Death of IID diver under investigation

A member of the Imperial Irrigation District dive team died in a San Diego hospital Saturday after becoming unconsciousness while responding to an emergency call of a vehicle in a canal

Friday afternoon northeast of Calexico.

Killed as a result of the Burnworth accident was 32-year-old Jonathan Burnworth, according to a statement from the IID.

“At this time,” IID General Manager Kevin Kelley said, “the district grieves with the Burnworth and West families on the loss of their loved one and of a valued IID employee. While we cannot say with precision what might have caused this tragic accident, that investigation is already under way and will no doubt be exhaustive.

“In the meantime, though, we’re going to focus on the human aspect of this situation and do all we can as an organization to support these families and join with them in mourning this great loss,” Kelley continued.

An IID regulatory and emergency planning coordinator, Burnworth entered the Ash Canal near East Jasper and Anderholt roads about 1:45 p.m. Friday northeast of Calexico in response to a reported submerged vehicle and somehow lost consciousness while in the water, IID said.

Burnworth was transported to El Centro Regional Medical Center and later airlifted to University of California San Diego Trauma Center in Hillcrest, where he died at 6:26 p.m. Saturday.

A cause of death is pending an autopsy, which was scheduled for today by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.

As for the circumstances surrounding the accident, no one was found in the vehicle in the canal, Imperial County sheriff’s Sgt. Jorge Cabanillas said Monday, adding sheriff’s officials do not know how long the vehicle had been in the water. No other information was available from the Sheriff’s Office.

The accident is under investigation by the IID and the Occupation Safety and Health Administration, according to IID. The Sheriff’s Office is also investigating. Burnworth had been an employee of the district since February.

The IID dive team had been disbanded for several years and only recently was reconstituted in the last few years, according to IID.