QUEBEC, Canada, (2 August 2004) -- Tighter security is needed around the shipwrecked Empress of Ireland to protect scuba divers who visit the remains of the luxury liner sunken at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River, a Quebec coroner has suggested. Despite the death of six divers where Canada's worst maritime disaster occurred 90 years ago, the provincially protected cultural site shouldn't be closed to them, Andrée Kronstrom wrote in her 38-page report on the latest victim. Kronstrom conducted a public inquest last year into the Aug. 4, 2002, death of Serge Cournoyer. The 33-year-old diver died after running out of air while inspecting the wreck at the bottom of the St. Lawrence off Sainte-Luce-sur-Mer near Riomouski. | | In the report released Monday, Kronstrom concluded that Cournoyer's death could have been avoided since intervention was possible for several factors that contributed to the fatality. SOURCE - Montreal Gazette |
