Diver left behind - Florida

[dumpsterDiver]

Just to get back to the original story....

I have used this operation many times and dived off of that specific boat many times. They actually have three captains who work on different days. The last time I dived with them (just over a week ago), all three were on board. One was serving as captain, one was serving as a crew member, and the third was just diving for fun. After every dive, the captain calls the roll, and they don't move until verifying that everyone is on board. They have two DMs on board to assist with the diving operations. I have never seen them be anything but perfectly professional in their operation.

What about the "turning around" part of the report? There is a simple explanation.

As their explanation said, it was the second dive of the day, which is a drift dive. The divers divide into groups however they wish, and each group has a dive flag on a float. One of the two DMs will lead a dive pulling a flag, and anyone who wants to can be in that group. The rest can group up as they wish. The rule on those dives is that the diver with the flag is never lost, and it is the responsibility of all other divers in that group to stay with the person holding the flag line. As the dive flags float on the surface, the boat follows them and then picks up the divers as they surface next to their flags.

In this case, the diver surfaced early away from the flag. If I had to guess as to why, I would say that the diver got separated from the group and decided to follow the lost buddy procedure and surface. It can happen, and for that reason, I always carry my own DSMB and spool. That way if I get separated, I can deploy the DSMB immediately, while I am still close enough to the dive flag for the boat crew to see it pop up as they watch the flags. This apparently did not happen, and no one saw the diver's head pop up. That means that they would have been surprised when the dive group came up without one member. That means the guy would have been drifting for quite a while by then. It could have been 40 minutes. There is no way they could have known the diver was missing during this time, unless the rest of the group had followed proper lost diver procedures and surfaced when they could not find that member of the group. That procedure is normally part of the dive briefing on that boat.

From what I read, the boat crew handled the situation very well. I cannot think what they could have done differently.

They provided too little information to even know what happened. if the crew did the right thing, they would have demanded that each person have an SMB. If the guy didn't deploy that, then it is probably "his fault".

The only "forgotten diver" situation I have ever been involved in was as a dive guide and we left the dive site without a diver, we soon realized he was missing (less than 1-2 minutes) and then he ended up being recovered dead off the bottom with his skull split by a prop. It was really sad and a huge legal mess afterwards.

 

[KathyV]

Standing on the coral and waiving because the crew is distracted IS "overreating" It does sound very scary.

You weren't there

 

[pensacolaracer]

Just to get back to the original story....

I have used this operation many times and dived off of that specific boat many times. They actually have three captains who work on different days. The last time I dived with them (just over a week ago), all three were on board. One was serving as captain, one was serving as a crew member, and the third was just diving for fun. After every dive, the captain calls the roll, and they don't move until verifying that everyone is on board. They have two DMs on board to assist with the diving operations. I have never seen them be anything but perfectly professional in their operation.

What about the "turning around" part of the report? There is a simple explanation.

As their explanation said, it was the second dive of the day, which is a drift dive. The divers divide into groups however they wish, and each group has a dive flag on a float. One of the two DMs will lead a dive pulling a flag, and anyone who wants to can be in that group. The rest can group up as they wish. The rule on those dives is that the diver with the flag is never lost, and it is the responsibility of all other divers in that group to stay with the person holding the flag line. As the dive flags float on the surface, the boat follows them and then picks up the divers as they surface next to their flags.

In this case, the diver surfaced early away from the flag. If I had to guess as to why, I would say that the diver got separated from the group and decided to follow the lost buddy procedure and surface. It can happen, and for that reason, I always carry my own DSMB and spool. That way if I get separated, I can deploy the DSMB immediately, while I am still close enough to the dive flag for the boat crew to see it pop up as they watch the flags. This apparently did not happen, and no one saw the diver's head pop up. That means that they would have been surprised when the dive group came up without one member. That means the guy would have been drifting for quite a while by then. It could have been 40 minutes. There is no way they could have known the diver was missing during this time, unless the rest of the group had followed proper lost diver procedures and surfaced when they could not find that member of the group. That procedure is normally part of the dive briefing on that boat.

From what I read, the boat crew handled the situation very well. I cannot think what they could have done differently.

Everything above may be true. ... But, I have heard now from two different sources in the area that the dive boat did it's " turn around"' inside the intercostal waterway after going under the drawbridge and then ran fast enough back out the intercostal to get homeowners attention along the ICW.

If that is indeed the case, which I have not heard confirmed from folks on the boat,, I would have to argue the Captain is playing a little loose with the definition of "turn around".... As those of you who dive in that area would probably agree.

 

[boulderjohn]

Everything above may be true. ... But, I have heard now from two different sources in the area that the dive boat did it's " turn around"' inside the intercostal waterway after going under the drawbridge and then ran fast enough back out the intercostal to get homeowners attention along the ICW.

If that is indeed the case, which I have not heard confirmed from folks on the boat,, I would have to argue the Captain is playing a little loose with the definition of "turn around".... As those of you who dive in that area would probably agree.

I hope that is not true. If it is true, then it is very bad for them. If it is not true, then it is very bad for people spreading false information.

 

[pensacolaracer]

I hope that is not true. If it is true, then it is very bad for them. If it is not true, then it is very bad for people spreading false information.

I could not agree more with you. Too bad the inlet cam can't be rewound and viewed... Or maybe it can.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Everything above may be true. ... But, I have heard now from two different sources in the area that the dive boat did it's " turn around"' inside the intercostal waterway after going under the drawbridge and then ran fast enough back out the intercostal to get homeowners attention along the ICW.

If that is indeed the case, which I have not heard confirmed from folks on the boat,, I would have to argue the Captain is playing a little loose with the definition of "turn around".... As those of you who dive in that area would probably agree.

A recap..

We would like to address the recent sensationalism of a diver being left at sea by the news media. Yesterday a diver had an early ascent on the second dive, which led to that diver surfacing away from the group and float ball. A short time after picking up the other divers we discovered he was not on board and the crew began the search. Following protocol and looking out for the best interest of the diver the crew notified the Coast Guard and local vessels to help expedite the search. We found him shortly thereafter prior to any assistance and are thankful that he was in good spirits and most importantly safe. We place an emphasis on customer service and safety and will continue to look for additional ways to support these standards.
Jeremy Jarosky
Owner


versus:

As for the "story" from the captain... It does not paint a clear picture to me... If he said, we recovered all our divers in the group and immediately performed our roll call. At this time, we realized the diver was not with the group and we immediately notified the USCG and initiated a search.... If he said that... then we know that they did not "forget" anyone.

 

[danvolker]

There is some real sensationalism going on with the news story here....Yes it is BAD when protocol is incorrect, and a diver gets left at sea......On the other hand, whether in Pompano or Palm Beach, being "Left at Sea" is more of an inconvenience than a scary event for any decent diver.....When you are 2 to 3 miles from shore, or closer, this is a comfortable swim, done with a buoyant wetsuit AND the stinking lifevest like BC's we are all forced to wear....Unless the diver is too lazy to kick their legs and swim, I don't see the "danger"....True, the diver needs to keep an eye out for intersecting boaters--which are everywhere--and they might pick him up, or, they might be on a collision course, requiring a dump of the BC and a quick submerge. But the diver's eyes and ears should keep them safe on the surface.

 

[pensacolaracer]

I guess you think South Florida is full of decent divers.

I can count on one hand the number of dive buddies I have who are not at least on a Magnus or more more powerful scooter.

I've made the "got lost, scooter ride of shame" to the beach on several occasions there.

One rule I have on my boat is all cell phones go at the captains helm.

You get lost... End up on another boat, go to shore, get abducted by aliens, etc... Call your own phone when you get to a phone. I'll be standing by to answer and come get you.

Works great.

 

[danvolker]

I guess you think South Florida is full of decent divers.

.

Yeah ..the problem is we have so many divers...we do have a lot of very good divers, and we have a lot of really horrific divers. But here, it is not even diving we are talking about, just surface swimming!
If a diver can't swim 2 to 3 miles with a wetsuit and BC on, he should not have been certified..it should have been a fitness fail.

 

[KathyV]

There is some real sensationalism going on with the news story here....Yes it is BAD when protocol is incorrect, and a diver gets left at sea......On the other hand, whether in Pompano or Palm Beach, being "Left at Sea" is more of an inconvenience than a scary event for any decent diver.....When you are 2 to 3 miles from shore, or closer, this is a comfortable swim, done with a buoyant wetsuit AND the stinking lifevest like BC's we are all forced to wear....Unless the diver is too lazy to kick their legs and swim, I don't see the "danger"....True, the diver needs to keep an eye out for intersecting boaters--which are everywhere--and they might pick him up, or, they might be on a collision course, requiring a dump of the BC and a quick submerge. But the diver's eyes and ears should keep them safe on the surface.

What if the direction of shore is not clear, like you were on a a dusk dive and now it is dark and there are high waves and the "divers eyes and ears" are no longer reliable? And what about the activity of sharks and other predators as your robust, intrepid "decent diver" struggles (hopefully) in the general direction of shore? And it is not always easy to go ashore when you finally find it, if there are cliffs and high waves.

The dive operation should NOT have left the diver behind no matter how good a diver!