2 Navy divers drowned at APG’s Super Pond: 3 divers drown in 1 month, Two Navy divers drowned in the Army installation test pond at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). APG’s Super Pond is 1,070 feet long and 920 feet wide and can accommodate both boats and submarines. The Super Pond is being used for testing “torpedoes, missiles, warheads, amphibious and remotely controlled vehicles, underwater gun firing, and acoustics” reported WBAL on April 9, 2013.
According to officials from the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, an autopsy of the two Navy divers showed that the cause of death was accidental drowning.
The two Navy divers who drowned on Feb. 26, 2013, were from the Navy's Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit and both men were conducting diving operations at APG’s Super Pond.
“Officials from the Navy say the divers were 28-year-old James Reyher, of Ohio, and 23-year-old Ryan Harris, of Missouri. Reyher was a Navy Diver 1st Class, and Harris was a Navy Diver 2nd Class.”
Diver First Class James Reyher and Diver Second Class Ryan Harris had been participating in a training exercise at APG’s Super Pond. As reported by The Bulletin, the two divers were using air hoses supplied from the surface, and “were tethered together.” One of the two divers was found dead at the scene while the other diver was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Due to the sensitive nature of the operation, no further details are being provided by authorities in regard to the drowning of the two Navy divers.
However, since a third death occurred at APG’s Super Pond on Jan. 30, 2013, an investigation by several military and civilian agencies is under way.
George Lazzaro Jr., a 41-year-old civilian engineering technician, also died at APG's Super Pond while doing underwater maintenance.
The deaths of the two Navy divers are being investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and by the U.S. Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal Group from Virginia Beach.
The death of the civil engineering technician is being investigated by the Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala., the Army's Criminal Investigation Division, and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
According to APG’s website, the Aberdeen Proving Ground is the Army's oldest active proving ground and “is one of the world's foremost research, development, testing, and training facilities for military weapons and equipment. It is bounded by the Susquehanna and Gunpowder Rivers, the Chesapeake Bay, and the AMTRAK Railroad.”
Until further investigations are completed in regard to the recent deaths of the two drowned Navy divers and the civilian engineering technician, APG’s Super Pond will remain closed to all civilian and military personnel.
Dutch Ruppersberger, the Baltimore County Democrat whose district includes APG, said in regard to the deaths of the two drowned Navy divers that "I'm just looking forward to seeing what the final investigation reveals. When you have two people _ two Americans _ die who protect our country, we have to find out what occurred and why it occurred."
source examiner
According to officials from the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, an autopsy of the two Navy divers showed that the cause of death was accidental drowning.
The two Navy divers who drowned on Feb. 26, 2013, were from the Navy's Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit and both men were conducting diving operations at APG’s Super Pond.
“Officials from the Navy say the divers were 28-year-old James Reyher, of Ohio, and 23-year-old Ryan Harris, of Missouri. Reyher was a Navy Diver 1st Class, and Harris was a Navy Diver 2nd Class.”
Diver First Class James Reyher and Diver Second Class Ryan Harris had been participating in a training exercise at APG’s Super Pond. As reported by The Bulletin, the two divers were using air hoses supplied from the surface, and “were tethered together.” One of the two divers was found dead at the scene while the other diver was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Due to the sensitive nature of the operation, no further details are being provided by authorities in regard to the drowning of the two Navy divers.
However, since a third death occurred at APG’s Super Pond on Jan. 30, 2013, an investigation by several military and civilian agencies is under way.
George Lazzaro Jr., a 41-year-old civilian engineering technician, also died at APG's Super Pond while doing underwater maintenance.
The deaths of the two Navy divers are being investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and by the U.S. Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal Group from Virginia Beach.
The death of the civil engineering technician is being investigated by the Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala., the Army's Criminal Investigation Division, and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
According to APG’s website, the Aberdeen Proving Ground is the Army's oldest active proving ground and “is one of the world's foremost research, development, testing, and training facilities for military weapons and equipment. It is bounded by the Susquehanna and Gunpowder Rivers, the Chesapeake Bay, and the AMTRAK Railroad.”
Until further investigations are completed in regard to the recent deaths of the two drowned Navy divers and the civilian engineering technician, APG’s Super Pond will remain closed to all civilian and military personnel.
Dutch Ruppersberger, the Baltimore County Democrat whose district includes APG, said in regard to the deaths of the two drowned Navy divers that "I'm just looking forward to seeing what the final investigation reveals. When you have two people _ two Americans _ die who protect our country, we have to find out what occurred and why it occurred."
source examiner
