Diver dies at Casino Point Avalon Catalina!

[Papa_Bear]

I am looking for any info on the death of a Diver at Casino point Saturday! All three divers are known to me: Two students and the instructor! Trying to put the facts together, so any help? Got the word in Atlanta Airport after retuning from EV Explorer 1. We wish the family well and are hearts are with them! It was his checkout dive one month after retiring from RSO!

 

[Missdirected]

PB, You may want to see if DrBill is on and ask him. Really sorry about your friend's.

 

[*mad_professor*]

I was there and I will tell you what I saw.

I was at the bottom of the stairs getting ready to go in and a small group of divers called out to call 911. They were about 20 yrds from the stairs and began to tow him in. I saw someone performing rescue breathing while towing him to the stairs.

At this point, I went to the top of the stair to get out of everyone's way. Luckily, there was a harbor patrol officer at the point and heard everyone yelling for 911. He called in for help on his radio. Meanwhile, a group of divers (don't know if they were with him or not), carried him up the stairs and began to perform CPR. Paramedics arrived, took over, and cut off the wet suit. He was blue. They continued to perform CPR and said he had no pulse.

They decided to defibrillate but because he was in a puddle of water, they lifted him to a gerney (sp?). I never saw them defibrillate him but he did get his pulse and started to breath on his own. They started calling his name and he seemed to respond. They wheeled him over to a LA County paramedic boat in the harbor and loaded him up and took off.

The rest of the day, there were Fire Dept. and Sherrif officers coming around and asking questions. We asked one of the paramedic's who came back and he said the guy didn't make it.

From what I heard, the diver was conscious when he surfaced but was "out of it". He was a large guy and rumored to have had 45 pounds of lead on him. The buzz for the rest of the day was he had a heart attack unrelated to diving, but I don't think anyone knows for sure what happened.

 

[drbill]

This is based on what I've heard from others, but they are reliable sources. The diver was found floating at the surface face down and blue. He was towed in by divers who administered appropriate attempts to keep oxygen flowing to the brain. I gather there was a diagnosis of a heart attack, but he was revived to at least partial consciousness but not communicating. There was a second heart attack while in transit on Avalon Baywatch.

All I saw and can verify personally is that I saw the emergency vehicles going towards the Point as we were boarding the King Neptune on the other side of the bay. While we were underway we saw Baywatch transporting the victim to the vicinity of Long Point, and then towards Two Harbors. Others on board the King Neptune said they saw CPR being performed during transit. He did not make it.

My condolences to the family and friends.

 

[Papa_Bear]

I have been told he inflated his BCD and was heads up on the surface? He was wearing a vest type BCD.... One report has him requesting help on the surface? The instructor is very torn up over this and we are trying to piece as much together as possible! He just retired from RSO's SWAT team and we know there will be an extensive investigation! He really was doing well in his class and attacked it with boyish enthusiasm and a big smile! He was all smiles when I left for George Town and to hear of the tragedy upon arriving in Atlanta was such a shock! I will always remember his smile and enthusiasm! When you think how dangerous his job was it shows you you never know when it's your time!????

 

[Ken Kurtis]

I was there and I will tell you what I saw.
He was a large guy and he had 45 pounds of lead on him.

That is not correct.

The buzz for the rest of the day was he had a heart attack unrelated to diving, but I don't think anyone knows for sure what happened.

Given that the autospy results are yet to be determined, that's unknown and is pure speculation. Understand that the Coroner will rarely say "He had a heart attack." They may say that there was an underlying (and perhaps undiagnosed) coronary heart disease, but nothing will be determined until after the autposy is completed and other reports are submitted.

I will, in my role as a Forensic Consultant to the LA County Corner, test the equipmet this week and try to piece together an acccident analysis. Please understand that all of this is a timely process, and the final full report may not be done for 6-12 weeks.

Let's also not lose sight of the fact that family and friends of the deceased may be reading these posts so let's label speculation as such, and facts as such. And be sensitive to what you say/state.

- Ken

 

[David P]

I was unfortunately there and helped bring him up. The key components are correct (he passed away) and almost all of the details are wrong (the details are not important anyhow) My personal friends helped at the surface/towing him in/carrying him to the top of the stairs/performing CPR. By noon the rumors were flying rampant, an acquaintance said he was told by the harbor master that a dive instructor died! This was a very bad day at the point, and so many pieces of the puzzle really upset me. Papa Bear, I am truly sorry for your loss and for the victims friends and family. I was sitting right next to your friend as he got suited up, for some particular reason I took a special interest in watching the three as they started donning their gear and was listening to what the instructor was telling the students... I watched as the three of them got up and walked over to the steps... very upsetting indeed.

 

[*mad_professor*]

Having witnessed the rescue efforts, I would like to follow this story and find out what actaully happened.

My condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Thanks everyone, I am just at the edge of this thing and met him as I was going to follow his class with the camera for our series. Ken, thank you for reassuring a mutual friend, who feels very bad and tends to put these type things on himself! Even though not involved....Except on one end of it, he feels so bad as does the instructor! Here are a couple pictures from the class as they are worth a 1000 words in remembrance as well as putting a human face on this tragedy! He was so personable, I showed both students our cave video and I remember him saying "No way, that would scare the hell out of me"! We had two LA County guys come in that day as well into their class that day wanting to sign up and he told the younger officer "Not to put it off as he had, because time goes buy so fast"! He was into Marshal Arts and other than a little over wight seemed in good shape???? I know everyone did everything they could and I have heard about who was there and it was all the right people! It was just meant to be and it is never the outcome we want when it ends this way!

To think his family had to worry about him on duty and probably felt relief that he was done with it! Just hard to believe!

 

[Papa_Bear]

I was there when he came in from his first pool SCUBA session and you would have thought he had discovered a reef on the bottom full of bright fish! He was beaming from ear to ear, telling everyone "This was the coolest thing he has ever done"! You had to love the way he was gung-ho! I can see him putting succeeding ahead of his own instincts in order to conquer his fears! We need to see more lead on the bottom, it's cheap compared to the ultimate price! My feeling is ditch the lead at the first sign and not the last! If we learn something from this, he would feel better about it I am sure, the price of lead can be dear! Never take each other for granted and never take the Sea as your friend, because it can turn on you without notice! BE SAFE!