Over the course of a number of conversations, there were inconsistencies in some of Gabe's account as to what happened. Gabe was certified as an open water scuba diver, an advanced diver, rescue diver and specialty diver yet despite those qualifications, he made no effort to save or help his wife. While they tried to resuscitate Tina for some 45 minutes, Gabe stayed on a different boat to the boat that his wife was on.Ī further troubling issue was revealed. He swam to the surface to get help and that was when a dive organizer entered the water and brought Tina back up and on to one of the boats. He said that in a short space of time, Tina was 10 feet down and sinking further. She had her arms up and Gabe tried to grab hold of her but she was out of his reach. But nothing happened from the inflator hose so Gabe grabbed a hold of Tina by the strap and started to head back to the anchor rope. Gabe then said that Tina accidentally knocked his mask off his face. He pointed to his inflator hose and motioned to Tina to put air in her buoyancy compensatory so that they could float up. According to Gabe, Tina indicated that she wanted to go back to the anchor line. They were being pushed along and constantly moving. Gabe said that the severity of the current hit them as soon as they entered the water. Police questioned why Tina would be on such a dive in the first place and why they had turned down an offer to have a guide with them.They had twice refused offers of an orientation dive with instructors while on the trip. A red dive is normally recommended for advanced divers only. That particular dive was known as a red dive due to the strong underwater currents. Tina had taken part in eleven dives but none were in open water. But when police spoke to Gabe, they became suspicious.Įveryone, apart from Tina, who took part in the dive that day was an experienced diver. A young woman on her honeymoon, just about to start a new chapter in her life, was dead. Tina was dead.Īt first, it looked like a tragic accident. He then tried for 45 minutes to resuscitate her. He brought her to the surface and on to one of the boats. One of the dive organizers went down and found Tina. Just minutes later, Gabe returned to the surface. They planned to travel down the anchor line, drift across the top of the wreck, pick up a second line and return to the surface. The Yongala is a shipwreck off the Great Barrier Reef that lies in 30 meters of water with the upper section of the wreck 16 meters below the surface of the water. He changed the position of the batteries and Tina and Gabe went back out into the water again. Just a few minutes later, Gabe and Tina returned to the Spoilsport. Gabe said that there was a problem with his dive computer which was worn like a watch on his wrist. Tina and Gabe put on their equipment and went out with four others and entered the water to begin their dive. It departed an hour and a half later and moored at the site beside the dive at 2am on the morning of the 22nd of October.Ī few hours later, at 9am, the company briefed the divers on what was to happen during the dive and the route to take. Gabe and Tina had their own diving equipment with them and the company provided the air tanks. On the 21st of October at 10pm, Gabe and Tina boarded the Spoilsport. The dive trip was to the historic shipwreck Yongala on the motor vessel Spoilsport. They were a diving company and he arranged a dive trip for him and Tina to do. Gabe had, prior to his departure from the United States, contacted Mike Ball Dive Expeditions Pty Limited. They had their honeymoon planned out in advance. They then left to go to Townsville and they arrived there on the 21st of October. Gabe and Tina flew to Sydney in Australia and spent a few days there sightseeing. They left on their honeymoon just two days after their Wedding. Gabe worked as a bubblewrap salesman and took a few weeks off from work for his honeymoon. Their Wedding took place in Birmingham, Alabama, United States where they lived. They had been married for just eleven days. Twenty six year old Tina Watson was on honeymoon with her husband Gabe Watson. Brendan Campbell, Prosecutor for Queensland police It's almost inexplicable he would make the decision to leave her." "It must have been clear to the accused if he left her she would most certainly die.
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