Jamesburg woman dies in diving accident off Jersey Shore

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From: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/arti...orney+mourns+wife+who+died+in+diving+accident

JAMESBURG — Helen Kostbar's love of diving had taken her around the world - from the Caribbean to the South Pacific.

It was that passion that Otto Kostbar recalled Thursday as he mourned his wife, who died Wednesday diving four miles off the coast of Manasquan.

"I loved her very much, and I don't know what I'm going do without her," he said when reached by telephone Thursday evening.

Kostbar, 47, was "very experienced" and was certified as a Master Scuba Diver by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, her husband said.

"She went as often as possible," he said, adding that she often went with a large group of fellow divers. She had made three trips to the island of Turk, regarded as one of the top diving sites around the world, along with trips to Hawaii, the Cayman Islands and other destinations.

Otto Kostbar, an attorney and former councilman in the borough, said he and his wife had lived in Jamesburg during their more than 25 years of marriage. She worked as a paralegal in his law office, and was well-known and active in local organizations.

She spent 20 years as a secretary and member of the board of directors of the Middlesex County SPCA, her husband said. She also served as the secretary of the Jamesburg Zoning Board.

Helen Kostbar was born in Hoboken, and grew up in Union City and Toms River.

Her husband said he was still waiting for more information from the Coast Guard, who said Wednesday that Kostbar was pronounced dead at Ocean Medical Center after being rescued from the water at about 11:15 a.m.

In a statement, the agency said a crew member aboard a dive boat reported that an unconscious diver had been rescued from the surface of the water. The unidentified rescuing boat met up with Coast Guard personnel who were en route to Manasquan Inlet. Coast Guard members boarded the boat for the attempted rescue, which included CPR.

Kostbar was later taken to the hospital by medics standing by at the Coast Guard's Manasquan station.

The Coast Guard initially identified the victim as 40-year-old Helen Kosthaz, but her family said the name and age were inaccurate.
 
Sad. A well-liked local diver who will be missed.

Say a prayer for her family, and for those involved in the rescue attempt.
 
This is a tough situation for everyone involved. Hopefully this thread won't turn into one of speculation and conjecture as usual. Prayers and peace to her family.
 
This is a tough situation for everyone involved. Hopefully this thread won't turn into one of speculation and conjecture as usual. Prayers and peace to her family.

It's always nice to know what killed a diver, or if that's not possible, it's nice to know what might have killed a diver. This helps when trying to avoid avoid the same fate. In some cases, the speculation is almost as useful as the facts.

For example, there are currently several threads involving "guided tours" in the Caribbean that ended in fatalities. While it would be wonderful to get a definitive answer in any of them, the fact that the incidents occurred has caused many divers to re-think their blind trust in guided-dives and realize that they need to rely on their own skills and their buddy to ensure their personal safety.

This is a good outcome no matter which way you look at it.

Terry
 
I'll accept your point terry, I'm just being bitter from a similar experience.
 
very sad indeed, My thoughts and prayers are with her family.

Ron
 
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. We can only hope that it was natural causes, and she passed doing something she loved doing.
 
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