A 66-year-old diver who entered the water from shore in Florida in search of shark teeth was found dead six hours later – on the same day that another diver died on Catalina Island in California.
In Florida the man, named as Gail Smith, and his dive-buddy Daniel McAtee, 63, had planned a one-hour dive some 400m off Manasota Key Beach on the morning of Sunday, 25 January.
McAtee had last seen Smith when the pair submerged at about 9.30am, because they had not planned to stay together, only to follow the same compass heading and maintain a depth of around 6m, according to Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO).
When McAtee surfaced and could not locate Smith he had searched the surrounding area on his own for some time before calling the emergency services at 12.12pm.
A search began using the SCSO marine unit and dive-team, assisted by rescue boats from the US Coast Guard, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and multiple fire and police departments. Aviation units from the SCSO and Coast Guard also joined in the search.
In the process Sarasota County lifeguards came across Smith’s floating dive-flag “a significant distance” from where he had last been seen, probably shifted by current and/or wind because it was not attached to him.
At around 3.30pm bystanders saw a body floating in the water close to shore and responders recovered the diver, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The SCSO is investigating the circumstances of his death.
Manasota Beach is known as one of Florida’s top shark-tooth-hunting spots, with abundant fossilised teeth particularly from species that lived millions of years ago, including megalodons.
Medical emergency
Meanwhile on the other side of the USA a scuba diver suffered a medical emergency off Catalina Island.
The woman was identified as 64‑year‑old Carolyn Alvarez by Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office. She had been shore-diving with a male buddy at a popular site near Casino Point Underwater Park.
The pair were about 25m offshore when Alvarez began showing signs of distress. Her buddy brought her back to shore, where bystanders called the emergency services. She was taken to a medical facility on the island but was pronounced dead there. An investigation is underway.
