Tragic - Tragic - Tragic

[blacknet]

Bob,

Perhaps I should take this time to say it's probably best to move this side thread to it's own. I would hate to see another thread like this ruined by some side topic.

Ed

 

[BadFish]

As for the 500 psi I have used that standard but I like the rule of 1/3's, i.e. 1/3 down and out, 1/3 to get back and 1/3 as reserve.

Anyone hear the case of the accident yet? I am wondering if equipment problems had any part to play.

ED

Here is a link to the story in the Union-Tribune- San Diego

By the way BlackNet isn't that 4 1/3's???


Man on first unsupervised sea dive dies

 

[BadFish]

And for those of you who dont or cant find the link-






Man on first unsupervised sea dive dies

By Terry Rodgers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

January 5, 2002

A 39-year-old Temecula man on his first unsupervised dive since obtaining his certificate drowned yesterday while exploring the sea floor with a friend about a mile off Point La Jolla, authorities said.

The diver was identified by the Medical Examiner's Office as Anthony Rossa.

Rossa's body was recovered about 11:30 a.m. in 65 feet of water by a San Diego lifeguard dive rescue team, said Lifeguard Lt. Brant Bass.

Rossa's diving partner, who was identified only as a Temecula resident, told lifeguards his partner signaled that he intended to surface because his tank was running low on air, but he still had 800 pounds of pressure left.

An air tank with 800 pounds of pressure normally would last seven or eight minutes in 65 feet of water for an experienced diver, but novice divers typically use up more air, Bass said.

"It makes a difference how comfortable you are under the water, how warm you are and how deep you are," he said. "An inexperienced diver will breathe up to two times as fast as a veteran diver."

The partner said he continued exploring the bottom for five minutes, and then surfaced. When he could not find his friend, he immediately radioed for help.

When rescuers found Rossa, his air tank was empty, his buoyancy compensator was deflated and he had his diving weights on. He was clutching a game bag, which was empty.

Bass said the death will be investigated by a panel of diving experts he oversees for the county Medical Examiner's Office.

 

[monster]

I have a little thought I like to refer to as "Superman stories". Goes something like this: the stories you usually see in the papers or the news deal with tragedies, or crime, or sex, or something spectacular. Because that's what sells.

If Superman existed, that would be great stuff to keep reading about in the mornings, don't you think? The papers would publish it because it was spectacular, and we'd all feel good sitting down to breakfast with a headline reading "Man saves busload of school children by carrying them to safety", or something like that.

This is probably a bit tangential to the thread, I know, but I got to thinking about the media because of the first couple of posts. And my friends and I were discussing it the other day: you only ever read about diving in the news when someone gets hurt, you know? But you don't see the newsanchor reading, "In Southeast Asia today, thousands of divers made thousands of dives today. Everyone came up safely, and everyone had a wonderful time."

We're seriously thinking of sponsoring some ear ads in our local papers, posting lines like the one above, just as a goodwill campaign of sorts for our sport.

 

[BadFish]

You know what Monster............. I agree with you, and that sounds like a cool idea.

 

[CaptAl]

_IF_ the newspaper article posted above is correct, and _IF_ the diver signaled his buddy he was surfacing, and _IF_ this so-called 'buddy' continued his own dive as stated then I think this 'buddy' should have his C-card pulled. I'd like to know how he defines what a "buddy" is?

 

[JustAddWater]

I agree CaptAL,
The buddy gives an odd account. At first I thought I had misread it.

 

[Scottri]

It's plain sad that someone had to die. Not being present when it happened I can't hammer the dive buddy too hard but what the hell was he doing letting his buddy ascend without him being right with him? The fact that it was the guys first dive since open water makes it even more amazing. I would NEVER let a newbie make an ascent alone. I rarely let a buddy of mine do it no matter how much experience he or she has.



Scott