(5/01/05) Diver missing in Florida

[StSomewhere]

I have never been on a six pack boat that had a dingy on it, including at this site. I would think that usually a six pack boat would be too small to carry a dingy.

Six Packs are usually small, but it doesn't refer to the size of the boat, it means that the captain can only charter for six paying divers. I was on one that could've easily held 20 divers, but that would've required an additional crew member and made it subject to other GC inspections/regulations.

 

[Floridawannabe]

My prayers go out to the Family and the diver who disappeared.

 

[Kriterian]

Six Packs are usually small, but it doesn't refer to the size of the boat, it means that the captain can only charter for six paying divers. I was on one that could've easily held 20 divers, but that would've required an additional crew member and made it subject to other GC inspections/regulations.

The news report mentioned that there were 28 divers on the boat, and there is a picture of the Aqua Nut in the same report.

I thought this was interesting at the end of the article:
In 2001, Ricardo Investments, which owns Aqua Nuts and Kelly's on the Bay, pled guilty to charges of gross negligence after leaving two divers at sea. The missing divers were rescued 26 hours later after swimming to a navigation light.

They'll probably be under extra scrutiny for this tragedy due to a problem in the past, and that's a shame if they didn't do anything wrong.

 

[Floridawannabe]

I was just informed this morning about a terrible event that took place yesterday in Key Largo. I'm trying to find out any other information about this accident. Here's what I've gotten so far.


Diver on a six pack surfaced alone from the Spiegel Grove. He held onto the mooring line at the surface, the current was ripping. The Captain of the six pack yelled at the diver over and over to let go of the buoy. The diver let go and started swimming on the surface to the boat but with the current, never made it, and instead slipped below. My very close friends engaged in a search and rescue for this diver along with several other dive boats. Coast Guard and helicopters were also deployed but the divers body was never recovered.

What a terrible accident... We sat around this morning throwing out ideas about what might have happened. If anyone knows anymore about this, please post.

This is the only article I can find so far, here is a link : http://keysnews.com/295415040322655.bsp.htm

 

[markfm]

Kriterian -- different incident (note the date)

 

[pilot fish]

I have 3 dives on the Grove, each while I was still just an OW diver. I had to show my log to prove I had dove those depths before or else they would not let me dive. You have to show an advanced rating to be able to dive that site, or be an experienced OW diver. The surface entry is a bit dicey since you are out beyond the reef system in high chop, usually, and you have a bit of a swim along the tag and granny line till you get to the buoy to descend. While I had some current on the Grove dives it was not ripping strong, as I heard it can be. After a gear failure, my puter, I came up on the wrong ascent line to the wrong boat but was able to finally make my way to my boat 200 or so yards away.

This site is not to be taken lightely and should not be done by newer divers. I hope the missing diver is found. There go I.....................................

 

[baitedstorm]

This is the only article I can find so far, here is a link : http://keysnews.com/295415040322655.bsp.htm

This looks like it to me... Hopefully we'll get some more info soon.

 

[Tom Winters]

Nothing so far in the Sun-Sentinel or Miami Herald on this Keys thing, although a rescue diver died in Alabama last Thursday after he was executed for killing a policeman.

 

[MakoSince70]

Adding a "little" clarity...

Truely the critical justification to discuss dive accidents is to learn from them.

Actually there have been 3 recent diver deaths at Key Largo.
Early in 2005, the first occurred on the Duane.

The second in March occurred from the Kellys on the Bay boat, 'Aquanuts'
Another poster has placed a link to this incident. However the link did not specifiy the dive site and apparently several posters have assumed this accident occurred on the S Gove.
It did not. It occurred on one of the typical 30' reefs off Largo.

For both of these accidents, the diver did initially surface. But then, for not totally clear reasons, they became unconsious, rolled over and drowned ??? on the surface.
Most diver problems do apparently occur on the surface.

Back to the Duane incident of earlier this year. Another older diver, in the 60 yr range. The diver surfaced but immediately became unconsious. The diver was rapidly brought on board the boat where CPR and 02 was administerd.
Post dive investigation revealed a massive embolism. Reading the divers computer log revealed a normal 19 min dive with appropriate safety stop. His dive buddy did indicate that the final ascent from 15' may have been a little fast.
The lesson learned should be to dive well within tables or your computer. Make ascents from deeper dives very very slow.

I have not heard repeatable comments on the recent accident. However, in reply to the comments of some asking why the boat cannot pick up a diver.

Each of the wreck dive sites have mooring balls that the dive boat will attach to. Divers descend and ascend to the dive site along these mooring lines. Divers make their safety stops on these lines. Divers do become disloged from the line due to a stiff current. It is a difficult decision for the captain to unhook from the mooring to pick up the diver. When such event occurs, the remaining divers are usually on the line doing their safety stop. Sometimes they are under the boat approaching the ladder. When an engaged prop strikes a diver, the prop always wins. This possibility is normally mentioned in the pre dive brief. Divers making these dives should always carry a safety sausage. Dive buddies should remain together. Should you become one of the unfortunate divers who reach the surface and for some reason become unconsious, your only hope is going to be an immediate positive response from your dive buddy.

Lets not forget the family that each of these divers left.

Dive more than safe

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Best wishes to the family involved, its always sad to lose a fellow diver.