Diver Fatality off Ponce Inlet, Fl

[Gatorshark]

Diver Dies After Excursion Off Flagler

Diver Dies After Excursion Off Flagler Coast - Orlando News Story - WESH Orlando

 

[Togalive]

I have to admit that something doesnt quite seem right about the story, perhaps its how the media presented what the divers said. But for 3 divers to all run out of air at once? Even to assume they were all following the most conservative computer in the group as they should have been, you'd think they still would have had enough air to pick up the other diver. However, if he was out of sight, and somehow they all did only have a few hundred PSI while ascending, then I understand, but still, something seems off...

 

[victor]

My thoughts go out to the familly and friends of the deceased.

Speculating here, I guess they were not diving as a buddy team. Once they were on the boat and the forth diver still had not surfaced they realised he must be low or out of air.
We are not told how deep the water was, how much air they had remaining at the end of the dive,
As they, I am assuming the 3 divers, returned to the water 2 hours later and found there buddy.
The question has to be asked, did they have enough air for 2 to do a quick search while 1 tank was being refilled.

 

[deepstops]

This article painted a different picture:

Body of Stranded Diver Found off Palm Coast | Firstcoastnews.com | Most Popular


Body of Stranded Diver Found off Palm Coast


FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. -- The body of a stranded diver off Palm Coast has been recovered by his friends.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Office, four divers were about 40 miles off Palm Coast this morning when they noticed one of them missing.

They searched for the fourth diver, who they spotted on the ocean floor about 115 feet deep.

The divers said they didn't have enough air to pick up the diver, so they surfaced and called for help.

The Coast Guard said the divers refilled their tanks, went back down and pulled the body of the diver to the surface.

His name and hometown have not been released.

 

[victor]

This really depends on their experience. it does not take that much air to do a bounce to 115 ft, but it would, definitly be a risk.
Assuming they were at 50ft when they spotted the body then a relay with 1 staying at 50, 1 decends to 100, the 3rd goes down and dumps the weight belt on the fourth diver and depending on the remaining air send him unattended or escorted to the surface. They regroup on the way to the surface and attempt a ressusitate on the surface..
I am assuming no entrapment, etc
Should they take the risk, thats not for me to say, it depends on so many factors we know nothing about.

They searched for the fourth diver, who they spotted on the ocean floor about 115 feet deep.

The divers said they didn't have enough air to pick up the diver, so they surfaced and called for help.

 

[Walter]

This article painted a different picture

What am I missing? They look essentially the same to me.

 

[clifftondiver]

have we not learned our lessons when citing media outlets concerning dive incidents?
If something in the article doesn't seem right (or even possible), it probably isn't. Perhaps we should wait for an official report or reports from those who were there?

 

[deepstops]

What am I missing? They look essentially the same to me.

One article makes it sound like to me they saw their buddy on the bottom but couldn't bring him up, went to shore (40 miles!), refilled their tanks, and recovered him.

The other article makes it sound like they all surfaced, realized one guy didn't, and then went to shore, refilled their tanks, and recovered him.

It's just my interpretation that in one scenario they actually saw their buddy on the bottom and in the other, they surfaced and realized he didn't. I probably shouldn't put too much thought into the difference between the articles because they're probably both not accurate enough to draw a conclusion from.....

 

[deepstops]

have we not learned our lessons when citing media outlets concerning dive incidents?
If something in the article doesn't seem right (or even possible), it probably isn't. Perhaps we should wait for an official report or reports from those who were there?

Let me know when you get that "official" report.

 

[ibj40]

One article makes it sound like to me they saw their buddy on the bottom but couldn't bring him up, went to shore (40 miles!), refilled their tanks, and recovered him.

The other article makes it sound like they all surfaced, realized one guy didn't, and then went to shore, refilled their tanks, and recovered him.

It's just my interpretation that in one scenario they actually saw their buddy on the bottom and in the other, they surfaced and realized he didn't. I probably shouldn't put too much thought into the difference between the articles because they're probably both not accurate enough to draw a conclusion from.....

Notwithstanding, and maybe I don't understand the diving protocols of that area, but having only one tank per diver among them, and not a single spare? And maybe it was their second dive of the day, but still, no spare tank(s)?