Lifeboat rescues diver showing signs of 'the bends' in Cornwall

[VThokieChE]

Lifeboat rescues diver showing signs of 'the bends' in CornwallBBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-65995637.amp#content
Lifeboat rescues diver showing signs of 'the bends' in Cornwall
56 minutes ago

IMAGE SOURCE,PENLEE LIFEBOAT
Image caption,
Penlee Lifeboat was scrambled to a dive vessel to treat the diver who was suffering from signs of "the bends"
A diver suffering from "the bends" was rescued by a crew from an RNLI station in Cornwall and airlifted to hospital.
Falmouth Coastguard contacted Penlee Lifeboat Station at 17:40 BST on Thursday following reports a diver on a 42ft (12.8m) dive vessel south of Porthcurno needed medical assistance.
Penlee All Weather Lifeboat was deployed, the station said.
A spokesman said the diver showed "signs of the bends and an ambulance was requested".

He said two crew members cared for the diver, who was showing signs of sickness caused by a rapid decrease in pressure, on board the vessel which followed Penlee Lifeboat to Newlyn Harbour.
Divers can suffer from decompression illness - commonly known as "the bends" - where gas bubbles form in tissues or the blood during a rapid ascent.
At the pontoon, the diver was transferred to the lifeboat to be treated by paramedics before an ambulance took them to Penzance Heliport, where they were flown by a Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for treatment, the charity said.

 

[Wibble]

Alas a not too uncommon event.

Remember sailing along the English Channel a few years ago where there was a call over the radio to the coastguard from a dive boat requesting help for a diver who'd ascended too quickly. A helicopter was dispatched. About 20 mins later another dive boat called the coastguard to say they had a diver that had problems too. In the background of the coastguard radio we all heard someone say "what, another one?". So the helicopter did two pickups to drop the divers off in the nearest 'pot' (recompression chamber).

One of the good things about sailing/diving/boating in the UK is all the emergency services are free. Sure, you may be shouted at by the lifeboat/coastguard for being a bloody idiot, but they will rescue you.

Unlike in France where the lifeboat will charge you a substantial fee for their assistance, so you constantly hear the French coastguard asking for other boats to help.

 

[DandyDon]

One of the good things about sailing/diving/boating in the UK is all the services are free.

Yep, the coastal lifeboats are manned by volunteers and supported by charitable fundraisers. I guess all of that goes back to the UK's original traditions of the sea.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Kudos to the volunteers who assisted... It is for scenarios like this that I always have a full 80CF Al with 100% O2 onboard my boat along with a fully O2 cleaned reg set AND a RescuEAN......so even if I'm just fishing, crabbing or shrimping....and not diving that day, I still can respond to a diver emergency if within range and have a large quantity of 100% to be able to assist and supply if needed...

 

[Edward3c]

Yep, the coastal lifeboats are manned by volunteers and supported by charitable fundraisers. I guess all of that goes back to the UK's original traditions of the sea.

In the U.K., Air/Sea Rescue is not part of the RLNI. It’s provided by the military - and in select locations by the Coast Guard itself.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Yep, the coastal lifeboats are manned by volunteers and supported by charitable fundraisers. I guess all of that goes back to the UK's original traditions of the sea.

Here in Italy everything is free: coast guard lifeboat, ambulance, navy helicopter, pressure chamber treatment.
I was involved in one rescue when one of the customers I was diving with (I was the DM) suddenly panicked and ballooned up from 42 m with a deco obligation.
We were both transported by a navy helicopter from the Favignana island to the pressure chamber at Ustica island.
We arrived at the chamber in less than 2h from the event.
After treatment, we had to sleep one night in Ustica, before the second treatment the following morning.
We were given lodging at the local firefighter station. Also this for free.
Italy has a lot of costs for maintaining our public apparatus, which causes high taxation to the rich people.
But when you need it, you suddenly understand that all that taxes are paid for a good reason.