Pompano Beach Fatality Sunday April 16th

[Kay Dee]

.............. The group we picked up described their boat's plan as a mooring ball tie-in by a DM and the incident diver, with the DM surfacing to relay current info to the divers still on deck while the other diver remained below. They said that the DM had restricted the dive to rebreathers only because of the strong current, and that they saw the incident diver ascending away from the line as they descended on the mooring line to begin their dive.

Something seems amiss with this description. If the deceased's dive was a hot drop, how was he seen "ascending away from the line"? How did those divers see anything actually if they were on another wreck (i.e. Captain Dan while the deceased was diving the Lowrance)? Am I missing something here or has something simply been 'lost in translation' (possibly by me )?

 

[VsubT]

Something seems amiss with this description. If the deceased's dive was a hot drop, how was he seen "ascending away from the line"? How did those divers see anything actually if they were on another wreck (i.e. Captain Dan while the deceased was diving the Lowrance)? Am I missing something here or has something simply been 'lost in translation' (possibly by me )?

There are two separate incidents, the original with Joe Citelli, and a second later incident in the same area with the same operator that someone asked a question about upthread. Probably best to read back through about the last 15 posts to get an idea of where the thread changed over to this second incident.

Lance

 

[Pavao]

Something seems amiss with this description. If the deceased's dive was a hot drop, how was he seen "ascending away from the line"? How did those divers see anything actually if they were on another wreck (i.e. Captain Dan while the deceased was diving the Lowrance)? Am I missing something here or has something simply been 'lost in translation' (possibly by me )?

Yeah, lots of confusion, someone should split the thread.

Theres 2 incidents in this thread, originally it started with an incident on April 16th, then a few pages back it started discussing another incident on may 5th.

I’m gonna clear up some confusion Im reading some people are having regarding the second incident, as I understood at least, maybe I’m wrong too.

About May 5th incident:
Boat A was diving wreck A, tied in and had rebreather divers, Boat A had a fatality.
Boat B was diving wreck B, hot dropped.
Boat A radioed Boat B to pick up their remaining divers at wreck A as Boat A had to run in to nearest dock to meet EMS.
Divers from Boat A, now on board Boat B are telling the story as they saw it to people on Boat B (and coast guard/BSO I guess?)
A diver from Boat B is telling the story here on scubaboard

That’s my understanding

 

[Kay Dee]

There are two separate incidents, the original with Joe Citelli, and a second later incident in the same area with the same operator that someone asked a question about upthread. Probably best to read back through about the last 15 posts to get an idea of where the thread changed over to this second incident.

Lance

Thanks Lance (and Pavao). As I suspected, lost in translation....................by me.

 

[gamon]

A stern tie in that causes a sinking, somehow is also not their fault. Changing a vessels name, does not make up for poor decision making.

One bad decision by a skipper of questionable skills and/or competence doesn't mean every dive accident in SE Florida is the fault of this particular dive charter who employes many boat captains.

The unfortunate incident that is the subject of this thread has nothing whatsoever to do with a boat sink due to an improper tie-in.

{Mod edit}

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

I just wanted to state that I have many dives with SFDHQ and have been on the Black Pearl (arrrrrrr). I have seen the utmost professionalism from the team and a high level of safety when on these trips. I would have never taken my students on their vessels if I did not believe they were safe.

Just my experience.

 

[TravelGas]

One bad decision by a skipper of questionable skills and/or competence doesn't mean every dive accident in SE Florida is the fault of this particular dive charter who employes many boat captains.

The unfortunate incident that is the subject of this thread has nothing whatsoever to do with a boat sink due to an improper tie-in.

{Mod edit}

Try that logic with your auto insurance carrier after you have had a pattern of tickets and accidents with fatalities and see if you can even get insurance and if you can, certainly will be at a higher premium than other operators who have a clean safety record.

If SFDHQ past record has nothing to whatsoever to do with the future, then why do they keep renaming their vessels after each sinking / fatal incident...

 

[Catito]

One bad decision by a skipper of questionable skills and/or competence doesn't mean every dive accident in SE Florida is the fault of this particular dive charter who employes many boat captains.

The unfortunate incident that is the subject of this thread has nothing whatsoever to do with a boat sink due to an improper tie-in.

{Mod edit}

All I know is…I dove with them once. It was terrible and I did not feel safe—my buddy and I agreed “One and done.” Not willing to go back to see if I feel safer next go around.

 

[tekkydiver]

Oh right, it must be their fault in some way and they go and cover it up.

Of course you know how the name change to the Black Pearl came about?? Wasn't it the Coral Princess....

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

The A&I Forum exists for discussion of the potential causes of (for example) the accident(s) noted above.
Discussion of the quality of various dive boat operations in general, as opposed to specific dive operator actions that may have had an impact on the incidents in this thread, belongs in a separate thread, perhaps in the Thumbs Down Forum.

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[Umpman]

A