Body found in Lake Tahoe possibly diver missing 17 years

[Atticus]

Kinda wonder who found the body. Only know of a handful of people diving that deep in Tahoe.

Hi Mike,

As far as I know it wasn't anyone in our group. I did a 330' on Rubicon a while back right off the point and didn't see the gentleman. May he rest in peace.

 

[PSI_Reno]

Saw this in the local paper this morning regarding a diver found 17 years later in 265 feet of water.

Some type of unspecified equipment failure, but equipment was apparently found intact.

Body identified as Reno man who disappeared in 1994 diving accident | Reno Gazette-Journal | rgj.com

 

[PSI_Reno]

Very sad.

The original article in the Reno paper had a good aerial view of the point too.

Sheriff: Body found in Lake Tahoe could be from 1990s accident | Reno Gazette-Journal | rgj.com

 

[fjpatrum]

Wow.. Glad that there will be finally be closure.

But I don't understand why it would take 17 years? (assuming of course it is him but still). Why would they stop searching? I don't know the lake but I don't understand why it couldn't all be thoroughly searched given time

I'm late to this, but "thoroughly searched given time" assumes people are willing to donate their time or their money to such efforts and that's simply not realistic. Most searches (ground or sea) are called off after just a few days (if that long) and the highly publicized ones that go on for weeks are rare and special cases to say the least.

Tahoe is quite a large lake and is mostly deep areas that simply aren't feasible for most divers to hit and committing things like ROVs to long term searches is just not a good use of people's time or money, especially when there's no foul play suspected.

 

[merxlin]

Unless there is a suspicion or evidence of foul play, as far as I know there is no responsibility for anyone to search indefinitely for a missing person. That would fall upon the family and friends of the missing. At 6200 ft+, and covering almost 200 sq. miles of surface area, an average depth of 989 ft., max depth of 1650ft, a mean temp of about 42F at 200 ft, and 125" of snow every winter, "searching it all thoroughly" is not really an option.

 

[Myka]

I honestly am wondering how the divers who found the body were down at 265 ft. The deco time required for a dive like that would be ridiculous, and some would argue that if they left the lake and tried to go over the 8,000 ft pass via I-80 they werent being the most responsible divers.

I think I am a responsible diver. I dived on Rubicon wall several time (around 240ft)
The dizzy Rubicon Wall, Lake Tahoe CA (USA) - YouTube
I prefer not imagine my reaction if I saw a dead diver few feet below me...
Anyway, as TC wrote, I am glad they were able to get him back for the family.
Mickael

 

[Atticus]

...3. One thing I didnt see anyone mentioning is the sheer altitude of the diving up there. At 6,000 ft water level, a dive to 70ft is closer to 90 ft by most calculations. I honestly am wondering how the divers who found the body were down at 265 ft. The deco time required for a dive like that would be ridiculous, and some would argue that if they left the lake and tried to go over the 8,000 ft pass via I-80 they werent being the most responsible divers...

I missed this in my previous read of the thread.

I've done a number of dives in Tahoe in this depth range. The deco does add up but it's a calm environment. The oxygen stops are particularly nice - relatively warm water near the surface, calm, no real current, usually a nice sandy shelf to relax on.

We also have a pretty little wreck at 360' on the other side of the lake.

 

[DandyDon]

From one of the articles...

Sergeant Byers said that, in 2001, a group of divers came across Mr Widecker's body and tied a buoy line to it, but the line snapped and authorities were unable to find the spot.

The body still had the broken buoy line attached to it when it was recovered, Sergeant Byers said.

Read more: Scuba diver's well-preserved body pulled from lake after he vanished - 17 years ago