Carmel, CA – Two scuba divers have reportedly died while swimming off the coast of California.
California Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant explained that authorities were sent to Point Lobos State Reserve in Monterey County. According to The Associated Press , lifeguards were performing CPR on one of the divers when rescue crews arrived on the scene.
Authorities said crew quickly retrieved the second diver from the ocean. Reports indicate the second individual was floating just offshore.
The divers were soon take to an area hospital. However, the pair were pronounced dead on arrival.
Central Coast News reports that the scuba divers who died off the coast of California were a husband and wife. Their daughter is thought to have witnessed the accident take place.
Sadly, authorities explained that they routinely get calls about accidents in the area. Located about four miles south of Carmel, the Point Lobos State Park is a popular destination for divers and tourists.
Captain Carlos Aguilera explained:
“It’s well known worldwide. There’s lot of scuba divers that do launch from here. Even though this is a very beautiful place to be at, we want to be cautious. The tides, along with the weather patterns, can change and affect the tide pattern.”
According to Diver Magazine , approximately 100 people die every year in North America from scuba diving-related accidents. The “Diver’s Alert Network (DAN) 2010 Diving Fatalities Workshop Report” explains that a fatality occurs in one out of every 211,864 dives. Statistically, diving is safer than driving a car or skydiving.
The reports explains that the top three causes of diver fatalities is a pre-existing condition, problems with buoyancy control, and violent water movement.
Authorities are still investigating what caused the death of the two scuba divers in Carmel, California. Police have yet to release the identities of the man and woman involved in the accident.