Tragedy and happiness

[Sat Diver]

e[/-]orthermia and dehydration? How did you accommodate what was essentially an emergency air saturation decompression? Did you have a deck chamber for surface decompression or a bell brought onsite?

Akimbo,
First off let me say, the physical rescue was carried out by some of the best divers it has been my privilege to have worked with. The accident was a bungled lift of a reactor on a ship that sunk in vishakaptnam. Not nuclear, but for smelting metal. Because it was difficult to manoeuvre a crane close as the ship was still half out of the water, the decision was taken to use lift bags, rather than make it safe and get a crane in.
Any way, they ****ed up and the lift bag got unstable and vented on the way up, came down of the guys underneath, of several divers, one was killed straightaway and the other two trapped.
I have nothing to do with the company doing the salvage job, but I came in uninvited, because one of the trapped divers is a colleagues son.
The first thing we did, was get hot water into their suits. They were not in hot water suits because the water temp is 29 deg Celsius . We had six divers with them at all times, day and night. We got a chamber on a barge manoeuvred almost overhead. The trickiest part ( thank you asad) was running a line into their helmets for glucose water.
One of the boys had both his legs broken, but never freaked out once, during the whole process. We had radio contact with them, and even in the chamber, we could only get him painkillers until he got out.
No sleep for anyone for a week.
Now it's done!

 

[CamG]

Heroism is not always an honor but bitter sweet in light of the tragedy.
But you who were involved in the rescue are heros and deserve the thanks for a incredibly difficult task well done.
Without your efforts there would have all been recoveries.

Thank you for posting it is good to hear when rescues are accomplished and under such difficulties a testimony of the human spirit, triumph of the human soul!

CamG

 

[Stoo]

Awesome. And amazing... Well done.

 

[Bombay High]

I just heard from [name removed],
Great job. When do you get back?
Why 4 days to get the boys out ? What was the hitch ? Have they finally fired [name removed] ass ? He has been involved in 3 fatal judgement errors as supervisor by my count and who knows how many close calls. The fact that they called you in from a rival company speaks volumes for their trust in that piece of ****.
Shame about [name removed]. I guess its one of those unspoken realities that you live with doing the job. Cant imagine what his family is going through.

Akimbo,
First off let me say, the physical rescue was carried out by some of the best divers it has been my privilege to have worked with. The accident was a bungled lift of a reactor on a ship that sunk in vishakaptnam. Not nuclear, but for smelting metal. Because it was difficult to manoeuvre a crane close as the ship was still half out of the water, the decision was taken to use lift bags, rather than make it safe and get a crane in.
Any way, they ****ed up and the lift bag got unstable and vented on the way up, came down of the guys underneath, of several divers, one was killed straightaway and the other two trapped.
I have nothing to do with the company doing the salvage job, but I came in uninvited, because one of the trapped divers is a colleagues son.
The first thing we did, was get hot water into their suits. They were not in hot water suits because the water temp is 29 deg Celsius . We had six divers with them at all times, day and night. We got a chamber on a barge manoeuvred almost overhead. The trickiest part ( thank you asad) was running a line into their helmets for glucose water.
One of the boys had both his legs broken, but never freaked out once, during the whole process. We had radio contact with them, and even in the chamber, we could only get him painkillers until he got out.
No sleep for anyone for a week.
Now it's done!

 

[Sat Diver]

I am back, but my phone is off and will be for a few more days. Will call you after. Please edit your post and take out the names you have mentioned.
It took 4 days (81 hours to be precise) because we were called in 6 hours after the accident. They had already started on another course of action that no doubt you will hear about in the next few days to come as the investigation carries on. Luckily someone realised in time that this would not work , and called us in.
To be fair, we used most of the resources already there. We just changed the plan. We needed to locate the exact CG of the reactor, so that the lift would be a clean lift, and we did not compromise the well being of the boys trapped under. This involved scanning the reactor as well as studying drawings of it. We also had to cut parts of it to make new pick points for the lift (so much for the salvage job)
We had capstan winches to pull the trapped divers well clear the moment the lift commenced, so they could be out of harms way. We had a lot to think through and get right on the first try. No second chances here.
I always say, think twice and do once.
We got some flack for taking too long.
What can I say.
Its the way I know.
Those 2 boys are not complaining, its the guys paying our bills who are.
Screw them.

 

[D_B]

Thank God for those that know how to do a job right, that have the courage to do so, and put their lives on the line to do it that way