Thanks goes to ChrisFromDetroit from DiveVets for pointing the below article out.

There is speculation that the tank was made from an old Aluminum alloy that has been known to develop cracks and be susceptible to exploding.

However, tanks tend to not just explode.

I’m not trying to make light of this tragedy, but my guess is the tank was severely over filled, or it was a “hit” that was made to look like an accident.

As long as SCUBA tanks pass VIP and a hydro test and they aren’t compromised structurally since, tanks just don’t exploded.

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St. Pete veteran killed by exploding scuba tank

Photo by Andy Jones Tampa Bay Online Staff

By RACHEL PLEASANT, JOSÉ PATIÑO GIRONA | The Tampa Tribune
Published: September 11, 2011
Updated: September 12, 2011 – 7:15 AM

ST. PETERSBURG — An Iraq War veteran who moved to the Tampa Bay area to pursue his love of diving died Sunday after the scuba tank he was carrying exploded.

Russell Vanhorn II, 23, was carrying the scuba tank to his car about 6:50 a.m., getting ready for a planned diving trip, when it exploded.

The force of the explosion blew out the front door and windows of Vanhorn’s apartment at 5875 37th Ave. N. The explosion also sent debris flying as far away as 75 feet. Some of that debris blew out the windows of cars parked nearby.

Vanhorn was taken to St. Petersburg General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 8 a.m., said St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue Lt. Joel Granata.

The entire article can be found here: St. Pete veteran killed by exploding scuba tank

As most of my friends and my three blog readers know, I have been looking for a SCUBA diving vacation destination for 2012.

I went to The SCUBA Show specifically to find a vacation place, but ended up going off the beaten path.

I immediately eliminated Brazil as a destination, for personal reasons – mainly, I could not handle one crazy Brazilian woman, let alone a whole country full of them.

I also considered a few more things:

– It can’t be a tourist trap, especially a resort geared towards just taking tourists’ money.

– It can’t be too crowded.

– I want contact with locals; I don’t want to hang out with tourists (I eliminated North Korea on this).

– It has to be economically feasible as far as the cost of hotels and beer.

– I need to feel like an adventurer, not a tourist.

– I want people to look at me with that “WTF?” expression when I tell them where I’m going or where I’ve been.

I narrowed it down between going to Cuba or Albania…

And the winner is…

ALBANIA!

Talk is cheap, and anything can come up between now and next year, but I am determined to go.

I have applied for a US passport as of today.

To get into Albania, a US citizen doesn’t need a Visa, just a passport that’s more than six months old.

So, taking that into consideration, along with the money, I should be able to book my trip in January or February with the intent on going after California lobster season – April or May of 2012.

Diving opportunities are rare in Albania, but I did find one place located in the town of Saranda that is run by a group of Poles:

Polish Diving Base – Albania

Here is their introduction video on Youtube:

To watch this video on YouTube, click here.

So, I have about nine months until I anticipate going – plenty of time to save money, book the trip and practice Polish and Albanian.

I will elaborate more on this planned trip as it gets closer.