Police: Drowned Scuba Instructor was Wearing Weight Belt While Trying to Retrieve Snorkel from Pool Bottom

Scuba instructor Barabara McAlpin drown while retrieving a snorkel from the bottom of a pool

Tyler, Texas (Jul 18, 2006 22:15 EST) The scuba divinginstructor who drowned at a Tyler diving center on Sunday wore aweighted belt while trying to retrieve a snorkel from the bottom of apool, witnesses told police.

Barbara McAlpin, 47, was pronounced dead at East Texas Medical Center nearly five hours after the incident at Scuba Center, 3030 Texas Highway 31 East, in Tyler, Texas.

According to a press release from theTyler Police Department, a husband and wife who were taking a divingclass said they were preparing for a divewhen they noticed the snorkel at the bottom of the indoor trainingpool. McAlpin entered the pool as the students were putting on theirdiving gear.

The students later realized theinstructor had been at the bottom of the pool for several minutes withthe weighted belt on and no breathing apparatus. The man pulled herfrom the pool and tried to revive her while the woman called for help,police said.

Police are awaiting autopsy results from the Southeast Forensic Laboratory in Tyler before citing an official cause of death.

The owner of the scuba center did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Monday afternoon.