diver killed key biscayne

[hlsooner]

What a terrible accident. I was diving in this area on a commercial charter yesterday, and I personally saw five or six boats come too close to us, and we had a huge commercial dive flag flying on top.

 

[Speargirl]

I saw the video and they did have the proper flag flying, If in open water divers are to try and stay within 300' from their divers flag down and if they are inlet it is 100' from their flag. And if someone is going to enter their dive space they should use idle speed.
THIS IS MY TAKE: Only because I am in the water alot here if you see a divers down flag stay clear of the other boat by at least 300' because you know that someone is down. WHY TAKE A CHANCE ON KILLING SOMEONE JUST STAY THE H**L AWAY. THIS MAKES ME VERY UPSET..... AND I TELL YOU WHAT IF YOU PUT MYSELF OR ANY ONE WITH ME IN DANGER BECAUSE YOU WANT TO COME INTO MY SPACE WHEN YOU HAVE A WHOLE D**N OCEAN OUT THERE, YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD REASON...... I ALWAYS, ALWAYS STAY CLEAR OF SOMEONES DIVERS DOWN FLAG, AND ANYONE WHO DOES NOT IS JUST PLAN RUDE IN MY BOOK.............

 

[Lehmann108]

I saw the video and they did have the proper flag flying, If in open water divers are to try and stay within 300' from their divers flag down and if they are inlet it is 100' from their flag. And if someone is going to enter their dive space they should use idle speed.
THIS IS MY TAKE: Only because I am in the water alot here if you see a divers down flag stay clear of the other boat by at least 300' because you know that someone is down. WHY TAKE A CHANCE ON KILLING SOMEONE JUST STAY THE H**L AWAY. THIS MAKES ME VERY UPSET..... AND I TELL YOU WHAT IF YOU PUT MYSELF OR ANY ONE WITH ME IN DANGER BECAUSE YOU WANT TO COME INTO MY SPACE WHEN YOU HAVE A WHOLE D**N OCEAN OUT THERE, YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD REASON...... I ALWAYS, ALWAYS STAY CLEAR OF SOMEONES DIVERS DOWN FLAG, AND ANYONE WHO DOES NOT IS JUST PLAN RUDE IN MY BOOK.............

Rude? No, idiotic of which Florida has an abundance of, unfortunately.

 

[H2Andy]

i think it's probably ignorance

i don't think most boaters know what to do when they see a dive flag

i've heard boaters race up to a dive flag to investigate what it is

terrible accident for the victim, family and friends

 

[BRANDY]

If I see a diver flag I stay 500 ft away. I dive and also have been known to wander too far. These poor guys probably diddnt even see it coming (I hope) freediving and concentrating on breathing and gettin back down. My regards to the family of the killed diver.
I couldnt even imagine watching and waiting on a boat to run me over, yikes.

 

[BRANDY]

Oh I hope that diddnt come across wrong, I meant watching this boat come at you and thinking does he see us, sorry My regards to family

 

[Jason Ooi]

What a terrible accident.....

 

[forgetg]

Not sure if I should post this here, but I must vent, I have done most on my 50+ dives in Key Largo, two weekends ago, the water was a bit rough, so we went on a shallow dive on Molasses Reef, 15 feet....their was 3 other boats within 200 feet of my boat and we all were flying dive flags. our dive was over and I was on the boat and my buddy was on the way up our ladder when one of the local glassbottom boats 65ft long out of Pennycamp came with in 35 feet of my boat and 75 ft of the other boats which still had divers down, he was at idle speed...now I know that a 65 foot boat must draw 4 feet of water which does not leave much room for error, I contacted the FWC and the State Park officials and both said the same, if he was at idle speed, the captain was well with in the law and regulations....what a bunch of BS....this is the last time I will dive any toured sites....just my 2 cents....

 

[james croft]

As a rule of thumb, operators of vessels who are divers respect a dive flag and give it a wide berth. Those that don't tend to be the ones that encroach too close or disregard it due to ignorance.

 

[DennisS]

Thats what the law says, it's ok to approach at idle speed.