TOWN OF SOUTHEAST – Dive teams using sophisticated sonar equipment
are back searching an abandoned mine shaft in the Town of Southeast for
a scuba diver who went in Sunday around noon and has not been heard from
since.
The mine shafts have depths of from 175 to 600 feet with several side
tunnels branching off.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Monday said Robert Thomas, 48,
of Jersey City, New Jersey, went diving in waters at the site of the former
Tilly Foster Mile, also known as Simon’s Quarry.
He is described as a very experienced technical diver who has gone diving
in the mine many times in the past.
Thomas went to the quarry with two diving colleagues, a man and a woman.
Thomas dove in around noon and the other man went in an hour later. The
woman remained on the shore.
The second man surfaced around 3 p.m., but Thomas never came up.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to the situation
around 3:50 p.m. when Thomas’ girlfriend in Queens called to say
he was overdue for a party at her house. A deputy went to the mine and
was briefed by Thomas’ two companions.
Dive teams were called in from the State Police and Brewster and Mahopac
Falls fire departments.
