit where he was treated for severe brain damage before hospital officials pronounced him dead.