Lobster diving fatality - Gaviota, California

[DandyDon]

UPDATE: Diver found dead in Gaviota identified

Santa Barbara County Firefighters responded to a water rescue Saturday morning.

www.ksby.com

Santa Barbara County Firefighters responded to a water rescue Saturday morning.

Fire officials say they got the call at around 7 a.m. for a water rescue near Highway 101 just south of Mariposa Reina.

The diver had been lobster diving since 3 a.m., according to fire officials.

Approximately an hour into the search fire officials say the diver was found dead within the search area.

The name of the diver has not been released.

 

[Jhathaway]

I had some friends at the USC Wrigley facility on Catalina this past week who saw a diver fatality landing in a Sheriff helicopter at the chamber. I wonder if this was the incident or if it is unrelated?

 

[DandyDon]

Santa Maria man identified as diver whose body found near Gaviota

The exact circumstances including cause of death have not yet been released.

keyt.com

 

[Sam Miller III]

1) The victim was not a diver or diving
2) He was a kayaker
3) He was tending his hoop nets hunting for lobsters
4) He had on a wet suit for thermal protection == therefore a "diver"

 

[DandyDon]

1) The victim was not a diver or diving
2) He was a kayaker
3) He was tending his hoop nets hunting for lobsters
4) He had on a wet suit for thermal protection == therefore a "diver"

Ok, well, a dozen news stories call him a diver. Got a source?

 

[Sam Miller III]

Yes-- sources
All the locals

The local news erroneously reported the event
others followed compounding the error

SCUBA Board can join the crowd to continue the original news report
Or contact the rescuers at Gaviota for clarification

 

[Harbor_Seal]

An acquaintance who works for the Santa Barbara Police department and who is also a diver and lobster hunter confirmed the person was kayaking/fishing and not diving. Although they were pulled from the ocean in a wetsuit, there was no diving gear.

The inaccurate news reports might be based on someone inaccurately/incompletely filling out the incident report. I'll be surprised if the news outlets correct their reports.

When kayaking at night, I ALWAYS wear a wetsuit in the waters off Santa Barbara.

 

[Harbor_Seal]

I had some friends at the USC Wrigley facility on Catalina this past week who saw a diver fatality landing in a Sheriff helicopter at the chamber. I wonder if this was the incident or if it is unrelated?

Can't find any information about this in the news... which is a bummer because most divers I know, would like to be reminded how we can die and how to prevent future problems.

 

[DandyDon]

When kayaking at night, I ALWAYS wear a wetsuit in the waters off Santa Barbara.

Do you wear a floatation vest on such outings? I know that a wetsuit helps, but for him not so much.

 

[Jhathaway]

Can't find any information about this in the news... which is a bummer because most divers I know, would like to be reminded how we can die and how to prevent future problems.

Agreed it was definitely eye opening for their student group doing scientific diver training at the facility... They were briefed that it was a diver fatality being flown in and out on the sheriff helicopter but not given any details beyond that. I'm having trouble connecting the dots however. It seems to me that a fatality, diving related or not, would be flown to a hospital on the mainland, not a chamber?