The search continues for the phone belonging to a drowned Sunshine Coast doctor whose body was found on Dicky Beach on Thursday, as tributes are shared for the victim.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Gemma Diessel, 27, was found by an off-duty lifesaver just after 5am and investigators believe her phone could be crucial to shedding further light on her movements before entering the water.
Dr Diessel graduated from university at the end of 2018 and worked as a doctor at Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Her death is being treated as non-suspicious.
She had been working in her dream job as a general doctor at Sunshine Coast University Hospital for the past month after graduating from Griffith University on the Gold Coast.
Sarah Evans, whose son was in a relationship with Dr Diessel for five years until 2014, said she had "nothing but good memories" of her.
"She [Dr Diessel] was lovely, funny, kind and just a nice girl, just graduated in December and had just started a new chapter," Ms Evans said.
"She was looking forward to her career and helping people, she had spent nine years at university getting to that stage of doing a job she loved."
Ms Evans said Dr Diessel's older sister, Tanya, and parents lived on the Gold Coast and she had grown up in the Gold Coast suburb of Worongary.
"She was my first daughter-in-law, she came on holidays with our family," Ms Evans said.
"We were shocked, we spoke to her family in December ... we can’t imagine what they must be going through."
Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service chief executive Adjunct Professor Naomi Dwyer expressed her grief and said support would be offered to Dr Diessel's colleagues.
"Our sincere condolences go out to this young woman’s family at this very sad time," she said.
"We also want to support our staff who may be impacted by this very sad and unexpected news.
"We are providing counselling and support for her peers and colleagues via our confidential Employee Assistance Program."
In October last year, Dr Diessel's older sister congratulated her on completing her degree.
"So proud to announce that, after nine years at uni, my baby sister has passed all her exams (results released today) and is all clear to graduate," she wrote.
"I now have a doctor as a little sister! So proud of you Gemma Diessel."
Police said on Friday morning that Dr Diessel's phone still had not been recovered.
Senior Sergeant Matt Campbell said on Thursday her phone was a "pertinent piece of evidence".
"What I will seek some community assistance with is finding the phone that belonged to that young girl, we believe that it’s a black S9 Samsung," he said.
"So if anyone in the Kawana or Caloundra beach area comes across such an item, we would be seeking to know that.
"As you can imagine, prior to an incident like this, any kind of communication with anyone could give us a lot better insight into what’s happened."
Based on tide movements, police believe the woman entered the water at Kawana or Caloundra.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
