French tourists die snorkelling at Great Barrier Reef

A French couple in their 70s died Wednesday while snorkelling on Australia's Great barrier Reef. Police have sent a team to investigate.

The Great Barrier Reef Getty Images/Vetta/Gallo Images

Staff working for dive company Passions of Paradise spotted the man and woman floating in the water at Michaelmas Cay, a sand island near Cairns, chief executive Scotty Garden said.

"The Passions of Paradise lookout on the beach noticed a man floating in the water and pulled him to the sand cay where he performed CPR. He was then assisted by a doctor on the sand cay," Garden said in a statement.

"The Passions of Paradise lookout on the boat saw a woman floating in the water and pulled her on to the catamaran where CPR was performed. A third person was treated for shock by staff on board the boat."

The pair were among a 21-strong French group on a Passions of Paradise catamaran.

They had notified the company of medical conditions and were accompanied by a guide when in the water, according to Garden.

Col Mckenzie of Queensland state's Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators said the trio were snorkelling, but could not confirm how they died.

"Obviously something horrible has gone wrong. They were actually in the water with the dive guide," Mckenzie told the AFP news agency. "Because they indicated their medical conditions, what's gone wrong I don't know. It's what I am trying to find out right now."

The circumstances surrounding the deaths "are believed to be non-suspicious", Queensland Police said in a statement.

A team of investigators has been sent to the scene.