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Eagle Creek – USA resident Juana Marian Gilnett, 42, died as a result of a scuba diving accident in Hood Canal east of Seattle in northwestern Washington.
Gilnett had been diving with a 44-year-old Portland resident Bryan Southard on the afternoon of Sunday, March 22, near Sund Rock, when the two lost track of time and attempted to resurface with a deficient air supply.
Southard told investigators he checked his air and had less than the amount required for a safe ascent to the surface. As the pair ascended, Gilnett signaled she was out of air. Once they reached the surface, Gilnett panicked and was unable to release weight belts or inflate her buoyancy compensator, according to a report filed by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.
Southard called for help and tried to hold on to Gilnett, but lost his grip in the rough water, according to police reports. Other divers in the area found Gilnett in about 20 feet of water a short time later.
Medics treated her at the shore and rushed her to Mason General Hospital. Gilnett was later transferred to Harborview Medical Center, where she died on March 23.
“She’s been diving since November and was a real part of our scuba family,” Estacada resident Cheryl Copeland said. “She was a warm, caring person and we are all really going to miss her.”
Hood Canal is a popular spot for scuba divers because it is home to an ocean environment without some of the challenges divers face in some coastal waters. The sheriff’s report indicates that Gilnett and Southard were enjoying the sea life in the area when they lost track of time.
“Diving in places along the Oregon coast can be daunting and unsafe for many divers,” Copeland said. “But the Puget Sound is a much safer environment as far as entering and exiting the water. It’s kind of a diver’s paradise. It was one of Jacques Cousteau’s favorite places to dive.”
Gilnett was employed at Providence Portland Medical Center and had worked there since 1992. She grew up on the north Oregon Coast and enjoyed hiking, camping, snowshoeing, skiing, traveling and scuba diving.
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office believes Gilnett’s death was accidental, but the case is still being investigated.
“This incident appears to be a tragic accident,” Mason County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brad Mandeville said.
