Man alert after falling unconscious at Sand Harbor

A 56-year-old Reno man was transferred to Renown Health Care in Reno this morning after he fell unconscious while scuba-diving at Sand Harbor State Park.

Bill Caton was diving with three friends when he went unconscious at 9:40 a.m. He was close to the surface after initially submerging in a cove near the park.

"We noticed shortly after submerging that Bill got a couple feet down and then rolled over on his back in the water. We pulled him out and saw that he was unconscious, but breathing," said Keith Chestnut, who was diving with Caton.

Chestnut said he and his colleagues then administered pure oxygen to Caton and waited for paramedics to arrive.

After he was pulled from the water, Caton regained consciousness and responded to rescue personnel.

Jay Howard, supervisor of Sand Harbor, said Caton was unconscious for only a minute or two.

"When he came to he was alert but his breathing was labored," Howard said.

North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Washoe County Sheriff's Office and Nevada State Parks personnel were on hand for the rescue.

After the incident, Chestnut checked Caton's equipment and said he found nothing wrong with it. He said Canton is a veteran diver, and estimated that he has completed 80 to 100 dives over his career.

"I'd be very surprised if this was a diving-related problem," Chestnut said.