Current:Home > MarketsBody of diver found in Lake Erie ID'd as director of local shipwreck team -GrowthInsight
Body of diver found in Lake Erie ID'd as director of local shipwreck team
Poinbank Exchange View
Date:2025-04-09 01:15:31
A 71-year-old man who went missing while diving on June 1 at Lake Erie has been identified.
Dave VanZandt, founder and director of the Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE) died after suffering injuries from a fatal diving accident, the organization confirmed in a Facebook post.
According to the post, VanZandt was on his first trip of the year while diving on a newly found shipwreck. His team contacted authorities when he didn’t return to their boat.
USA TODAY reached out to CLUE for comment but have not heard back yet.
Woman fatally stabs:3-year-old boy, hurts mother in Giant Eagle parking lot in Ohio
USCG and additional crews search for the missing diver
A little after 4:00 p.m. on June 1 the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Great Lakes wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the guardsmen and local crews were dispatched to the area to locate a recreational diver who went missing. The search perimeter was located about six miles from Cleveland.
Less than a hour later, additional crews from the USCG station Cleveland Harbor, Air Station Detroit, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Erie Dive Team arrived at the scene to assist with the search.
Around 7:45 p.m. divers from Lake County recovered a body from the lake. The body was confirmed to be the missing man that the crews had been searching for.
Who is Dave VanZandt?
VanZandt, a resident of Lakewood, a Cleveland suburb, was the director and chief archaeologist at CLUE, the organization’s website said.
Beginning his extracurricular career as a diver in 1995, VanZandt began his shipwreck excursions on his boat called the ”Sea Dragon” in 2001. That same year he founded CLUE, the organization said.
Although VanZandt participated in many adventures at sea he also had a love for creating objects to venture to outer space. As a semi-retired senior principal engineer for ZIN Technologies, Inc. VanZandt had 40 years of experience specializing in space flight hardware for NASA’s Glenn Research Center. He spent his career designing, building, testing, operating fluids, sounding rockets and combustion experiments on the Space Shuttle, the organization said.
According to an obituary post created by McGreevey Funeral Homes, VanZandt was also a U.S. Veteran.
Condolences pour in for the VanZandt family
In CLUE’s Facebook post, many people who knew VanZandt remember his life and legacy.
“I am so sad to hear about the loss of Dave,” Jim Kennard wrote in the comments. “He was a friend, shipwreck peer, explorer, and a very talented and wonderful person to know.”
Another commenter remembered VanZandt’s informative abilities, especially when it came to Lake Erie.
“Extending my deepest condolences to Dave’s family and friends,” Papes Jack wrote. “I offer both heartfelt thanks and admiration for his significant contributions towards expanding our body of knowledge of Lake Erie shipwrecks. Rest in Peace, Dave.”
Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and
veryGood! (6555)
Related
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Australian World War II bomber and crew's remains found amid saltwater crocodiles and low visibility in South Pacific
- Big E gives update on WWE status two years after neck injury: 'I may never be cleared'
- Fugitive police officer arrested in killing of college student in Mexico
- Tony Hawk drops in on Paris skateboarding and pushes for more styles of sport in LA 2028
- Some fear University of Michigan proposed policy on protests could quell free speech efforts
- Chicago shooting kills 7-year-old girl and wounds 7 people including small children, police say
- Visitors are seen on camera damaging rock formations at a Nevada recreation site
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- Eleanor Coppola, matriarch of a filmmaking family, dies at 87
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- French athlete attempts climbing record after scaling Eiffel Tower
- 'We'd like to get her back': Parents of missing California woman desperate for help
- Woman with history of DUIs sentenced to 15 years to life for California crash that killed mom-to-be
- Plunge Into These Olympic Artistic Swimmers’ Hair and Makeup Secrets
- Tiger Woods sets all-time record for consecutive made cuts at The Masters in 2024
- Megan Fox Breaks Silence on Love Is Blind Star Chelsea's Comparison to Her and Ensuing Drama
- Small earthquake shakes Southern California desert during Coachella music festival
Recommendation
Louisiana high court temporarily removes Judge Eboni Johnson Rose from Baton Rouge bench amid probe
Apple says it's fixing bug that prompts Palestinian flag emoji when typing Jerusalem
Heavy rain across Kauai prompts rescues from floodwater, but no immediate reports of injuries
Tennessee Vols wrap up spring practice with Nico Iamaleava finally under center
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
A jury of his peers: A look at how jury selection will work in Donald Trump’s first criminal trial
Washington Capitals' Nick Jensen leaves game on stretcher after being shoved into boards
'We'd like to get her back': Parents of missing California woman desperate for help