Passing of Technical Diver Joe Steffen during NL Mine Quest Dive

[Firediver]

"Ocean Quest Inc. regretfully announce that on Sunday 4th February, Mr Joseph Steffen, 51, an experienced cave and technical diver from Ohio, USA died whilst diving as part of the Mine Quest Exploration Team in the No.2 Iron Ore Mine on Bell Island, Newfoundland & Labrador. Fellow team members brought Joe to the surface and attempts to revive him were unfortunately unsuccessful. The incident is under investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as part of their standard procedures so we have no other information regarding Joe's death at this time. Our thoughts are with Joe’s family & friends and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him. The Mine Quest Team continued their exploration this morning. More complete information will be distributed as soon as possible. Please check the project blog site at http://bellislandexpedition.blogspot.com/ for more details" Copied from www.oceanquestcharters.com

Marjorie

 

[daniel f aleman]

Condolences to all concerned.

 

[scarefaceDM]

Sad day ...sympathy to the family.

 

[Diving Doc]

A day of sadness. May he rest in peace and condolances to the family

 

[wb416]

Results of Autopsy:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2007/02/07/diver-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.

 

[Jcsgt]

Wow, has anybody seen his dive profile, just out of curiousity?

 

[mikerault]

But was the embolism pre or post mortum? If the diver suffered a fatal incident at depth and was slightly buoyant then the rise to the depth he was found at could have caused the embolism essentially post mortum but I'll bet it would be difficult to tell.

 

[wb416]

Wow, has anybody seen his dive profile, just out of curiousity?

Nothing in the news releases or blogs yet.

 

[samnewsom]

our prayers are with his family and team members as this must be very hard for them

 

[Firediver]

Was just going to post the news article.

I haven't been able to get any info from my friend in NL with regards to the profile.

I am sure the pathologists would have a difficult time trying to determin whether or not the embolism was post mortom or exact cause. And since it would be the most prominent that would be the conclusion they would come too as the cause. You are right mikerualt that it is very difficult to tell, we as divers could tink of many possibilities.

This is a blow to the dive community. At least he died doing something he enjoyed and had his name in the history books being the first group of divers in the mines since their close. My prayers go out to the family, and to the divers.

Dive Safe everyone!!!!