OP
dishonored
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I see that, I am very new to the entire dive seen. How to free divers deal with this then? I have never heard of an undertow offshore, just your standard currents.
Diver missing Louisiana rigs...
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Aprilgranier1
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Yes he was in gear. He has been a diver for many years, 20+. Many volunteers went early this morning and began to search again, along with officials. As of right now I'm waiting on a evening report. But he was very experienced and in gear.
bbarnett51
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April I don't have anything to add other than my prayers. Keep us posted.
Was he scuba diving or free diving?
Was he scuba diving or free diving?
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I think the use of the word "undertow" in the articles are simple journalistic mistakes. Rip currents are too often called undertows by mistake, and neither happen in open sea - nor do I think the nearby rig would cause one. More info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undertow_(wave_action)
Trying to guess at the real story behind the news articles, it sounds like he surfaced some distance from the boat, tried to swim back, and went under - perhaps overcome by waves. One article did mention he was wearing weights, so I guess he was wearing neoprene and would have bobbed to the surface if he'd dropped them. When lost scuba or free divers are found, they usually still have their weights on.
But miracles do happen in such stories. I hope he is able to post his story himself here soon, or with a new agency that will relay it with accuracy.
OP
dishonored
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Still praying for you and your entire family April. Hoping for the best.
Don, thanks for the explanation, that is what I wasn't understanding. How there could have been an "undertow" in the open water. A rip current at the surface is new to me as well. Like I said, I was considering some free diving when my basic gear came in with my spear but that article had be worried for a minute.
I had only heard of strong currents that could surface you farther from the boat or tire out easier beneath.
Maybe a medical related incident while swimming back to the boat.
Again my prayers to the family.
Don, thanks for the explanation, that is what I wasn't understanding. How there could have been an "undertow" in the open water. A rip current at the surface is new to me as well. Like I said, I was considering some free diving when my basic gear came in with my spear but that article had be worried for a minute.
I had only heard of strong currents that could surface you farther from the boat or tire out easier beneath.
Maybe a medical related incident while swimming back to the boat.
Again my prayers to the family.
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Get a snorkel vest and wear it.
briankinley2004
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April our prayers go out to your family. The incident occurred at the rig South Timbalier 185 about 40 miles offshore. I heard a call around 9 am from a fishing vessel on this rig to the US Coast Guard concerning a missing diver. I also heard the same boat calling another nearby boat requesting them to assist in locating the diver. After a while I received a call from the distressed vessel for any boats in the vicinity to reply. I was approximately 6 miles away and responded. I was asked to radio the Coast Guard as the they were unable to get them. I was able to relay the emergency and coordinates to the USCG. We then headed to the area. There was a 3-4' chop on the water with white caps. Two crew boats working the area also headed that way. We were the first boat on scene other than the two that were there when it happened. The crew boats radioed that the current was 1 1/2 to 2 knots due east so we immediately went 3 miles East of the rig and began a North/South pattern working towards the rig. Other boats came in and began the same. A USCG plane and helicopter arrived probably around 11am. It was on the radio the diver was wearing a yellow tank and a blue BC which should have been visible. USCG said they were using infared cameras to scan the area.
Not to cause assumptions but just an observation. Another boat out helping in the search with a friend of mine on it said that he ran into the boat with the missing diver a little later that day at a nearby rig. They told him the diver came up with a large grouper. They said he floated by the boat with the fish and never looked at them or made any attempt to grab the current line they had behind the boat. Also I met the first boat on the scene at the dock later and they said the boat stayed tied to the rig quite a while waiting for another diver to come up.
Again our prayers go out to the family and hopefully he will be found
Not to cause assumptions but just an observation. Another boat out helping in the search with a friend of mine on it said that he ran into the boat with the missing diver a little later that day at a nearby rig. They told him the diver came up with a large grouper. They said he floated by the boat with the fish and never looked at them or made any attempt to grab the current line they had behind the boat. Also I met the first boat on the scene at the dock later and they said the boat stayed tied to the rig quite a while waiting for another diver to come up.
Again our prayers go out to the family and hopefully he will be found
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dishonored
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Brain you may have been who I heard on the radio. Did you relay on the emergency channel? We were around G.I. 47.
It was definitely nasty around mid day out there. It wasn't 3-4' rollers for sure. We couldn't tie to the rig, we had to stay positioned using the motor and if the wind caught drift out and do it again.
That is very kind of you to aid in the search!
Not to assume but from what it seems, this may have been a medical related accident while diving and not a careless dive mistake.
It was definitely nasty around mid day out there. It wasn't 3-4' rollers for sure. We couldn't tie to the rig, we had to stay positioned using the motor and if the wind caught drift out and do it again.
That is very kind of you to aid in the search!
Not to assume but from what it seems, this may have been a medical related accident while diving and not a careless dive mistake.
dumpsterDiver
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How deep was the water on that rig? The diver ascended with a large grouper and was unresponsive on the surface, was observed by the vessel operator and he was allowed to drift off at the surface in choppy water ... and the boat operator saw this and refused to cut loose from the rig and pick him up?
Why not cut loose, pick up the diver and motor back to the rig and wait for the other diver(s) to ascend in the vicinity of the rig?
I would think plucking the guy out of the water, especially when he is towing a bloody shark magnet would be a top priority. If they were close enough to see he had a large grouper, they should have been able to communicate with the diver?
Why would an experienced diver drift off behind a boat in a strong current with a large grouper?
My guess would be two possibilities.... medical issue and/or rapid ascent that incapacitated the diver. However, even if the diver was deceased, most likely he would be found on the surface if they knew the time and current velocity when he came to the surface?
Sounds like a strange situation. Very sorry to hear about this accident.
Why not cut loose, pick up the diver and motor back to the rig and wait for the other diver(s) to ascend in the vicinity of the rig?
I would think plucking the guy out of the water, especially when he is towing a bloody shark magnet would be a top priority. If they were close enough to see he had a large grouper, they should have been able to communicate with the diver?
Why would an experienced diver drift off behind a boat in a strong current with a large grouper?
My guess would be two possibilities.... medical issue and/or rapid ascent that incapacitated the diver. However, even if the diver was deceased, most likely he would be found on the surface if they knew the time and current velocity when he came to the surface?
Sounds like a strange situation. Very sorry to hear about this accident.
briankinley2004
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Yes we relayed the information on ch16. We left Belle Pass at 6 am and met smoothe seas. At about 30 miles (or the circle) it changed to 3-4's very choppy out of the west. We had no trouble staying tied as the wind and current were both going easterly. We were diving the ST170's at the time and the current was not so strong that you couldnt swim to the rig. My wife dove this one and said there was current to 20 ' then slack blue water underneath. Have never heard of a rig causing an under tow as reported by the press. There were no visible rip lines or water color changes observed in the area. It was dirty green on top with blue water at 20'
---------- Post added June 16th, 2013 at 09:21 PM ----------
Dumpster it is about 180' out there and there is usually a murk layer making the bottom not visible. My thoughts as well on the untying. We have had this happen with divers in the water and we immediately cut loose and go to the floating diver. The one other can hold on to the rig until the boat returns. Its hard to second guess someone else if your not there and I don't want to judge what happened, again just an observation. I just wonder if he was having issues and deflated to try and get below the current. The grouper could have come back to life and pulled him down or if he had other issues may not have been capacitated enough to re surface
---------- Post added June 16th, 2013 at 09:23 PM ----------
Also a reminder to have a safety sausage. With all the boats in the area a nautilus would have paid off too if he were simply adrift.
---------- Post added June 16th, 2013 at 09:21 PM ----------
Dumpster it is about 180' out there and there is usually a murk layer making the bottom not visible. My thoughts as well on the untying. We have had this happen with divers in the water and we immediately cut loose and go to the floating diver. The one other can hold on to the rig until the boat returns. Its hard to second guess someone else if your not there and I don't want to judge what happened, again just an observation. I just wonder if he was having issues and deflated to try and get below the current. The grouper could have come back to life and pulled him down or if he had other issues may not have been capacitated enough to re surface
---------- Post added June 16th, 2013 at 09:23 PM ----------
Also a reminder to have a safety sausage. With all the boats in the area a nautilus would have paid off too if he were simply adrift.
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