Woman drowns during training - Hidden Paradise Campground, Indiana

[DandyDon]

Westfield woman dies in scuba training accident

DECATUR COUNTY — Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an incident that lead to a drowning within Hidden Paradise Campground in Decatur County.

At 2:14 p.m. Monday, Donna Kishbaugh, 61, of Westfield, was reported missing in the water.

Kishbaugh was conducting SCUBA training when she disappeared.

Conservation Officers, Indiana State Police, Shelby County Deputies, Decatur County Deputies, Shelbyville Fire Department, and Decatur County Fire Department assisted in the recovery efforts.

Indiana Conservation Officers and Indiana State Police divers located Kishbaugh in 18 feet of water at 2:56 p.m. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Notifications have been made to family members.

 

[lowwall]

Kishbaugh was conducting SCUBA training...

This makes it sound like she was an instructor, but I don't think that is correct. Looking her up, I can see that she was an artist and writer and a co-founder of the largest English-language Guillermo del Toro fansite, but nothing connected to diving.

 

[Marie13]

I’d never heard of this quarry. Looked up their website. Deepest point is 35ft, 25ft average depth. Usual viz is 7-10ft.

 

[KevinNM]

I’m guessing she was a student. Maybe it’s unfair, but I really feel that a student separation and subsequent death during training is completely avoidable other than those caused by sudden catastrophic medical events like massive strokes or heart attacks.

 

[lowwall]

I’m guessing she was a student. Maybe it’s unfair, but I really feel that a student separation and subsequent death during training is completely avoidable other than those caused by sudden catastrophic medical events like massive strokes or heart attacks.

That could be what happened here. We don't have any real information yet.

 

[kelemvor]

Sure seems like there's been a spate of student deaths this year. Maybe more people taking training because they aren't spending their money on travel or something?

 

[zider]

I’d never heard of this quarry. Looked up their website. Deepest point is 35ft, 25ft average depth. Usual viz is 7-10ft.

7-10ft is a good day at this place. Even in the winter you need to stay within arms reach of your buddy.

 

[DandyDon]

Many news sites are echoing the story but claiming that she was "conducting scuba training" at the time so I don't see any investigative reporting. One did say "A Public Information Officer with the Indiana DNR confirms to PEOPLE that Kishbaugh was with a scuba instructor at the time of her disappearance." The banner photo on her FB page is of a group of divers standing in water (loved that she had her mask on her forehead) dated August 16 saying "We are pretty messy here...lol! Our last test dive is happening the last week of August!" I guess she certified then but was doing more diving with her Instructor, but that's certainly a guess.

 

[DandyDon]

And now two sites claim that she was indeed an Instructor, but I have to wonder if they were just confused echoing the original story. I see nothing about her background in Scuba.

Scuba instructor drowns while conducting training at campground, Indiana officials say

SCUBA instructor drowns in Decatur County

 

[CMAallday]

Has anyone heard of which dive shops she was with?