[jerseygirl]

Re: "both the Hudson and Dania Beach dead divers were found without their tanks and gear or weight belts". Okay folks, I know nothing whatsover about diving. Is there any reason divers would not have tanks or weight belts? The only thing that occurs to me is that maybe they only needed to be in shallow waters to perform their tasks.

[rickylc]

Nope, that can't be it, even working in shallow water you need a wieght belt to go under if you are wearing a neoprene (closed cell foam, very buoyant) wet suit. If the diver were in an emergency situation needing to surface quickly, he would scuttle the wieght belt and shoot to the surface. If you weren't planning on using the gear again, it too could be easily shed underwater to facilitate rapid ascent. In a river I can't imagine water deep enough to cause any serious problems with rapid decompression.

All scuba tanks have ID numbers that can be traced, very close watch is kept on tanks to ensure proper servicing. No one wants an airtank to explode on their back. Gear would have to have been taken away by someone if it wasn't scuttled by the diver.

[oceanview]

are mines planted by divers, or from boats? how would these divers be carrying the mines to plant them, aren't they very heavy?

[Indie]

Use the tanks and belts to get down and do their business, release the tanks and belts, so as to die from the bends and drowning [overkill eh?] while floating to the surface...leaving no witness. In short, a suicide diving mission.