Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Key Largo, Fla.-- On May 5, 2009 at 3:47 pm EST, research diver Dewey Smith passed away while diving in support of the Aquarius Reef Base at Conch Reef, 3.5 miles offshore from Key Largo, Fla.  Smith, an employee of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, is an undersea research diver for the Aquarius Reef Base. The base includes the undersea laboratory, Aquarius, a saturation diving facility, also known as a habitat, owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and operated by UNC Wilmington. Aquarius allows scientists to live for weeks on the reef to conduct various scientific, research and training missions. The current mission, a partnership with the U.S. Navy, included training for Navy “sat” divers and preparing the Conch Reef area for upcoming science missions.

Smith was diving with two other aquanauts at a site near Aquarius and indicated to them via hand signals that he was returning to the habitat. Shortly after, they found him unconscious on the sea floor and carried him back to the wet porch of the habitat, the area that divers use to enter and exit Aquarius. CPR commenced at 3:03 p.m. A Navy medical doctor dove down to the habitat at 3:25 p.m. and pronounced death. The cause of death is unknown pending the Monroe County medical examiner’s investigation and report.

Smith was 36 years old. He has been with the Aquarius Reef Base team since 2007. He is survived by his mother, Donna Thomas, and sister, Lisa Neuenfeldt. Funeral information is pending.

Media contacts:

Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.962.7259, (office), 910.508.3127 (cell) or fischettid@uncw.edu

Cindy Lawson, university spokesperson, 910.279.0479 (cell)