Diver killed on U-boat expedition

[underwasser bolt]

If a diver seems to be dying at depth and too negative to bring up, I'd would prefer to dump a weight pocket to start an ascent with him. One of my weight pockets typically holds 1/4 of my lead.

It may be futile, but the chances of survival without ascent are nil.

if there was a nitrogen load to be off-gassed, ascending would not have been an option. I am assuming this was a decompression dive, but of course we don't know the details of his nitrogen obligation.

 

[wardric]

I'm not discussing this particular incident. Not enough facts are known yet.

Leaving an unconcious diver down means death. 100% certainty. 0% chance of survival.

Bringing him up and rushing him to the nearest chamber gives him a slight chance of survival. Even on deco dives, since this is not exact science, it will give him a chance, as low as it may be. If the divers die anyway, the body is recovered and it does not risk the lives of divers in a body recovery operation.

 

[BTravlin]

A SB moderator once eliminated my post referring to a "NAZI" sub.

The moderator provided the insight that not all Germans were NAZIs, and that the NAZI party was the same as Republican and Democratic parties in the U.S.

"You wouldn't call a U.S. sub a Democratic submarine".

Yes, but the Nazis were in control of the military and therefore calling it a Nazi sub is correct.

 

[caveseeker7]

Well, I'm German and and have no problem with the subs (or any other wreck, for that matter) being reffered to as nazi. Never mind that neither all Germans nor all crew members were nazis or party members, the boats and ships sailed under nazi flags. Simple as that. Political correctness is appreciated, but in this instance IMHO historically wrong.

Flags of the Navy 1933-1945 (Germany) - Deutsche Kriegsmarine

 

[z3r0c00l]

We've got:

Medical issue
Overweighted
Ox Tox convulsions

Any other guesses

I always like to throw CO2 into the mix, while randomly speculating

 

[steamtrollnuke]

Here is the story I got in the undersea newsletter:

Body recovered off Donegal coast
utvlive.com October 3, 2007

Divers today recovered the body of a father-of-four who died during the underwater filming of a sunken Nazi U-Boat in treacherous waters.

The dead man, named as Michael Hanrahan from Dublin, was among a team exploring the wreck 16 miles off Malin Head in Co Donegal, north west Ireland, when he got into difficulties.

The dive yesterday afternoon was part of an exploratory mission for plans to raise the U-778 for display in a museum in Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Other members of the four-man Dive North West team tried in vain to rescue Mr. Hanrahan, 45, when he apparently had a seizure, but had to surface for the evening when their attempts failed.

After another dive this morning to recover the body, his remains were brought ashore at Malin Head pier shortly after 11am.

Former Derry Mayor Shaun Gallagher, who was at the scene, said everybody involved was still reeling with the shock.

"The dive to the U-boat went perfect, the conditions were perfect, the filming was perfect and then on the way back Mick had some kind of seizure," he said.

"The divers along with him tried everything they could to help him but it was too late.

"It's just a tragedy, it's a massive shock," he added.

 

[Robert Thompson]

Yes, but no serious tech diver would use integrated weights so the belt would be an all or nothing approach. I also do not understand the phrase "too negative to bring up" at some point he was neutrally buoyant right? a couple of feet higher or a little air dumped and he is positive. I don't think you can make an argument for dumping a weight belt at depth unless you are trying to "make sure he is really dead" just my opinion and it is free

Bringing a diver up from a technical dive, where the whole dive team has a decompression obligation is a very risky endeavor. Technical diving itself is full of plenty of task loading without adding into the mix recovery of a diver. The attempt to save your dive team members life might also cost you your own. That is a decision only you can make in that moment, and we cannot fully understand because we were not there. The reason technical divers don't wear dumpable weight is that you should never dump your weight. Your training should prepare you to deal with all emergencies underwater allowing you to return to the surface slowly in controlled manner.

 

[DandyDon]

The reason technical divers don't wear dumpable weight is that you should never dump your weight. Your training should prepare you to deal with all emergencies underwater allowing you to return to the surface slowly in controlled manner.

And if a diver is unconscious or unable to function, they're left behind?

That's it...?

 

[wardric]

Your training should prepare you to deal with all emergencies underwater allowing you to return to the surface slowly in controlled manner.

How can you do that if you are unconscious?

 

[Robert Thompson]

Is that all you got from that post. My explanation was generally why tech divers don't wear dumpable weights. I am not going to say that you should or shouldn't try to help your dive team member. Its a choice that you have to make in very short period of time under possibly unfavorable conditions.