The most bizarre news item today from CTV:
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.
A news release said he was pronounced dead in hospital, though it was unclear whether he drowned. 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 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.
In a similar vein, I noticed these deaths at abandoned mines in Pennsylvania:
- At a mine site in Brush Valley Township, Indiana County, a 37-year-old man was killed when his ATV overturned while he was attempting to climb a 65-degree slope in an area that was posted as closed to all motorized vehicles. A passenger on the ATV escaped serious injury.
- In Cass Township, Schuylkill County, at an abandoned mine site, 25-year-old man climbed onto the support structure of a conveyor belt system approximately 25 feet above the ground and came in contact with a 23,000-volt power line. He was found in a stream below the conveyor.
Candidates for the Darwin Award?
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January 17, 2011 at 1:09 am
rockwatching
Cave/Mine divers are well aware of the risks, it’s not about knowing you are safe, but rather about being as safe as you can be in a very dangerous place.