News
Divers in Canada to search for plane wrecks in Gander Lake
There’s mystery under the surface of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Gander Lake, and a group of divers are planning to feed their curiosity.
Once the plane is located, divers will go deep under the surface to check on the condition of the downed aircraft, with the ultimate aim of bringing it to the surface to be donated to the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander.
According to Merkle, diving attempts were made at the time of the B-24 crash in 1943, but equipment was not up to the standards it is today.
“They did a couple of dives on it back then after the crash, but it was the old-fashioned hardhat divers with big brass helmets and lead boots, so it was pretty crude diving. They never had any lights that could go past 60 feet, and now we’re high-tech with dry suits, nitrox air, and we have (high intensity discharge) lights, video cameras and the whole works. So, it’s no problem at all for us to dive 150 feet.”
The 1943 flight of the B-24 took off from Gander during the night, and one engine failed not long after the plane was up in the air, said Merkle.
“Because the crew had such little experience flying in the night, they performed the wrong manoeuvres to correct that problem. They actually made the problem worse, so the plane did three barrel rolls and crashed directly into the lake. One body was recovered, and he’s buried at the Commonwealth grave there in Gander, but the other three are still in it.”
According to Merkle, if the B-24 is accessible by divers and is in good condition, a military agency would most likely haul the aircraft out of the water to retrieve the bodies.
“There are military groups that go around the world retrieving old planes, but we are, basically, just a hobby outfit trying to preserve our history. The more I get into Gander Lake, the more I realize it has incredible history.”
His love of history and the preservation of the past is what led Merkle to tackle the diving project in the first place.
“I’m part of the Shipwreck Preservation Society of Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said.
“I grew up in Gander, and I branched off into plane wrecks when researching shipwrecks, and that led me to Lisa Daly’s project where she surveyed the land wrecks that are all around Gander. I got to talking to her and she mentioned there might be a couple in the lake, but they weren’t equipped to do any surveys on the lake. That was right up my alley, so I started researching.”
He plans to begin sonar surface work in the coming weeks.
Source: www.thetelegram.com
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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