Solo diver pulled from Lake St. Lawrence - Canada

[DandyDon]

Scuba diver pulled from Lake St. Lawrence at Guindon Park | Cornwall Newswatch

CORNWALL – The lifeless body of a scuba diver was pulled from Lake St. Lawrence, off the shore of Guindon Park, Saturday night.
But the rescue wasn’t without the brave efforts of a Good Samaritan along with the victim’s wife.
Cornwall police, firefighters and paramedics were called to the Trillium Drive boat launch in the west end of the park around 7:45 p.m.
The diver, who was alone in the water at the time, ran into trouble roughly 200 feet from shore, southwest of the boat launch.
A witness said he was waving his arms and crying out for help.
“He sounded like he was in distress,” Mike Cleary told Cornwall Newswatch, “So I ran over, there was a boat coming in…that blue boat that was out there (rescuing the diver), he was the last one in and I said ‘Is that your blue boat?’ and he said ‘yeah’ and I said ‘There’s a diver out there that’s calling for help.’..and he took off right away.”
Cleary said the victim’s wife had, in the meantime, jumped into the lake and started swimming toward the diver. “We were sitting here and we heard’em. Noise carries in here. She started to swim, that’s when I ran over and yelled ‘Do you want us to call 911?’ and she said ‘Yes!’,” Cleary said.
Cornwall firefighters launched their rescue boat minutes after arriving on scene and sped out to the boat and two people holding on the diver.
After loading his body into the boat, it sped to shore while rescue workers performed CPR.
After guiding his boat back into shore, the Good Samaritan was understandably distraught and appeared to be in shock over what had happened as he was consoled by family members.
The condition of the diver, who was taken to hospital by ambulance, is not known.

 

[boulderjohn]

It is common to criticize poor reporting in stories like this, and I usually don't make such comments, but this one does not reflect well on either the reporter or the editor.

CORNWALL – The lifeless body of a scuba diver was pulled from Lake St. Lawrence....
The condition of the diver, who was taken to hospital by ambulance, is not known.

 

[Ken T]

Passed away.

[h=1]Former Liberal candidate John Earle, 43, dies after scuba diving in St. Lawrence[/h]CORNWALL, Ont. -- Cornwall police say 43-year-old John Earle, a former provincial Liberal candidate, has died after scuba diving in the St. Lawrence River.

Emergency crews responded to calls for assistance at Guindon Park in Cornwall early Saturday evening.
Police say Earle had been scuba diving in the river and was brought to shore unconscious by firefighters and bystanders.
Earle was transported to Cornwall Community Hospital by paramedics and was later pronounced dead by hospital staff.
Police say the cause of death is not known yet known but no foul play is suspected.
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death and the coroner's office is investigating.
Earle was the Liberal candidate in last year's election in the provincial riding of Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, which is currently held by the Conservatives.

 

[Pinecube]

A little more information updated: link

A 43-year-old Cornwall filmmaker, political candidate and prominent community member is dead after a scuba diving incident in Cornwall Saturday evening.
Cornwall Community Police arrived at Guindon Park on the St. Lawrence River shortly after 7:30 p.m. to find a man out of the water but unconscious.
John J. Earle of Cornwall was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.
The coroner's office is investigating the death. Police say no foul play is suspected.
Earle's wife Alyssa Blais said without autopsy reports, no one knows what caused his death.
"It's possibly a heart attack as John was surfacing out of the water and calling for help in four feet of water," Blais told CBC Ottawa.
Cornwall's federal Liberal candidate Bernadette Clement was a long-time friend of Earle's and said his death comes as a shock to the community.
"Everybody is just reeling from this news," she said. "John is very well-known, somebody who is very present everywhere in the community. Everybody's got a little story or a connection with John."
Clement said Earle was an experienced scuba diver who made documentary films about scuba diving, Cornwall and Canada with his production company Fishrizzo Productions.

"To hear that he died in his beloved St. Lawrence is devastating for everybody," said Clement.

"He was gentle, kind, always smiling. He would always wave, smile, he was always ready for a chat about the latest news," she added.
"He was a very, very caring father, a caring husband and he will be greatly missed by everybody."
Earle leaves behind his wife as well as a son and daughter.
Earle ran for the provincial Liberal seat in the 2014 election, coming in second to the Progressive Conservative incumbent Jim McDonell.

 

[thewiz666]

UPDATE: Earle suffered heart attack during dive
UPDATE: Earle suffered heart attack during dive - News - Cornwall Seaway News

CORNWALL, Ontario - John Earle suffered a heart attack while diving, which lead to his death, his wife said Wednesday morning.

Alyssa Blais told Seaway News in an interview that an autopsy report shows Earle suffered a massive heart attack, and his death was not in any way related to the dive he was in the midst of Saturday evening.

"The doctor said it could have happened during a bike ride or even a walk," she said. "It was just the physical exertion."

Blais, despite suffering through a trying number of days since Earle passed away Saturday, recounted in detail the circumstances that lead to tragedy.

She said the two had been on their way to Prescott Saturday so that Earle could try out a new metal detector he had purchased with some birthday money.

But on the drive to Prescott, Blais said Earle realized he had forgotten his wetsuit.

With time, and sunlight, diminishing the two decided to return to get his wetsuit and dive in Cornwall instead.

Blais said she sat the dive out, and read a book at a nearby picnic table while Earle completed his dive.

After some time beneath the water Earle surfaced and was crying for help.

"I could hear in his voice he was very distressed," said Blais. "But he wasn't out of breath."

Blais said she holds a special place in her heart for Raymond Burelle, a boater who was returning to shore and immediately took off for Earle when he realized the Cornwall filmmaker was in trouble.

"He was amazing," said Blais.

Of course by now Earle was in serious trouble. By the time Blais was able to swim out to Earle's location in the water, tragedy had already set in.

Despite the best efforts for emergency personnel, as well as doctors and nurses at the Cornwall Community Hospital, Earle had succumbed to the heart attack.

Earle is being remembered in Cornwall as a man who loved his community, not to mention his family and friends.

....

I did not know this gentleman but my wife did. She had repeatedly said that she needed to introduce us and that we should dive together. An opportunity regrettably unredemed ...

Wiz

 

[shoredivr]

Thank you for this update.

 

[Littlerayray]

I was the good samaritan that pulled john from the water it took me till mid September before I could go back in the water I'm back in the water now and feel great about it I am more cautious and I am looking into getting my rescue diver certification in the near future
I am not sure of your policy regarding old threads but feel free to reprimand me Ialso if anyone has any questions I am more then willing to answer them

 

[Seya]

Nice to see you made it back in the water after a traumatic experience.

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

 

[mikeycanuk]

No worries, this isn't anywhere near an old thread.

43? I'm getting there in a hurry.

Glad to see you got back on the horse, so to speak. I'm thankful i've never seen anything remotely as traumatic as what you went through.

 

[DandyDon]

I was the good samaritan that pulled john from the water it took me till mid September before I could go back in the water I'm back in the water now and feel great about it I am more cautious and I am looking into getting my rescue diver certification in the near future
I am not sure of your policy regarding old threads but feel free to reprimand me Ialso if anyone has any questions I am more then willing to answer them

Almost all threads are left open in case someone wants to add something later, and your post was quite appropriate for such - but thanks for asking.

After guiding his boat back into shore, the Good Samaritan was understandably distraught and appeared to be in shock over what had happened as he was consoled by family members.

Grr, I hate that GS term, but I can't change journalism standards. As the volunteer bystander who heroically took action, I echo the wife's praise above. Even tho you were heroic, such losses can have an unfair effect on those who try to help, or even wish they could have. They both knew better than for him to be diving alone, but the heart attack sounded unrecoverable. Talking about it is best, and I hope you have been doing so with someone you trust, but you're welcome to talk more here.