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

[Dan]

Why wouldn't the boat driver swerve the boat to the east, away from the divers?

 

[KathyV]

Here is tonight's news story about the accident:

 

[tekkydiver]

Time for flag laws to change. 12 inch flag is not adequate. Increase size to 24 inches and the bottom of the flag must be at least 36 inches above the water.

 

[Johnoly]

Why wouldn't the boat driver swerve the boat to the east, away from the divers?

It's similar to motorcycle riders on the streets. People distracted, are not used to seeing them so it doesn't register what it is until too late.

 

[KathyV]

Snorkeler's family says recovery is miracle

Carter Viss ... “lost his right arm, sustained a break to his left wrist, and has severe injuries to both legs.”

 

[chillyinCanada]

Oh my God. He's a marine biologist.

 

[PBcatfish]

...
I have to wonder what this was about? "According to Marulli, FBI agents responded to the scene."

Root Trail is less than 3 miles from Mara Lago. It's not unusual for a variety of feds to be in the area.

 

[The Chairman]

Time for flag laws to change. 12 inch flag is not adequate. Increase size to 24 inches and the bottom of the flag must be at least 36 inches above the water.

Not in this way. Boaters are fined far less for a flag violation than a diver... I think it's about half. The problem isn't the size of the flag, it's the phone they have their nose buried in. Distracted driving, whether in a car or on a boat, should be a felony. You should never be too broke to pay attention!

As for the flag, a bigger flag makes it even harder for the dive flag puller when there's a stiff wind. We don't need to discourage diving. The real problem is that if you the flag and the wind are in a line, then you're presented with only the edge of the flag. I had an FWC stop to chastise me because he never saw my flag until he got close. He was LOOKING too, but he didn't notice it until he got within twenty feet. We need a 3D flag that has no drag. Impossible? Probably.

 

[PBcatfish]

The news articles can't agree on whether he was snorkeling or diving. His name is Carter Viss, 25, of Palm Beach, currently “critical condition yet stable.”

Excerpting from: Diver who lost arm after boat ran him over is ‘critical but stable,’ mom says
Daniel Stanton, 30, of Palm Beach, was operating a 2008 36-foot Yellowfin vessel, which was heading southbound in the Atlantic Ocean near the Breakers Hotel, the FWC said....

I've driven a Yellowfin within a couple feet of that size. They are very light weight boats, made of carbon fiber. They have a lot of freeboard in the bow. When coming off plane, they handle like a beach ball.

The location of "near the Breakers" is consistent with the other reports of Root Trail. The earlier report of the north end of Palm Beach island seems to be a few miles off.

This report - looks to be cobbled together from a bunch of stock footage. The one scene of boats going by in a channel looks it might have been shot from the beach at BHB within the last year, since the new concrete pilings got put in. That is miles north of Root Trail. It was probably stock footage. The short clip of dive tanks may also be stock footage. It also seems unclear if "divers" (with full gear) were first responders or victims. I have yet to find first hand information from anyone in the dive group.

The photo in this report is miles south of Root Trail, probably also stock footage - https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article237877204.html

 

[Soloist]

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