diver killed key biscayne

[ponypix]

Diver killed
BY DAVID OVALLE
dovalle@MiamiHerald.com
The propellers of a boat named Paradise Found killed a diver and chewed up the flippers of another man who survived unscathed Saturday morning.

The dead diver is XXX, 33, of Hialeah Gardens, a state spokesman said. The survivor is Orlando Lanza.

The fatal accident happened about 9:30 a.m. five miles southeast of Cape Florida.

''It's probably this guy's luckiest day,'' said Jorge Pino, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, of Lanza. ``He must have had an angel watching over him today.''

Skippered by Capt. Tye Stevens from Virginia, the 76-foot Paradise Found was cruising from Fort Lauderdale to the Florida Keys.

Nearby was a 50-foot boat that XXX and Lanza were free-diving from. State investigators are still trying to figure out how far XXX and Lanza were from their boat when the accident happened.

Somehow, Pino said, the Paradise Found passed over XXX and Lanza, injuring XXX so bad that paramedics later prepared to amputate his left leg from the groin down.

A Miami-Dade police marine patrol boat rushed him to Key Biscayne's No Name Harbor and to an emergency helicopter. Doctors pronounced XXX dead at Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

 

[DandyDon]

Can you edit out the names, please - as required by posting rules in the Sticky on this forum...?

Horrible accident, sad loss. News articles often do not have the facts we need to learn from, like was the boat flying a Diver Down flag, were the divers towing any markers, were they free diving in a channel (suicide) or was the moving vessel out of bounds? Doesn't sound like anyone was onboard the anchored boat to hail the other one on radio. Needless, considering the protocols that should have been used to prevent this.

 

[deepstops]

Can you edit out the names, please - as required by posting rules in the Sticky on this forum...?

Horrible accident, sad loss. News articles often do not have the facts we need to learn from, like was the boat flying a Diver Down flag.

Don,

If the article is in a public newspaper, there's no reason to exclude the names. My sincere condolences to Mr. XXX's family and loved ones.

Here's a different link that includes video of both boats involved (and yes, they were flying a dive flag): http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_062150506.html

 

[El Orans]

(1) Events will be "scrubbed" of names. You may refer to articles or news releases already in the public domain, but the only name you may use in this forum is your own.

Please read the "Special Rules - Please Read" sticky for this forum.

 

[DandyDon]

Don,

If the article is in a public newspaper, there's no reason to exclude the names. My sincere condolences to Mr. XXX's family and loved ones.

Here's a different link that includes video of both boats involved (and yes, they were flying a dive flag): http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_062150506.html

If you'd like to ask why for that rule, that might be an appropriate question for the Support forum?

Thanks for the link. So they were flying a dive flag. I'm not a boater, so I wouldn't know how difficult it would be to see one like that. It doesn't sound like anyone was onboard the anchored boat to hail the other one on radio - one more reason to never dive from an unattended boat.

 

[DennisS]

There's no guarantee that the other boat had their radio on channel 16 or could have heard it over the stereo. Diving from unattended boats is pretty common down here, so are morons in big boats ignoring dive flags.

If I see a boat sitting still in the water I change course and give it a wide berth, they may be fishing, diving or having lunch. I don't plow on without changing course, because it's my right. It was described by local law enforcement as "just an unfortunate accident", as if nothing could have been done to prevent it.

 

[DandyDon]

There's no guarantee that the other boat had their radio on channel 16 or could have heard it over the stereo. Diving from unattended boats is pretty common down here, so are morons in big boats ignoring dive flags.

I was diving off the northeast shore of Catalina Is CA once one of the Boy Scout boats headed our way, perhaps for a closer look at what we were doing? I waved them away from the bow - maybe it helped, as they did veer off. One would think the Boy Scouts would teach Flag IDs and boating courtesies.

As I said, I'm not a boater, but diving from an unattended boat doesn't sound good, even tho it's done - especially five miles out. I have done it with a couple of local divers nice enough to take me along. They said they do it a lot, and we did discuss what-ifs. We were close to shore, I was certain I had enough weight to stay down, managed my air closely, and listened for sounds closely on ascent. Not possible free diving, of course.

If I see a boat sitting still in the water I change course and give it a wide berth, they may be fishing, diving or having lunch. I don't plow on without changing course, because it's my right. It was described by local law enforcement as "just an unfortunate accident", as if nothing could have been done to prevent it.

You seem like a courteous boater. Don't you wish more were?

 

[Richesb]

Facts as of this morning;
The divers were free divers and no mention of how far from their boat they were when accident happened.
Miami Herald

 

[1_T_Submariner]

My sympathies and thoughts to friends, family and all involved. Wishing the survivor a complete recovery.

I don't remeber being told how close to the boat divers are suppose to stay? I guess I need to look that up.

 

[james croft]

It was described by local law enforcement as "just an unfortunate accident", as if nothing could have been done to prevent it.

I investigate such incidents and have seen my share of prop injuries. We don't dismiss these incidents as an "accidents." We refer to them as boating incidents. Accident implies it is just one of those things that happen.

There is usually a cause that one or more parties create by improper, careless or illegal activity that causes injury or damage. Florida Marine Patrol has a well trained group of marine investigators and will no doubt find the cause of this tragedy.