Father and Son Perish While Diving on Christmas Day
Tragedy struck in the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Refuge in Florida when a father and son went cave diving, testing out new equipment they received for Christmas. Authorities found the pair's bodies just inside a cave and the other further in the water.
Darrin Spivey, 35 and his 15-year-old son Dillon Sanchez decided to test out the new diving equipment Dillon received for Christmas. They left around 11 a.m. and when Darrin's fiancée hadn't heard from them by 3 p.m., she began to worry. Eventually, she went to the Wildlife Refuge where they were diving, and found their car still parked in the lot.
"I called friends and family that were more experienced to ask if I should be worried, and then I made the call," Holly King told ABC News.
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Rescue divers began searching the cave, and about an hour later managed to locate both men's bodies. Dillon was found at 67 feet below the surface, while his father was found at 127 feet, according to reports.
"It was very unfortunate. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends," Assistant Hernando County Fire Chief Kevin Carroll told the Tampa Bay Tribune. Carroll added that the two men were friends with some of the fire department employees.
While Darrin was a rather experienced diver, Dillon was still relatively new and not certified to dive. Authorities are investigating what caused the deaths, including checking the equipment used by both men.
The Eagles Nest Sink, where the men dived, is known for being a dangerous area and numerous other divers have perished in its waters. It is part of the large underwater cave system; it's actually known as the "Grand Canyon" of the diving world, which attracts a large number of visitors and explorers.
"It is a beautiful cave and considered the Mount Everest of Sink holes to dive several miles long and almost 300 feet deep. The tragedy is folks think they are bullet proof and this is one of, if not the most dangerous sport in the world. That cave is capable of killing an experienced diver, sadly these folks were not ready to go in that hole. Such a shame," David Wolf posted on The Tampa Tribune.
