Diving related death in Newfoundland

I have dove the Conception Bay area a number of times (not in the mines) and these are first class people. It is a terrible blow that this happened:


WABANA, N.L. -- An American diver exploring a collection of flooded
iron ore mines in Newfoundland as a possible tourist destination died
Sunday while diving at the site.

The 51-year-old man, whose name wasn't released, died during an
afternoon dive into the mines in the community of Wabana on Bell
Island, the RCMP said.

The police didn't release any details about how the man died. A news
release said he was pronounced dead in hospital, though it was
unclear whether he drowned.

More information was expected to be released Monday morning.

The man was part of a group of international cave divers brought in
by Ocean Quest Adventure Resort and the Bell Island Heritage Society
to explore the mine shafts.

The expedition began last Monday and was set to last until this
Friday.

It was organized to examine the integrity of the underwater mine
shafts, identify any hazards and assess the possibility of
establishing a full-time cave-diving operation.

Bell Island, the largest of several islands in Conception Bay,
northwest of St. John's, is a tourist destination for scuba divers
and shipwreck enthusiasts.

From 1895 until 1966, more than 78 million tonnes of iron ore were
mined at the No. 2 mine, the world's largest submarine iron ore mine.

Sad news. Condolences to the family.

Cornel

Another news report:

http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=1236&sc=1

Zero also posted a link to a video, a clip from a CBC news report, in the Dive Accidents Forum ...

In a post on our local dive forum, the Team Leader has indicated that the team intends to continue with the expedition, as this is surely what their friend would have wanted.

Ron

Results of Autopsy:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundlan...r-autopsy.html

Air embolism killed Bell Island diver: autopsy
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 7, 2007 | 7:00 AM NT
CBC News
An American diver who died while exploring a flooded Newfoundland mine
suffered an air embolism, an autopsy has determined.

Joe Steffen, 51, was found Sunday afternoon near the ceiling of one of
the flooded tunnels in the abandoned iron ore mine in Bell Island,
about 35 kilometres west of St. John's.

Joe Steffen, 51, died because of an air embolism, an autopsy has
found.
(CBC) Members of Steffen's dive team attempted to revive him but
failed.

In diving, an air embolism can occur when a diver ascends too quickly,
and gas bubbles enter the bloodstream. An embolism can become fatal,
for instance, if a bubble rests in the heart.

Steffen was a member of an international team of divers who had been
invited to explore the No. 2 mine at Bell Island by Ocean Quest
Adventures, which is hoping to develop the site as an adventure
tourism attraction.

The team resumed its exploration on Monday.

Production at the No. 2 mine ended in 1949. The rest of the Bell
Island mine, which has been flooded since, closed in 1966.

If you would like to read about the fascinating work of this expedition, check out their blog at: http://bellislandexpedition.blogspot.com/

Analysis by a doctor, a diving medical consultant and member of the team:

http://oceanquestcharters.com/en/