Scuba diver dies while exploring popular shipwreck, a third tragedy in the Florida Keys

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

There are no places in the SG that are150 feet deep. The deepest I have ever found is 130-135 in one of the engine rooms.

There has never been a rule about OW divers diving below 60 feet. That depth is the limit for training OW divers, however. Post training there is no depth limit. Who would set it? Who would enforce it?

Rainbow Reef as well as all the other recreational operators dive the SG regularly, as in many times daily on AL80s and stay within NDLs.

Swim throughs and penetrations are two entirely different animals. A swim through is defined as to when you see an opening to go in and can immediately see the exit. With a penetration you cannot see an exit.

Someone is responsible. The divers themselves.

 

[Nemrod]

Someone has to be responsible for this.

Rose.

Yes, the responsible "somebody" is you, the diver, not to dive beyond your training and skill level. There are no dive police or school crossing guards stationed at each potential entry inside the hull. Do not go inside if not prepared, not planned, not trained and not equipped and especially not alone.

There is not a 60 feet depth limit for (now called) recreational divers. The practical limit for recreational diving is 130 feet.

 

[FF / EMT]

Not if the diver was inside the wreck at 150 ft.

Wow, that sounds like negligence on the divers’ part for not staying within their cert level

Single tanks being what, 80 cu ft AL?

Sure, or 63 or 100 or 120, or something else, but only 1.

150 ft, 80 AL, on air, no bailout, buddy diving with same configuration,

What could go wrong!!

A lot could go wrong, scuba is inherently dangerous, complacency gets people hurt/ killed, Amanda ripley and Gareth discuss this in their literature, (I promise one is way more boring than the other)

What ever happened to the rule that OW divers do not dive below 60 ft.

The scuba police ran out of wet tickets…

OW and wreck penetration are a recipe for disaster.

So are you suggesting we should do all of our dives in a quarry or pool? Also wreck penetration can be done safely.

Someone has to be responsible for this.

Rose.

The diver, he died.

If he was in Malta, the buddy would be charged too.

 

[Johnoly]

..Most divers who visit the SG just swim around the outside, and there is a lot to see....

100% and couldn't agree more. I've been on it a dozen times and done the swim-thru's. But like you said, there is SO MUCH to see on the outside, I still have not covered everything. And then the fish life....a 30" HUGE black grouper just parked his stomach on the deck while several of us took close up pictures and didn't budge. If you look for marine life, No way can you see everything outside in a week of diving it. It's too big.

 

[scubadada]

I apologize if I missed it, has any additional information been released since the diver was found inside the wreck by divers from Horizon Divers? Specifically, was the diver out of gas or not?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I apologize if I missed it, has any additional information been released since the diver was found inside the wreck by divers from Horizon Divers? Specifically, was the diver out of gas or not?

Not a word that I have heard.

 

[johndiver999]

I apologize if I missed it, has any additional information been released since the diver was found inside the wreck by divers from Horizon Divers? Specifically, was the diver out of gas or not?

How long did it take until they found him?

 

[scubadada]

How long did it take until they found him?

Same day, August 9, early afternoon

 

[TravelGas]

How far inside the vessel did they find him?
Sounds like he may not have laid a line?

 

[johndiver999]

Same day, August 9, early afternoon

Thanks, I must have missed all of this in the discussion.