3 Divers lost on the Spiegel Grove

[aowdan]

Not that any of them is looking for it, but a heartfelt thanks and a few "atta boys" should be extended to all involved in the recovery, especiallay the "techies" from the upper keys. Multiple agancies and individuals were involved. A plan was put together and executed flawlessly without incident or politics.

Nice job all.

I AGREE. From what I have heard, trtldvr is most correct!

 

[ScubaTub]

Mike_S

Thanks for sharing the eyewitness' account. It was refreshing to get some straight jive. My eyes are weary of reading 30+ web pages of speculative and esoteric monologues from righteous armchair analysts. Thank you also for your praise of the rescue efforts. I have been a fireman and rescue worker for 25 years and I can appreciate all of the witness' comments. Keep the workers in your thoughts and prayers, as well as the lost divers and families. Our combined love goes out to all of you !

 

[AXL72]

welcome to the board, tub

Michigan :thumbs_up: good midwestern state



on another subject about deleting posts and censorship...get over it. I thought I have over 867 posts. Someone went in and wiped out like 100. get used to it

 

[H2Andy]

My eyes are weary of reading 30+ web pages pof speculative and esoteric monologues from righteous armchair analysts.

thanks for nevertheless joining the speculative and esoteric thread from rigtheous armachair analysists, i guess...

 

[dldiver]

Here's a little more info that I haven't seen on here quite yet....the very last paragraph is some of the best reporting I've seen from the media!

http://cbs4.com/local/local_story_077135945.html

New Information On Deadly Dive In Key Largo

At one point the diver who survived said he grabbed the hand of one of the others, in an attempt to get him to follow. That was the last he saw of his friends.

(CBS4) KEY LARGO New details are emerging about the last hours for three divers who died Friday inside a shipwreck off Key Largo.

The survivor of the quartet, 52-year old Howard Spialter, was initially thought to have been stationed outside the entrance to the wreck. But Monroe County Sheriff’s detective Mark Coleman says after speaking with Spialter, they’ve learned he actually entered the wreck with the other divers.

Spialter reportedly told investigators once inside the wreck of the Spiegel Grove they weren't unsure of which way to go, but Spialter said he thought he knew the right direction. As he ran low on air in his dive tanks, Spialter said he tried to tell the others which way to go, but they wouldn't listen.

"He went one way and they went the other," said Coleman. "He lived because he went the right way and got out."

Spialter told the detective at one point he grabbed the hand of one of the others, in an attempt to get him to follow. That was the last he saw of his friends.

Two other divers, from another dive boat stationed on the wreck, found 51-year old Kevin Coughlin struggling for air and pulled him to the surface. He died Friday at the hospital.

"At some point, Coughlin also started in the right direction to get out, but he didn't make it. We don't know what happened with him," said Coleman. "Either he ran out of air before he got out, or he may have embolized in a section of the wreck where there is a long, steep ascent on the way out. We just don't know. Maybe the autopsy will be able to answer some of those questions, but we may never know the whole story."

Autopsies of the three victims are scheduled today and tomorrow by the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s department said their investigation could take weeks. There are still more people to interview, equipment to examine, and autopsy results to take into consideration. Coleman said an investigation such as this one cannot be concluded in a day or even two. It takes time, and information is always in flux.

"Sometimes, in the confusion of the initial stages of a case like this, information is released that may not turn out to be exactly what happened. In high profile cases, the media demands information quickly and continuously. We try to comply with their demands, even though we would prefer to wait and make sure all the t's are crossed and the i's dotted," said Deputy Becky Herrin, Public Information Officer for the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

 

[jeandiver]

Well , all I can say is this:
With all the guessing and whatnot by everyone it doesn't really matter.
I am in a very somber mood this evening with my dive buddies on my mind.
What a terrible tragedy no matter what happened.
A life is a life , no matter what...

MY PRAYERS TO ALL !!!!

And to the recovery teams , BLESS YOU !!!!

Jean
Fort White , Florida

 

[Universal Diver]

This was a lot of reading with a lot of opinions on what happened. It was nice to read about the account of someone who was actually there.

It is a sad day when one of our dive brothers or sisters passes away doing something they love. Even sadder when three of them do. I'll pray that they will dive together in heaven.

 

[Lead_carrier]

Why is that necessarily "sad." The Upper Keys Artifical Reef Commitee collects $10 a head for every diver who dives the SG, Duane, and other wrecks in the area. Presumably this money is to maintain the divesite. Assuring that unsafe entries are blocked from the public seems to be a fundamental responsibility for anyone claiming to maintain a site. If they have not done their job, then don't they bear some responsibility?

It sounded in an earlier post that at least some unsafe entry points had been "safed". If the earlier post were correct then the divers went through a hatch that the chain to keep it off limits had been cut.

Just because something had been made safe or at least safer before doesn't mean that divers will allow it to stay that way.

 

[danielt]

wow...what a forum.....
i am not experienced enough to give details on wreck diving.....
however it does seem that the divers did not take all precautions to avoid death....
it seems some divers are quite ego-driven ie deeper, longer, risky environments etc.
they almost think there invincible b/c they have the license....
pity.....
also, is the diveoperator to blame......in my opinion no!
cant go around sueing everybody

 

[lamont]

Spialter reportedly told investigators once inside the wreck of the Spiegel Grove they weren't unsure of which way to go, but Spialter said he thought he knew the right direction. As he ran low on air in his dive tanks, Spialter said he tried to tell the others which way to go, but they wouldn't listen.

"He went one way and they went the other," said Coleman. "He lived because he went the right way and got out."

Spialter told the detective at one point he grabbed the hand of one of the others, in an attempt to get him to follow. That was the last he saw of his friends.

People have focused on the failure to maintain a guideline and insufficient gas reserves, but narcosis probably also affected the judgement of the divers -- both in determining the correct direction to the exit and in being able to communicate.

This is why 30/30 at ~100-120 fsw can be useful.