SCARBOROUGH, UK — Friends paid tribute to BSAC club founder, Malcolm "Colin" Bell, who died while scuba diving near Hartlepool. CDNN reported yesterday that an inquest into the death of 52-year-old Bell was adjourned following a post-morten examination that failed to determine the cause of death. Police said their investigation of the fatal scuba diving accident is ongoing and Bell's diving equipment is being forensically examined. A statement on behalf of the Scarborough branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) expressed the sadness members felt after learning that the club's founder had died while scuba diving: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and fellow branch member Colin Bell. Colin was an experienced diver and an active and enthusiastic member of the branch and will be sadly missed by all who knew him. The branch wishes to extend their sincere condolences to Colin's family at this difficult time." Bell was a professor at Yorkshire Coast College where students described him as a "larger than life" character who will be "massively missed". In response to the spate of fatal and near-fatal scuba diving accidents in the UK during the first 11 days of August — Detective Sergeant John Gilbert, 58, of the Metropolitan Police, died from the bends after he ascended too rapidly off Worthing, Malcolm Exley, 52, and Stephen Bailey, 49, died from the bends after they ascended too rapidly off Filey, and teen diver, Sam Elliot, 16, had to be airlifted to hospital for treatment of the bends after a near-fatal scuba diving accident off the coast of Whitby — BSAC issued a statement dismissing concerns about scuba diving safety and describing the multiple deaths as a "coincidence". According to BSAC, the number of people who die every year while scuba diving in the UK is statistically predictable and therefore the public should not become alarmed whenever there are multiple scuba diving fatalities during a short period of time. | 
