18-year-old Montana woman dies in scuba diving accident in Glacier National Park

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – An 18-year-old Missoula woman died Sunday while scuba diving in Lake McDonald at Glacier National Park, officials said.

According to a press release from the National Park System, park rangers responded about 5:50 p.m. The woman was declared deceased after resuscitation efforts by members of the diving group and first responders were unsuccessful, officials said Monday. 

The woman was one of six people who started their dive near the dock of Lake McDonald Lodge around 4 p.m. Bystanders drove to Apgar Village for cell signal to call 911.

Emergency personnel arrived about 30 minutes after the 911 call, officials said.

A second diver, a 22-year-old man, suffered shortness of breath and was transported by Three Rivers Ambulance to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. He was flown to Seattle for hyperbaric treatment. 

The incident is under investigation and names have not yet been released pending next of kin notification. 

Lake McDonald is popular among some scuba diving groups because of submerged artifacts, the press release note. Permits are not required to dive in Glacier National Park.

Glacier National Park thanked the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Dive Team, Three Rivers Ambulance, and A.L.E.R.T. for their assistance in this rescue effort.