Navy: 2 Leaders Face Charges in Deaths of 2 Divers
The Navy says two senior leaders face involuntary manslaughter and dereliction-of-duty charges in the drowning deaths of two divers at Aberdeen Proving Ground near Baltimore.
A Navy spokeswoman said Wednesday the unidentified defendants are "senior leaders" in Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two. Navy Diver 1st Class James Reyher of Caldwell, Ohio, and Navy Diver 2nd Class Ryan Harris of Gladstone, Mo., belonged to that Virginia Beach, Va.-based unit.
They drowned Feb. 26 during underwater operations at the Super Pond underwater weapons-testing facility. Their deaths came several weeks after that of civilian technician George Lazzaro at the same pond. The cause of Lazzaro's death hasn't been released.
The Navy will hold an Article 32 hearing on May 21 at the Norfolk, Va., naval station to determine whether the senior leaders will be court-martialed.
