A 55-year-old Wyoming, Minn., man died Saturday after suffering problems while scuba diving off Isle Royale National Park, the National Park Service reported today.
Lloyd W. Krohn was pronounced dead at the scene by park ranger emergency medical technicians.
An autopsy is under way by the Keweenaw County, Mich., Medical Examiners Office to determine the cause of death.
According to the Park Service, Krohn was part of a charter group diving with the charter Lake Superior Diver at the shipwreck of the Kamloops near Isle Royale.
At about 10 a.m. Saturday, his diving partners noticed Krohn was experiencing difficulties. They attempted to assist him but were forced to send him to the surface alone after he became unconscious. He was spotted by the boat crew and was brought aboard unresponsive and not breathing. Park rangers responded to the incident after receiving a distress call on marine band radio.
Park Superintendent Phyllis Green has temporarily closed the Kamloops to diving.
We are deeply saddened by this scuba accident Green said in a statement. Divers understand the risks involved in diving at such extreme depths, but accidents can happen. We will do a thorough examination of the accident and review operations at the site before opening it to further recreational diving.
The Kamloops is considered an expert dive due to the depths involved. Most of the wreck, located approximately 300 feet from the north shore of Isle Royale near Todd Harbor, lies below 200 feet. The ship, a 250-foot Canadian package freighter, went down in a severe storm in December 1927. The location of the shipwreck was unknown until sport divers located it in 1977.
Isle Royale is located about 10 miles off Grand Portage on Minnesotas North Shore but technically is part of Michigan.
