7 News Belize

Police: Diving Victim Died from Immersion Asphyxia
posted (October 27, 2005)
Tonight police say they are just about ready to wrap up their investigations into Saturday's now deadly Placencia dive trip. For the 3 survivors, life is slowly returning to normal. The oldest in the group, 50 year old John Bain checked out of the hospital late yesterday and flew out today. 34-year-old Japanese National Yutaka Mayeda and American 38 year old Nancy Masters checked out of the hospital this morning and are leaving the country tomorrow.

Meanwhile the family of 28-year-old medical student Abigale Brinkman arrived in the country today to claim the body. According to the police forensic officer, the string of what looked like bruise marks around 28 year old Abigale Brinkman's neck was just a water mark, made when she was left floating in the water. The cause of death has been ruled to be immersion asphyxia.

We should note that while she may not have been wearing a dive suit on Saturday, Abigale was an experienced scuba diver. In fact this was her second trip to Belize. She reportedly came to Belize to work with the underprivileged in the south. Abigale's body will lie in state at Myers-Reed Dignity Memorial Chapel in Columbus Ohio on Monday. A memorial service is planned for Tuesday November first.

As for the police investigation, once it's completed the file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. We are told that investigators have just about ruled out any possibility of homicide.

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