Father and son run over by dive charter

[trtldvr]

Good news for the kid; Lets hope luck runs in the family (I could not get the entire article because I am not a subscriber.)


Investigators on Wednesday were trying to piece together how an 11-year-old boy and his father were run over by their dive boat’s propellers in an incident the charter companydescribed as a “tragedy.”
Calvin Adkins, 11, and his father, Jared C. Adkins, 39, both of Harrington, Del., reportedlywere “standing on the stern dive platform and jumped into the water while the vesselwas in reverse gear,” according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission(FWC) accident information form.
Both sustained “severe lifethreatening injuries” after being struck by the vessel’s propellers, the report says.
The boy was taken to Miami Children’s Hospital and the father to Baptist Hospital and both underwent surgery Tuesday, FWC spokesman Bobby Dube said.One of the two had head injuries, but investigators did not know which one as of Wednesday, FWC spokeswomanGabriella Ferraro said.

The family declined to comment to The Citizen when reached by Miami Children’s Hospital employees, hospital spokeswoman Rachel Perry said Wednesday. The boy was in stable condition, Perry said. The latest information the FWC had suggested the father remained in critical condition, Ferraro said.
“There is no indication that they fell in, as the seas were reasonable at the time,” Dubesaid. According to initial interviews with Capt. John Bradyand a mate, there was a safety​

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BY ADAM LINHARDT​

Citizen Staff​

See DIVE


Safe Dives
Trtldvr

 

[BUGBAGGER]

This is not meant as an admonition, just some information.

Those of you who cannot imagine or "would never" be at the rear of the boat, even on the swim step, when the boat is in motion are not familiar with common drift diving procedure and technique.

In most areas, where drift diving is the norm, as is noted in many instructional manuals from various agencies, it is a common practice for divers to be fully geared, standing in positioned at the rear of the vessel while it is "setting up" or in motion to the site. The divers need to be ready to make entry immediately when cued to do so as the Captain calls out dive, dive, dive...

Here are some of the reasons. It is not uncommon for surface currents to be moving in the opposite direction of the bottom currents, or for surface currents to be significantly swifter or occassionally slower than the bottom current. In order for a group of divers to be able to both stay with their dive leader or even their buddy and "land" on the planned dive site it is often important that all divers of a group or buddy team enter in quick succession when the boat is "in position."

If divers are not already up and in position at the rear of the vessel they can be seperated from the group very quickly with even an entry delay of as little as 30 seconds to a minute. In addition, drift diving is frequently done with divers making a negative entry if a swift surface current is expected. This can be a more challenging skill to learn but can be done easily with proper weighting, a proper pre-dive buddy check and a briefing. If divers are delayed upon entry because they were not up and prepared then their seperation from their guide can often lead to disorientation and anxiety which often leads to worse outcomes. In addition, if they are delayed and carried beyond the target site as they descend they can become lost, without any recognizable reference to the dive briefed and again this can lead to a chain of events with dangerous consequences. One of the common errors seen from inexperienced drift divers or those who do not heed the briefing is when a lost diver, who entered late or delayed decending, surfaces unexpectedly apart from the dive leader/float and in the path of their boat or another. Ask any Captain in Cozumel or West Palm Beach how many bad things happen, including injuries, serious near misses and occassional deaths, when divers are not practiced and ready to make an immediate entry when the dive, dive, dive, direction is given.

That being said, I don't dispute that most operators who regularly offer drift diving will usually have the dive leader positioned in the most aft position to confirm that the dive site has been reached, engines are off for entry, and the Captain has given the dive, dive, dive direction BEFORE anyone enters. Some operators with a lot of repeat customers may allow such repeat customers or those very familiar with the procedure to be in the "first off" position. Chains and guards to prevent divers accessing the water are normally removed before the boat begins to "set up" as even the time it will take to disengage and stow these, so that they are not a seperate risk to the divers or propellers, will usually result in the group being off target.

If you have not been drift diving, simply picture scenes you have watched of parachute teams that are lined up, at the door of the aircraft, at the ready to depart the aircraft swiftly when it is at the "drop." This is very much akin to the proper start of a drift dive.

Backing down (backing up) to a drift dive is not the norm but it does happen as previously described. When divers listen to the drift diving briefing, that is essential to proper conduct of a drift dive, they are told under no circumstance to enter the water before the direction dive, dive, dive is given. They are told to always keep one hand for the boat. This means maintain contact with a stable part of the boat with at LEAST one hand at all times. For example, do not pause to remove your mask with two hands because it is fogging when you are standing, in gear, and ready to enter with the boat underway approaching the "drop."

Though we can't know yet and may never know, I suspect as others have noted that either one or both of these divers my have forgotten a key point or two or may simply have found themselves off balance even though they were holding on with a hand. One or both may have become off balance due to pitch and roll from waves, a wake from a passing boat, or by reversal of the engines which they may not have expected. Even experienced DM's who are not on boats on a regular basis often find that standing on a moving platform in dive gear can be tricky. We are top heavy in gear and the muscles we use to stabalize ourselves on a boat do not get tested nearly as much even when we are accustomed to walking on land in gear. Anyone who has spent a boat trip standing the majority of the trip (as dive leaders often do) has discoverd just how many muscles stabalize a body on a moving vessel by the number of muscles that are sore the next day.

I suspect that owing to losing their balance, they fell in or they did not remember to wait for the dive, dive , dive direction. I have seen both occur when I worked on drift diving vessels. (No, I do not work, nor have I ever worked, for this vessel.)

Nevertheless, this is another tragic accident and we can only hope that the final outcome will not be as dire as it currently sounds. My thoughts are with all who are involved or witnessed the accident. If any of them feels able and cares to share their observations we would welcome the first hand account and treat their observations with respect.

 

[trtldvr]

"In most areas, where drift diving is the norm, as is noted in many instructional manuals from various agencies, it is a common practice for divers to be fully geared, standing in positioned at the rear of the vessel while it is "setting up" or in motion to the site. The divers need to be ready to make entry immediately when cued to do so as the Captain calls out dive, dive, dive..."


I have done many drifts as well, in Mexico, the Bahamas and the keys, I have also worked the boats as a DM and an instructor. I have also worked as a diver for the Sheriff's department in the Keys and it was sometimes neccessary for us to do "Live drops". Yes, the divers need to be geared and ready to go and yes, towards the back of the boat, but to have these divers on the platform while the boat was in gear, let alone in REVERSE was just asking for trouble.

Safe dives
Trtldvr

 

[Jax]

Guys, sometimes doodoo occurs without people doing wrong things.

What if . . . . ?

What if they were standing ready, heard a shout, and they jumped?

What if dad / son misunderstood instructions?

What if the stern person had to render aid to someone else (falling over, for example)? The resulting shout might have been the confusion factor.

I'm thinking there must have been a lot of Murphy action going on.

 

[trtldvr]

I'm thinking there must have been a lot of Murphy action going on.

Which is why divers should not be on the platform until it is time to go.


Safe dives
Trtldvr

 

[newfldiver]

As the family members are friends (previous co-worker) of ours, from a current co-worker in DE, the father is doing ok, painful but stable. Calvin, the son, is still intubated, on a lot of pain meds, but smiled at his mom and gave positive reaction with sensitivity to his legs. They are unable to check his motor skills and speech at this time due to the extensiveness of the pain medication. Continue to keep them in prayer, keep positive thoughts and we'll post updates as we hear them!

 

[Splitlip]

"In most areas, where drift diving is the norm, as is noted in many instructional manuals from various agencies, it is a common practice for divers to be fully geared, standing in positioned at the rear of the vessel while it is "setting up" or in motion to the site. The divers need to be ready to make entry immediately when cued to do so as the Captain calls out dive, dive, dive..."


I have done many drifts as well, in Mexico, the Bahamas and the keys, I have also worked the boats as a DM and an instructor. I have also worked as a diver for the Sheriff's department in the Keys and it was sometimes neccessary for us to do "Live drops". Yes, the divers need to be geared and ready to go and yes, towards the back of the boat, but to have these divers on the platform while the boat was in gear, let alone in REVERSE was just asking for trouble.

Safe dives
Trtldvr

I've been on lots of dives where I've been on the platform while captain is setting up. What BUGBAGGER described is pretty much spot on. He beat me to the paratrooper description. Although I did use the "stand in the door" metaphor first. LOL
When I was taking lessons, the JM give the command "Stand In The Door". And I stood in the door with the plane cruising while the pilot and JM were setting us up. When we were set up it was "CUT!". Pilot chopped the throttle and the JM would yell "GO".

Whenever I'm on the platform or step waiting to roll in, I am reminded of that. "DIVE, DIVE, DIVE!"

 

[hypersonic]

My wife and I were doing the 'Washing Machine" off the AquaCat in the Bahamas. Eighteen negative weighted divers dropped in swift current within a minute.

The two of us were on the the stern platform ready to go when I heard "DIVE,DIVE, DIVE".

Damn near jumped in until I realized it was only a fellow diver loudly telling his bud what the Capt would be yelling when it was time to go.

 

[Jax]

My wife and I were doing the 'Washing Machine" off the AquaCat in the Bahamas. Eighteen negative weighted divers dropped in swift current within a minute.

The two of us were on the the stern platform ready to go when I heard "DIVE,DIVE, DIVE".

Damn near jumped in until I realized it was only a fellow diver loudly telling his bud what the Capt would be yelling when it was time to go.

Excellent anecdote. The same thing could have happened to this unfortunate pair.

 

[DandyDon]

My wife and I were doing the 'Washing Machine" off the AquaCat in the Bahamas. Eighteen negative weighted divers dropped in swift current within a minute.

The two of us were on the the stern platform ready to go when I heard "DIVE,DIVE, DIVE".

Damn near jumped in until I realized it was only a fellow diver loudly telling his bud what the Capt would be yelling when it was time to go.

What an idiot! Dangerous to have jerks like that on a boat. I had been silently following this thread thinking that accidents like this just do not happen, but something like that could have. Once a dive briefing starts on a boat, everyone else should speak in whispers until in the water so that crew orders can be heard & followed without confusion. Damn!