Mike
Contributor
medical emergency -- stroke, seizure, heart attack... etc...
Diver missing - Grand Cayman
- Thread starter DandyDon
- Start date
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medical emergency -- stroke, seizure, heart attack... etc...
To me that's the only way I can make sense of it, really - using it as a flotation to lie on, and then experiencing some kind of possibly medical event. Because if he experienced the event first, I could see possibly ripping off the BCD in a panic, but to buckle it up again?
But if he was using it to float on, shouldn't it still have been floating when the boat was initially looking for him?
clintar485
New
I was on the boat with the lost diver. His wife boarded the boat after I did. The issue we were having that dive was the wind, current and vis. They went on the deep dive, we went on shallow and we all got pushed out from the boat by the current. After some of us boarded the dive master had to go out and do 2 tired diver tows to help people back to boat. There was then a lot of confusion who was who and where. We then thought in the chaos that we might have over looked him and he might had made his way to the other boat. Heard the BC was torn up when it was recovered.
BUDMANOK
Contributor
how many people were on this boat?
I think there were 3 boats from Sunset Divers, on adjacent dive sites. Their boats can hold 17-20 divers, I think. Don't know if they were full or not.
The search for the missing diver was called off this morning: Search for diver called off - Cayman 27
The search for the missing diver was called off this morning: Search for diver called off - Cayman 27
The search and recovery operation has been called off. Safety of recovery divers at extreme depths, poor topside weather, and decreasing probability of locating the missing diver were all factors in stopping the search, I'm sure.
kimbalabala
Contributor
Reading this has made me rethink a couple of things. When someone does a boat check and their buddy stays below, the distance between them is necessarily much more than 'within touching distance'. Should both divers surface for a boat check? (we haven't had to do one in a long time but I'd like to know what is recommended for if/when we need to do that again). Also, I have learned that we need to stay much closer together during our surface swims. In the past we have just followed one another - at a fair distance - and we won't be repeating that practice. I hate that these accidents/incidents happen, but I'm grateful for the knowledge that is passed along via the discussions. So sorry for this man and his wife.
Very sad situation. One gripe I have about the dive industry is that they (IMO rightly) emphasize the buddy system but are, perhaps, somewhat casual in promoting training and systems that would make it more effective. In particular, widely used proximity sensors, I believe, are key to help reduce accidental deaths (when preventable). In water, and on the surface. Unless one dives with one's soul mate -- and both are super careful -- some separation during diving is common place. Add visibility issues, when something goes awry (e.g., out of air), the chance that a diver is left unto his own is significant. Yes, it's debatable whether a buddy would have been helpful in many situations (even with rescue diver training) -- and panic can put both divers at risk -- but if one is earnest about the import of the buddy system, just preaching to stay in contact/be vigilant is not enough. Technology-wise there are nontrivial challenges because surface communication techniques do not transfer under water readily. But it's probably not a deal breaker if there were a sense of urgency.
Doubler
Contributor
When surface conditions are dicey my buddy and I attach a 6' Jon line to each other. When there is a strong surface current and I have screwed the pooch with my return navigation I would have zero qualms with inflating my Safety Sausage and signaling the boat to come get us. Have never had to do this but I would in a heart beat. 100yards is a long swim bucking waves, wind and current for older divers and their cardio system there is no shame in waiting for a retrieval. Many people are shamed into attempting to swim back to the boat when common sense says call for a pick up. I would much rather float around for half hour in ocean than have a massive coronary because I was to proud to ask.
Back from Cayman. From what I heard they found clothing and a torn up BC. My first thought is a surface attack from a Tiger Shark. There was a similar surface attack on a free diver between Cayman and Jamaica earlier this year at the start of a spear dive. I find it hard to explain a roughed up BC other than by boat or shark. There is no surge and minimal current at depth.
A medical issue wouldn't necessarily make you undress yourself, but if your legs are gone it's easy for pants to fall off.
However, I did see a pitiful display of boat entries and exits due to the bad weather during this trip, so maybe he did just float into the depths. It would be nice if divers actually knew how to swim and had strength enough to get out of the water. I spent a couple days in Grand and went on to Brac and the winds and waves weren't that bad.
A medical issue wouldn't necessarily make you undress yourself, but if your legs are gone it's easy for pants to fall off.
However, I did see a pitiful display of boat entries and exits due to the bad weather during this trip, so maybe he did just float into the depths. It would be nice if divers actually knew how to swim and had strength enough to get out of the water. I spent a couple days in Grand and went on to Brac and the winds and waves weren't that bad.
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