The Body of a SCUBA Diver is Found on the Scene of a Forest Fire–Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
On the scene of a forest fire in Southern California, fire officials discover the body of a man who was wearing a wet suit and complete SCUBA diving gear. An autopsy shows that the diver was not killed by fire, but by massive internal injuries. After puzzling for a while, the authorities realize that the diver was swimming off the coast in an area where water-dropping helicopters were getting their water…and the diver accidentally got collected along with the water and dropped on the fire.
The Truth:
This is a time-honored urban legend. There is no evidence that this ever took place.
There is no “California Examiner” article.
Some versions say it was a “super-scooper” airplane that sucked in the diver while making a high-speed pass over the waves to collect water for the fire.
updated 07/06/07