Fatality at Stage Fort Park - Massachusetts

[gsobrien1]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

But wow, that seems kind of a vague cause that doesn't fit the eyewitness accounts. I've been that guy with his weighting set up all wrong in a dry suit and also that guy floating upside down in a dry suit with his feet sticking up, and while it is really disconcerting and frustrating, it's not a health threat. I would suggest you request the actual death investigation if you want to learn more.

Thank you, that is exactly what I thought!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I was once asked to help out at one of these as an instructor by a shop who was doing the demo days with dui. They have dealers show up to help out. I refused once I found out how it was going to go. Limited time, guess weighting, what I consider proper buoyancy checks not done, and allowing those who had never been in a suit before to use it in open water. My opinion is that those with dry suit experience should be no more than 4 to 1 student to instructor and those with no experience one to one. And not in open water.

 

[SeaCobra]

Nothing stopped us (the instructors) from doing proper weighting checks. I did them one on one until I was comfortable. Same thing with the divers, if I felt I should only take one, then that is what I did.