Trapped dam diver dies - Nova Scotia

[DandyDon]

UPDATE Diver trapped at Nova Scotia Power dam in Annapolis Royal dies - Regional - The Hants Journal

ANNAPOLIS ROYAL – A diver that became trapped underwater at the Nova Scotia Power dam near Annapolis Royal July 15 has died.The 39-year-old diver, who is from Dartmouth, became tangled in his gear while underwater, Annapolis Royal Police Chief Burt McNeil said. Emergency personnel were called after losing contact with the diver.
His remains were recovered mid-afternoon.
McNeil said the man had been working underwater for about an hour and a half when he ran into trouble. He was wearing some high tech equipment at the time, including a video camera that was transmitting to the surface, quickly alerting the surface crew that there was a problem.
An autopsy is planned for July 16.
"My understanding is that he was down working on the gates and he became tangled up in something on the gate, and during that process, they lost voice communication with him,” McNeil told reporters. “The standby diver went down and untangled him and brought him up. The LifeFlight people worked on him for about 25 minutes, but he was pronounced deceased."
Rescuers had to battle the fierce Fundy tides, which was coming in as they attempted to rescue the man.
The investigation was turned over the provincial Department of Labour after the man’s body was recovered. Occupational Health and Safety personnel were on the scene late in the day.
"The Department of Labour is here now and they have taken over,” McNeil said.
“I know they will be looking at his regulator, his mask and the communication device. My job is wait for the ME's report. His remains have been taken to Dartmouth and I'm waiting on the ME's report."

(continued at the link)

 

[PeterNBiddle]

This is just a shout-out to you for your incredibly thorough reporting in this forum. I read everything you post here and I really appreciate that you are taking the time to do it.

[emoji3][emoji3][emoji3][emoji3][emoji3][emoji3][emoji3][emoji3][emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]
[emoji106]🏾



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DandyDon]

I think this dam was built to trap the power of massive tidal changes they have there. An inspection diver would go between tidal changes, but a rescue diver would need to go in slack tide as well. I do not know if that was involved in this accident tho.

I think this is the same dam: Nova Scotia Power Grid Months Away From Tidal Generation | Energy Insider

The Bay of Fundy is uniquely suited for tidal energy generation. It has the world’s highest tides with a vertical range 16 m. The Minas Basin and Minas Passage are particularly well suited for tidal energy generation. Minas Basin, which forms the eastern part of the Bay of Fundy, is connected to the bay by Minas Passage, a small channel 5 km wide and 15 km long. Billions of tonnes of water flow through Minas Passage at each turn of the tide reaching speeds in excess of 18 km/hr.The Bay of Fundy is uniquely suited for tidal energy generation. It has the world’s highest tides with a vertical range 16 m. The Minas Basin and Minas Passage are particularly well suited for tidal energy generation. Minas Basin, which forms the eastern part of the Bay of Fundy, is connected to the bay by Minas Passage, a small channel 5 km wide and 15 km long. Billions of tonnes of water flow through Minas Passage at each turn of the tide reaching speeds in excess of 18 km/hr.

 

[DandyDon]

They let him dive during a tidal change with the gate not confirmed closed! A couple of excerpts from Diver Luke Seabrook died after Nova Scotia Power dam gate left open, brother says - Nova Scotia - CBC News

"His depiction of it was the gate was open 16 to 18 inches, my brother was sucked under the gate, but the helmet was too big to fit through, so the helmet stuck on the gate," said Garth Seabrook. "The suction, the vacuum underneath was so much that it pulled his helmet and suit apart slightly and his mouth was out in water. I was told that he had two broken ribs and contusions, so obviously he was violently sucked underneath."

"They would allow the gravity to lower the gate and then they would walk along and just grab cables and make sure there is slack on the cables. And that was, apparently, their method of checking [to see if the gate is closed]," he said.

"They obviously don't have a foolproof method of closing the gate which is absolutely insane to me."

 

[Jared0425]

Sounds like a lawsuit is coming. That is unacceptable by the shore crew to allow this to happen.