May 3, 2002 – A 57-year-old vacationer who was scuba diving off Cane Bay Beach on Thursday afternoon reportedly lost consciousness and was brought to shore by her husband, who was unable to revive her.
According to The Avis, a nearby watersports employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the woman passed out while diving to about 70 to 80 feet below the surface around 2:30 p.m.
Deputy Chief Angel Santos said the Police Department is awaiting the medical examiner's report on the cause of death. He identified the victim as Sandra Bersing.
It was the second water-related death reported on St. Croix within a week. On Saturday night, a 19-year-old woman was seen entering the water from the Christiansted waterfront by nearby residents fishing on the dock. According to reports, the woman, a local resident, appeared to be intoxicated and resisted their attempts to restrain her.
Santos said police received a call about 9 p.m. requesting assistance, but when officers arrived, they found the woman's body floating in the harbor. An officer retrieved the body and performed CPR but was unable to revive the victim. Her name was not available late Friday afternoon.
Police said witnesses said the woman had been seen drinking heavily earlier that night in a local bar and that is was believed that she worked nearby.
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