New Jersey woman dies diving

A 66 year old New Jersey woman, visiting the Keys with her husband, died while diving offshore of Key West yesterday.

The couple were out with Dive Key West on a charter to dive on the wreck of the Cayman Salvager offshore of Key West on the Atlantic side Thursday morning. According to the vessel’s crew, Patricia Simmons got into the water and immediately began to descend. One of the dive masters on board chased after her, catching up to her at 60 feet. The dive  master began to bring her back to the surface. She struggled, acting as if she were panicking, and kept trying to remove her mask. At the surface she kept trying to spit out her regulator and then became unconscious.

She was pulled on board the vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard was called and the crew began CPR. The Coast Guard transported her to shore where they were met by Key West Rescue. She was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

According to the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit, which will be investigating, Simmons was an experienced, certified diver with more than 100 past dives.

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