Diving-Related Accident Claims Life of Gwinnett Firefighter

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — A diving-related accident Saturday at a watersports park near Cartersville has claimed the life of a Gwinnett County firefighter.

The body of Robert Fernandez, a lieutenant with Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services, was pulled from Kraken Springs near White, Georgia, after he didn’t return from a recreational dive.

Bartow County Coroner Joel Guyton told Atlanta news station WXIA-TV that exactly what happened to Fernandez has yet to be determined. An autopsy will be performed.

On Sunday, Kraken Springs management announced news of the death to social media, saying that they were “devastated by this accident and the subsequent loss of life.” They offered no further details except to say that “extensive research will be needed to learn exactly what caused the accident.”

According to Gwinnett County’s website, Hernandez was part of the fire department’s Swiftwater Rescue Team, based in Buford.

“The level of training and extra effort that the individuals on this team put forth is huge,” said Lt. Hayes Kiser, quoted on Gwinnett’s website. “They’ve voluntarily decided to take this on and go above and beyond firefighter training, and they should be applauded for that.”

Hometown Headlines reports that Fernandez’s family has posted a Go FundMe page to help with expenses. By Monday morning, it had raised close to $10,000.

Read the stories from WXIA-TV and Hometown Headlines.