OKINAWA, Japan (1 Jan 2004) -- Two scuba divers drowned swimming in high waves off Okinawa Japan. Okinawa police spokesman Takaji Haneji told CDNN the divers - Robert Ashbaugh, 41, and Kenneth Williams, 54 - were American civilian employees at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. They were diving with a third diver - Paul Townsend - a civil engineer also employed at Kadena Air Base. The divers got into trouble while surface swimming to a popular Okinawa dive site located about 50 meters offshore. After encountering rough seas, the group decided to swim back to shore but only Townsend made it. | | Police said the divers wore full sets of scuba equipment but did not utilize their air tanks. The bodies of Ashbaugh and Williams were taken to a U. S. military hospital. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK |
