Diving Tragedy at Cane Bay

In November 1996, tragedy struck off the coast of St. Croix, a small island in the US Virgin Islands. Three experienced commercial divers, Bret, Robbie, and Rod, were conducting research on the sea life of the famous Cane Bay Wall. This unique spot featured a steep underwater drop-off, plunging from 40 feet to 13,000 feet, just a couple of hundred feet from the shore.

At a depth of around 220 feet, the divers encountered two large oceanic whitetip sharks. While shark sightings were common, these were unusually close to land and notably large. After capturing some pictures, the divers continued their work. However, during their ascent, tragedy struck. Rod, covered in a cloud of silt, was initially thought to have experienced a hose failure. Upon closer inspection, it became apparent that he had suffered a shark bite.

In a desperate attempt to save Rod, Bret and Rod fought off the attacking sharks. Unfortunately, the struggle led them over the edge of the steep drop-off. Amid the chaos, Rod was eventually pulled from Bret's grasp, and with almost no air left, Bret had to prioritize saving himself. Miraculously, he surfaced, suffering from decompression sickness. Despite his rescue and recovery, Rod's body was never found. The incident highlighted the dangers of deep-sea diving and the unexpected risks associated with marine life attracted by external factors like low-frequency vibrations from nearby ships.