News
Divers in Canada to search for plane wrecks in Gander Lake
There’s mystery under the surface of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Gander Lake, and a group of divers are planning to feed their curiosity.
Once the plane is located, divers will go deep under the surface to check on the condition of the downed aircraft, with the ultimate aim of bringing it to the surface to be donated to the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander.
According to Merkle, diving attempts were made at the time of the B-24 crash in 1943, but equipment was not up to the standards it is today.
“They did a couple of dives on it back then after the crash, but it was the old-fashioned hardhat divers with big brass helmets and lead boots, so it was pretty crude diving. They never had any lights that could go past 60 feet, and now we’re high-tech with dry suits, nitrox air, and we have (high intensity discharge) lights, video cameras and the whole works. So, it’s no problem at all for us to dive 150 feet.”
The 1943 flight of the B-24 took off from Gander during the night, and one engine failed not long after the plane was up in the air, said Merkle.
“Because the crew had such little experience flying in the night, they performed the wrong manoeuvres to correct that problem. They actually made the problem worse, so the plane did three barrel rolls and crashed directly into the lake. One body was recovered, and he’s buried at the Commonwealth grave there in Gander, but the other three are still in it.”
According to Merkle, if the B-24 is accessible by divers and is in good condition, a military agency would most likely haul the aircraft out of the water to retrieve the bodies.
“There are military groups that go around the world retrieving old planes, but we are, basically, just a hobby outfit trying to preserve our history. The more I get into Gander Lake, the more I realize it has incredible history.”
His love of history and the preservation of the past is what led Merkle to tackle the diving project in the first place.
“I’m part of the Shipwreck Preservation Society of Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said.
“I grew up in Gander, and I branched off into plane wrecks when researching shipwrecks, and that led me to Lisa Daly’s project where she surveyed the land wrecks that are all around Gander. I got to talking to her and she mentioned there might be a couple in the lake, but they weren’t equipped to do any surveys on the lake. That was right up my alley, so I started researching.”
He plans to begin sonar surface work in the coming weeks.
Source: www.thetelegram.com
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Ho Ho Ho! Vobster Quay’s recording-breaking charity Santa diving event returns on Sunday 15th December 2024 for another round of festive fundraising frivolities. Run in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Help For Heroes, this ever-popular annual fundraising event aims to raise sack-loads of cash for these two very deserving charities.
Divers of all levels are invited to grab their Santa outfits – and as much festive cheer as they can muster – and head down to Vobster Quay near Mells, Somerset for a mass sponsored Santa dive in aid of charity. In previous years, the event has attracted divers from the far corners of the UK to join in the festive merriment for a final festive dive before the Christmas and New Year break. Back in 2015, the event smashed the world record for the most Santa divers with 188 divers taking to the waters donning their festive finery – a record that remains unbeaten to this day!
Vobster Santas isn’t just about setting records – it’s also about raising some serious cash for charity. Vobster Quay encourages all divers to get into the spirit of the season to raise much-needed funds for two very deserving charities – the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Help For Heroes.
Through individual sponsorship and online donations, divers can invite their friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor them to plunge into the balmy waters of Vobster Quay dressed in full festive finery. Since the very first Santa dive in 2007, the event has raised over £52,000 for charity. “It’s been over 17 years since the very first charity Santa dive took place at Vobster Quay and every year the event just keeps getting bigger and better” enthused Vobster Quay owner, Amy Stanton.
“Vobster Santas is a great way for divers to say a massive thank you to the both the RNLI and Help For Heroes – two very deserving charities close to our hearts. We’re immensely proud of all that Vobster Santas has achieved and hope that even more divers will join this year’s event on Sunday 15th December. I’m confident that we can make Vobster Santas 2024 the biggest yet!”.
Divers wishing to participate can get involved by simply registering their attendance at
www.vobster.com/event-vobstersantas.php.
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