U.S. Department of Labor probes deaths of drowned scuba divers

The U.S. Department of Labor has stepped into the investigation of the diving accident that resulted in the death of a diving instructor and a tourist last month.

Connie Hunt, a director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said the federal agency started its investigation after finding out that one of the fatalities in the accident was an employee of a local diving company.

OSHA officials from California are on island for the Governor's 3rd Annual Health and Safety Conference, which will kick off tomorrow. However, OSHA has been conducting training sessions since Aug. 8, Monday last week.

"We're trying to determine what caused the accident and how it can be prevented from happening. We're looking at possible negligence on the part of the employer. We want to see if there was any violation of health and safety regulations-if the equipment had been maintained, for instance," Hunt said.

OSHA Region 9 administrator Frank Strasheim noted that, while investigation of the accident fall under the responsibilities of the local police department, the death of the diving instructor came under OSHA.

Mayumi Fukuda, 25, a Japanese scuba diving instructor employed by PADI Gold Palm Pastime Saipan Inc., and Megumi Morita, 25, a Japanese tourist diver participating in a PADI Advanced diving course, died at the Grotto on July 16, 2005.

Police reports showed that Fukuda was leading a group of six female student divers that descended in the Grotto and exited the cavern at a depth of about 20 meters when Morita panicked.

Both divers rapidly ascended to the surface.

Meanwhile, another group of divers approached the rest of the student divers group and after finding that they were low on air, led them safely back into the cavern.

Volunteer rescue divers found Morita on the day of the accident. Fukuda was found the next day.

Another diving incident occurred the following week involving the same diving company and resulted in severe injuries to a Japanese tourist. Pastime reportedly ceased operations after the second accident.

Source: www.saipantribune.com