I recently read that a diver lost his life while diving off the shores of North Carolina. Does anyone know if and what might have happened?
Diver's death in NC?
- Thread starter Fortunediver
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Dunno which ones you mean. Greg Mickey and Richard Pryor were the most recent losses, this past Fall. (Most recent losses that I'm aware of...off NC specifically...)
Mickey was lost off (his) private vessel, when three divers entered the water leaving no one onboard. Swept downstream by current, one managed to doff gear and swim for the boat. Made the boat, but it wasn't his boat, couldn't start it, couldn't lift anchor, called for help. Mickey (allegedly) also doffed gear and tried to make the anchored boat, but could not. The third diver drifted, and was picked up by the Coast Guard ~9PM that evening. Mickey was never found. (Doffing his rig eliminated his access to any signalling options contained on his rig, and made him much more difficult to spot in the water.)
Pryor, unless I'm mistaken, was spearfishing and while he had a buddy, they'd agreed to spearfish alone on the wreck. There is a thread on SB linking to SpearBoard, offering much more detail as well as a heartfelt post from Pryor's father. Pryor was never seen again, and apparently never surfaced.
There have been more than a dozen similar deaths up/down the eastern seaboard during 2005 - it's been a bad year. News releases here:
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050620d.html
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050830d.html
Mickey was lost off (his) private vessel, when three divers entered the water leaving no one onboard. Swept downstream by current, one managed to doff gear and swim for the boat. Made the boat, but it wasn't his boat, couldn't start it, couldn't lift anchor, called for help. Mickey (allegedly) also doffed gear and tried to make the anchored boat, but could not. The third diver drifted, and was picked up by the Coast Guard ~9PM that evening. Mickey was never found. (Doffing his rig eliminated his access to any signalling options contained on his rig, and made him much more difficult to spot in the water.)
Pryor, unless I'm mistaken, was spearfishing and while he had a buddy, they'd agreed to spearfish alone on the wreck. There is a thread on SB linking to SpearBoard, offering much more detail as well as a heartfelt post from Pryor's father. Pryor was never seen again, and apparently never surfaced.
There have been more than a dozen similar deaths up/down the eastern seaboard during 2005 - it's been a bad year. News releases here:
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050620d.html
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050830d.html
Nope, the most recent happend out of Morehead City two weekends ago. Details forthcoming pending typical technicalities.....
Fortunediver, I'm curious as to where you read the article on the incident? I see you're from Ohio, a local paper perhaps?
Fortunediver, I'm curious as to where you read the article on the incident? I see you're from Ohio, a local paper perhaps?
charlieo
Contributor
http://ncdivers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=422
The above has some information.
The above has some information.
The diver died of a massive heart attack. He lived in northeast ohio and dived quarries almost every weekend. He was a divemaster candidate and had a physical back in February which did not indicate any problems and if he had any heart problems, he didnt tell anyone about them.
He was diving with 3 of our other buddies in North Carolina.
The dive was pretty much uneventful and he surfaced normally from the dive and did not indicate any problems until boarding the boat when he asked for help.
CPR was administered for at least an hour while waiting for the helicopter but without success.
Unfortunately, my schedule did not allow me to take this trip with him or I would have been on the boat also, but I have gotten the story directly from those who were there.
This was a sad and traumatic event for our dive group as this diver was one of our "core" members.
His memorial service was held a week ago. I will truly miss diving the quarries and looking over my shoulder to see him hovering above me as he usually was....
He was diving with 3 of our other buddies in North Carolina.
The dive was pretty much uneventful and he surfaced normally from the dive and did not indicate any problems until boarding the boat when he asked for help.
CPR was administered for at least an hour while waiting for the helicopter but without success.
Unfortunately, my schedule did not allow me to take this trip with him or I would have been on the boat also, but I have gotten the story directly from those who were there.
This was a sad and traumatic event for our dive group as this diver was one of our "core" members.
His memorial service was held a week ago. I will truly miss diving the quarries and looking over my shoulder to see him hovering above me as he usually was....
kenoo
Guest
Greg Mickey and two others started thier second dive to 108' at 11am. All three left boat unattended. The Dr. seperated from Mickey and his buddy. Mickey and his buddy could not find the anchor line and began a free ascent, seperated on ascent. The Dr. made it to the boat and climbed on board. Mickey is reported to have been 25 yards from boat and doffed gear for swim to boat. The dr. on the boat cut the anchor line and motored around for about 30 minutes looking for two other divers then split. Then the Dr. took Mickey's boat back to port. The USCG did not get the first call unitl after 4pm that afternoon. (You will have to ask the Dr. why he waited almost five hours to call the USCG). Later that evening a USC C-130 spotted third diver's light and he was picked up around 8:30pm. He was no more that 1/4 mile from original dive location so that contadicts the stories of strong currents.
Mickey has not been found.
The official accident report can be obtained from the USCG in Elizabeth City NC.
Mickey has not been found.
The official accident report can be obtained from the USCG in Elizabeth City NC.
kenoo
Guest
I want to clarify one thing. I found it hard to beleive the USCG was not notified until almost four hours after the incident. The Dr. on the boat is experienced and a good diver from what I have heard. Perhaps the report I read is referring to when the air assets from E-City were notified.
There is a movement to raise money for an arificial reef in honor of the missing diver. The below website has details and how people can contibute. It would be a good way for divers to remember Mikey for years to come.
http://www.captgregmickey.org/
There is a movement to raise money for an arificial reef in honor of the missing diver. The below website has details and how people can contibute. It would be a good way for divers to remember Mikey for years to come.
http://www.captgregmickey.org/
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