Death of Tina Watson
On July 17, 2010 a leading Australian daily newspaper, The Age, published a complete review of the Watson case "Death on Reef Mystery". The author was award-winning investigative journalist Peter Patrick. This is the first media account to contain first-hand interviews from both Gabe Watson's family and Tina's family. Relying on technical experts, the story reports that Gabe was exonerated by the Queensland Court of Appeal of murder but convicted of failing to comply with a previously unused and little-known part of the Queensland Penal Code. This is a violation of section 290. He says the court decided to call this manslaughter. The story says the charge amounts to a crime by Gabe of failing to rescue his wife, once she got into trouble. It also explains Tina's extensive history of heart irregularity and the medication she was taking, on the morning of her death, including anti-sea-sickness pills. Patrick says that Tina gave a 'no' answer to the medical question at her diving induction, which asked about prior heart disease. He also states that because Mr. Watson had been absent from diving for some years, his level of rescue skill would have been that of beginner.