Posted by kelphead on August 09, 2000 at 13:04:46:
In Reply to: Re: Where's the story? (nt) posted by MHK on August 09, 2000 at 10:57:44:
from aug 8 'ottawa sun':
http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSTopNews/ontario_aug8.html
but i don't think this diver death is related to
the one you posted about.
there was another article from the 'edmonton sun' paper,
but i guess i have to purchase it before i get that
link, so i was unable to read that one online.
but i did find one that is an update to your posted dive
fatality as reported in the 'brockville recorder & times'.
here is the article in full:
>>>>Probe of diving fatality examines
condition, gear
By DEREK DUNN
Staff Writer
Police are continuing to investigate the diving accident that claimed the
life of a 37-year-old Bishop's Mills man Monday.
Dave Cooper, diving instructor and owner of Abucs Marine, died while
diving near an island across from St. Lawrence Park.
Police did not release his name, but it was reported in today's Ottawa
Citizen.
"The autopsy will determine if the Canadian man died as a result of
equipment failure or a physical condition," said Dave Canty, OPP
constable.
Meanwhile, the diver rushed to hospital following the accident was
released early Tuesday morning.
Glen Stickel, 41, of West Virginia, walked away from Ottawa General
Hospital following a decompression procedure in a hyperbaric chamber.
Following an interview with the OPP Stickle returned to the U.S.
Cooper and Stickel were in the deep waters of Brockville Narrows,
aboard the Helen C with two others, diving toward the popular spot of the
wreck John B. King when something went seriously wrong. Investigators
know the four divers were near Cockburn Island. Two more divers may
have been in the area, watching the events unfold.
When Cooper was returned to the surface with assistance from divers,
the U.S. Coast Guard rushed him less than a kilometre to St. Lawrence
Park, site of 4,000 people enjoying themselves at the Old Fashioned
Family Picnic.
He died on the dock, with more than 50 people standing near, horrified
and deeply saddened.
Cooper leaves behind his wife Helen, a son Dustan, a daughter Emily
and many friends in the local diving community.
"I know Dave was a very responsible and qualified diver," said Doug
Campbell, president of the St. Lawrence Artificial Reef Association and
acquaintance of Cooper. "It's too bad these sorts of things happen, and
right now all my sympathies are going out to Helen and their kids."
Considering the estimated 25,000 dives taken per season, Campbell
said, the number of accidents is remarkably few. Yet they do happen,
even to instructors, he added.
The last fatal diving accident occurred four years ago near Rockport.
Posted: 11:00:03 AM Wednesday, August 9, 2000
Published in Section A, Page 1 of the Wednesday, August 9, 2000
edition of the Brockville Recorder & Times.<<<<
few things to take from this article:
**the diver who died was an instructor and dive shop
owner--not some tom, dick, or harry w/a c-card.
**diver was in a buddy team.
**according to this article, the divers were on their
way to the wreck when something went terribly wrong--so
i interpret that as they weren't on the wreck just yet.
**of the 25,000 dives that take place each season at
this site, there are "remarkably few accidents".
also, we should keep in mind that mike cited a
canadian diving death in canadian waters, but
ultimately any laws or self-regulating policies
would only apply to california and/or the u.s.
so, let's analyze cal/u.s. wreck diving deaths to
see if any law/self regulation should be mandated,
instead of relying on purely emotional outcry.
kelphead.