LOS ANGELES, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A diver working on the set
of Johnny Depp's new Western movie "The Lone Ranger" drowned on
Friday while cleaning out a tank, police and movie studio Walt
Disney Co said.
The man, who was not immediately identified, was wearing
scuba equipment to carry out maintenance at a deep pool on a
ranch near Palmdale, in the desert north of Los Angeles, where
"The Lone Ranger" is being shot, a spokesman at the Palmdale
Sheriff's station said.
It was not immediately clear how the man died.
"We regretfully confirm that a 'Lone Ranger' crew member has
passed away after being taken to a local hospital. Our hearts
and thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues at
this time, and our full support is behind the investigation into
the circumstances of this terrible event," Walt Disney Co
studio spokesman Paul Roeder said in a statement.
The man was thought to be preparing a tank for an underwater
scene to be shot at a later date, a source close to the
production said. There was no filming underway on the set when
the incident occurred. The source did not want to be named
because the investigation is ongoing.
"The Lone Ranger", a new spin on the classic Western
adventure with Depp as Native American spirit warrior Tonto and
Armie Hammer in the title role, is due to be released in July
2013.