The 42-year-old woman from Manchester was undergoing decompression treatment at Townsville hospital after being relocated from Mackay yesterday.

She was initially airlifted to Mackay by the RACQ Central Queensland rescue helicopter after suffering a seizure and cardiac arrest while diving near Border Island late Wednesday.

The woman was brought to the surface from a depth of seven metres before a doctor from Melbourne and a nurse from Newcastle – who were also tourists on the dive boat – performed CPR.

She was unconscious for 10 minutes before being revived.

CQ Rescue crewman Daniel Hoare today claimed the woman owed her life to the doctor and nurse.

"She received rapid attention from the doctor on board the boat and along with the nurse they conducted CPR on the woman which no doubt has saved her life," he said.

CQ Rescue doctor Fran Kinnear today said the heart attack was a result of pressure changes while diving.

"The decompression injury resulted in a number of neurological effects to the patient including temporary blindness," she said.

"If not for the immediate treatment the patient received from the doctor and nurse on board the dive boat, the outcome might have been very different."

Dr Kinnear said the woman was "progressing well" at Townsville hospital