Urchin diver found unresponsive - Point Loma, California

[DandyDon]

So the diver was on hookah, "oxygen" bubbles stopped, the commercial boat does not have its own rescue diver, and used a cell phone to call for help if the story is close to right and I take it right? I've never dived a hookah, but I take it the compressor keeps running, the diver is on a demand reg, and if they diver stops inhaling - the compressor continues and it's up to the bubble watcher to call? Getting tangled in kelp as the article suggests would not in itself stop air flow, would it? I doubt that these operators run inline CO monitors and the quality of air depends on the compressor, lubricant, and maintenance? If there is a failure, does the diver carry a bailout bottle...?

10News - Sea urchin diver found unconscious in waters off Point Loma dies - 10News.com - News

SAN DIEGO - A sea urchin diver was taken to the hospital after he was found unconscious in the waters off Point Loma, authorities said Wednesday.According to San Diego lifeguards, the diver was found unresponsive about a mile off the coast of Point Loma.
Lifeguards say the diver, a man in his late 40s to early 50s, was diving for sea urchins through a commercial boat.
Someone on the commercial boat called 911 when they did not see oxygen bubbles, fearing that the diver may have gotten tangled in kelp.
The diver was not wearing the traditional dive equipment and was using a surface supplied system known as a hookah line, which allows him to breathe air underwater through a hose. He was reportedly down 60 to 65 feet for about an hour.

Lifeguards were able to rescue the diver and performed CPR on him before he was transported to a hospital. His condition was unknown.
His name has not been released.

Following stories...

This one mentioned: "CPR was performed and paramedics used an automated external defibrillator, but they were unable to obtain a shockable heart rhythm, Luque said."
Diver critically injured off Point Loma

And this says he did not make it: 10News - Sea urchin diver found unconscious in waters off Point Loma dies - 10News.com - News

 

[peterbj7]

I would hope the diver had a bailout bottle. It would be a legal requirement for any commercial diver of this sort in Britain.