Missing Diver incident

[Bubble Blower 479]

I don't think the CG wants the "diver" to get and return the wristband. I think the the DM could place a tag on the tank valve just before the diver enters the water and removes it when the diver exits. This puts the DM in direct contact with each diver at the beginning and end of each dive. No matter what system you come up with, the human factor is the weak point. The Captain must be the the one to enforce the proceedure. If he doesn't hold the DM responsible then he is at fault.

 

[aquaoren]

A long time ago on this board, one of members-I can't recall who- had a great suggestion. If you're going to leave a tip for the DM's, give them half of the bill in advance (ie. Rip a $10.00 bill in half) and let him/her know they get the other half when you get back.

I guarantee that they will seek you out when the dive is done....!!!

good one

 

[aquaoren]

Let us know more about the D/M's training, if you find out. I am wondering if this was his/her first time on an actual dive boat?

A lot of emphasis goes into training a D/M to use a diver log, but not a lot of emphasis goes into specifying that the D/M should individually check with each diver returning to the boat. The verbal roll call is all too common, and too easy to abuse by buddies who say "yes he's here (somewhere)."

In the tropics on the better boats, the D/Ms will get each diver returning to the boat to sign the return log, and also to report max depth and dive time.

Verbal roll calls just do not cut it.

so do the better dive boat operators in the red sea
the dm checks on each diver and notes the max. depth, dive time and remaining tank pressure
oren

 

[aquaoren]

FWIW...

[1] I've never liked 3-some buddies - solo is better.

[2] Buddy or not - always dive with a safety sausage and whistle.

[3] Aquanuts (Key Largo, FL) has a great system for ON/OFF. You are required to attach an identifying tag (identifies you on their roster list) to your tank. When the dive is over, you provide the tag to the DM at a roll call (like signing in). To get back in, you get a tag to go back on the tank. Back on the boat, you turn in the tag at role call. The boat does not leave untill all tags are in their pigeon holes (a specially made box that visually accounts for every tag).
I've never seen it done better.

isn't there a similar system of tags developed by dan?
oren
sorry, i should read further before starting typing

 

[Power Scuba]

Dan is giving those nifty things away for free. There's absolutely no reason not to have an effective diver check-in system on a boat.

 

[debdiver]

Any one hear any follow up news to this? What did the Coast Guard do? I saw a trailer of that movie OPEN WATER on TV last night, that made me think of this thread.

 

[dazedone]

CG suspended the captain for 2 months. He did his time and has his license back. PADI took no action against the DM's as far as I know. The shop revised its DM policy and all is well. I have no idea what happened with the diver. I have not seen him since the incident. He may or may not be diving again. I don't know.

All I can say is, I just got back from my first dives in Mexico and I am shocked people don't get left behind on a regular basis. No roll calls, so sign-out slate. Dive briefing was "jump in and stay with the DM." But that is off topic for this thread, so we'll just let this thread die right here.

 

[Tiny Bubbles]

Diver says boat crew left him at sea

Friday, January 28, 2005 Posted: 7:39 AM EST (1239 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A diver who says he drifted for five hours after a boat crew left him at sea has sued the diving company for $4 million.
Daniel Carlock Jr. filed a lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Ocean Adventures Dive Co. and its employees, accusing them of negligence, inflicting emotional distress and fraud.

Carlock, 46, alleges Ocean Adventures left him off Santa Catalina Island on April 25, 2004, then lied about his location, delaying his rescue for five hours. He was eventually rescued by Boy Scouts in the area.

He developed skin cancer as a result of extended exposure to the sun that day, according to the lawsuit, which also asks for an unspecified amount in punitive damages.

The president of Ocean Adventures, Stephen Ladd, did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday. His wife said he is leading a diving expedition to the Coral Sea in Australia. Others named in the suit said they had not yet seen it and could not comment.


source: http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/01/28/diver.suit.ap/index.html

 

[Scubatooth]

ok this makes no sense he developed skin cancer from just one day of prolonged exposure?, i dont think so at all cancer doesnt just pop up like that, and if that had been the case i should be dead by now from all those summers working on the Lake at a Boy Scout camp.


there are to many lawyers in the world, maybe we should thin the crowd alittle

 

[scubasean]

Scubatooth,

You focus on the skin cancer(and I fully agree with you on that point), while I focus on the fact that they left him in the ocean...(there are, after all, many icky and gooey[sp?] things like fish and stuff in the ocean...)

And I do not blame this suit on the attorneys...They are indeed a part of it since the plaintiff wouldn't likely get to court without the attorney, but please do not put this all on the lawyers shoulders...Blame them, but also blame your elected legislators, other politicos, the defendant...(oh yes, we mustn't forget the other party...)

You mention that the plaintiff is crazy about the skin cancer, and that the lawyer crowd should be thinned, but make no comment in this latest post (I haven't reviewed the 20-page thread to see if you've made prior comments...my bad if you have) about the boat captain and crew...Is it because you are a DM? What are your thoughts as to any wrong the defendants might have caused?