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Vegemite Mod
http://www.manlydaily.com.au/common/story_page/0,7168,18237120%5E15721,00.html
Man dies diving
story by JOHN MORCOMBE
23feb06
AN ELDERLY man died while diving with a group of friends off North Avalon yesterday morning.
The Dee Why man, 72, was found floating off Whale Beach about 10am and could not be revived.
He was one of seven divers who left Careel Bay before 8am and arrived off North Avalon a short time later.
The divers entered the water off St Michael's Cave before 9am.
After the man did not surface, his colleagues searched the waters off North Avalon and notified emergency services.
Lifeguards from Avalon, Newport and Palm Beach used jet-skis and an inshore rescue boat to search for the man, while the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter also combed the area.
The lifeguards were joined in the search by two men in a small motor boat.
About 10am Palm Beach lifeguard Tristen Conn recovered the man's vest and air tank, and soon after he found the man floating off the southern end of Whale Beach.
One of the group said the dead man was experienced and had been diving for about 30 years.
He said the group met socially every Wednesday to dive.
"I only saw him on Wednesdays and didn't know him well,'' he said. ``But he was a lovely bloke.''
Pittwater lifeguard superviser Peter Laing said lifeguards were surprised by the strength of the northerly current while search ing for the man.
"Lifeguards tried to revive him on the water and as they were bringing him ashore,'' he said.
Northern Beaches duty officer Insp Mark Brownlow said the different radios and networks used by the different services involved had made it difficult to co-ordinate the search.
He said Broken Bay water police would investigate the man's death and examine his equipment before preparing a report for the coroner.
He said the police would like to speak to the two men in a small motor boat who assisted in the search, saying they might have details that would help the investigation.
Man dies diving
story by JOHN MORCOMBE
23feb06
AN ELDERLY man died while diving with a group of friends off North Avalon yesterday morning.
The Dee Why man, 72, was found floating off Whale Beach about 10am and could not be revived.
He was one of seven divers who left Careel Bay before 8am and arrived off North Avalon a short time later.
The divers entered the water off St Michael's Cave before 9am.
After the man did not surface, his colleagues searched the waters off North Avalon and notified emergency services.
Lifeguards from Avalon, Newport and Palm Beach used jet-skis and an inshore rescue boat to search for the man, while the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter also combed the area.
The lifeguards were joined in the search by two men in a small motor boat.
About 10am Palm Beach lifeguard Tristen Conn recovered the man's vest and air tank, and soon after he found the man floating off the southern end of Whale Beach.
One of the group said the dead man was experienced and had been diving for about 30 years.
He said the group met socially every Wednesday to dive.
"I only saw him on Wednesdays and didn't know him well,'' he said. ``But he was a lovely bloke.''
Pittwater lifeguard superviser Peter Laing said lifeguards were surprised by the strength of the northerly current while search ing for the man.
"Lifeguards tried to revive him on the water and as they were bringing him ashore,'' he said.
Northern Beaches duty officer Insp Mark Brownlow said the different radios and networks used by the different services involved had made it difficult to co-ordinate the search.
He said Broken Bay water police would investigate the man's death and examine his equipment before preparing a report for the coroner.
He said the police would like to speak to the two men in a small motor boat who assisted in the search, saying they might have details that would help the investigation.
