Diver missing from Vandenberg Wreck in Key West

[deeper thoughts]

What is the source of this news? (Please cite.)

rx7diver

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article278032218.html

 

[Jay straith]

I was the president of Canadian artificial reef consultants. We’ve been involved in reusing former naval vessel as diver friendly, artificial reefs in Canada, the United Kingdom, California, Australia, New Zealand and Florida. We were involved in the early stages and the initial shipyard stages of Vandenberg project. We eventually had a fall out with the prime contractor Reefmakers over a number of issues related to this project. We were not involved after the ship was purchased through the Court order sale after its arrest by the Colona Shipyard.
The number of fatalities on Vandenberg is alarming. From my review online and in the DAN reports there are more “ship involved” accidents/incidents per dive than any of the other ships we we involved in to completion.
‘Question: How many divers have died on the Vandenberg? ( not counting heart attack types at surface)
‘Question: On the average tide or at datum what is the depth of the main deck of Vandenberg?

 

[cerich]

I was the president of Canadian artificial reef consultants. We’ve been involved in reusing former naval vessel as diver friendly, artificial reefs in Canada, the United Kingdom, California, Australia, New Zealand and Florida. We were involved in the early stages and the initial shipyard stages of Vandenberg project. We eventually had a fall out with the prime contractor Reefmakers over a number of issues related to this project. We were not involved after the ship was purchased through the Court order sale after its arrest by the Colona Shipyard.
The number of fatalities on Vandenberg is alarming. From my review online and in the DAN reports there are more “ship involved” accidents/incidents per dive than any of the other ships we we involved in to completion.
‘Question: How many divers have died on the Vandenberg? ( not counting heart attack types at surface)
‘Question: On the average tide or at datum what is the depth of the main deck of Vandenberg?

I actually feel that the depth may be too shallow as it "encourages" people to not take penetration serious enough on it, and the wreck is simply not opened up enough

 

[Jay straith]

View attachment 798184
I actually feel that the depth may be too shallow as it "encourages" people to not take penetration serious enough on it, and the wreck is simply not opened up enough

Without getting into the specific recommendations, we made concerning the Vandenberg on all other daughter oriented, artificial reef, we developed “the rule of three” namely if you enter a space within the ship where it is”reasonably foreseeable” that recreational divers with appropriate training would penetrate” there should be 3 ambient light horizontal exits visible after traveling 15 to 20 feet” ie: before you lose site of your entry.
that’s standard has worked very well even on a ship very similar to the Vandenberg , namely the HMCS Cape Breton, sunk off Nanaimo BC in 2001. I did a dive on her just the other week and that rule of thumb for diversity still applies even after almost 25 years.
I was president of the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia at the time, and we did not cut corners or save a few bucks by reducing the number of holes in that ship. Diver safety comes as number one when you’re preparing something like an artificial reef for divers particularly in our colder/darker waters. The comparative lack of incidents here tells the tale.

 

[TravelGas]

The number of fatalities on Vandenberg is alarming. From my review online and in the DAN reports there are more “ship involved” accidents/incidents per dive than any of the other ships we we involved in to completion.
‘Question: How many divers have died on the Vandenberg? ( not counting heart attack types at surface)
‘Question: On the average tide or at datum what is the depth of the main deck of Vandenberg?

Jay, interesting post. How can I access the DAN reports on Diver fatalities ?

 

[johndiver999]

Without getting into the specific recommendations, we made concerning the Vandenberg on all other daughter oriented, artificial reef, we developed “the rule of three” namely if you enter a space within the ship where it is”reasonably foreseeable” that recreational divers with appropriate training would penetrate” there should be 3 ambient light horizontal exits visible after traveling 15 to 20 feet” ie: before you lose site of your entry.
that’s standard has worked very well even on a ship very similar to the Vandenberg , namely the HMCS Cape Breton, sunk off Nanaimo BC in 2001. I did a dive on her just the other week and that rule of thumb for diversity still applies even after almost 25 years.
I was president of the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia at the time, and we did not cut corners or save a few bucks by reducing the number of holes in that ship. Diver safety comes as number one when you’re preparing something like an artificial reef for divers particularly in our colder/darker waters. The comparative lack of incidents here tells the tale.

This is complete speculation on my part, but I have to wonder if the divers who venture over 100 feet deep in frigid Canadian waters have a little more training, more gear and take "the dive" a little more serious than tourists in 84 degree water wearing bathing suits.

 

[KevinNM]

The current on the Vandenberg can be awful. As in it can be impossible to get back to the boat if you lose the line or get blown off the deck. I suspect that this doesn’t help.

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

This is complete speculation on my part, but I have to wonder if the divers who venture over 100 feet deep in frigid Canadian waters have a little more training, more gear and take "the dive" a little more serious than tourists in 84 degree water wearing bathing suits.

A lot of my dive buddies up here, dive with a redundant air source. Our vis can be literally crap.

 

[cerich]

A lot of my dive buddies up here, dive with a redundant air source. Our vis can be literally crap.

places folks go to die in Van the viz can be literally crap as well.. thus the problem

 

[ontdiver]

This is complete speculation on my part, but I have to wonder if the divers who venture over 100 feet deep in frigid Canadian waters have a little more training, more gear and take "the dive" a little more serious than tourists in 84 degree water wearing bathing suits.

To be fair, I think you have to look at all the conditions that might have contributed to an individual incident.