KEY LARGO, Florida (16 Mar 2007) -- Three scuba divers from New Jersey died while exploring the USS Spiegel Grove, a former Navy ship sunk in 2002 in the Florida Keys as an artificial reef. Kevin Coughlin, 51, Scott Stanley, 55, and Jonathan Walsweer, 38, were diving together on a deep penetration dive into the lower part of the 510-ft Spiegel Grove when they apparently became disoriented. A fourth diver, Howard Spialter, 52, also from New Jersey, was diving with the group but was stationed at the entrance to the ship's hull and did not enter the wreck. He safely resurfaced after running low on air and sounded the missing diver alert. Two divers from another dive boat immediately descended to the wreck and found Coughlin unconscious. They brought the victim to the surface, pulled him aboard a waiting dive boat and rushed him to shore while performing CPR. Paramedics took over when the boat reached shore but attempts to revive the victim failed and he was pronounced dead at Mariner's hospital. Although initial attempts to find the other two divers failed, the Key Largo Fire Rescue team finally located the bodies of Stanley and Walsweer deep within the wreck at about 2pm. Fire Rescue officials said that recovering the bodies will be difficult but the dive team will try on Saturday morning. The Spiegel Grove was sunk in 2002 primarily to help Florida's struggling dive industry compete with more attractive dive destinations in the Caribbean. | | The Spiegel Grove wreck diving victims--Kevin Coughlin, Scott Stanley and Jonathan Walsweer--were diving with Scuba-Do Diving Charters, a dive boat based in Key Largo. Since the Spiegel Grove was sunk in 2002, six divers have died on the wreck, including 48-year-old Eunice Lasala who was also diving from the Scuba-Do dive boat. According to unconfirmed reports, the victims were exploring a section of the wreck that is supposed to be off-limits to divers, and failed to take adequate safety precautions that are standard for wreck penetration dives. So far this year, eight divers have died scuba diving in Florida. Since the Spiegel Grove was sunk in 2002, six divers have died exploring the wreck including Eunice Lasala, who died in 2003 and was also diving with the Scuba-Do dive boat. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORKSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba ForumCDNN Related NewsFLORIDA - Scuba diver dies after ascending from Spiegel GroveFLORIDA - Leading kidney specialist dies in Spiegel Grove scuba accident |
