New post on Route 66 News
Exploration diver dies in Santa Rosa’s Blue Hole
by Ron Warnick
A diver with an exploration team died Saturday after an apparent accident deep
in the underwater caverns of the famed Blue Hole of Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
Shane Thompson, 43, of San Diego, an experienced diver with the ADM Exploration
Foundation , died Saturday after he went missing during his team's
much-anticipated exploration of the Blue Hole's caverns more than 160 feet
below the surface, according to today's print edition of Guadalupe County
Communicator, based in Santa Rosa.
The newspaper reported another experienced diver with the team, Mike Young,
nearly died Saturday as well during a "chaotic series of events" at the end of
the team's mission.
The exploration turned into a recovery mission for Thompson's body. His remains
eventually were brought to the surface Easter Sunday.
The tragedy over the weekend occurred 40 years after two Oklahoma scuba divers
died in the Blue Hole's underwater caverns in March 1976. It took New Mexico
State Police divers weeks to recover one of the bodies. After that, the city of
Santa Rosa installed a safety grate over the entrance to the caverns at the
Blue Hole's bottom.
The ADM team recently received permission from the city to explore the Blue
Hole's many caves.
After Thompson's body was brought to the surface, ADM's divers helped the city
reinstall the safety grate. It's doubtful the city of Santa Rosa ever will
again let anyone try to explore the Blue Hole's underwater caverns.
The Blue Hole is a natural, 80-foot-deep sink that spews 3,000 gallons of water
a minute. It's known for its clear waters and constant 62-degree temperature.
It's been a popular recreational spot since the 1970s for Route 66 travelers
and non-66ers alike. The Blue Hole's depth also makes it useful for scuba-diver
training.
(Image of the Blue Hole of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, in 2009 by Jayjay P via
Flickr)
Ron Warnick | March 31, 2016 at 11:16 am | Tags: Blue Hole , Santa Rosa |
Categories: Attractions , People | URL: http://wp.me/p26LFX-7c6
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