Missing Diver

[Alta Scott]

Hi

I need to know some info from experienced divers about my brother that went missing more than nine years ago in a diving incident.

Is there anybody I can e-mail with my questions?

 

[Rick Murchison]

A good place to start would be ith a bit more information... What country?
Rick

 

[Alta Scott]

A good place to start would be ith a bit more information... What country?
Rick

South Africa - Durban South Coast (Park Reinie)

 

[Scuba65]

Tell us what happened? how, when, and was his body ever found etc.

 

[HammerNoMore]

I get the impression that Ms. Scott, understandibly, prefers not to discuss this event publicly. The real question is what kind of information are you looking for?

Are you just looking for more information about scuba diving/accidents that might help explain the problem, or someone with knowledge about the specific event, or somthing else? Let us know and I'm sure someone who can help will be happy to PM you.

James

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Alta,

While its entirely possible that there may be someone on this board with specific knowledge of an incident that occurred off the coast of South Africa involving your brother more than nine years ago, the likelihood is rather remote. Lets see who else responds. Meanwhile...

Please accept my condolences regarding your brother's circumstances.

If you have questions of a more general nature, regarding diving perhaps, I would be willing to attempt to respond to your general questions. I suspect, moreover, that Rick Murchison, that rather gruff and scarey-looking guy in the avatar above, might also be willing to try to assist you with general questions.

You may have better luck sending a PM rather than email.

I hope that you discover some answers that put some of your concerns to rest.

With respect,

Doc

 

[Alta Scott]

Tell us what happened? how, when, and was his body ever found etc.

I will try and give you as much possible information.

They were four dive buddies, which two was my brothers, Rhyno and Gert. They were diving for shells. Two of the divers was on the boat, while my two brothers went down. On their way up the "guide-line" got stuck to a reef and my oldest brother Rhyno told Gert to wait while he goes down and loosens the "rope". When he came up to where Gert was suppose to be Gert was not there. Rhyno and the other two dive buddies dived for nearly two hours looking for him. The NSRI and coast patrol were searching for four days, but found nothing. Not his body. None of his gear washed up. We don't know if he had a blackout (which I still do not know what it means).

He was not a very experienced diver, he only started diving in February 1995 and the accident happened in June 1995. Rhyno said Gert was a very good diver, maybe better than divers with a couple years experience. They never had a log book either (which was pretty strange to me).

This is the story my brother told us. I never saw any of the NSRI reports or the Police docets. I was still very young then (17).

I hope this can help.

 

[DandyDon]

Alta,

I want to thank you for coming to us with your questions. None of us like to hear about a diver's injuries or loss, but these are risks we have to allow for and work to prevent. I'm sure that the brother diving with him has felt horrible about this since.

We might be able to discuss standard procedures for you, although some of these vary with opinions. We could never say whether your surviving brother did the right things are not, but then - we all do our best in life, at times not nearly as good as we'd like, but our best.

Our warmest regards, Don

 

[Wayne A]

Hi

I need to know some info from experienced divers about my brother that went missing more than nine years ago in a diving incident.

Is there anybody I can e-mail with my questions?

Since the accident happened off the natal South Coast your best bet would be to contact SAUU (South African Underwater Union) and see what they can offer you from accident reports etc. Since you seem to know what happened though, I am not sure what more they can offer you.