Missing Diver off of Kahala, Oahu, Hawaii

[divermike1011]

I'm only going to post the link to the news story for now, will post more as soon as I have more details.

Visitor vanished while diving off Kahala - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL Home

The following is strictly conjecture based on the news report and knowledge of local conditions/diving:

Based on the news report of a wreck dive off of Kahala, the logical site would be the Kahala Barges, known locally as the "Baby Barge" and "Mini Barge." Like the USCG LCDR in the news report says, it's not unusual to dive that side of the island in the conditions present yesterday (obviously once we know more details this will become a good point of discussion as whether it was smart to dive in those conditions). Almost all dives on Oahu booked through a dive shop are guided dives, in practice this means either a Dive Master or Instructor leads the entire group on the dive. In this case because the dive operation owned its own boat it is therefore likely the entire group went on the dive together. Leading group dives in sporty conditions is a giant logistical challenge and unless you count noses constantly divers can be easily separated. Another point to keep in mind is that a majority of divers on Oahu are vacation divers with a limited amount of experience, both as divers, and with local conditions.

My personal opinion is that we have a perfect storm of: rough conditions, a guided dive with no clear dive buddies, current, and an inexperienced diver.

Michael

 

[divermike1011]

Hawaii Public Radio just reported it took one hour for the dive company to realize they had a missing diver. I'm searching for a link to that story as we speak (heard it while driving).

Michael

 

[Gunrock]

Search resumes for missing diver off Waialae-Kahala - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Search resumes for missing diver off Waialae-Kahala
By Gregg . Kakesako


POSTED: 10:39 a.m. HST, Aug 30, 2011


Coast Guard and Honolulu Fire Department boats and aircraft continued the search today for a 22-year-old New York state man who went missing during a commercial scuba dive tour Monday about half a mile off Waialae-Kahala.

The man was part of a group of 11 clients on an Island Divers excursion that left Hawaii Kai for a dive near a sunken wreckage.

The search today extended from Koko Head to Diamond Head. The Fire Department was concentrating in the area within three miles of shore. The Coast Guard had its HC-130 aircraft helicopter, the 87-foot cutter Kittiwake and 45-foot rescue boat covering the area up to 10 miles out.

The Coast Guard said winds in the area were 10 to 15 knots, with the seas measuring from 3 to 5 feet. Visibility was between 7 to 10 miles.

The search closer to the bach was hampered by high surf conditions, said Capt. Terry Seelig, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman.

Seelig also said the rough surf condistions also meant the HFD helicopter this morning was diverted from the search to help in rescue attempts off Waikiki, Wailupe and Hanuauma Bay. No one was injured in those three cases.

The Coast Guard and the fire department will reassess the situation at the end of the day. The fire department has committed one helicopter and rescue boat to the search efforts as well as firefighters who were search beaches in the area.

 

[fisheater]

An hour from the time everyone (well, almost everyone) boarded? Or an hour from the start of the dive?

Big difference.


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[Pliny]

Mike could you comment a little more on the site? How far offshore and what is the prevailing current if any? I ask since I have only dived HI on the Kona coast of the big island and the sites there are close to shore (50-200 yards by and large) and unless you are way down south, you aren't going to get carried out to sea by the currents. It sounds to me given my limited knowledge of Oahu diving that the gang dive (DM & 6 divers with no clear buddy responsibilities, plus a fairly casual atitude about separation) style I have seen in HI may be a recipe for trouble once you get a little bit farther offshore.

 

[DandyDon]

Hawaii Public Radio just reported it took one hour for the dive company to realize they had a missing diver. I'm searching for a link to that story as we speak (heard it while driving).

Michael

Excerpted from: Fire, Coast Guard crews search for NY visitor missing during scuba dive off east Oahu | The Republic

About an hour after the tour ended, the group noticed the man was not accounted for.

Seelig says they had been diving at a sunken wreck attraction known as "Baby Barge."

Now I have to wonder what they did in that hour? SI at location, left and came back, or what? In some groups, divers will scatter and some may come up 15-30 minutes after the first, but "an hour after the tour ended"...??

 

[fisheater]

If true, that's a damning fact.


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[divermike1011]

Pliny: This is one of the few dive sites on Oahu I don't have a lot of personal experience at, so I'm going from looking at maps and the news reporting, but from shore (my wife works near where the incident took place) you can easily see the S&R boats, so I'd say approximately one mile off shore. Boats that dive this site generally leave from the Hawaii Kai marina and it's about a 15 min ride out to the site IIRC.

I have dove with the operator in question in the past and I stopped using them do to their laissez faire approach to safety (no safety briefings, limited briefings about the sites, no enforcement or concern over whether people had buddies etc.) so it wasn't the greatest shock in the world when I heard that a diver went missing and it turned out to be these guys. Having been on their boats I can tell you that unlike some boats that perform a formal count with everyone's name being called before leaving a dive site I have never witnessed one being performed on one of their boats.

Current reports are stating that there were 11 divers on this charter, so even with two dives guides [note the news reports have not stated the number of guides, I am basing this on past experience] we're still taking a fairly big group to manage for a drift dive in sporty conditions.

DD I agree figuring out a diver is missing an hour after people starting to surface is quite extreme, I'm waiting for local reports on what went down, probably have to wait until this weekend as I am tied up with Navy stuff all week.

Michael

 

[Isurus9]

there isnt much i can say about the events but i do know that some of the info in inaccurate, especially the bit about not knowing for an hour. three dive companies were in the area and helping search almost immediately after the last diver was up.

 

[divermike1011]

Isurus9: what's your source? From the initial reports I read there was no mention of the length of time it took to discover the diver missing (but it was implied it was almost instant once people surfaced) but then later today you have the report on HPR's noon broadcast about the hour delay and the article DandyDon linked also mentions an hour delay. What three companies? IDH is one of the few who consistently dive the Baby and Mini barges, so who else was out there to assist?

Michael