Two divers found dead in Weeki Wachee underwater cave

By Aileen Perilla on Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 2:24 pm

Screen grab via YouTube

The bodies of two divers were recovered from the Eagle's Nest dive area in Weeki Wachee today. According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, the divers were reported missing on Sunday.

Patrick Peacock and Chris Rittenmeyer traveled from Fort Lauderdale to partake in a three-day dive at the infamous Eagle's Nest with their friend Justin Blakely, a less experienced diver who stayed near the surface.

Blakely notified law enforcement after Peacock and Rittenmeyer did not return to their agreed-upon meeting spot. Officials said the duo were found by a dive team in a dangerous area of the cave 260 feet deep.

Blakely told authorities that the two men were experienced divers and both had dived Eagle's Nest several times before, according to Fox 13.

Eagle's Nest is considered the "Mount Everest" of cave dives, and has claimed 10 lives since 1981.

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