Trapped diver dies after rescue - Grand Rapids Michigan

[DandyDon]

There are several news stories about this accident if you search the net for it, none of which are very clear, so I'll just post this one for starters...

Scuba diver dies; stuck in the water | WOOD TV8

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A man has died after a scuba diving incident at Fish Ladder Park Saturday morning.
According to police, three scuba divers were diving near the dam just south of Fish Ladder. One of the divers, a 29-year-old, got stuck in the water and his two friends were unable to get him.
The man was rescued by the Fire Department and transported to a Grand Rapids hospital immediately.
Police said there were two oxygen tanks at the scene, but they are still investigating to find out how many tanks there were.
The park will be closed until police finish their investigation. Police told 24 Hour News 8 that the area where the divers were is not a safe area to dive due to the location of the dam and the current conditions.
24 Hour News 8 will provide details as soon as they become available.

 

[tyesai]

That sucks. I didn't know him personally but I watched all of his video / podcast and thoroughly enjoyed them. Saw the news feed on facebook. Pisser...
Scuba diver dies; stuck in the water | WOOD TV8

 

[DandyDon]

That sucks. I didn't know him personally but I watched all of his video / podcast and thoroughly enjoyed them. Saw the news feed on facebook. Pisser...
Scuba diver dies; stuck in the water | WOOD TV8

I think that's the same local story I linked. In the comments section I see some posts that may suggest what trapped him...

He was one of my first cousins. He was exploring a cavern under the dam that he found last week and had no problem getting out of the first time.

and

that's the quarry hole doug every fisher down there knows to stay away from it , he probably got tangled in the rebarb or old line under the water.

Other articles on the web report efforts to remove this dam and others, restoring the rapids that gave the city its name, contingent on an effective barrier to prevent lampreys from using the river for mating.

 

[Tanks]

He's on the right: https://vimeo.com/12380456

https://www.facebook.com/robert.shoemaker.315

Bob will be missed here. I guess, I really don't know what to say.

 

[tyesai]

I know not everyone has access to the ocean and people dive where they can but after looking at the video and other pictures off the net I wonder why they were diving in that spot.

 

[thirdcoastdiver]

Local news reports a 29 year old diver was trapped by currents while diving with 2 other divers.Grand Rapids | WOODTV.com

moderator please delete or merge with other posts on this topic.

 

[mselenaous]

Here is more information: Friends remember scuba diving victim | WOOD TV8

Friends remember scuba diving victim

Robert Shoemaker died Saturday after accident

Updated: Sunday, 11 Aug 2013, 11:17 PM EDT
Published : Sunday, 11 Aug 2013, 10:32 PM EDT

• By Koco McAboy

KENT CITY, Mich. (WOOD) - Friends of a man who died after a scuba diving accident gathered Sunday in Kent City to reflect on his life.

Robert Shoemaker, 29, was diving with two friends near the Sixth Street Dam in Grand Rapids Saturday when he got stuck in the water, police say. He was rescued by the fire department and taken to a Grand Rapids hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Friends of Shoemaker told 24 Hour News 8 he was an experienced scuba diving instructor and a talk show host for a scuba diving show.

"We did ice diving together. He taught me all about the rope systems," said Johnny B. Allen.

"He was the one in charge. He'd be leading the group and he's the one that you'd go to if you found yourself having an issue," Cameron Mactavish said.

According to Shoemaker's friend Jim Norton, Shoemaker heard about a project that would remove the dam on the Grand River, and wanted to help survey the area.

"He was very interested in the whole project and he was doing what he could to help," Norton said.

Friends told 24 Hour News 8 that they will continue to dive because that is what Shoemaker would want them to do.

"He'd be diving right now if he could. I can guarantee that," Mactavish said.

His friends wanted to emphasize that an accident of that nature does not normally happen when scuba diving.

"Most scuba diving is straight forward," Norton said.

Shoemaker as recalled as generous and charismatic.




"He was a good guy. He'd give you the shirt off his back," Norton said.

He was the host of Talking Scuba Show.

 

[CavemanScuba]

Bob was a great friend of mine. Although he was the host of Talking Scuba at one point, he had left that to pursue other interests a few years ago.

Man killed in Grand River scuba diving accident remembered as 'answer guy,' preservationist | MLive.com