Brockville Police Inspector Adrian Geraghty said Jean Garceau, a 51 year old diver from Trois Rivieres, Quebec, was pronounced dead at Brockville General Hospital Saturday following an 11.30am mishap while diving a historic wreck 500 meters off Brockville's Centeen Park.
City Police Sergeant Peter Buell said Sunday the diving accident happened while Garceau was exploring the Robert Gaskin, a barge that sank in 1889 while trying to raise a rail ferry.
Blue Wave owner Michel Chartier of Montreal rushed Garceau back to shore on a faster boat in the area, where he was picked up by paramedics at Blockhouse Island.
The paramedics tried desperately to revive the man using CPR as they rushed him to Brockville General Hospital.
A post mortem was expected to be conducted Monday at an Ottawa Hospital.
Chartier said Sunday that he had been chatting with operators of two other dive boats on the surface when someone yelled "diver face down" and noticed Garceau floating in the water about 20 feet away.
Chartier and another charter operator, Mike Kendall, dove into the water and turned the man over.
"He was unconscious, his eyes were wide open, and his pupils dilated" said Chartier. I took his mask off and started mouth to mouth resuscitation"
Meanwhile Kendall grabbed Carceau's arm and a guide line attached to his boat New Wave. Others on board began hauling in the line, dragging the three men over to the boat.
They pulled the victim in and Chartier continued CPR and mouth to mouth.
It was decided that they would take Under Where, the fastest of the three baots anchored at the dive site, back to Blockhouse Island and 911 was called, alerting rescue officials of the need for an ambulance.
A friend of Garceau who had been diving with him told Chartier the doctor had descended and indicated by tapping his chest he was having trouble breathing. The doctor then switched from his standard regulator to his octopus. That didn't work. He wasn't getting enough air, so he switched back to his regulator, Chartier said.
They said his eyes went really big and he leaned backward, said Chartier.
The doctor's dive vest then inflated , carrying him quickly to the surface.
The diving buddy who witnessed the incident saw he went to the surface, thought he was OK, and continued the dive, said Chartier. It was only later he discovered the truth.
The doctor was using his own equipment, said Chartier.
Chartier said he was still shaken by the episode, but he was thankful for help from both Kendall and the owner of Under Where.
The Robert Gaskin is one of the more popular dive sites in the area, which has seen an increasing amount of dive activity in recent years. The improved clarity if water in the 1000 Islands region, due mainly to zebra mussels, has made the area a prime diving location for those interested in exploring historic wrecks.
Buell, a former police diver, said the Gaskin is considered a comparatively easy dive among wrecks in the area.
"From experience diving it is one of the more relaxing, recreational dives, Buell said.
