Scuba diving accident kills American diver off Vancouver Island
by LUTHER MONROE @ CDNN - Cyber Diver News Network
August 11, 2009
VANCOUVER ISLAND, Canada — The RCMP is investigating the death of an American national who died scuba diving off Vancouver Island.
Authorities have not yet named the scuba diving accident victim, but told CDNN the body of a 61-year-old male was recovered by Coast Guard divers near Domville Island at about 4:00 pm.
Witnesses said the man was among a group of seven divers who were diving with a local dive operator when he disappeared at about 1:00 pm.
According to Lt. Paul Pendergast of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria, the victim was an experienced diver who apparently encountered problems at a depth of about 18 meters (60 feet).
The dive operator notified authorities of a missing diver emergency at about 1:30 pm.
The Victoria Rescue Co-ordination Centre scrambled a Cormorant helicopter and Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard vessels to search for the man.
An American diver died while scuba diving off Vancouver Island.
