Orlando area Firefighter dies during Mini-season

[xjeslesx]

From the news article it sounds like it may have been oxygen toxicity. Having a seizure during the third 100' dive of the day points in that direction. I'm sure the news agency wouldn't have known if the diver was using Nitrox, or even known what Nitrox is.

This is a terrible accident. My condolences to the family.

 

[nurselaw]

This story has me a bit scared. I'm stunned that * FIVE * scuba divers died in a two day period over this lobster event.

I want to know HOW they died.

Were they caught up in the hysteria of getting as many lobsters as possible that they lost track of time, lost track of depth, causing loss of air or nitrogen poisoning?

Were they people who somehow got scuba equipment without certification?

Were they drunk or high?

I have so many questions because I just started scuba diving and the idea of * FIVE * deaths during this two day diving event is terrifying to me.

How did this happen???

I can speak from personal knowledge about one of the five who died. He was my brother and I was in Key West with him, but not on the dive. He was an experienced diver who was gathering lobster and ended up more than 300 yards from the boat. He had been diving this same spot in Key West every lobster season for more than 10 years. He surfaced in front of a boat too late to avoid being hit head on. We know that the boat had passed him and then turned around. This may explain why my brother surfaced thinking the boat had passed. We will never know.

 

[Splash-X]

nurselaw,

Sorry to hear about your brother. Any idea if the boat was the boat he was diving from or just another boat in the area?

My last trip to the keys (Marathon) was in May and we had fishermen pull up maybe 10-20 yards from where the dive boat was anchored and motored around totaly ignoring the diver down flag. This was pre-mini season.

 

[DandyDon]

Very sorry for your loss Nurselaw. I can understand the reasoning in the idea that he may have thot the boat had already passed and gone. Damn.

 

[fedfirediver]

Condolences to the family and to the Reedy Creek Fire Department Family.

From the NDW Fire Dept Patuxent River Station.

 

[AuburnFan]

Very sorry for your loss Nurselaw. I can understand the reasoning in the idea that he may have thought the boat had already passed and gone. Damn.

Hate to be a stickler but spelling is a pet peeve of mine. Fixed it for you.

 

[AuburnFan]

I can speak from personal knowledge about one of the five who died. He was my brother and I was in Key West with him, but not on the dive. He was an experienced diver who was gathering lobster and ended up more than 300 yards from the boat. He had been diving this same spot in Key West every lobster season for more than 10 years. He surfaced in front of a boat too late to avoid being hit head on. We know that the boat had passed him and then turned around. This may explain why my brother surfaced thinking the boat had passed. We will never know.

My condolences. I have lost a sibling before also and know the pain.

 

[JJTNJ]

Thank you for sharing that info, Nurselaw. I'm so sorry for your tremendous loss.

Just sharing has opened my eyes to a very real threat that I had not even thought about.

What a tragedy.

 

[DandyDon]

Thank you for sharing that info, Nurselaw. I'm so sorry for your tremendous loss.

Just sharing has opened my eyes to a very real threat that I had not even thought about.

What a tragedy.

I know. I have ascended away from the boat or flag many times without shooting a sausage. No more.

 

[DennisS]

This story has me a bit scared. I'm stunned that * FIVE * scuba divers died in a two day period over this lobster event.

I want to know HOW they died.

Were they caught up in the hysteria of getting as many lobsters as possible that they lost track of time, lost track of depth, causing loss of air or nitrogen poisoning?

Were they people who somehow got scuba equipment without certification?

Were they drunk or high?

I have so many questions because I just started scuba diving and the idea of * FIVE * deaths during this two day diving event is terrifying to me.

How did this happen???

One guy was hit by a boat, no one died from reckless behavior, there is no indication that anyone was drunk or stoned.

They were probably all certified

People die diving, people die on golf courses and people die shoveling snow.

Be careful diving, crossing the street and driving the interstate.

It was an average year, there were thousands of divers in the water, thousands of boats and an I've got to get mine, gold rush mentality.

Sometimes dives don't go as planned. You should consider what would you do if you were on a dive and things didn't go as planned. My worst case scenario is getting tangled in a ball of spiderwire fishing line or a net while solo diving.