Diver killed by boat in Cozumel last week

[dive_lover88]

Tragic loss and this isnt the 1st and last time we're going to hear about this kind of accidents. If only they made all boat captains and crews go through a scuba course then they would know what kind of impact is there on the divers in the water when they make a mistake.

 

[shellbackdiver1]

In some places people just dont get it. Condolences to this persons family.

Im a diver in Taiwan and this type of accident scares me the most when diving from a boat....especially here locally. Have already seen a couple of near misses, complained heavily about it only to be laughed at with snide "foreigner remarks".

 

[Cacia]

Boat propellars are a pretty big risk...certainly compared to sharks and other more senastionalized ways to get killed. Divers often don't tune into sounds, don't look up. I was taught to ascend in a spiral with my arm over my head, look upward and listen.
SMB do help..because they see something in the water.

 

[dive_lover88]

i'm always looking out for those kind of dangers,i most worried when i see OW class being conducted in bays where the boats are anchored while the divers go into the waters. I had boats starting up at the end of the dives when divers are usually least bouyant and that is when the real danger is. SMB is usually useful,but sometimes it can get tangled up in the props and drag the diver into it.

 

[pakman]

Maybe Coz dive shops should consider prop guards...

Here's an interesting article from Dan Asia Pacific.


Safe Ascents: Improving Water Safety in Koh Tao

Koh Tao, a 21square km island sitting in the Gulf of Thailand, has long been a draw card for divers visiting the Kingdom of Thailand. At present there are more than 35 dive operators on the island catering to all kinds of divers from entry level to technical
diving.

The Koh Tao Dive Operators Club (KTDOC) was formed in 2003 to assist these operators. Following several unfortunate incidents over the past few years within Thailand, the dive operators collectively agreed to fit their dive vessels with a propeller guard. They also agreed on all tour leaders and instructors using DSMB (delayed surface marker buoys) when ascending on dive sites.

The first dive operator to lead the way and improve water safety in Koh Tao was Coral Grand Divers. We applaud them for setting an example to their peers by fitting propeller guards on their vessels and for supporting DAN’s ongoing initiatives to improve diver safety. The islands other dive operators are following this initiative and will have their vessels fitted with guards on their annual “dry dock” clean up and repair.

Making this initiative all the more viable for dive operators is the low cost for the guard (plus fitting). At approximately AUD$100, this really is Some of the participants and staff at the DAN courses at ADEX. a very small cost for what is essentially
a life saving device.

Instructors and dive leaders in the area are pleased with this reform as it will allow divers, swimmers, snorkelers, and all water lovers to enjoy the island’s underwater world … safely.

Through their actions, the islands dive operators and the KTDOC have shown forward-thinking and offered great support to DAN’s Diver Below Awareness Campaign. The Thai language posters for this campaign have also gone down well in the region. It is only with the support of divers and dive operators that we will be able to improve the safety of diving for all divers. We applaud this initiative and look forward to an increase in use of propeller guards throughout our region and beyond.

Gary Hawkes, DAN Asia-Pacific’s
Thailand Training Manager

 

[Jason Ooi]

horrible happened sad loss

 

[scubawife]

The article you've included in your post is from 2005. That was a very well publicized accident that happened in March '05. If I remember correctly, they hired a DM but had their own captain (or yacht crew member maybe) drive the boat. He was not a dive boat captain and not familiar with or licensed to operate in the marine park.

If there was an accident recently, this is not it.

I learned from a divemaster in Cozumel that a female diver was hit by a boat propeller and killed last week. I don't further details, but this would have happened around July 31st according to the divemaster. I found this on the 'net:

HARBOR MASTER TALKS ABOUT BOAT DIVING SAFETY MEASURES--Boats to Be Sanctioned & a New Navigational Channel Put Into Effect
El Semanario de Cozumel


Cozumel Harbor Master Genaro Escalante Medina,
represented that last week's accident where a diver was killed when he was dragged into the propeller of his private yacht has made many tourist fearful. However, he emphasized that this was an isolated incident that could have been prevented with more precautions in dealing with Cozumel waters..

The accident, he went on to say had less to do with any inexperience or lack of skill on the part of the captain and more to do with the bad conditions in the water at the time including the sea swell.

He remembered last year there was only one propeller accident which also was not the fault of the captain as the diver in this case was very inexperienced and slipped and fell into the water and was drawn into the propeller. Here again it was an accident where not a single thing could have been done.
.
But to avoid future incidents of this kind he recommended that boat captains--particularly those not intimately familiar with working with divers in these waters -- should turn off their engine and let the diver swim to the boat rather than going looking about for them.

Another safety concern that is currently being dealt with is that some dive boats have been detected circulating very close to bathers principally in the Villablanca and the Paraíso's zone, an area given over largely to tourist .

They are currently cracking down hard on those captains who come in too close or too fast so as to avoid some lamentable accident if there is sea swell. And they can expect very large fines if they are caught doing this.

He represented that future accidents will also be avoided by the new system of marine navigation that is going into effect as part of the Work of the Century Cozumel improvements program that also included the renovation of the downtown waterfront area. Buoys and light signals will be employed to regulate direction, velocity and circulation of boats within the reef area. The regulated channel will extend from the Puerta Maya Paradise Reef area in the north 20 kilometers south to Punta Sur. It will be 100 meters wide.

 

[TheRedHead]

The real danger in Cozumel is ascending without an SMB. Frankly, I'm more afraid of being run down by a recreational boater in Florida.

 

[RonFrank]

This just makes me not want to dive cozumel. What a horrible thing to have happen.

Well in the FL Keys a 12 year old kid ran over a 6 year old kid (killed him), and then right over their boat (it sunk).

So better mark the FL Keys off your list as well....

In fact, I'm not sure there is a place on this earth that is popular with divers where there has NOT been a boating accident. Guess it's time to hang up those fins for good! :11:

 

[DandyDon]

These accident threads are to learn from - so we can avoid the same injuries. Good that such losses are yet rare.

Deer probably kill more people that boats. We lost a family of 4 in Texas recently to a deer collision. Too many deer - no wolves, no cougars in much of the US, no screw worm fly.