Diver missing in Ontario

[Ayisha]

This accident didn't occur in Quebec, so it has nothing to do with the FQAS. I believe the FQAS was developed because of seemingly preventable accidents on the Empress of Ireland, etc. The implication of mentioning that we might need an FQAS type of regulatory body in Ontario seems to be that we're having an inordinate number of accidents, whereas 4 - 5 fatalities per year have been the average for many years.

I mentioned in my post above that none of the fatalities this year would have been preventable by a permit and listed the causes of each accident/death. The only one that we're not sure yet of the official reason for the accident is this one, so that may be one preventable accident out of four SCUBA fatalities.

 

[Blake]

it has been confirmed that the body pulled from the river has been identified as the missing diver RIP
Recovered body identified as missing diver - The Sarnia Observer - Ontario, CA

 

[Mark Derail]

My point being that to get the FQAS, you get another instructor, another exam, another 3 crucial exercises at depth. Plus more expenses, another deterrent.

In this case, the RIP diver would have had at least one other dive before doing the dive that cost him his life. We don't have the other 2 divers' point-of-view on this board; something I wish we did.

My feelings are mixed; one part of me screams "idiots" with the tiny amount of info we have - another me thinks that if I was there first hand, how much remorse I would have. Is this remorse (self) punishment enough?

Thus my initial comment - not surprised if something akin to FQAS is started in Ontario - once this story gets out in full-blown media & such.

I agree that FQAS pushes away divers from elsewhere; however shore dives are never monitored, only "tours". Many quarries are on private land so FQAS doesn't apply / not enforced.

This story bugs the hell out of me. The Scuabamau incident greatly moved posters here on ScubaBoard; so should this story - if not more - as something that should not have happened.

 

[phaust]

jax: tight budget doesnt fit with diving.. if you can't pay 30$.. i don't know with what kind of equipment that person dive..


scubaSteve: the 30$ doesnt go to the gouvernment.. it's a non-lucrative organisation.

bleeb: the 30$ fee is each 3 years. and doenst require exam. you only have to prove to the local dive shop that you dived 10 dive in 3 years.

the 1 month card is for temporary diver( visitors to quebec) few questions asked, logbook check, thats it.

for 30$ each 3 years i got 6-10 diving magazine called " en profondeur" so.. not that bad!


Mark: you paid wayy to much for your fqas.. if you get certified in quebec ( ow, aow, etc) they don't charge you for your exercices since you just pass them while doing your requiered dive


here is my personnal experience.. got arount 100 dives in quebec, never saw any "dive police" and i was never asked my fqas card for filling or diving.
since i never been in a charter in quebec, i can't say if they ask it or not. but 95% of dive site in quebec doesnt need a charter

when i first pass my OW, i paid 15$ for my fqas card, valid for 3 years. when i renewed my card, paid 30$ at my local dive shop, they checked my logbook then signed my approuval and i received the card my mail

i saw a few peoples from outside taking the card and it's was a 10 questions paper, 30$, and they got their card.

 

[ScubaSteve]

scubaSteve: the 30$ doesnt go to the gouvernment.. it's a non-lucrative organisation.

Thanks for your post. If they are not a government agency and are in fact a private company, then what enforcement actions do they have if you dive without a card? Where you dive is not their property so they cannot refuse you access or charge you with trespassing. Also, what does this company do with the funds collected? Do they provide anything at all other than statistics?

FYI.....maybe the OP wants all of the FQAS discussion broken off to another thread.....simply report the original post and ask that a MOD split it off.

 

[phaust]

Thanks for your post. If they are not a government agency and are in fact a private company, then what enforcement actions do they have if you dive without a card? Where you dive is not their property so they cannot refuse you access or charge you with trespassing.

they cannot take any action. in fact, it's probably why we don't see any "fqas enforcer" if a charter ask for it ( for there own safety? ) they may refuse you, but you can argument and show your logbook and im sure it's will do the job"

for the things they do.. statistic, and a scuba magazine that doesnt have a release schedule.. afaik, it's the only thing they do

EDIT: you have a 5 million civil responsability insurance, rebate on paint, aquarium acces, car location,hotels, etc, well.. may worth the 30$ for 3 years.. supposed to have 4 magazines each year..

 

[shoredivr]

You see, I get my insurance throughDAN so that is not an interest for me. No other jurisdiction in Canada requires extra on top of a C-card.

 

[Ayisha]

In this case, the RIP diver would have had at least one other dive before doing the dive that cost him his life.

No, not necessarily. They were doing a shore dive and shore dives don't require a permit in Quebec anyway. They could be certified anywhere and do a shore dive in Quebec without a permit and no SCUBA police.

 

[Dead_eye]

While I feel sorry for the diver who died, the fact remains that he made the decision to do a dive above his experience level.

I have not been diving for a number of years, but even with my previous experience / training, I am now starting back slowly, easy . shallow dives first, gradually going on to more difficult dives. There is no way I would just head for Toby and dive the Arabia.

Common sense people... use your brain, if not the gene pool will not miss you and you won't be a hazard to other divers in the water

 

[DaleC]

Did he make that decision; and what experience did he base that on? IMO (according to the information at hand) the ones who made the poor decision were the two experienced buddies who took someone straight out of OW on that kind of dive and left him alone at depth. We can say the lost diver made the decision to follow but on the first post cert dive how many of us had the knowledge and experience to override those divers who were showing us the ropes.

As for: "Common sense people... use your brain, if not the gene pool will not miss you and you won't be a hazard to other divers in the water". The lesson to be learned here is for people who take new divers out on their first dives. This person paid a high price for their mistake.

And hopefully the lost diver didn't have kids who might read this thread as they would be considered his gene pool. What a thoughtless statement.