CANARY ISLANDS (22 Mar 2008) — The owner, manager and head instructor of a BSAC and PADI dive center is one of two divers presumed dead after a scuba diving accident off Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Authorities in the Canary Islands told CDNN that Coral Sub Dive Centre owner Philippe Kloos and one of his customers, José Luis Santamaría Ría, a sergeant in the Guardia Civil, disappeared while scuba diving with eight other divers in strong currents near Punta de Rasca. When the other eight divers resurfaced at about 10am on Thursday morning, they realized that Kloos and Ría were missing and called for help. Authorities launched a massive air and sea search and rescue operation involving at least six boats and a helicopter, however, no trace of the missing divers has been found. José Luis Santamaría Ría, 46, is a sergeant in the Guardia Civil. Philippe Kloos, a Belgian national living in Arona, is a BSAC dive leader and PADI staff instructor who owns and manages Coral Sub Dive Centre, a PADI 5-Star Gold Palm IDC resort. Authorities said the search has been called off and both divers are presumed dead. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK | | Philippe Kloos (pictured above) and one of his customers, José Luis Santamaría Ría, a sergeant in the Guardia Civil, disappeared while scuba diving last Thursday near Punta de Rasca and are presumed dead. Kloos is the owner, manager and head instructor at the Coral Sub Dive Centre, a PADI 5-Star Gold Palm Instructor Development Center and Resort, and BSAC Dive Centre.SCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
