Diving gear not to blame in teens' deaths

The diving gear recovered a week after two Carson City teens died while scuba diving in the Monterey Bay was in good working condition and did not contribute to their deaths April 9, an examination revealed.

"The Monterey County Coroner's Office has concluded the investigation into the deaths... The equipment was laboratory tested, as well as being tested in ocean conditions that were similar to what the juveniles would have experienced... Failure of the juveniles' dive systems did not occur," Monterey County Sheriff's Detective Kevin Gardepie said Monday. "With the completion of the investigation, the Coroner's Office has deemed the manner of Stephen Anderson and Keegan Aiazzi's death(s) to be accidental.  The cause of death(s) will be listed as asphyxia, due to ocean drowning."

Stephen Anderson, 16, and Keegan Aiazzi, 17, were diving near Cannery Row with a group of other students from their oceanography class at Carson High School when they failed to surface. After more than an hour of searching, rescuers located the boys on the ocean floor. Attempts to resuscitate them were unsuccessful.