CHEBOYGAN, Wisconsin (September 3, 2003) -- The name of the Wisconsin man who drowned Sunday in the Straits of Mackinaw was released by the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Department Tuesday. Sheriff Dale Clarmont said that 57-year-old Robert Harris hailed from Waussa, Wis. Previous reports stated that Harris was an experienced diver who was exploring the popular diving site of the ship wrecked Cedarville. New reports state that Harris was diving with six other people at the time of the accident. Clarmont said that the basic safety procedure for recreational divers is to dive with a buddy. Reports state that Harris had separated from the group. "A check of the gear showed that it appeared to be functioning normally," said Clarmont. "The gear was connected and adjusted properly and reserve air was left in the pony tanks," said Clarmont. He noted that the accident remains under investigation. Clarmont said that the Cedarville is a 588-foot metal freighter that was shipwrecked in 1965 in a collision with the Norwegian vessel Topdalsfjord and is located in the Straits in about 110 feet of water. Ten crewmen from the Cedarville died in the collision. | | Harris' body was recovered in about 108 feet of water, Clarmont said Sunday. He noted that the department's search and rescue dive team was requested by the U.S. Coast Guard to respond to the Straits Of Mackinaw at 10:45 a.m. Sunday to investigate a possible drowning. Clarmont said Sunday that the Coast Guard in St. Ignace received an emergency call for help from recreational divers on the Cedarville ship wreck. "The caller indicated that a member of their recreational dive group was overdue on his dive and they were requesting emergency assistance," said Clarmont. He said that the dive team was on the scene within 45 minutes of the call and that the body of the victim was recovered within 10 minutes of the arrival by two civilian divers from the charter boat Rec Diver who were on the scene. SOURCE - Cheboygan Daily Tribune |
