Diver Indicted in 2003 GBR mishap

[NudeDiver]

:blinking:Oh I have to agree ND. I am not sure if you have read the entire thread but I have posted before on this Thread that I am glad it ISN'T me on the jury.

Yeah, I've read it all. I've actually been following this one pretty closely. That incident happened only ONE MONTH before I was on the exact same boat. I even went diving with Wade Singleton a few times. I of course wanted to ask what happened, but I didn't dare.

Either way there is no question he played a significant role in the outcome. I will never understand how he could leave his new wife. I can't understand how he could stay on the other boat while they were working on her then go over after he was told she was dead. It is the inconsistencies that bother me a lot.

I know this. Had it been me, and it were an accident, I wouldn't have left Australia alive either.

Tina's parents have been a driving force behind the investigation so I can see him being upset with them. The pictures of him removing the flowers from the grave are pretty clear. I think that act is pretty nasty but who knows what each of us are capable of if pushed hard enough

Well, let's suppose it two ways. First, let's assume he didn't try to kill her. From his point of view, the parents are trying to railroad him into a murder conviction. Now, let's suppose he is guilty. From his point of view, the parents are trying to get him convicted of murder. Either way, the parents are trying to get him sent to jail for muder. I can't say they would make my "A-List" either.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

:admin:Well I must confess I saw a chance for a quick comeback and took it. I must I accept it was in bad taste:blush: I just find it mind boggling to think of leaving Tina like that.

Fish was very careful of me in the choices about where I dived in the beginning of my diving. He left it up to me of course but stayed very close and I knew I was safe with him teaching me and watching me. We talked about how much weight, how much air I had and how comfortable I was about the dives BEFORE the dive. We still know how much weight we each carry on our dives and discuss things in much more detail before diving a site we don't know... esp off a boat.

When I see an obviously new diver... esp female on a boat I always make a point to talk to her to establish her comfort level and give her a chance to ask questions. I try never to give advice without being asked.:blinking: It just seems Gabe didn't even do that much.:shocked2:

Well no matter the outcome.... Tina is gone... nothing will bring her back... Gabe, Tina's family and Gabes as well have been going through hell..... Everybody looses in these situations don't they?

 

[K_girl]

Totally agree! But I suspect the problem is that they can't her grave disenterred unless he (as her widower) consents to it. I suspect though, they are trying to get a court order showing she should be moved - and the location hidden from Gabe. My fingers are crossed on this one!

Trish

I would agree, but unfortunately here is the real scoop that I just added to my "ISSUES" list on this case under strange behavior:

Gabe Watson had Tina's body dug-up and moved in October 2005 and her parents could do nothing about it. Can't find any information that Gabe Watson gave a reason why he did this. The timing seemed to coincide with Tina's parents planning to be buried near Tina. Gabe Watson did not inform Tina's parents of the move, Tina's father found out through unofficial sources and managed to be present for the move and also managed to arrange for law enforcement to be present so there was no hanky-panky. Neither Gabe nor anyone in his family were present for the move. What is really weird is that the original plot Tina was buried in belonged to Tina's parents and they also own the plot Gabe had her moved to. The only difference between the two plots was - there is now no room for Tina's parents to be buried near her.

Also, Gabe Watson has never allowed her parents to place a headstone on her grave and he also won't do it.

What is the reasoning behind these actions? One could easily speculate that Gabe Watson wants Tina to be forgotten. I honestly cannot think of any other reason.

Source: CDNN :: Grave Wars - Just Add Dirt
and http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4818156.ece

 

[ScubaSteve]

"You" (not one person specifically) can be Gabe Watson's dive buddy and see how the dive goes. While I agree, he is innocent until proven guilty, a lot can still happen. Maybe he will be asked try on a pair of gloves and be allowed to claim they do not fit. If you look at all of the evidence, I think (states this is only my opinion) it is obvious where it is pointing. Does that secure and guarantee an outcome? NO. Could it be biased? YES. However, I would expect that if there is just as much evidence pointing to his innocence, his "legal counsel" would be finding a channel to get it in the public's hands. Granted, the media typically wants to publish the dirty things because it sells, but given the right push, even Gabe's "innocence" evidence would get published.

Again, for anybody out that there that would hesitate to be a dive buddy with Gabe, it is likely they have already prosecuted him in their own way. Those that would then tell others that he is still technically innocent after prosecuting him in their own mind, are just hypocrits. Those that would not hesitate to dive with him tomorrow and state his theoretical innocence, likely believe in the Justice system. Just stating an idea/opinion here and not making claims about anybody posting here.

 

[widget]

Not to hijack the post, but there have been numerous incidents like this throughout diving history, two here that I can clearly recall.

I cant say what sort of evidence the authorities have in this case, but here both cases (one was a lost diver on a deco line and the other was a wife who apparently was attacked by a shark) both surviving parties were charged in a court of law, but after many hearings both cases were eventually thrown out for lack of sufficient evidence.

I would imagine its extreemly difficult to prove malious wrongdoing in these cases, especially if, as in the cases here, there were no other witnesses.

I just hope justice prevails in this case, whichever way it proves to go.

 

[NudeDiver]

"You" (not one person specifically) can be Gabe Watson's dive buddy and see how the dive goes.

I would quite happily be his dive buddy. Hell, I could probably get a book deal out of it.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Does anyone know what agency certified him? I saw a report on the TV news that said he had a rescue diver rating. I would like to see his card pulled and he should be expelled from the agency that certified him if he IS rescue certified. That should happen even if he is found innocent of of any charges in a court of law. The agency that certified him should have by now, years after this happened, done an investigation into what he DID NOT do to save her. I am sure he did NOTHING. I saw him on TV saying he tried to save her but could not. What a puss. I pulled a woman from 130 feet when her drysuit was full of water, she was out of air and overweighted. I did that when I was 50+ years of age. --- And she LIVED, and later laughed about it.

Which brings this too mind-- Do agencies have protocall for expelling a diver? My bet is they do for an instructor.

Expell them from what? With the possible exception of GUE, a diving certification is simpley a cirtification of completion of a course of study. Certified divers are not agency members so there is nothing to expell them from.

 

[MikeFerrara]

"You" (not one person specifically) can be Gabe Watson's dive buddy and see how the dive goes. While I agree, he is innocent until proven guilty, a lot can still happen. Maybe he will be asked try on a pair of gloves and be allowed to claim they do not fit. If you look at all of the evidence, I think (states this is only my opinion) it is obvious where it is pointing. Does that secure and guarantee an outcome? NO. Could it be biased? YES. However, I would expect that if there is just as much evidence pointing to his innocence, his "legal counsel" would be finding a channel to get it in the public's hands. Granted, the media typically wants to publish the dirty things because it sells, but given the right push, even Gabe's "innocence" evidence would get published.

Again, for anybody out that there that would hesitate to be a dive buddy with Gabe, it is likely they have already prosecuted him in their own way. Those that would then tell others that he is still technically innocent after prosecuting him in their own mind, are just hypocrits. Those that would not hesitate to dive with him tomorrow and state his theoretical innocence, likely believe in the Justice system. Just stating an idea/opinion here and not making claims about anybody posting here.

I'll dive with him. As a former instructor I've dived with hundreds and hundreds of people who didn't know how to dive at all. Given a dive that's appropriate and enough control it would be business as usual. Given an appropriate dive and enough control I'd, by far, rather dive with him than get on your average dive boat in any popular resort location.

 

[MikeFerrara]

What a piece of garbage. If anyone can hook me up with this guy, tell him I want him for MY dive buddy. I am exploring a new cave and need some help, I would be willing to even the scales of justice.

I can't hook you up with him and, as a lowly "rescue diver" he probably isn't prepared to dive a cave anyway but I'll offer to stand in for him. Name the place and time.

 

[InTheDrink]

Well Mike, you've definitely just given me the darkest vision yet on SB.

I can see the 'you and Gabe' team now: silent and grim, a dark nightmare vision for any budding DSD. Sickles rather than shears. Bible slung.

A time and a place? People will be closing the curtains, tucking their kids up, and saying 'Don't worry, there's no such thing....'

I happen tho to agree with you (I think) and that the above circus could so easily have been just an accident. This much sank in when a thread immediately next to this one a couple of months back detailed an NOAA diver (i.e. not a PADI AOW) had problem at 5m at his stage bottle and sank to the depths. His buddy, also an NOAA diver went for help rather than trying to rescue his colleague. No-one for a moment mentioned any thought of foul play.

Yet this incident had much in common with the GBR Gabe saga and one wonders whether the desire for intrigue trumps the much more banal reality that things occasionally do go bafflingly wrong. RIP Tina in any event.