Diver Dead in South Florida

[Oc3anLover]

Accident was on Sunday's morning splash. Wife & I were supposed to go on Saturday but we backed out for various reasons. Her sister went and said there were a few issues being a new boat recently converted. She said post dive embark procedures were discussed but even then she got partially sucked under the transom to the point where she could see the prop. Sea state was ~4-5' so a bit sporty. She was out an another boat Sunday and heard a good bit of it go down. The two divers left in the water during the incident were husband & wife and had been on the Sea Scout many many times before. I highly doubt Dustin forgot about them while he was dealing with the grave emergency that was happening on the deck of the Comfort. The Southern Comfort is a high end 6-pack so I doubt having 1/3 of your group not on board was un-noticed. SMBs are required to dive and if needed, one could swim to shore if necessary. Girl who died got under the boat and into the prop - can't say whether the boat was backing down or pulling forward but she was hit in the thigh. Femoral artery likely. She didn't die instantly and I know there was an EMT on board that valiantly tried to stop the bleeding. It was a horrible, horrible day for all involved. I have done hundreds of dives off of the Sea Scout and looked forward to going out with Dustin. Safety wasn't a thing he took lightly despite what others conjecture. He needed more time behind the helm and tragically, this is how it came to light. My wife was a personal friend of Molly's and is very tore up over this.

I grew up with Mollie. This was very tragic indeed. She was a great woman! Condolences to your wife!

 

[The Chairman]

In light of this accident, does it sound like a safe practice?

I never felt in danger by their actions. They cut their motors way before they got close.

I hate to ask, but why was a propellor guard not in use?

I'm sure it hurts speed and economy, but I've often wondered this. I saw a commercial dive boat with one on it. Wow. I really liked the look of it.

If/when I ever buy a boat, I want a jet motor. Enclosed props just make sense to me for both divers and wildlife.

Just because no one was hurt in the times captains backed up to you or others, does not make it a smart or safe practice.

You mean practices that don't hurt people are "unsafe"? We use different definitions. I'm not a captain and I prefer to dive off of a captained vessel. I have seen hundreds of drivers back up while near people and not hit anyone. Then I know two who hit and killed their children. The few incidents don't make a singular practice 'bad'. I mean, how often have you heard of this happening? Not too often. Competent captains drive competently. I'm going to trust the vast majority of them. The ones I don't trust won't get my business.

A caveat: years ago I took the requisite classes to become a captain. I have the sea time, and in the Keys being a boat captain is almost a certainty you will be hired. During the process, I evaluated each and every captain. I saw too many variables for my liking. It's not that the captains were ever 'bad', but boy did they have a lot of crap they had to deal with. Nah, it wasn't worth it. I'll continue to enjoy the ride instead.

My wife was a personal friend of Molly's and is very tore up over this.

If there is anyone on this board who's account I would trust, it would be this man and his lovely wife's account. We've dove together on many occasions, and I even kicked them both out of my workshop as their trim and buoyancy were just fine.

I have seen people ascend right under a boat and I yelled at the captain to not engage the engines. If you don't have good buoyancy control, that's a recipe for disaster since the captain can't see THROUGH the boat. I'm reminded of a Keys boat making a last minute adjustment before calling "Dive, dive dive!" A kid and his dad were all excited for mini-season and got confused. They jumped in as the boat was backing up and hit the water only to be sucked into the props. If I remember right, the kid died. The captain was raked over the coals for this, but it really wasn't his fault. Boats are hard and divers are kind of soft. In a fight between a boat and a dive, the diver never wins. I always spin 720 degrees as I ascend from my safety stop and I actively LOOK for the dive boat. It's one of the few times diving you'll find me completely vertical as opposed to my usual horizontal attitude.

She got killed by someone operating deadly machinery in an unsafe manner

You weren't even there and you somehow know this? I'm not so bold.

 

[DEEPLOU]

I also live in Palm Beach County and this has not hit the news. Something like this would absolutely make the local news. Perhaps it has been crowded out by the COVID-19 news, but I'll remain skeptical until I see this being covered locally.

It's Monday morning and still nothing in the news. But , I believe it happened and it's just that it's not COVID or anti-Trump related it didn't make the local papers.

Also many of the posters commenting on boat operation have never done drift diving in south Florida.

 

[The Chairman]

I always spin 720 degrees as I ascend from my safety stop and I actively LOOK for the dive boat.

To be clear, I've re-descended twice because of this.

 

[Schwob]

You weren't even there and you somehow know this? I'm not so bold.

Yes, I was (edit) NOT out there. In the very post you quote this snipped from I aptly qualified what I wrote as quote „armchair quarterbacking“ and „the way this comes across to me“ and „the way I see it“. I know without having seen the boat that it qualifies (as most any boat or car or...) as (potentially) deadly machinery. Yes, I have not personally seen the woman die, as I had qualified, I went with what was reported here so, based on that I assume we can assume she died. I furthermore assume (same qualifiers /disclaimers) we can assume she died as a direct cause of her artery being cut by the prop. Presumably someone operated or should have operated the boat. As I was not there, I do indeed not know if at that moment someone actually did that, but (edit spelling) the captain, reported to have been on board, should have or at least is responsible for it being done properly and safely. So, yes, as qualified I am entirely comfortable with what I stated. It is my honest opinion. Admittedly and declaredly formed based on the reports here only. I was declaring and not hiding that at all.

Why you‘d feel you need to call that bold is a bit beyond me, but I can live with that lack of comprehension and as we all are, you certainly are entitled to your opinion.

 

[rddvet]

To be clear, I've re-descended twice because of this.

There are way more prop accidents around the world than most people know. Most are just pleasure boaters, not commercial dive operations. My first OW instructor had a close call once and therefore stresses to always know where the props are whether the boat's moored or not. His issue was on a boat tied into a wreck. The captain decided to turn the props on to signal divers below that bad weather was closing in fast and to get on the boat. I don't think many instructors talk about being mindful of the props.
I ascend in horizontal trim since that's what I've been taught as a tech diver. Once I start getting close to 15 feet, I start breaking trim to make sure I'm nowhere near anything that's going to hurt me. It may not be pretty to go from horizontal to semi-vertical, but I don't care how it looks.

 

[Leighen]

So, yes, as qualified I am entirely comfortable with what I stated. It is my honest opinion

Why you‘d feel you need to call that bold is a bit beyond me, but I can live with that lack of comprehension and as we all are, you certainly are entitled to your opinion.

It's bold because you are saying the captain operated the boat in an unsafe manner. At least one example was provided on this thread by the poster you directed your comment at- which resulted in a propeller strike fatality that was clearly not the fault of the captain- the two divers jumped in prematurely while the boat was reversing and at least one got sucked into the prop.

How do you know this didn't happen here? And yet here you are accusing the captain of operating a boat improperly.

That's not only bold, it could very possibly be libel.

 

[Leighen]

^You state the obvious. There was a lot of back and forth on Dustin's FB page (he didn't have a website, all his bookings and communication were via FB). He was saying how he could go out regardless of the shutdown because of his FSL license, several people questioned his logic and his motivations but he was undeterred and was signing up divers for his "maiden voyage" weekend. I get it, he just dumped a ton of money into that new boat, he was heavily promoting the opening day weekend and he was very pressured not to shut it down. I am not excusing it, just understanding it.

Don't think for a minute that as he's sitting there in complete and utter shock and devastation comtemplating the ramifications of this horrible accident that he isn't second guessing his decision to ignore the mandate. There are some who are suggesting that he might not even be covered by his insurance given that he defied a government order- even though supposedly he was "legal" because of a commercial FSL he was clearly providing recreational services.

 

[cpace]

^You state the obvious. There was a lot of back and forth on Dustin's FB page (he didn't have a website, all his bookings and communication were via FB). He was saying how he could go out regardless of the shutdown because of his FSL license, several people questioned his logic and his motivations but he was undeterred and was signing up divers for his "maiden voyage" weekend. I get it, he just dumped a ton of money into that new boat, he was heavily promoting the opening day weekend and he was very pressured not to shut it down. I am not excusing it, just understanding it.

Don't think for a minute that as he's sitting there in complete and utter shock and devastation comtemplating the ramifications of this horrible accident that he isn't second guessing his decision to ignore the mandate. There are some who are suggesting that he might not even be covered by his insurance given that he defied a government order- even though supposedly he was "legal" because of a commercial FSL he was clearly providing recreational services.

Apparently not obvious enough!

 

[DEEPLOU]

Just saw an article on CBS 12 News (app). Not as much information as posted here or what seems as accurate.