But others don't equate deep-sea scuba diving to a night at the local bowling lanes. But it's self-evident that we've got to look at this situation very quickly. In the next few days, we plan to gather the facts. The Coast Guard, which administers regulations on commercial diving but not recreational diving, is also prepared to take a closer examination of the sport, and what common factors may exist in the Andrea Doria deaths since June, 1998. But there's not much the Coast Guard can really do without congressional support or direction.
Commercial diving is a strictly regulated industry.
For example, when a commercial diver descends below 80 feet, federal regulations require that the diver be accompanied by a second diver and that a third person be ready to go into the water in case of an emergency. But at the wreck of the Andrea Doria, which lies 180 feet under the Atlantic Ocean, recreational divers routinely explore the site alone. The average diver has equipment now that lets him go deeper and stay down longer. There's more opportunity to get into trouble. Eight such deaths occurred natiowide between 1994 and 1997.