Diver missing at Cocos Island, Costa Rica

[Beancounter1951]

Ask Undersea Hunter, they are the ones that took him out.
Here are tidbits that are NOT from a signed statement.
His buddy saw him drift off at 30ft or so on his last deco obligation. Kent signaled ok to him. But he never stayed with him off the line. Once the buddy was back on Argo he noticed Madsen not on board. Search started then. His rolled up reel with the inflated smb was found on the rocky shoreline, it was attached to his crotch strap apparently with its end shredded. No body recovery or other equipment after extensive sub and diver search. No computer recovery.
He went doing what he loved.
He wouldnt want blame pitched around.
He was a man that loved adventure.
I will miss him dearly.
If this can teach us something great but please don't speculate, you know the family is reading our words.

Thank you for your post

 

[CRDiver2007]

Ask Undersea Hunter, they are the ones that took him out.
Here are tidbits that are NOT from a signed statement.
His buddy saw him drift off at 30ft or so on his last deco obligation. Kent signaled ok to him. But he never stayed with him off the line. Once the buddy was back on Argo he noticed Madsen not on board. Search started then. His rolled up reel with the inflated smb was found on the rocky shoreline, it was attached to his crotch strap apparently with its end shredded. No body recovery or other equipment after extensive sub and diver search. No computer recovery.
He went doing what he loved.
He wouldnt want blame pitched around.
He was a man that loved adventure.
I will miss him dearly.
If this can teach us something great but please don't speculate, you know the family is reading our words.

Thank you for posting this. Very sad to hear and sincere condolences to you and his family.

 

[Kay Dee]

Dived there once and did not set foot on land

Dived there for a month basically (two back to back trips) back in the day and with ranger permission stayed / camped on land for several days when Hunter went back to CR to pick up next group. Very cool.

Back on topic; is the consensus now that the only dive gear of deceased found on Mauleita was his smb and reel i.e. not his RB as first assumed?

And of course, condolences to his family and friends, and the stella Hunter crew.

 

[Stoo]

I had two friends on that trip. One of them texted me from CR while I was in Belize.

It's not my place to divulge what I was told, other than I will say it was a group of experienced rebreather divers. The only gear located was indeed a reel and SMB with a bit of harness attached.
(Mod edit)

 

[chillyinCanada]

---

---

A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Certainly these reports of divers having gone missing or known to have died, are posted here with hope of helping us learn how to be better divers.

We also need to be sensitive to the fact that the diver's family and friends are reading this thread. Even though we are quite clear in advising the family that they shouldn't read it, it still happens. When you write your posts, please write it as if your own family and friends are reading about your own family member.

This subforum is not the place for bickering either.

Further, condolences do NOT belong in this thread and have been moved to the proper thread for doing so.

---

 

[micboudreau]

I dove with Kent in Canada, but lost touch a few years back. He was a very diligent and experienced rebreather diver never taking any shortcuts about safety. He died doing what he loved.