New York dentist dies after scuba dive in Kent
A US dentist has died after a scuba dive to help find the bodies of American airmen who crashed into the English Channel during the Second World War.
Dr Bruce Hottum, 63, felt ill after coming up from a dive to explore a wartime plane wreck site near Ramsgate, Kent, before collapsing and dying last Friday.
The dentist arrived in England two weeks ago after the Project Recover group asked if he wanted to explore the site that could contain human remains.
Dr Bruce Hottum (right), 63, of Glenford, New York, felt ill after coming up from a dive to explore a wartime plane wreck site near Ramsgate, Kent, before collapsing and dying
Married father-of-three Dr Hottum, of Glenford, New York, had previously helped identify remains using dental records after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
But on Friday afternoon the Maritime and Coastguard Agency was contacted by a dive boat ten miles east of Ramsgate reporting a diver needing medical aid.
A helicopter was sent to the boat and Dr Hottum was airlifted away, but he was pronounced dead at hospital.
Dr Charles Fliegler, the long-time partner of Dr Hottum at their practice in Kingston, New York, said: 'He came up on the last dive, didn't feel well and collapsed.'Â
Dr Hottum's wife Peggy and three adult sons Jack, Dean and Peter have travelled to England to await the release of his body so he can be brought back home for burial. Â
Patients have been posting tributes to Dr Hottum on the Pine Street Dental Facebook page
Dr Hottum was in local ski patrols and a certified emergency medical technician who trained other EMTs and firefighters, according to the practice's website.
Dr Hottum was in local ski patrols and a certified emergency medical technician
'He was busy helping and going into the community. He was a good guy all the way around,' Dr Fliegler said.Â
In recent years, Dr Hottum became interested in efforts to locate, recover and identify the remains of US Second World War servicemen listed as missing in action.
In the autumn of 2015, he went to the Palau Islands in the Pacific with The BentProp Project, a non-profit organisation based in Woodland, California, that researches Second World War wreck sites and searches for American MIAs.
Dr Fliegler said Dr Hottum went to England to explore an underwater wreck site with Project Recover, a Second World War research partnership involving BentProp, the University of Delaware and the University of California San Diego.Â
A spokesman for Dr Hottum's practice, Pine Street Dental, said: 'Over the past 31 years, Dr Hottum has been an integral part of the Pine Street Dental family.
'He was an expert in his field who treated his patients with the highest level of care and comfort. He will be sorely missed here at Pine Street Dental.
'As we come to grips with our great loss, we recognise that some of Dr Hottum's patients have become his close friends over the years. As such, we will be leaving a memorial poster board at the front desk for patients to sign.'
Patients posted tributes to Dr Hottum on the practice's Facebook page, with Pam Krom writing: 'OMG! I am so sad! Shocked! I have no words!
'He always went above and beyond! I have been going to him forever. I will dearly miss him! R.I.P. Dr Hottum. No one will ever compare to you.
'You took the fear I had for going to the dentist the first time I saw you.'
Allyson Whittaker added: My husband, my boys and I heard this terrible news on Saturday and we were all so sad to hear this!
Dr Hottum had previously helped identify remains using dental records after the September 11 terrorist attacks. A hijacked plane is pictured crashing into the World Trade Center in 2001
'I just saw Dr Hottum last week and we laughed together. He was a great person. Terrible! May he rest in peace!
And Bill Strein said: 'I am in shock! Dr Bruce Hottum has been my dentist for about 30 years. He was an excellent dentist, loved and respected by his patients and also a friend to many including myself.
'He will truly be missed. While saddened by this news, his memory and time spent with him bring comfort. Our prayers to his family, friends and colleagues.'Â
Dr Hottum was educated at State University of New York at New Paltz and New York University College of Dentistry in Manhattan.
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