Filmmaker Rob Stewart dies off Alligator Reef

[Steve_C]

I am not a rebreather diver. But do they have the ability to inflate wing or some such to make themselves positively buoyant at the surface? (Also with camera equipment assuming he was filming) When I reach the surface I immediately add some air to BCD to make me float without effort.

Information from other passed out diver may add some insight as to what went south.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

But do they have the ability to inflate wing or some such to make themselves positively buoyant at the surface?

Yes. Some use their diluent bottle - some use offboard gas for wing inflation.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

This is sad news for the dive and conservation community as he was a strong voice. I hope they are able to retrieve his body so that can look into a cause of death.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I am listening to the search efforts on my VHF radio right now. There is at least one USCG SAR helicopter out there and several boats as well as divers in the water searching for the missing diver.

Lots of people searching -

 

[packrat12]

The Queen of Nassau is about 250' deep. I would suspect that the 2 divers were on 10/50 for their dil. IF they let their O2 content in the loop get low or took a deep enough breath on the ADV while it is connected to the 10/50, there is/may not enough O2 in the loop to keep them conscious. I often will stay on my loop until I sit down so my loop O2 level is important until then. It is quite possible that both got into a hypoxic situation and passed out, one on the deck and one in the water.

 

[cerich]

The Queen of Nassau is about 250' deep. I would suspect that the 2 divers were on 10/50 for their dil. IF they let their O2 content in the loop get low or took a deep enough breath on the ADV while it is connected to the 10/50, there is/may not enough O2 in the loop to keep them conscious. I often will stay on my loop until I sit down so my loop O2 level is important until then. It is quite possible that both got into a hypoxic situation and passed out, one on the deck and one in the water.

the odds of them both making the same mistake seem pretty small assuming they are trained ccr divers (on the units used)

 

[packrat12]

Chris, the odds of 2 divers passing out at nearly the same time from any reason is slim. Even if the gas was contaminated I would have expected different times due to physiological differences. I also doubt they were the only 2 divers using the 'contaminated' gas as this was a multi-day private dive set. The only thing that makes a lot of sense to me is that they both would have had the same PPO2 set points and may have experienced similar circumstances on the ascent and getting to the boat. On this dive, they would be carrying a hypoxic mix regardless and that is a potential commonality along with what is going on in the boat. Going hypoxic in a CCR is a real and potential issue.

All guess work anyway at this point.

 

[cerich]

Chris, the odds of 2 divers passing out at nearly the same time from any reason is slim. Even if the gas was contaminated I would have expected different times due to physiological differences. I also doubt they were the only 2 divers using the 'contaminated' gas as this was a multi-day private dive set. The only thing that makes a lot of sense to me is that they both would have had the same PPO2 set points and may have experienced similar circumstances on the ascent and getting to the boat. On this dive, they would be carrying a hypoxic mix regardless and that is a potential commonality along with what is going on in the boat. Going hypoxic in a CCR is a real and potential issue.

All guess work anyway at this point.

agree.

 

[tilikum]

It seems like deep diving and CCR diving have very narrow error margins and small mistakes can be very unforgiving.

 

[Blackrock]

There is a Go Fund Me page set up for donations to keep the search on.
Click here to support Search & Rescue for Rob Stewart by Tyler MacLeod

Divers and boats in the area can call the Coast Guard command center in Key West with information. 305-292-8729