GREAT FALLS — A young woman from Missoula died in a scuba-diving accident at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park.
It happened on Sunday, November 1, at about 5:50 p.m., according to a news release from Glacier National Park officials.
A Glacier National Park Ranger responded to a report of a scuba-diving accident at the lake; the 18-year-old woman from Missoula was declared dead after resuscitation efforts by members of the diving group and first responders were unsuccessful. The cause of her death has not yet been released.
The young woman was part of a scuba-diving group of six people that started their dive near the dock of Lake McDonald Lodge at around 4:00 pm.
At the time of the incident, by-standers drove to Apgar Village for cell signal to call 911. An A.L.E.R.T. helicopter was first to arrive at the scene, about thirty minutes after the initial 911 call.
A second diver, a 22-year-old man, complained of shortness of breath and was taken by Three Rivers Ambulance to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. He was later flown to a medical facility in Seattle, Washington for hyperbaric treatment.
The incident is being investigated; authorities have not yet released the name of the woman who died.
The news release says that Lake McDonald is popular among some scuba-diving groups because of submerged artifacts. Permits are not required to dive in Glacier National Park and diving equipment is not subject to Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) inspections.
We will update you if we get more information.
