Cave Diving Drowning

[jonsdigs]

Cave Diving Drowning
WJHG
Jun 10, 2008

Jackson County authorities still have not released the name of a man who drowned while cave diving at Blue Springs near Marianna.

Authorities say a male and female diver went into the water a little after midnight Monday morning. The female says she saw her partner's underwater scooter sink to the bottom of the cavern.

She says she found him, pulled him to the surface and began performing C-P-R. Paramedics arrived shortly after and took over the resuscitation efforts, but the diver died at the scene.

His body is now at the Medical Examiners office. Authorities are hoping an autopsy will tell them more about this tragic accident.

Story

[Kelly Jessop]

Media General News Service
Published: June 9, 2008

A 41-year-old Oakmans, Ala., man drowned during the early morning hours Monday during a cave diving accident at Blue Spring State Park in Jackson County Florida, said Sheriff John McDaniel.

Joel Mitchell Tubbs, who lived on Highway 69 in Oakmans, which is in Walker County northwest of Birmingham, was diving with a female friend at the park when the accident happened.

“All indications are it’s a drowning accident,” McDaniel said. “I think it was an acquaintance, and they were diving together as friends.”

Two divers had registered with the sheriff’s office for diving at Blue Spring before their Sunday night dive. The two divers apparently started what was supposed to be a cave exploration sometime during the night, the sheriff’s office reported.

Upon entry into the cavern both divers had signaled that they were “okay” and proceeded to extend a safety line from the entrance to the spring. After a short distance, the lead diver turned to check on her partner and found his underwater scooter sinking to the bottom of the cavern, according to the narrative in the sheriff’s office press release.

The diver noticed her partner had risen to the ceiling of the cavern and was unresponsive. She immediately pulled him to the surface and brought him to shore, according to the press release.

Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and 911 was called.

Jackson County Fire and Rescue and the sheriff’s office responded to the call at 12:37 a.m.

The medical examiner’s office has assumed jurisdiction and will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death, the news release stated
www.dothaneagle.com/dea/news/local/article/cave_diver_dies_at_blue_springs/19926/

[Kelly Jessop]

www.wtxl.tv/global/story.asp?s=8453548

[Kelly Jessop]

joel-tubbs.memory-of.com/About.aspx