(5/01/05) Diver missing in Florida

[DiveGolfSki]

I'm new to this board but now I've learned. It's not about the facts. It's about the speculation...

With that in mind, I think it's all a cover up between the Coast Guard, the dive operator, the emergency response team and ... more importantly ... Homeland Security.

Sorry, I just finished watching the Bourne Identity (Part 1 & 2) on DVD plus "24" ...

If I see any other info, I will post them and leave it up the more senior members to draw whatever from it.

 

[mempilot]

"Yup - the diver did a whole bunch of wrong things, any one of which could have killed him. Doing all those things just make his fate all the more certain" ]]]]Tom Winters

Hi Mempilot. This is what I understood, TW to say. My take on his post is he's wonder about everything, as we all are, and examining different things.

Some in this thread are blaming the crew without justification nor evidence of any wrong doing on their part.

I'll throw out a long shot, but it's a possiblity of what could happen, and then you tell me if the diver did something wrong.

1. Tank valve o-ring let's go or the yoke first stage is dislodged from the tank valve
2. Tank drains rapidly
3. Diver bolts for the surface from 100 fsw, buddy or not
4. Diver embolises
5. Diver is in no shape to do anything at the surface other than drown

or

1. Diver has a heart attack
2. Diver surfaces in bad shape
3. Diver is incapable of rational thought about procedure
4. Diver drowns

Did the boat do something wrong? Did the diver do something wrong other than swim away from a buddy?

When panic sets in at depth, things don't go according to PADI text. I doubt this diver was wearing any kind of redundant equipment, or had the training and experience to deal with equipment failures at depths beyond a capable CESA.

Who knows? Point is, we don't, so let's not point fingers at the boat crew. Start with the dive, the diver, and the causes of the accident, and not the people who may not have had time to assess the situation.

 

[BIGSAGE136]

Something tells me its simple. Strong current against the octo purged air supply. octo under the arm...never noticed it. Oh what the hell...Sea Monsters.

 

[Ayisha]

Why does it seem like that article "Could diver have been saved?" is new information? That article is from post # 178 on page 18 - a week ago! - And it's been discussed already.

If only there wasn't so much extraneous discussion, we could all keep on top of this thread... :frown:

 

[DiveGolfSki]

Why does it seem like that article "Could diver have been saved?" is new information? That article is from post # 178 on page 18 - a week ago! - And it's been discussed already.

If only there wasn't so much extraneous discussion, we could all keep on top of this thread... :frown:

You are correct, GPatton did post the link (and I hope his Panama fishing/diving trip is more productive) ... this is just in case anyone didn't take the time to open it ...

 

[my1ocean]

I beg to differ, it is not the agency that is to blame. They may be great in class, nothing giving an instructor to red flag them. When they get their certification that is when they need to be mentored. Confidence is brought about by education and experience. Divers make a decission to dive and have the right to bag a dive if they do not feel confident to do an advanced dive.

Your point is noted. However, I have seen the changes coming down the pipe. When an agency is moving toward online or take home dvd instruction, removing any explaination or valuable input from an experienced instructor, I feel quality may be waning. Basically, it seems that the role of an instructor will digress to that of just doing check out dives and that students have copied answers from a book.

Mentoring starts before you ever get in the water. In the tourist end of certifying divers, there are some practical time constraints. In most of the diving standards for certification it states that a diver be able to do a skill repeatedly, not necessarily comfortable or proficiently.

maybe we should move this to another thread, such as intructor to instructor.

 

[my1ocean]

For those who are interested here's a follow up story:

Could diver have been saved?

There are some very vitriolic statements in that article and the preceding radio broadcast. Options are being discussed on what agency and to what capacity a dive rescue team should function.

What good is served by saying "the head of the dive team is kayaking"? The title of the article is inflamatory in that it assumes Khair-el-din had more than minutes to be rescued. It even contradicts itself by saying "the victim died very soon after he went down". At that point it is a recovery and not a rescue. In looking at the timeline and the Coroners statement, Khair-el-din was most likely already dead by the time the Coast Guard helicopter was on site.

 

[KrisB]

In looking at the timeline and the Coroners statement, Khair-el-din was most likely already dead by the time the Coast Guard helicopter was on site.

That just serves to reinforce the idea that the dive boat captain's ability and initiative to rescue the guy was the only chance he had.

Please note my use of the following words: "rescue" and "chance" -- rescue implying the diver experienced some form of distress beyond the captain's control; chance implying the distinct possibility (probability?) that the captain would have been unable to help him anyway, regardless if he was immediately plucked from the water or not.

 

[DiveGolfSki]

For those who are interested here's a follow up story:

Could diver have been saved?

There are some very vitriolic statements in that article and the preceding radio broadcast. Options are being discussed on what agency and to what capacity a dive rescue team should function.

What good is served by saying "the head of the dive team is kayaking"? The title of the article is inflamatory in that it assumes Khair-el-din had more than minutes to be rescued. It even contradicts itself by saying "the victim died very soon after he went down". At that point it is a recovery and not a rescue. In looking at the timeline and the Coroners statement, Khair-el-din was most likely already dead by the time the Coast Guard helicopter was on site.

Didn't mean to imply anything from the post. I suggest you send that message to reporter involved who does respond to email.

 

[my1ocean]

For those who are interested here's a follow up story:

Could diver have been saved?

Didn't mean to imply anything from the post. I suggest you send that message to reporter involved who does respond to email.

Thanks. I didn't think you were at all. I just felt the article was incendiary for no reason. There are some political shenanigans here in Monroe county that I think this article may be playing up to.
I may consider contacting the author, but I'm not sure what purpose that would serve.

cheers.