JENNER, California (30 Apr 2007) -- A Petaluma scuba diver, who went spearfishing in rough ocean conditions along the Sonoma County coast, died Sunday after being wedged between rocks and pounded by heavy surf, a search-and-rescue officer said today. Victor Smith, 50, was pronounced dead shortly after he was plucked from the water about 9:30 a.m. at Stillwater Cove, north of Jenner. Sonoma County Sheriff's Sgt. Eric Thomson said Smith was spearfishing in old scuba gear and did not have a buoyancy compensator, a safety vest commonly referred to as a BC that can be filled with air and is standard scuba gear. Smith went diving alone -- a practice that is widely discouraged -- while two friends were diving for abalone using just snorkels and masks. When he surfaced a half-hour later amid turbulent water, he began yelling for help, Thomson said. By the time a rescue helicopter arrived, Smith was pinned under water between two rocks as the foaming waves smashed against his body. | | Renowned underwater photographer Kawika Chetron was also diving solo when he disappeared near Blunts Reef west of Cape Mendocino on March 17. Thomson lowered himself from the helicopter on a 100-foot line and managed to free Smith and pull him out of the water, but it was too late. Smith was the sixth person to die during the past six weeks while diving off the North Coast of California. SCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
