Bahamas: Missing Female Diver

[Doubler]

CDNN has clearly displayed very poor journalism standards and was blocked from even being linked or mentioned on SB for some time, but that caused some controversy - so now we just warn others: If you like CDNN, you'll love the National Enquirer and UK Sun for facts.

I think we questioned? She had one chance to bring the diver back, a heroic one to be sure, but a chance - and seems to have missed one we're taught in Rescue to deal with. Saving divers from their own mistakes is a part of being a tourist destination DM to some extent, and I think it was said that this one had been hired by the couple as a private DM

Okay I can't take it anymore. There is another thread dealing with ALMOST this same situation, only most on this board think the guy murdered his wife, some one please explain the difference, trained DM WITNESSED wrestling with a diver, diver drowns. A Trained Rescue Diver WITNESSED GIVING Wife a bearhug, wife drowns, husband goes to prison. In certain situations trying to gain control from behid could look like a bear hug. I am not an aplogist for this guy but I see no difference in the general situation.

 

[Katamuki]

While this is a huge tragedy some of the speculation is also pretty wild. If the DM was unable to grab/persuade a diver at 100 ft to ascend and then had the skill to safely descend and ascend with an AL80 who is anyone on this board to 2nd guess them? Thats not an easy dive without an irritated diver at 100ft to contend with.

As for the girl comment, grow up a bit. In southern Japan on the Island of Yanaguni most of the DMs are women. The waters there would make most of the people on this board faint dead away in my opinion. Its common to have 15-20 ft seas with wind and current exceeding 4 knots. All the dives are below 30 meters because thats where the 6+ meter hammerheads are. Slamming the DM because she is a woman just makes the argument ridiculous.

As for rescueing someone who is agitated and struggling from 100 ft who is descending quickly by inflating your BC, wow that is a HUGE risk. If you are knocked away just where do you think your going to go and how fast? Not a brilliant rescue plan.

And the comment about expecting to risk your neck as a DM for a diver as part of the job is out of whack to me as well. I think you might expect too much out of a DM...

 

[TheScubaBOB]

Okay I can't take it anymore. There is another thread dealing with ALMOST this same situation, only most on this board think the guy murdered his wife, some one please explain the difference, trained DM WITNESSED wrestling with a diver, diver drowns. A Trained Rescue Diver WITNESSED GIVING Wife a bearhug, wife drowns, husband goes to prison. In certain situations trying to gain control from behid could look like a bear hug. I am not an aplogist for this guy but I see no difference in the general situation.

Except Gabe Watson's story about what happened changed 12 times, he came home and in very sort order was re-married.

Maybe we should wait 6 months and see if this DM gets hired by a new buddy!

Seriously though we shouldn't get the two intermingled. Maybe starting a new thread do examine the trend of new divers deaths while apparently under supervision of Dive professionals/experienced divers would be more appropriate for that sidetrack..

 

[dumpsterDiver]

While this is a huge tragedy some of the speculation is also pretty wild. If the DM was unable to grab/persuade a diver at 100 ft to ascend and then had the skill to safely descend and ascend with an AL80 who is anyone on this board to 2nd guess them? Thats not an easy dive without an irritated diver at 100ft to contend with.

As for the girl comment, grow up a bit. In southern Japan on the Island of Yanaguni most of the DMs are women. The waters there would make most of the people on this board faint dead away in my opinion. Its common to have 15-20 ft seas with wind and current exceeding 4 knots. All the dives are below 30 meters because thats where the 6+ meter hammerheads are. Slamming the DM because she is a woman just makes the argument ridiculous.

As for rescueing someone who is agitated and struggling from 100 ft who is descending quickly by inflating your BC, wow that is a HUGE risk. If you are knocked away just where do you think your going to go and how fast? Not a brilliant rescue plan.

And the comment about expecting to risk your neck as a DM for a diver as part of the job is out of whack to me as well. I think you might expect too much out of a DM...

So we shouldn't dis women.. but a 100 ft dive is very hard and a DM job is only to point out pretty fish and oh yeah some little Japanese women lead dives in 20 ft seas...Sorry I forgot all that important stuff.

If in a rescue situation, a diver inflates their BC and looses grip of the victim, the recuer needs to simply roll over, exhale, flare out and dump air from BC. There is no need to be 30 lbs bouyant to bring a dive up, you only need enough lift to get the two of you moving at a reasonable and safe pace.

 

[Web Monkey]

some one please explain the difference, trained DM WITNESSED wrestling with a diver, diver drowns. A Trained Rescue Diver WITNESSED GIVING Wife a bearhug, wife drowns, husband goes to prison. In certain situations trying to gain control from behid could look like a bear hug.

Absolutely not. They're completely different.

Control from behind in a rescue looks like "you holding a tank valve".

It looks nothing like a bear hug. The very last think you want is any part of your body within grabbing distance of the victim.

Terry

 

[DandyDon]

Please! This thread has nothing to do with Gabe Watson, and we have enough confusion. Stow it, please.

Hello I was there the dive started out as any other a great place to dive being one of the first in the water I was also the first out follow by the DM or a guy and his wife who told me that the DM and her partner had got split , he brought this to her attention wile still on the dive ,she gets out of her gear goes to the bow of the boat and sits down with her back to us ,an starts texting someone. 6 to 8 minutes later the Instructor learns that we are missing a diver , he the goes to the DM on the bow and comes back quickly regears up an is back in the water from the time he got on the boat in less than 6 minutes ,searches for about 35 minutes with another diver and 3 others on top with snorkels, We had to pull anchor to pick up the instructor and the other diver some 200 to 300 yards away. After that a smaller dive boat cames in with 2 more divers on it in which Mr. Wood and his friend then got on that boat and we left ,we get stopped again by another dive boat and the DM gets on it an they make there way in. We dive the James Bond Wreck then we go in. All I can say is that I have learnd a lesson I will never leave my partner.

Thank you very much for posting. I know this must be stressful for you, and do allow us to assist if we may. Talking it out with supportive divers can indeed help - maybe on a new thread? Maybe on Basic Scuba forum for that aspect.

Communicating by typing on the net can be challenging at times, I know I screw up at times, other times just mistaken by others, but I am challenged to follow your explanation. Maybe there are some missing words or commas that might help?

If I understand you correctly tho: Do you mean the DM got "out of her gear goes to the bow of the boat and sits down with her back to us ,an starts texting someone" after losing a diver? Damn?! :shocked2: "6 to 8 minutes later the Instructor learns that we are missing a diver" Damn damn damn! Was this because the Inst had still been in the water for that period, or just because the DM did not raise an alarm? Damn!

While this is a huge tragedy some of the speculation is also pretty wild. If the DM was unable to grab/persuade a diver at 100 ft to ascend and then had the skill to safely descend and ascend with an AL80 who is anyone on this board to 2nd guess them? Thats not an easy dive without an irritated diver at 100ft to contend with.

As for rescueing someone who is agitated and struggling from 100 ft who is descending quickly by inflating your BC, wow that is a HUGE risk. If you are knocked away just where do you think your going to go and how fast? Not a brilliant rescue plan.

And the comment about expecting to risk your neck as a DM for a diver as part of the job is out of whack to me as well. I think you might expect too much out of a DM...

You don't state your dive history on your profile do you? You done the Rescue course? I'm not a DM or other pro, but done that course - and while I want to make sure I don't become the second victim, if I can't assist from the front because of possible panic or whatever, injury or worse imminent, then I am going to get behind and go for the control. That's how the training goes. Divers panic and/or narc out in the water and when caca hits fan, seconds can matter greatly in preventing an accident. I've never been on a trip with a diver who died, but a couple have come close, 6 have left in ambulances.

 

[gcbryan]

Hello I was there the dive started out as any other a great place to dive being one of the first in the water I was also the first out follow by the DM or a guy and his wife who told me that the DM and her partner had got split , he brought this to her attention wile still on the dive ,she gets out of her gear goes to the bow of the boat and sits down with her back to us ,an starts texting someone. 6 to 8 minutes later the Instructor learns that we are missing a diver , he the goes to the DM on the bow and comes back quickly regears up an is back in the water from the time he got on the boat in less than 6 minutes ,searches for about 35 minutes with another diver and 3 others on top with snorkels, We had to pull anchor to pick up the instructor and the other diver some 200 to 300 yards away. After that a smaller dive boat cames in with 2 more divers on it in which Mr. Wood and his friend then got on that boat and we left ,we get stopped again by another dive boat and the DM gets on it an they make there way in. We dive the James Bond Wreck then we go in. All I can say is that I have learnd a lesson I will never leave my partner.

Do you mean that you got out of the water followed by the DM AND a guy and his wife?

Do you mean to say that this guy notified the DM during the dive that the DM's buddy was missing?

Is the Instructor someone who was just along on the dive or was leading the dive?

Who is Mr. Wood? Is that the instructor?

After this lady disappears down the wall and is lost the rest of the group goes on to do the James Bond wreck?

I'm just trying to follow what you are saying.

 

[Tricia]

Hello I was there the dive started out as any other a great place to dive being one of the first in the water I was also the first out follow by the DM or a guy and his wife who told me that the DM and her partner had got split , he brought this to her attention wile still on the dive ,she gets out of her gear goes to the bow of the boat and sits down with her back to us ,an starts texting someone. 6 to 8 minutes later the Instructor learns that we are missing a diver , he the goes to the DM on the bow and comes back quickly regears up an is back in the water from the time he got on the boat in less than 6 minutes ,searches for about 35 minutes with another diver and 3 others on top with snorkels, We had to pull anchor to pick up the instructor and the other diver some 200 to 300 yards away. After that a smaller dive boat cames in with 2 more divers on it in which Mr. Wood and his friend then got on that boat and we left ,we get stopped again by another dive boat and the DM gets on it an they make there way in. We dive the James Bond Wreck then we go in. All I can say is that I have learnd a lesson I will never leave my partner.

MEG DIVER - could you please clarify? Are you saying you were on the boat with the diver who was lost? Because then you say you "dove the James Bond Wreck". Do you mean you guys (including the DM) did another dive after this happened? Or did you get on another boat? Sorry, but your post is confusing.

Thanks!
Trish

 

[MEG DIVER]

When the DM got out the Instructor was still diving with the rest of the group,he got on 6 to 8 minutes behine her, thats when he learn we were missing a diver, he then gears back up an returns to the water,at this point I dont think that MRS.WOOD would have had any air left ,being on this dive has made me lose alot of sleep there is still a key missing .

If anyone sees this that was on this boat that day with me contack me trought this therad

 

[MEG DIVER]

the DM got on a diffent boat, an that baot went in ,we then went to a James Bond Dive site