Dive boat sinks near Islamorada 1 dead 7 rescued

[DandyDon]

I don't get it. How do people get trapped and die on a small boat on a shallow reef?

The dive site is only slightly more threatening than a swimming pool.

Even if the boat sank (which it apparently did), how did that cause anything more dangerous than some divers floating around on the surface?

flots.

There are almost 300 posts on the other thread linked above, but it sounded like...
> The stern (rear or aft-most part) started sinking so the captain moved people forward;
> It kept sinking on the rear and the 2 Discover divers were caught in the vanishing air pocket;
> Entanglement might have been involved, or maybe they had life vests on by then and could not swim down...?

 

[RogerAGrimes]

I don't get it. How do people get trapped and die on a small boat on a shallow reef?

The dive site is only slightly more threatening than a swimming pool.

Even if the boat sank (which it apparently did), how did that cause anything more dangerous than some divers floating around on the surface?

flots.

It was a huge wake up call for me. As a Key Largo resident and diver, I have never thought you could die doing 20ft dives on a popular reef surrounded by people and boats. But history shows that divers often die in shallow, warm, clear waters. A young, new female diver died in less than 10ft of water two years ago. If it can happen in 10ft right next to her dad (she rushed to the surface without exhaling), it can happen in 20ft.

From what I've heard second and third hand, as soon as the boat was put in gear, the water from the leaky seals rushed back and immediately sank the boat stern first in 1-2 seconds. That's incredibly fast. No one can respond that fast. Think about it. If the stern goes down in seconds, it's natural to float up to the top, near the surface. This will push some of the divers up toward the bow and open stairs areas. I heard that at least one of the victims got caught between the top of the boat (it had a sun covering like most dive boats) and the fiberglass engine cover (which floated as the water picked it up). I'm much more cautious as I put my boat into gear after diving, after hearing about this incident.

 

[flots am]

IThis will push some of the divers up toward the bow and open stairs areas. I heard that at least one of the victims got caught between the top of the boat (it had a sun covering like most dive boats) and the fiberglass engine cover (which floated as the water picked it up). I'm much more cautious as I put my boat into gear after diving, after hearing about this incident.

I never thought about being pushed into the bow as the boat sank. It looks like that would be something to avoid at all costs.

OTOH, I didn't think small boats were actually completely sinkable. Aren't they supposed to have foam or some other flotation in the walls?

flots.

 

[RogerAGrimes]

I didn't think small boats were actually completely sinkable. Aren't they supposed to have foam or some other flotation in the walls? flots.

Not all boats have that, plus when you put in over a dozen tanks plus people, it may override the flotation built-in.

I don't think it sank completely, at least not initially. It was sunk stern down with the bow sticking partially out of the water. The first victim was trapped between the top and the engine cover, not in the bow. The second person was pushed into the bow, now blocked by the cover, and eventually ran out of air...or something like that.

When you hear about this incident, you ask how it could happen in such shallow water. Obviously, it happened because things were fast, aggressive, and obstacles beyond just clear water where involved. Maybe people got stunned or knocked out in the the violence. Who knows what happened until the court testimony becomes available.

On a slightly related note, I used to be a skydiver and I remember how non-skydivers are always incredulous when skydivers die when a plane crashes. They wonder why all the "idiots" can't just jump since they have parachutes on their back? Having been stuck in more than a few planes that were going into unexpected air handling characteristics (i.e. drops, dives, etc.)...every skydiver experiences them...you learn very quickly about G's, and how sudden plane shifts can make your body weight 5x, 10x, or more of your natural body weight. You can see the door out of the airplane, but there isn't a damn thing you can do about it...since you can't move 2000lbs of flesh using your own muscles. Or your head hits the top of the plane and you get stunned or knocked out. Or the plane is spinning and the blood leaves your head and you blackout. I picture similar things happening in this accident. Obviously some of the victims experienced situations or violence that they could not overcome. Everyone wants to live, especially when it happens in 20ft of warm, blue, clear water.