WABANA, Newfoundland, Canada (4 Feb 2007) -- The Bell Island 'Mine Quest' tourism promotion scheme tragically backfired when one of the divers died Sunday. Joseph T. Steffen, 51, from Richmond Heights Ohio, died on Sunday afternoon while exploring flooded iron ore mines in Wabana on Bell Island. Steffen was among an international group of cave divers who were exploring the mine shafts as part of a local tourism development scheme promoted by Ocean Quest Adventure Resort and the Bell Island Heritage Society. According to the RCMP, other members of the Mine Quest team attempted to revive Steffen but failed. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Steffen was one of 16 divers participating in the Bell Island 'Mine Quest' project including TDI instructor-trainer Steve Lewis who led the team and Ocean Quest Adventure PADI 5-star dive shop owner and local tourism promoter Rick Stanley. Other members of the ill-fated team include Stanley's wife and resort co-owner Debbie, TDI regional manager (UK) Stephen Phillips, IANTD Advisor Board member and dive magazine columnist David Sawatsky, IANTD instructor-trainer Phil Short, TDI instructor-trainer Aaron Bruce, Silent Diving Systems co-founder Mike Fowler, Ocean Quest Adventure Resort staff Steve Moore and Susan Copp, ex-military diver David Powell, police officer Mike McGowan and local wreck divers Vlada Dekina, Ralph Hoskins and Dave Clemmens. Just like the old days down in the mines. Ocean Quest "award winning" PADI 5-star dive shop owners Rick and Deb Stanley: "...the show must go on..." | | Cave diver Joe Steffen died while diving with the ill-fated Bell Island "Mine Quest" tourism project led by TDI instructor-trainer Steve Lewis and Ocean Quest Adventure Resort owner Rick Stanley. After Steffen died the Mine Quest team decided that the "show must go on" and voted unanimously not to terminate the project, which aims to exploit the flooded mines for commercial tourism. "When the accident happened, we took the rest of the day off," said Rick Stanley, the dive shop owner who cooked up the Mine Quest dives as a Bell Island tourism promotion scheme. Stanley said it was just like the old days when miners died in the mine and everybody went back to work the next day. Bell Island is the largest of several islands located in Conception Bay and is a popular tourist destination for wreck divers. Despite Steffen's tragic death, Ocean Quest resort owner Stanley, local business officials and tourism promoters are hoping the 'Mine Quest' team can achieve their goal of attracting more tourists to Bell Island. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORKSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
