Dive death offshore of Islamorada

Islamorada - An Arizona woman died diving offshore of Islamorada today.

51 year old Aviva Diodato of Surprise, Arizona was with her husband, on board the dive vessel "Giant Stride", operated by Key Divers out of Bud and Mary's Marina. A group of divers was with an instructor on the Eagle wreck. According to Detective Terry Smith, the group was going under for their first dive of the day when Diodato indicated she wanted to return to the surface. The instructor helped her to the surface, then returned to the group underwater.

Diodato made it safely to the stern of the dive boat. She was removing dive gear when she began drifting away from the boat. When crew members couldn't reach her, they banged on the aluminum ladder to call the divers to the surface. Once they were all on board, the boat went after Diodato.

They found her floating on the surface, not breathing, about 15 - 20 minutes later. She was pulled onto the boat and they began CPR. She was brought to shore where she was met by paramedics from Islamorada Fire / Rescue who pronounced her dead.

An autopsy will be done to determine the cause of her death.