A vehicle recovery attempt in the frigid waters of Erieau ended in tragedy March 18, with a Chatham man losing his life.
The diver went into the water that morning to help in connecting cabling that would pull the vehicle from the channel at the end of Mariners Road. That vehicle went into the water last November, while its occupants were able to escape.
However, at about 11:30 a.m. March 18, the vehicle recovery went south and police were called after the diver had not resurfaced.
A co-ordinated effort with local police, fire and the OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit led to the recovery of the diver’s body the following morning.
According to multiple social media posts, and multiple sources contacted by The Chatham Voice, the diver was Gary Smith, 67, of Chatham. Smith was a very experienced diver, and ran Red Devil Scuba in Chatham in the past.
