Burlington Ontario man in critical condition after Lake Superior diving accident

[Ayisha]

Some sad news about a well-known local diver:

Burlington, Ont., man in critical condition after reported diving accident near Marathon

Here is the article so it can be read at any time:

Burlington man in critical condition after reported diving accident in northern Ontario
52-year-old man and 4 others were diving on a Lake Superior shipwreck on Aug. 9

CBC News Posted: Aug 16, 2017 3:25 PM ET Last Updated: Aug 16, 2017 3:32 PM ET

Ontario Provincial Police say a 52-year-old man is in critical condition in a Burlington hospital after a diving accident on a Lake Superior shipwreck.

A 52-year-old man from Burlington, Ont., is in hospital in his hometown after a diving accident on a Lake Superior shipwreck near Neys Provincial Park, according to Ontario Provincial Police.

The man, along with four others, was doing a technical dive around noon on August 9 at the Judge Hart shipwreck, which is between the towns of Terrace Bay and Marathon — about 250 kilometres east of Thunder Bay.

"One of the divers noticed a set of fins that was coming up in the water," Const. Peter Bertin of the Marathon OPP detachment said in an interview. "It was one of their fellow divers, and they knew something was wrong."

The Judge Hart wrecked on Fitzsimmons Rocks in Lake Superior between the towns of Terrace Bay and Marathon, according to Save Ontario Shipwrecks. It's classified as a deep technical dive. (Google Earth)

The man was brought back into the boat and given CPR.

The group decided they need to get the man to shore, so the chartered boat made the 40-minute trip back, Bertin said. The divers were met by paramedics who provided further medical treatment, OPP said in a media release issued Wednesday.

The cause of the accident is unknown, Bertin said.

"We are investigating the incident both medically and mechanically," he said. "Both his equipment and his possible medical conditions, if there was any."

"We don't really know what was the deciding factor in this incident at all."

'They just decided to put a little excursion together'
Bertin said the injured man is a very experienced diver.

"He had thousands of dives under his belt," he said. "He actually worked for contractors, did underwater welding, that kind of thing."

After spending time in hospital in Marathon and Thunder Bay, the 52-year-old was transferred for medical care in Burlington, where he remains in critical condition, police said.

The other four divers are all from Ohio, Bertin added.

"They had met through the diving industry ... they just decided to put a little excursion together."

The Judge Hart is about 60 metres below the surface of Lake Superior.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Was the individual one of the tribe ?

Sam

 

[iamrushman]

please recover swiftly ...heart felt prayers for victim,family friends and colleagues..

 

[Ayisha]

UPDATE: Shipwreck diver dies in hospital - TBNewsWatch.com

Here is the article for posterity:

UPDATE: Shipwreck diver dies in hospital

Scott Stitt, 52 ,has died as a result of a diving incident near the Judge Hart shipwreck in Lake Superior.

about 6 hours ago by: Michael Charlebois

MARATHON, Ont. - A Burlington man has died as a result of a diving incident at Neys Provincial Park last week.

Scott Stitt, 52, was performing technical dives with a group friends off the Judge Hart shipwreck on Lake Superior on Aug. 9 when he experienced problems, became unconscious, and floated to the surface, according to an OPP news release.

Stitt received extensive medical treatment in Marathon and Thunder Bay before his death in a Burlington hospital.

Provincial police are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident.

 

[Ayisha]

Was the individual one of the tribe ? Sam

Hi Dr Sam, he was well known here and knew and dove with many people that I know, but I didn't really know him. I met him a couple of times at the Shipwrecks Symposium here and I told him that I really enjoyed his presentations. They were awesome! He lived quite an adventurous life and really showed some tenacity in his dealings with our government regarding some wrecks called the Hamilton and Scourge. He also did some photojournalism articles for diver magazines. May he rest in peace.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Thank You Ayisha
,
So sad. I send my Condolences to the family

Sam

 

[Jared0425]

That's terrible. I enjoyed Scotts presentations on his defiant dives on the Hamilton and Scourage. We had a few drinks together during that time and I was amazed of how deeply he cared for our maritime history. I'm in shock that someone like Scott suffered on a "shallow" wreck like the Judge Hart. Bottom is at 205 top at 180.

Scott kept up his gear and training, as technical diving evolved he evolved with it. I wonder if it was a medical incident instead of gear failure. Condolences to the crew he was with and family.

 

[Steelyeyes]

Condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Ayisha]

Here is a beautifully written obituary for Scott at Scott Stitt - Wednesday, August 16th, 2017

His family has written that his passing was due to a "catastrophic anoxic brain injury", also known as hypoxia. Our deepest condolences from all of his friends and dive buddies from the Ontario Underwater Council.

"Obituary for Scott Stitt

It is with extreme sadness that Scott’s family announces his unexpected passing on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at Joseph Brant Hospital, Burlington at the age of 52. Scott suffered a catastrophic anoxic brain injury while preforming a deep water dive on the Judge Hart shipwreck in Lake Superior. Beloved husband and best friend of Jodi Skeates (originally of LaSalle, Ontario). Doting dad to his critters: Bandit, Missy, Bella and Tippy (aka George) and foster dad to Charlie. Much loved son of Shirley Stitt (nee Steed, originally of Stratford, Ontario) and son-in-law of Don and Jo-Anne Skeates of Kingsville, Ontario. Dear brother-in-law of Sheri and Bob Wismer and cherished Uncle Skippy of Joel and Julia, all of Amherstburg, Ontario. Very best friend of Todd Ziegler and the late Michel “Frogman” Guerin. Scott will be fondly remembered by his Toronto Firefighter brothers and sisters, innumerable friends from the local and international diving community, members of the Great Lakes Gliding Club, and his extended Biancales Boxer family.

Scott Stitt was a former commercial hard-hat diver with hundreds of hours of mixed gas and saturation dives logged in the offshore oil and gas industry. He worked with Texas A&M University and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) as an underwater field archaeologist. Scott held a B.Sc. in environmental science and was a 27-year veteran of the Toronto Fire Department, working his way to the rank of Acting Captain. He was a trimix Instructor and cave diver, who worked as an underwater videographer and technical dive supervisor for the Undersea Explorers television show. After a lengthy hiatus from diving, in recent years Scott recommenced his work as a diving photojournalist and speaker. In a recent article in Diver-Magazine, Scott corrected the history of Grenada’s shipwreck the Bianca-C. He was one of the few people (including Jacques Cousteau) to locate and explore the 1813 wrecks of the Hamilton and Scourge which sit at a depth of 300 feet in Lake Ontario; the exploration and documentation of Scott and his team was recently featured in the 2013 film, “Shipwrecked on a Great Lake”. He was also the recipient of numerous underwater photo awards.
Scott was a tireless ocean and environmental activist, avid traveler, and lover of marine, wild, and domestic animals. He remains the most fascinating and kindhearted man who lived life to its fullest and did his best everyday make a difference in the lives of others and the world we live in.

Visitation at SMITH’S FUNERAL HOME, 1167 Guelph Line (one stoplight north of QEW, BURLINGTON, 905-632-3333 on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 from 7-9 p.m. and Thursday August 24, 2017 from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. where a Funeral Service to Celebrate Scott’s Life will be held in the Chapel on Friday, August 25. 2017 at 10:30 a.m. Private Cremation. If desired, donations in Scott’s memory can be made to Boxer Rescue of Ontario (a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to placing abandoned, inured or sick boxer dogs in loving homes in Ontario) or Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (an international non-profit marine wildlife conservation organization with the mission to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans), would be sincerely appreciated.

Finally, in continuation of Scott’s conservation work, please reconsider your use of plastic bags, cups, and drinking straws, plant flowers that help the bee and Monarch butterfly population in the spring and feed the birds in the winter.

Scott’s zest for life, sense of adventure, love of the marine world and all animals has made him unforgettable".

 

[abnfrog]

dove with and liked Scott very much , wish I could attend