Coast Guard Cutter Healy Deaths

[tedwhiteva]

For the Coast Guard story, go to WWW.USCG.MIL/COMDT

 

[JEScholz]

Wow! Extra weights in zippered pockets, BC not attached to fill hose, 60# of weight on a 130# diver, lines running so fast they couldn't be controlled by a single line handler... Lot's of lessons to learn here. My condolences to the families!

 

[Debraw]

Oh man, what a report, really tragic completely avoidable chain of events that led to this accident. I am doing my first ice dive On February 3, this will be on my mind and how serious things can get when procedures and training are not followed. I want to be a diver, not a statistic.

 

[Notso_Ken]

Wow! Extra weights in zippered pockets, BC not attached to fill hose, 60# of weight on a 130# diver, lines running so fast they couldn't be controlled by a single line handler... Lot's of lessons to learn here. My condolences to the families!

Yeah, 60#s is a lot, but the wording is VERY ambiguous. The way it is worded, that could include the weight of the lead, tanks, and other gear. Including all that, I routinely have a total of 75-80 pounds of weight on me, while less than half of it is lead. If just lead was intended, you're right, that is a lot, and zippered pockets is an issue.


Ken

 

[Notso_Ken]

As Rick said, heads role when problems occur. Justified or not, this report doesn't make clear, since no explanation is still given for what actually occured that lead to these tragic deaths.

Actually, being familiar with military accident reports (more so than I care to think about), I think this is pretty clear. Sure, they don't know exactly what little things happened under the water, but there is enough laid out there that some heads should have rolled.

That said, I do deeply regret the loss of these 2 apparently upstanding members of society.


Ken

 

[slingshot]

I don't think the wording is that ambiguous. It reports 60# of "weight" in the pockets of the BCDs, this seems to differentiate the reported weight from other gear. It sounds like the divers did not have sufficient experience to be doing these dives without more supervision. I'm sorry to hear about the circumstances of their loss, and hope that the open discussion of the details released by the USCG can lead to safer dive practices.

 

[covediver]

I have learned something already. According to the FAM, split fins are considered inappropriate for heavy diving. When I go diving off the shore here in AK I am similarly outfitted as were these divers one respects--split fins. I use Apollo biofins. While I have not run into a problem, I may now reconsider the option of my fins. A few months ago my dive buddy who was using a large housed camera remarked that he did not normally use split fins because he did not develop the power he needed.

 

[SNorman]

Yeah, 60#s is a lot, but the wording is VERY ambiguous. The way it is worded, that could include the weight of the lead, tanks, and other gear. Including all that, I routinely have a total of 75-80 pounds of weight on me, while less than half of it is lead. If just lead was intended, you're right, that is a lot, and zippered pockets is an issue.


Ken

Well, they do state specifically that other divers in comparison may use from 25-30 pounds normally, so I thought it was pretty clear they meant only lead weight.

 

[Ben_ca]

And this was their First Cold water scuba dive!!

 

[GulfDiver77]

It is a shame that these lives were lost. I agree that some heads should roll.Especially the commanding officers involved.But some of the blame goes to the divers as well. BC inflator not connected ,over weighted ,disregarding safety codes. The families of these divers have my sympathy.