Diver missing - Pelham, Alabama

[Phil_cotton]

From what I had put together from a few different sites the lift bag was found earlier in the week (I think Tuesday). When they found it they narrowed the search area down and found him yesterday(Thursday) in the 70 foot range - not sure how close he was to the lift bag. I am sure that till an autopsy and/or someone with knowledge goes over his equipment that cause will not be found - kind of hard to do that at the quarry, and probably was not the highest priority in the minds of the search team. I am sure that they will determine what happened - it may take some time, and the diving public may not necessarily get a report like with airplane disasters on the news, but I am sure the family at a minimum will know.



As I have been training up my two kids to be built in buddies over the last few years, as they are both young and inexperienced if I can not reach out and tap a shoulder/grab a fin etc. I am failing as both a parent and a dive partner. Did have a good experience with a unknown buddy up at Pelham Saturday who was in town and rented some gear but as not a lot of people were diving Saturday we had him join up with my daughter and myself, but over the years I have had those who would seemingly vanish often or just make you wonder WTH...

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

As I have been training up my two kids to be built in buddies over the last few years, as they are both young and inexperienced if I can not reach out and tap a shoulder/grab a fin etc.

I bought the book - Diver Down for my son and we went over some of the acccidents. Don't know if that will work for you but we discussed what would you do in this case....
He is a new Jr OW diver certified last year - he got a Gopro this year and that first dive he took off like a bat out of h*ll... I told him - "you need to keep an eye on me" - if I get into trouble you need to be able to help me... I could not keep up his pace and he did not realize - he was so excited to take video... So sometimes you need to just explain that this buddy stuff is to keep me or both of us safe... But being a buddy works both ways but I knew if I told him he was wrong - it was not going to sit well so I repositioned it to you need to watch me... even though I was the one with the Pony bottle... Good Luck - we have a blast now...

 

[spectre184]

I'm still newb when it comes to diving. Really don't know much about rebreathers or tec diving. But what was the lift bag used for?

 

[nimoh]

I'm still newb when it comes to diving. Really don't know much about rebreathers or tec diving. But what was the lift bag used for?

A lift bag is commonly used to show your position on the surface, making it easy for people to know where you are, and possibly to indicated how much time is left on the dive (if detailed dive plan is discussed in detail with those on the surface beforehand).

It can also be used to indicate a problem, which may have been why it was deployed in this case, however it may also have been deployed just for practice, just prior to the real issue taking place out of sheer coincidence.

 

[Phil_cotton]

Better explanation then what I saw on one of the articles.

UPDATED: Missing diver?s body found in Pelham | Shelby County Reporter
"Ray revealed a technical diver had recovered Gray’s lift bag, a piece of equipment used to come up from a dive, at a depth of around 105 feet in the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 7."

Had mostly thought of them to lift heavy stuff from the bottom before, but can see it being used in place of a SMB - I do not know why but I keep seeing images of divers filling them up at depth and rocketing to the surface(which as we all hopefully know would be a bad thing).

I can see using it in case of a problem to alert someone, or as you mentioned just as some form of signal based on time or other factors - always good information to have.

 

[gianaameri]

I am sure that they will determine what happened -

Generally, autopsies on rebreather divers are inconclusive (other than for identifying the cause of death as "drowning").

The root cause of the fatality cannot be determined by autopsy in many many cases where a rebreather is involved because we all die of hypoxia and a bit of hypercapnia and the tissues in the brain look normal.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Completely off topic, but I know very few rebreather divers who carry individual bailout. Almost all plan for team bailout, because 40's are easier to carry than 80's.

Our little group here in Hawaii tends to opt for more individual BO plans, though I think I'm usually the only one rolling into the water carrying a pair of 80s and 1-2 40s depending on the dive. Once in the water it's fine, but rigging everything up topside is a PITA.

 

[jake11]

This is great Basking Ridge Diver!

I bought the book - Diver Down for my son and we went over some of the acccidents. Don't know if that will work for you but we discussed what would you do in this case....
He is a new Jr OW diver certified last year - he got a Gopro this year and that first dive he took off like a bat out of h*ll... I told him - "you need to keep an eye on me" - if I get into trouble you need to be able to help me... I could not keep up his pace and he did not realize - he was so excited to take video... So sometimes you need to just explain that this buddy stuff is to keep me or both of us safe... But being a buddy works both ways but I knew if I told him he was wrong - it was not going to sit well so I repositioned it to you need to watch me... even though I was the one with the Pony bottle... Good Luck - we have a blast now...

 

[denisegg]

A lift bag is deployed at depth using a reel when a diver is on a deco stop in OW to hold their position at the proper depth.

 

[bamamedic]

I was planning on diving there this weekend, but obviously that trip is probably going to be cancelled if they are still not able to locate him. The quarry is small, but the southern portion drops down to around 150ft and vis is generally horrible even in the shallow parts. I have heard is near blackout at depth. At this point I guess all prayers just have to be that they find the body for the sake of the family.

They'll be open this weekend (Oct 11th and 12th).