Accident at Wazee

[rcojr]

I am almost 57 yrs old and have been active in the Twin Cities/Minnesota diving scene for over 21 yrs.
The odds are I know or am friends with those involved.
I have been sitting here this morning trying to figure out where each of my friends were diving this weekend.
Your statement that disrespect  is the only valid reason for interest in this accident is flat out wrong
Bob

[mermaid]

Thanks for the link 'nineball.  How horrible and tragic.  To all of those who were involved, 
my heart goes out to you...May the friends and families of the divers find peace.

[Michelle Crowe]

I am almost 57 yrs old and have been active in the Twin Cities/Minnesota diving scene for over 21 yrs.
The odds are I know or am friends with those involved.
I have been sitting here this morning trying to figure out where each of my friends were diving this weekend.
Your statement that disrespect  is the only valid reason for interest in this accident is flat out wrong
Bob
[/quote]

You guys know I have been quiet for a while but this news bothers me greatly.
Where would all of us be today if we had of swept Jere's death under the mat? We can learn a great deal from this and I agree 100% with CCR Diver. It isn't about gossip or rumors. That's a highschool perspective. It is honoring their lives, supporting their families and learning from this tragedy.
Timm- if you died tomorrow at 102 feet would you like us to ignore the way you died?  Or more importantly - Celebrate the way you lived?

Stay safe out there everyone. With every loss we have endured, it makes us all smarter, safer divers for generations to come...

Michelle~

[mjgriffing]

I agree with Michelle.  Copied this from Scubaboard's discussion of dive accidents:

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If I should die while diving.

If I should die while diving please do not hesitate to discuss the incident and assess every element with a view to furthering your understanding of how to enhance diver safety.

If I should die while diving get the facts. They won't be readily available and will definitely not be correct as reported by the media. But get the facts as best you can.

If I should die while diving understand, as I already do, that it will most likely involve fault on my part to some degree or another so do not hesitate to point that out.

If I should die while diving some of the fault will probably belong to my buddy and that needs to be honestly assessed as well though I must admit this is one area where I hope that compassion will be in the mix.

If I should die while diving there might be those who try to squelch discussion out of a misplaced notion of respect for the deceased, family and friends. They can say nice things about me at my funeral... but in the scuba community I want the incident discussed.

If I should die while diving at least I didn't die in bed.

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Praying for the families of those involved.

[Deep Thought]

My condolences to friends and family

Ron

[Lindan]

I only hope and pray that it is not any friends or aquaintances...over the years they have grown to many. I am deeply emotional about this with all due respect to the families, as divers  we have many friends  and we feel deeply about any incident, we come together to grieve, and also problem solve. What could have possibly gone wrong with these fine gentlemen... Divers were there to give CPR, divers will band together to help each other with problem solving. That is the naure of our sport and I am proud tobe a member of such a distinguished hobby. We will eventually find out what happened without any critic or bias or assault to their dignity, due to the loss of their lives after all, Only they knew the horrific emotion of the experience and they take it to their graves. My sincere condolences to the families, May the men rest in peace...Linda

[Mr.Pitbull]

Very well spoken Linda. You speak for many of us that are much less articulate, thanks.

[leadking]

I will state that I do not want to hear the "families views" or "official report" of what happend only. Diver fatalities are a reality of the sport and if I should die while diving, I would hope that others would learn from and prevent a similar event.  As someone who has recovered a diver's body, I want to go on record that after reading the "official" report-they blew it. I was there, and what I saw and experienced at 150' was NOT in the report.

[MNLakeDiver]

I will wait for the official report to get the details
I still believe an open descusion is a good thing as many of us have been diving for many years and have been involved in dive accidents and lost dear friends to dive accidents
if nothing else I am relieved to see some of the people it is not.

Jim C

[mattd]

For now, I guess the only info available is that from the "rumor mill" media.  I just saw this news report with a little more info than the others.

The men were experienced divers who had visited Lake Wazee before. Keith Cormican, an area dive shop owner who knows the victims, tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS two of the men had planned to dive to 200 feet. They were trained to dive to 150 feet.

Cormican said the men were involved in an accident two years ago after diving deeper than they were trained.