Missing Diver - Fort Lauderdale Florida

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DandyDon

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Authorities search for missing diver off Ft. Lauderdale coast | News - Home
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Authorities are searching for a diver who did not resurface Saturday afternoon off the coast of Fort Lauderdale.
Three people were out diving in the ocean east of Oakland Park Boulevard when one of them did not surface, according to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue officials.
Two divers are back on board the boat. Officials said the third diver was last seen about 4 p.m. Saturday.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue and Fort Lauderdale police arrived at the scene to search for the diver.
 
Coast Guard searching for Pompano Beach Diver near Ft. Lauderdale | Coast Guard News

MIAMI — Coast Guard crews and other agencies are searching for a missing diver after he never resurfaced one mile east of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Saturday.
Missing is Marc Raroha, 45, from Pompano Beach, Florida.

Coast Guard received initial notification from the captain aboard the pleasure craft Advocat at 4:45 p.m., stating that Raroha went diving with two others, they resurfaced but he did not.
Coast Guard assets involved in the ongoing search are:


  • Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew.
  • Coast Guard Station Ft. Lauderdale smallboat crews.
  • Coast Guard Cutter Dolphin.
Ft. Lauderdale Police, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee and Broward County Sheriff’s deputies are also assisting in the response.
 
**UPDATE** Coast Guard suspends search for missing diver off Ft. Lauderdale

[h=2]**UPDATE** COAST GUARD SUSPENDS SEARCH FOR MISSING DIVER OFF FT. LAUDERDALE[/h]MIAMI — Coast Guard crews suspended their search Monday evening for a missing diver who never resurfaced one mile east of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Saturday.
Missing is Marc Raroha, 45, from Pompano Beach, Florida.
Coast Guard received initial notification from the captain aboard the pleasure craft Advocat at 4:45 p.m., stating that Raroha went diving with two others, they resurfaced but he did not.
Search crews completed 17 search patterns covering approximately 2,050 square miles over a 45 hour period.

  • Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft.
  • Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter.
  • Coast Guard Station Ft. Lauderdale smallboat crews.
  • Coast Guard Cutter Dolphin, 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Miami.
"Our Coast Guard men and women worked tirelessly looking for Mr. Raroha; however, despite our best efforts we have been unable to locate him, and have decided to suspended the search pending any further developments," said Cmdr. Richard Hartley, Coast Guard Sector Miami chief of response. "We want to express our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the victim during this difficult time."
Ft. Lauderdale Police, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee and Broward County Sheriff's deputies also assisted in the three day search.

 
I've been following this as well, initially it sounded like this was a beach dive and then there were mentions of a boat. I can imagine how a group of two or three could get left behind by a absent-minded charter boat captain but not a single guy with two to four (depending on which news report you read) other divers. I admit I am a fairly new and therefore very cautious diver, but I keep a careful eye on my buddies, instant or otherwise.
 
I've been following this as well, initially it sounded like this was a beach dive and then there were mentions of a boat. I can imagine how a group of two or three could get left behind by a absent-minded charter boat captain but not a single guy with two to four (depending on which news report you read) other divers. I admit I am a fairly new and therefore very cautious diver, but I keep a careful eye on my buddies, instant or otherwise.

Right, because absent minded charter boat captains leave divers behind every day but divers never get lost or keep diving after being separated from their buddy.
 
This -
"Coast Guard received initial notification from the captain aboard the pleasure craft Advocat at 4:45 p.m., stating that Raroha went diving with two others, they resurfaced but he did not"
Makes me think that a charter dive boat was not involved. Could be wrong.

DC
 
No need to get defensive. Lay blame wherever you want, it's besides the point, and wasn't where I was going. I was focused on the way the report sounded, like his buddies first noticed his absence when surfacing. Are those that have been diving for decades that nonchalant about keeping track of whom they are diving with? What is your speculative idea of how this happened and could have been avoided? This guy was/is an experienced diver.
 
What makes you think he was experienced? I didn't know him, but none of the reports suggest he was experienced. What is experienced? Someone with 100 quarry dives in Pennsylvania may or may not be ready for the higher energy of diving FLL or WPB. Maybe he got caught in a current and carried away from his buddies. Maybe he was solo diving or in a "loose buddy trio" and they lost sight of him when he speared a huge AJ. Maybe any of a million things happened to him and he's riding the gulf stream to Newfoundland, and boy is he pissed. It does no good to speculate, because we shall never know.

Folks are lost in Fort Lauderdale every year. Dive companies have spent millions inventing rescue radios, diver friendly PLB cannisters, "find me" kits with flares, mirrors, smoke, etc. It's all available, but you have to buy it, carry it with you, know how to use it, and be conscious and available to use it. It doesn't do any good gathering dust at the LDS.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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