Propeller Incident

[MartianBeerPig]

Was he looking up while surfacing? Using a safety sausage? Careless pilot? Article doesn't say, but a timely reminder to take care when surfacing.

Source:- http://www.smh.com.au/news/national...ad-by-propeller/2007/02/11/1171128807128.html

Surgery for diver hit in head by propeller
Email Print Normal font Large font February 11, 2007 - 6:45PM

A scuba diver is undergoing emergency surgery after being hit in the head by a boat propeller on the NSW Central Coast.

A 41-year-old man from Lilli Pilli, in Sydney's south, suffered a fractured skull when he surfaced from a scuba dive off Shelley Beach, near The Entrance, and hit the dive boat's propeller about 10am (AEDT) today.

The man was airlifted to Gosford Hospital for initial treatment, before the NRMA CareFlight helicopter transferred him to Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital for emergency neurosurgery.

AAP

 

[fisherdvm]

I would say it is more likely that the boat was moving when it hit him.

This is my observation from the few boat dives I have done. Drift diving is likely where accidents are likely to happen. Many parks do not allow boats to anchor or tie off. The boat drifts, and continously has to start up the motor to catch up. They keep their eyes for the large mass of bubbles, and try to maintain the boat just near the large mass of bubbles.

If you are separated from the group, they will not focus on your smaller group of bubbles.

If you ran out of air early, or have to surface early for other reason - it is imperative to be able to swim directly above the main group, so your bubbles matches that of the main group.

If you surface behind the main group of bubbles, you will not be noticed by the boat.... And believe me, as you watch these guys move, they sometime move in excess of 10 miles per hour... Much faster than a surfacing diver can notice, even if he look contiously around in a 360 degree angle.

A dive sausage can help, but it takes time to deploy it at the 15 ft deco stop...

I think a high visibility diving cap with bright color can help - but not fashionable in tropical climate .... And will not be noticed until you surface.

I think the key here is - stay with the group!!! That is the reason why many GOOD divemaster will force the whole group to surface even when one person is low on air. The exception is if the boat is anchored, and there is little risk of boat traffic. Unfortunately, in popular destinatinns, there can be so much boat traffics, that it is difficult to find even your own boat as you surface. And non of the boats are allowed to anchor, - thus you constantly having boats moving above you.

 

[ams511]

I agree with Fisher the boat probably hit him.

 

[MartianBeerPig]

You're probably right about the boat moving. I think Shelley Beach is popular and close to Sydney. Which means a lot of people in boats and a lot of people in boats who don't really know how to pilot properly. Personally, I wouldn't rely on the pilot keeping an eye out for bubbles. I'd much rather have a sausage and my eyes and ears open. A sausage doesn't take so long to deply.

 

[drbill]

A few years ago we had a diver surface outside the boundary lines of the dive park. A boat hit him and the prop cut all his hoses and dinged up the first stage, but didn't hurt him. He was very lucky. However, when he tried to return the rented reg and said it was like that when he rented it, I decided he wasn't "lucky," just stupid.

 

[Splitlip]

I was hit by a boat once and I hate it when that happens.
I live and predominately dive in the Palm Beaches where float diving (according to a mid 1970's article) was introduced. Pretty much all dives are drift dives. One (or more)in the dive group pulls a surface marker the boat follows (seas often make following bubbles difficult).
In those days before safety stops it was easy to surface near the float. Now however, a diver doing a drifting safety stop seldom, if ever surfaces anywhere near the surface marker. I cringe when I see a diver leave the group knowing that he is surfacing "unprotected". For this reason I will always send up a DSMB if I need to leave the person with the float. If I screw up shooting the bag, I will blow off the stop in order to surface by the float.

 

[PerroneFord]

..and people keep telling me cave diving is dangerous.

Right.

 

[RICHinNC]

I was diving in Barbados in 2005 and the DM was surfacing and looking down at one of the divers and I waved frantically as she was heading right up into the prop.

She finally got the idea, looked up, soiled her wetsuit....and descended.

 

[Charlie99]

In those days before safety stops it was easy to surface near the float. Now however, a diver doing a drifting safety stop seldom, if ever surfaces anywhere near the surface marker. I cringe when I see a diver leave the group knowing that he is surfacing "unprotected".

??? ??? Why do they have to surface "unprotected". When diving in SE Florida my normal buddy briefing is to tell them to ascend up alongside the float line, but not holding onto it. That both brings them to the surface at the float, and it also gives them the option of giving a couple of good solid yanks on the float line if they require assistance. While near surface and bottom currents may not be the same, rarely is the difference so great that the ascending diver has problems coming up next to the float.

============

As for the original post, it isn't clear whether or not the prop was spinning. The diver might have simply surfaced into a prop that was coming down on him as the boat bounced in the waves. Props and even ladders can do some pretty serious damage from wave-generated movement.

 

[Splitlip]

You are diving on charters I assume.
Yes most ops tell the divers to surface next the float. And some DM's will even try to keep moving on the bottom to help those surfacing to keep an eye on the float. However quite often the group on the bottom stops or changes direction and the divers doing a 3 to 5 minute safety stop in a couple knot current are going to have quite a time staying next to the line.
More often than not, the divers pop up an uncomfortable distance from the float.

I have also seen surfacing divers hold on to the line and drag the DM along.

??? ??? Why do they have to surface "unprotected". When diving in SE Florida my normal buddy briefing is to tell them to ascend up alongside the float line, but not holding onto it. That both brings them to the surface at the float, and it also gives them the option of giving a couple of good solid yanks on the float line if they require assistance. While near surface and bottom currents may not be the same, rarely is the difference so great that the ascending diver has problems coming up next to the float.

============

As for the original post, it isn't clear whether or not the prop was spinning. The diver might have simply surfaced into a prop that was coming down on him as the boat bounced in the waves. Props and even ladders can do some pretty serious damage from wave-generated movement.