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The following appeared in the Post and Courier on 3/21/00. The area where this
happened is clearly marked and just looks dangerous.
al wells
Diver Dies in Utility Plant Tunnel
2nd DIVER RESCUED: Two Bonneau Beach men were spearfishing at night at the
Santee Cooper hydroelectric plant on Lake Moultrie.
Tuesday, March 21, 2000
By ELLEN B. MEACHAM
Of The Post and Courier staff
A midnight diving expedition left one man dead in a discharge tunnel and
another man trapped at the Jeffries hydroelectric plant on Lake Moultrie late
Sunday night.
About 11:30 p.m., a Santee Cooper employee was making his rounds when he
heard the cries of Adam Grace of Bonneau Beach, said Berkeley County Rescue
Squad Capt. Bill Salisbury.
Grace had emerged from water about 5 feet below an iron grate near one of
the discharge tunnels, Salisbury said.
The Berkeley County Rescue Squad had to bring in a crane to lift the grate
before they could pull Grace out.
Grace told rescue squad members that his diving companion, Robert Reddy,
27, of Bonneau Beach was still trapped underwater in one of the discharge
tunnels. The two men were spearfishing for catfish on the Tail Race Canal side
of the plant, Salisbury said.
"They were in a restricted area. (Reddy) ran out of air in the discharge
tunnel, and his buddy had to leave him to get help," said Salisbury, who also
is a deputy coroner for Berkeley County.
Officers and divers from the Department of Natural Resources responded to
the call and helped rescue squad divers and a commercial dredging team recover
Reddy's body at about 8 a.m. Monday, DNR spokesman Mike Willis said.
The dam's turbines were not running Sunday night, Santee Cooper spokesman
Jerry Stafford said.
About 600 feet of water below the dam is off-limits to fishermen and
divers because of stiff currents and turbulence, Stafford said.
"Water flows through the dam all of the time, so it's dangerous even when
the turbines are not operating," he said.
Reddy was dead by the time divers reached him, Salisbury said. Both men
were wearing wet suits and using compressed air, he said.
The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office, Santee Cooper security and the
Department of Natural Resources are investigating, Salisbury said. Grace could
face trespassing charges, Willis said.
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