Spear fisherman accident on Vandenberg

[Hank49]

That's too bad. RIP diver.

Jacks and cobia....you think they're almost dead from so much blood or what appeared to be a stone shot and all of a sudden you're hanging onto a wild horse under water.
It's nice to have someone nearby to shoot them again.

 

[fdog]

Please name one accident that happened to a recreational diver for which a "post accident report that will clarify factual information" was prepared and presented. Good luck with that....

How about Denton (Wreck)?


Details of Denton's last dive


I'll add that I have a similar deal with my dive buddies, as David apparently did with Denton - complete disclosure and a public write-up if anything goes wrong.


All the best, James

 

[ianr33]

How about Denton (Wreck)?


Details of Denton's last dive


All the best, James

Guess it depends what you mean by "recreational". Diving for fun, or diving within NDLs no overhead etc.

Either way I think the lack of information that comes out about most accidents is simply appalling.

 

[fdog]

Ah ha, yes I was thinking of "diving for fun", but I certainly see where Frank could have been thinking of a distinction excluding technical. The technical community is a bit more open about what went worng.

I absolutely agree about the appalling lack of information. In my "other sport", the trade magazine has a section that clinically describes the fatalities in parachuting from the last month. It's the first section I turn to, so I can learn from the mistakes of others.


All the best, James

 

[tpbeachbum]

The story says he was from Cookeville,TN and he was living there, but he actually lived and grew up in Duck key just north of Marathon I can't speculate on how recent his experience was but he was in an around the waters often in his younger days and I went to school with him in the keys oddly enough he only lived 40 miles from me here in TN small world but what a terrible tragedy. I would never dive or spearfish even with a mask and snorkel without my dive buddy close by and I mean at least 25 ft of each other anything could happen and that buddy could save your life.. The Buddy system works don't go diving without your buddy!!!

 

[Ayisha]

Please name one accident that happened to a recreational diver for which a "post accident report that will clarify factual information" was prepared and presented. Good luck with that....

Now come on, Wookie. Here are the last 33 years of Incident Reports of diving accidents in Ontario, Canada: Ontario Underwater Council

Why isn't it or why can't it be done in the U.S. or elsewhere?

 

[Johnoly]

That's too bad. RIP diver.
Jacks and cobia....you think they're almost dead from so much blood or what appeared to be a stone shot and all of a sudden you're hanging onto a wild horse under water.

So true. You think it's a stone shot and as soon as you lightly touch the shaft, they wake up and go 'reef donkey' on you doing 10 circles around you in just seconds. Thoughts to a fellow spearo.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

---------- Post added May 11th, 2012 at 10:52 PM ----------

So true. You think it's a stone shot and as soon as you lightly touch the shaft, they wake up and go 'reef donkey' on you doing 10 circles around you in just seconds. Thoughts to a fellow spearo.

That is why I carry a second knife. I had a big AJ wrap me up and tie my arms down and my body to the wreck with 400 lb test monifilament line. Then I dropped my knife and it fell to the sand below me. I was really beginning to think "this is how they are gonna find me"....

But I weaseled my way out and swore I would begin to carry a secondary knife when spearing.

It is not hard for spearfisherman to understand how a big AJ can become a big problem.. very fast.

What terrible news.

 

[jar546]

Please name one accident that happened to a recreational diver for which a "post accident report that will clarify factual information" was prepared and presented. Good luck with that....

DAN never has these?

---------- Post added May 12th, 2012 at 09:42 AM ----------

Like this for example:
06-63 Certified diver with limited experience, overweight and reckless diver, made dive with buddy to spearfish, surfaced early in distress, entangled in rope and attempted to share air, witnesses attempted rescue but line snapped, both divers sank below surface and both bodies were recovered later in day.
Cause of Death: Drowning due to Entangled (rope) due to Scuba Diving
This case represents a double fatality involving buddies. This 37-year-old male was a certified diver with limited diving experience and no dives in the previous year. He and another diver, a 35-year-old female, were making a dive from a boat in order to go spearfishing. The male diver was overweight and described as a reckless diver by individuals who were reportedly familiar with his diving habits. A third person waited back in the boat while the two divers entered the water. By all reports the current in the area of the dive was very strong that day. Shortly after beginning the initial descent the male diver surfaced and waved for help. The witness back in the boat observed the divers struggle on the surface and become entangled in the buoy line. The male diver panicked and used the female diver's alternate air source. Other individuals arrived at the scene and attempted to assist the divers by pulling in the buoy line but the line snapped. Both divers descended below the surface and their bodies were recovered approximately an hour later in 50 fsw (15 msw). The male diver still had ballast weights in place and was entangled in the line. The female diver had dropped her weights but was also entangled in the line and floating a few feet above her dive buddy. An autopsy of the male victim disclosed changes associated with drowning. Toxicology was positive for cocaine metabolites, antihistamines, ephedrine, and dextromethorphan. The victim's equipment proved to be in nearly unusable condition and the buoyancy compensator would not hold air. The air tank was nearly full. [See case 06-64.]
BMI = 38.1 kg⋅m-2

 

[DandyDon]

DAN does publish detailed reports if they get the info, a couple of years later.

Yes, the Vandenburg should be in a legal no-take zone. Why allow spearfishing to eliminate marine life on a major tourist destination when 98%+ came to see fish, as opposed to being in the cross-hairs of spear-fisherman who may or may not be dangerous to other divers in a highly traffic dive site?

I don't care for line fishing but when soliciting money and permits to sink a wreck, they generally promote how it will be good for fishermen and business. Is line fishing allowed there? If yes, why not spear fishermen?