Free diver missing in Hawaii

[haumana ronin]

[h=1]Coast Guard and fire rescuers search for missing free diver[/h] By Star-Advertiser staff


The Coast Guard and Honolulu Fire Department rescue crews are searching for a missing 50-year-old man last seen free diving near Kailua Bay Saturday.

Oahu resident Christopher Nee went diving with a friend at Kailua Bay at 4 p.m. Saturday. His friend emerged from the dive at about 8 p.m. and noticed the missing man's car still in the parking lot.
Nee, an experienced free diver, is 5 foot 10 inches tall with dark hair and weighs about 190 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black wet suit top, red swim trunks and carrying a blue and white boogie board with a dive flag.
Rescue crews with the MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station Barbers Point, the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska, a 45-foot motor life boat from Coast Guard Station Honolulu and the Honolulu Fire Department helicopter are participating in the search.
The crew aboard the Kiska and the motor life boat searched through night. The Honolulu Fire Department was to resume search efforts at first light.

 

[Rogersea]

Sad to hear, hope it was just a mixup...

Cheers,
Roger

 

[haumana ronin]

No mixup...

Firefighters and lifeguards recovered the body of a missing freediver today off the coast of Castles Beach in Kailua.
Authorities identified the body as that of 50-year-old Christopher Nee, said Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig.
Nee and a friend had gone freediving off Kapoho Point about 4 p.m. Saturday and planned to be out of the water by 6 p.m., Seelig said.
Nee’s dive partner came out about 6, but couldn’t find Nee and even drove to Nee’s house thinking that he may have gotten a ride home. The man called for help about 9:45 p.m., Seelig said.
About 18 firefighters searched almost two hours Saturday night by helicopter and rescue boat and along the shore before suspending the search because of darkness. The Coast Guard was notified and continued searching overnight.
Nearly 20 firefighters returned this morning about 5:30 a.m. and were later joined by lifeguards.
Lifeguards and firefighters recovered the body from the sea floor about 400 yards from shore after firefighters in a helicopter noticed an unusual shape in the water, Seelig said.
“We recovered the body of the missing diver,” Seelig said. “He was on the bottom in about 20 feet of water. He was brought up unresponsive.”
The body was brought to shore, and Nee was pronounced dead on scene about 10:45 a.m.

 

[smellzlikefish]

This really punctuates the need for a good, attentive buddy when freediving.

 

[haumana ronin]

So rumor mill says he dived with a heart condition...

 

[Sharkatorium]

So rumor mill says he dived with a heart condition...

The man dove with a buddy who didn't care where his partner was and you're talking about the man having a heart condition... Having an attentive buddy might have saved this man's life.