British nurse lost on dive - Red Sea

[Bob DBF]

Most divers do not practice the "buddy system" correctly and that might have prevented this from happening.

Most are not actually taught the buddy system, but are just told to use it. The buddy system may not stop a freak accident from occurring, however, one will know when and where the separation of occurred, and starting rescue efforts sooner.

 

[Jake 10]

Has the nurse been found?

 

[DandyDon]

Has the nurse been found?

Nothing on the news yet. It's been four days without drinking water.

 

[Tippytoes12]

Apparently she vanished at Jackson Reef, which we dived ourselves In the middle two weeks of October. The surface conditions got worse as the second week went by and the water got a lot colder. British divers we have met on trips who dive at home, or learn at home, in very challenging conditions have all been superb divers. And the Red Sea is dived and diveable all year.

So sad !

 

[ginti]

Lynne Flaherty (TS&M) was a very experienced diver. She and her husband (also very experienced diver) were diving a bucket list site in the PNW. They descended, hit the expected current, Peter looked away for just a splint second, and Lynne was gone. She was never found. This happened in 2015. So it can happen to anyone. Lynne was a GUE trained diver. If it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone. By all accounts, they were very good buddies.

Case in point. Especially with a current (horizontal or vertical), low viz, etc, unless you spend the entire dive looking at each other, there's going to be a chance for a "where the hell did they go?" moment to arise. And once you've lost sight of someone in those conditions, good luck finding them without you both surfacing (independently).

As far as I can remember, there was a discussion about the importance of having powerful enough kicks after that accident because apparently, for her, it was hard to flutter kick against the current. I don't mean that she was poorly trained or a lousy diver. I mean that today, an accident like that is less probable - because instructors would fail students with weak flutter kicks, at least in advanced courses (again, if I recall what I read here on SB correctly).

This factor may well have played a role in this story, but we can't say without more details (that I believe we will never have).

Many (myself included) feel that an over reliance on the buddy system is a bigger problem.

Agree. The main problem is that people confuse "buddy system" and "not being autonomous". The buddy system perfectly works if the buddies in the team are autonomous and self-reliant divers able to rescue. On the contrary, if the buddies are insufficiently trained divers, they might be incapable of solving real-world issues - and in such a case, relying on each other is a good idea only until a problem arises, but when** it arises, good luck.

**when, not if... when it arises

 

[Jake 10]

Prayer to her and her family

 

[FishWatcher747]

They are pricey, but I keep mine in my car console when I am not using while diving, hiking, farming, etc. It seems every week some hiker dies lost. Just test it now and then per instructions and the battery will last 5 - 6 years waiting to be used. I got a cheap holster on ebay to keep the antenna from being knocked loose or the alarm button punched.

Change the o-rings every year or two. Order a spare set.

Don, two more questions if you don't mind. Does the ACR View in the waterproof case you have float or sink?

Also, can you describe how you attach it to your rig, or provide a picture.

Also interested in Dan's input regarding how you have it attached.

 

[Khrissi]

Prayer to her and her family

Just horrible to hear - we have just come back from Red sea diving today K

 

[DandyDon]

Don, two more questions if you don't mind. Does the ACR View in the waterproof case you have float or sink?

Also, can you describe how you attach it to your rig, or provide a picture.

Also interested in Dan's input regarding how you have it attached.

The ACR view floats in case I fumble it. The canister probably floats with PLB inside but I've not confirmed that. There is an eye on the canister so I use a key ring and snapbolt to hang it from a D ring. Replace key ring every year or two.

 

[Dan]

Also interested in Dan's input regarding how you have it attached.

My PLB1, Nautilus MRG, mirror, PLB1 shoulder mounting kit and whistle are string together and fit inside my right BCD pocket with the string end attached to the pocket D-ring, as shown below.