three divers rescued in the St Lawrence

[Beiji]

The report has been updated again:

Story Published: Aug 10, 2011 at 4:18 PM EDT

Story Updated: Aug 10, 2011 at 4:18 PM EDT

A 39 year old Kingston, Ontario man died in an apparent scuba diving accident just before noon today.

Another diver suffered 'the bends' and was taken to a Syracuse hospital for treatment.

A third was treated at River Hospital and released.

State police say the three were diving in about 200 feet of water when Michael K. Roberts "began to dispay signs of distress," according to a press release.

Roberts died.

A second man, Blair C. Mott, 42, of Landsdown Komoka, Ontario, was taken to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse for decompression treatment.

The third diver, Christopher D. Monk, 33, Aurora, Ontario was treated and released.

Police won't know exactly why Roberts died until an autopsy is completed.

The divers were using a vessel chartered out of Rockport, Ontario and were diving the wreck of the 'Roy A. Jodrey,' a 700 foot freighter that sank in 1974.

The web site 'dive1000islands.com' describes the Jodrey this way:
"The Roy A. Jodery is for technical divers only. The depth, location and current all combine to create hazardous to treacherous conditions."

A spokesman for the Coast Guard in Buffalo said the divers were in the water at the American Narrows, which is by the Coast Guard station on Wellesley Island.

Coincidentally, the Coast Guard was training in the area and had two boats near-by.

The crews spotted Mott in the water, waving at them.

The other boat took Roberts, who was unconscious, to River Hospital as well. That boat had an emergency medical technician on board who was able to administer CPR.

 

[Jax]

Thanks, Beiji.

How sad. Distress at the bottom sounds like medical.

There are sure a lot of divers dead / injured lately.

 

[ianr33]

How sad. Distress at the bottom sounds like medical.

Could be almost anything:

Panic due to high END, O2 toxicity, contaminated gas,flooded drysuit.....................

 

[Jax]

Could be almost anything:

Panic due to high END, O2 toxicity, contaminated gas,flooded drysuit.....................

:huh: Assuming the divers were tech divers, do you think that they would panic?

I'm thinking the distressed diver realized things were not good, and his buddy went after him and got bent. (SWAGging)

 

[ianr33]

Not much point speculating as nothing is really known.
Assuming tech gear and trimix then blind panic is not very likely, use a single 80 with air in 200 feet of cold water and all bets are off.

( I have no idea what they were actually diving)

 

[rhwestfall]

search here on SB for recent video of the Keystorm and Jodrey. Its deep, dark, cold and in current. Not an easy one. Somehow I doubt that "distress" of any form at 200 feet is going to come out well, no matter what the reason. My sympathy to all involved, and my thanks to the assistance rendered that saved some too.

 

[Jax]

Not much point speculating as nothing is really known.
Assuming tech gear and trimix then blind panic is not very likely, use a single 80 with air in 200 feet of cold water and all bets are off.

( I have no idea what they were actually diving)

Agreed. However, in any situation - let's say the guy felt the issue come on . . . everyone says "you can recover from the bends, but not drowning". He may have taken the fast route to the top, but to no avail.

So sorry for our Canadian brethren.

 

[ianr33]

Agreed. I always figure if I have a medical issue at 200 feet it's game over.

Sad day.

 

[Jax]

Agreed. I always figure if I have a medical issue at 200 feet it's game over.

Nah. I can't see you giving up. Bit of a biotch, though . . .

 

[gitterdun]

Just to clarify the wreck, a little. The Jodrey can be done as both "Tech 1" and "Tech 2" level dives.

It sits against a wall, and the crow's nest is in 140', with much of the bow sitting in the 150' to 180' range. It gets deeper, as you head down towards the stern, as the wreck is broken in half. The middle section of the railing of the wreck is in 204' of water, and can go as deep as 250'. It actually gets more shallow, as you head toward the stern, which sits in 135' of water, and in the shipping channel.

It is a very large wreck (approx. 725' long), and there are some very strong currents on it. When travelling to the stern, you will encounter quite a bit of current.

Thoughts and prayers to everyone involved. This is such a sad day...