CANBERRA: Former snowboard world champion Alex “Chumpy” Pullin has died while spearfishing off a beach on eastern Australia’s Gold Coast, the nation’s ski federation said on Wednesday. He was 32.
“The Snow Australia community is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of triple Olympian, Alex Pullin, who today lost his life while spear fishing on the Gold Coast this morning,” Snow Australia said.
“Our deepest condolences are with Alex’s family, as well as his teammates and support staff. Alex was a beloved member of the Snow Australia community and he will be dearly missed.”
Pullin won snowboard cross world titles in 2011 and 2013. He participated in three Winter Olympics and was the flag-bearer for the Australian team at the 2014 Sochi Games.
He was known to be an avid spearfisherman, surfer and diving enthusiast, posting photos on his Instagram regularly.
Queensland Police said a man was swimming at an artificial reef off Palm Beach on Wednesday morning when he is believed to have lost consciousness while in the water.
The man was found unresponsive on the ocean floor by another diver, who called for help, a police official told reporters at the beach.
Paramedics attended the scene and worked hard but could not revive him, a Queensland Ambulance official said.
Queensland Police said the man, who they said “appears to be a very fit person,” was spearfishing and diving without an oxygen mask and the death was being treated as non-suspicious. – dpa
