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Photo: Open Justice
A solo diver who surfaced without his mask on was distressed and struggling to breathe when he called to his friend on the beach for help.
The friend threw a rope to Aaron Richard Michael Matthews, who then said words to the effect of "it got me" before coughing and letting go of the rope.
It's unclear what the distressed diver meant by the comment, but his friend was unable to pull the 43-year-old to safety, and he slipped below the water and drowned.
Now, a coroner has warned about the dangers of inexperience and diving alone.
Coroner Katherine Greig said inexperience and "unsafe diving practices", including incorrectly assembled scuba equipment, contributed to the tragedy, which happened near East Cape on Christm
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