| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kottemier, Robert W | 27 | Male | Not recorded | Not recorded |
Joseph Slack (25) and Robert W. Kottemier (27), both of Ontario, Canada, went scuba diving in Little River Springs. As they were exiting, Kottemier unhooked his safety line from the cable leading to the surface. He then began to swim to a false exit which appeared to lead to the surface but actually was a dead end. As Kottemier swam upwards, he stirred up large amounts of silt, thereby severely reducing the visibility. Kottemier panicked and swam erratically, twice bumping into Slack. Slack left the cave, changed air tanks and returned to look for his companion.
It took 25 dives over the next 2.5 days before divers found Kottemier's body which was about 120 feet from the entrance. His air tank was completely empty.
Analysis: Although Kottemier was a certified lifeguard, had been scuba diving for 6 years, and had been to Little River Springs on three occasions, he was not a certified cave diver. He drowned because he panicked after he stirred up silt.