Man Charged in Wife's Honeymoon Dive Death

Australian authorities decide bride's demise was no accident

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 20, 2008 11:25 AM CDT

(Newser) – An Alabama man has been charged with murdering his wife on a diving trip to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the AP reports. The bride, a novice diver, drowned minutes after diving to a shipwreck with her husband. He was a qualified dive rescuer but rose to the surface rather than save her, officials said. Australian police became suspicious when he changed his account of her death and are seeking his extradition.

"There are too many unanswered questions," a lawyer working with Queensland's coroner told the Age. "These go to the heart of what happened during the fateful dive."

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Christina Watson of the US lies motionless on the sea floor in rear at right as while a dive leader hurries to Watson. (AP Photo/Queensland Police, HO)

The American couple had been married just 11 days before the wife died on a diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef. The groom has now been charged with murder over the 2003 incident.

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Regional Crime Chief Warren Webber talks about the coroners decision to charge Gabe Watson with the dive death of his wife . (CameronLairdPhoto)

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Man Charged in Wife's Honeymoon Dive Death