Palm Beach diver loses arm as group hit by boat - Florida

[KathyV]

Carter Viss's Mother posted today that he is doing better and that they were doing surgery to repair his left wrist. She said that on Thanksgiving the doctors debated amputating both of his legs but decided to try and save them.

Carter's co-workers at the Loggerhead Turtle Center have donated their personal paid time off so that Carter can have 3 months off with full pay.

 

[islanddream]

Here's an article related to Carter's accident. I hope these people have to cover all of Carter's expenses. I think they can afford it!

Reports differ on whether Palm Beacher saw flags before hitting snorkeler

 

[johndiver999]

Wow Multi-millionaire driving his boat at high speed right along the beach and inshore of the reefs and buoys. Surely he had to know that snorkelers frequent those popular reefs, but he chose to drove a boat with apparent total disregard for those people.

Do we know if FWC even tested the operator for alcohol??

The following seems to indicate absolute total disregard for safety. Surely he should have been able to see a paddle board and a two person kayak if operating the vessel with any diligence. It was a bright clear sunny day.

A slightly larger dive flag would have been disregarded as well.

Christine Raininger, who was with Viss, also had her paddle board with her that day. She said she was in the water, but had come up to the surface and was talking when Talley Girl sped between her and the beach. She said they were in about 12 feet of water.

“He passed by me with my paddle board and dive flag and a two-person kayak,” said Raininger, who said she screamed at the boat. “Then he struck the dive flag of the victim. The dive flag was literally tied up in the propeller when he came in to shore.”

 

[islanddream]

No info has come out if they tested the operator for alcohol.

 

[wgw04024]

If it was my kid, I would certainly consider taking care of it myself...

 

[Bob DBF]

Do we know if FWC even tested the operator for alcohol??

Considering two different reports pointed out the presence of alcoholic beverages aboard and open, I would be shocked if they didn't test, but I don't know how much they share during an investigation.


I don't know if this is common practice in Florida, but it wouldn't cross my mind to run a boat at high speed in 12' of water, 200' from shore, and inside a reef. Poor seamanship, even without the possibility of people being present, there are just too many things that can go wrong very quickly.


Bob

 

[CuzzA]

Wow Multi-millionaire driving his boat at high speed right along the beach and inshore of the reefs and buoys. Surely he had to know that snorkelers frequent those popular reefs, but he chose to drove a boat with apparent total disregard for those people.

Do we know if FWC even tested the operator for alcohol??

The following seems to indicate absolute total disregard for safety. Surely he should have been able to see a paddle board and a two person kayak if operating the vessel with any diligence. It was a bright clear sunny day.

A slightly larger dive flag would have been disregarded as well.

Christine Raininger, who was with Viss, also had her paddle board with her that day. She said she was in the water, but had come up to the surface and was talking when Talley Girl sped between her and the beach. She said they were in about 12 feet of water.

“He passed by me with my paddle board and dive flag and a two-person kayak,” said Raininger, who said she screamed at the boat. “Then he struck the dive flag of the victim. The dive flag was literally tied up in the propeller when he came in to shore.”

With the info revealed in that article I agree I don't think a bigger flag would have mattered. I only pointed out the possibility earlier based on the fact we didn't have any information.

This may sound crappy, but at least he was hit by a multi millionaire and not some Jo Blow who rolled quarters to fill the gas tank. The money won't change the handicap Carter will be left with, but at least he won't also be burdened by a mountain of debt.

 

[tursiops]

With the info revealed in that article I agree I don't think a bigger flag would have mattered. I only pointed out the possibility earlier based on the fact we didn't have any information.

This may sound crappy, but at least he was hit by a multi millionaire and not some Jo Blow who rolled quarters to fill the gas tank. The money won't change the handicap Carter will be left with, but at least he won't also be burdened by a mountain of debt.

Let's hope. But with that much money -- and probably connections -- the perp may get off with a slap on the wrist.(mod edit)

 

[Joneill]

Let's hope. But with that much money -- and probably connections -- the perp may get off with a slap on the wrist. Do

.

(Mod Edit)

The point is that a wealthy, well connected family like this can and likely will pull strings - it’s the ugly and sad truth but, hopefully, not the case here. They need to be held accountable and make amends to this poor guy (as much as is possible given the life changing injuries they inflicted on him).

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Wow Multi-millionaire driving his boat at high speed right along the beach and inshore of the reefs and buoys. Surely he had to know that snorkelers frequent those popular reefs, but he chose to drove a boat with apparent total disregard for those people.

Do we know if FWC even tested the operator for alcohol??

The following seems to indicate absolute total disregard for safety. Surely he should have been able to see a paddle board and a two person kayak if operating the vessel with any diligence. It was a bright clear sunny day.

A slightly larger dive flag would have been disregarded as well.

Christine Raininger, who was with Viss, also had her paddle board with her that day. She said she was in the water, but had come up to the surface and was talking when Talley Girl sped between her and the beach. She said they were in about 12 feet of water.

“He passed by me with my paddle board and dive flag and a two-person kayak,” said Raininger, who said she screamed at the boat. “Then he struck the dive flag of the victim. The dive flag was literally tied up in the propeller when he came in to shore.”

Of course, some folks are taking this as a point to decry the use of "cheap" dive flags when they conveniently offer something more cumbersome at three or four times the price: After diver hit by boat, some say cheap warning flags not enough in busy ocean

Personally, I figure unless that 36"x18" towed buoy comes with a paintball turret that auto-targets any vessel operating over a certain speed limit within 300 ft, it won't do me much good if a boat operator is knocking 'em back and not giving a rat's posterior about what's in his path.