Riviera Beach Florida Fatality

[jar546]

Then you and I are in agreement on this. I think it is cool that Narcosis has one....and I was happy to be trained in how to use one.
But hopefully I will never be in a position where I have to use one for real. I could see practicing on Dumpster Diver though...."...now you are just going to feel a little jolt "

Now if we can just see eye to eye on split fins..............

 

[diversteve]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

The AED Discussion that started in this A&I thread has been moved here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/433706-aed-use-discussion.html

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[bilsant]

I also started in the 60s when every dive was an adventure dive. I was invisible, twelve feet tall, in perfect health, knew everything, had little to no imagination, and healed overnight.

In 2012 I have an older person's definition of "adventure", and while I'm comforted by a dive boat having an AED aboard, I'm still ultimately responsible for my own health issues. Demanding an AED be required on a dive boat because I'm older and a wee bit frailer is no more reasonable than mandating one in a strip club for the same reasons.



However, as in many things in life, I suspect the real decision to equip with an AED will someday be made based on dive op insurance rates and OSHA requirements.


Now that I've gotten that off my chest, please allow me to use this thread to express my deepest condolences to the diver's family and others affected by this loss. I'll remember you in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[richhagelin]

Don was a classmate of mine at the Air Force Academy. I am looking for more information on the accident. Please, no second or third hand comments. I am not interested in any discussion of whether or not things should have been a different way, etc.

Does anyone know the results of the autopsy? Did he indeed surface with only one fin? What was the dive profile and how many divers were together? Who saw him when he surfaced the first time? Was he in distress at that point?

thanks,

Rich Hagelin

 

[KARLUG]

Don was a classmate of mine at the Air Force Academy. I am looking for more information on the accident. Please, no second or third hand comments. I am not interested in any discussion of whether or not things should have been a different way, etc.

Does anyone know the results of the autopsy? Did he indeed surface with only one fin? What was the dive profile and how many divers were together? Who saw him when he surfaced the first time? Was he in distress at that point?

thanks,

Rich Hagelin

Rich: My wife and I were diving on the same boat the day Don had the accident.
We were drift diving in approximately 80' depth with a strong current but not what I would consider a dangerous "ripping" current. There were approximately 15 divers that went down. He appeared to be diving with a small group of friends from a dive club. This was a 2 dive trip. The first dive was fine and we took about an hour break and did the second dive when the accident occurred. I heard a lady screaming when we surfaced but couldn't see anything due to small swells. The dive boat immediately came to them and went directly in to shore. The people on the dive boat said that he surfaced with only 1 fin. Please post if you find out the cause of death. I believe that it was probably a medical problem that caused this accident. A very sad day for all of us.

 

[jenmhester]

WOW so the charter boat Narcosis left half a dozen customers floating in the ocean and went to shore with the injured diver, leaving the other customers to be picked up by other boat(s). They must have realized the situation was very serious to leave you all floating out there.

Did they tell you they were leaving you to drift off in the strong current or did it only become evident when they left? Sounds like a terrible situation.

Yes, this is standard operating procedure. When the divers on the surface are in no immediate danger, the Captain calls for another boat or the USCG to pick them up. This allows the boat to get the injured diver to the dock much faster, potentially saving their life. Triage of sorts...

 

[scubadada]

Yes, this is standard operating procedure. When the divers on the surface are in no immediate danger, the Captain calls for another boat or the USCG to pick them up. This allows the boat to get the injured diver to the dock much faster, potentially saving their life. Triage of sorts...

Only 10 years later

Edit: sorry, I see it was your 1st post