Lost diver in Puget Sound

[Rishidian]

I just ran across this in the Tacoma News Tribune:

Tacoma police and firefighters search for missing diver

Karen Hucks, The News Tribune
Published: November 10th, 2006 11:56 AM

Tacoma police and firefighters continued searching for a missing scuba diver along the Ruston Way waterfront again today after they couldn’t find him Thursday night.

The man was among six people diving in pairs Thursday evening off the wall near the Lobster Shop restaurant, said Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum. The area is a popular spot for diving.

Police received an emergency call just after 8:30 p.m. that the man didn’t surface after a dive. Friends told police that the man told his diving buddy he was having some sort of respiratory distress.

They all began to surface, but the visibility was limited, either because of the darkness or the extra silt in the water from the storm, Fulghum said.

The Tacoma police and fire department boats and a King County Sheriff’s department helicopter searched for the man until midnight, and then started searching again this morning.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/updates/story/6224251p-5436809c.html

And

TACOMA: Search continues for scuba diver missing near waterfront restaurant

THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: November 11th, 2006 01:00 AM

Tacoma police and firefighters continued searching for a missing scuba diver along the Ruston Way waterfront Friday after they couldn’t find him Thursday night.

The man was among six people diving in pairs off the wall near the Lobster Shop restaurant, police spokesman Mark Fulghum said. The area is a popular spot for diving.

Police received an emergency call just after 8:30 p.m. that the man hadn’t surfaced after a dive. Friends told police the man had indicated to his diving buddy he was having some sort of respiratory distress. All the divers except that man surfaced.

Visibility under water was limited, either because of darkness or the extra silt in the water from recent storms, Fulghum said.

The Tacoma Police and Fire department boats and a King County sheriff’s helicopter searched for the man until midnight Thursday, then started searching again Friday. The search ended at dusk Friday and will not resume until Monday, Fulghum said.

Karen Hucks, The News Tribune

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/6226051p-5438056c.html

Does anyone know anything about this or who it is?

 

[Magali]

Very sad.
The local news just announced a memorial service for this young man.

 

[lundysd]

Hits close to home.... My prayers and condolences to the family

 

[Ocean One]

Condolences to the friends and family of this young man. Was any of the SB PNW divers on this trip that can provide more insight??

 

[Kayla]

Ouch... Its always hard when its so close to home. Sending thoughts and prayers to the family on this one...

 

[Reef Man]

My condolences to his family and those divers that were with him...always sad to hear about these tragic loses!!!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Found this on a local board ...

I can across this forum looking for articles on one of my closest friends that died Thurs night. He is the missing diver from Tacoma (Lobster Shop Wall). I know nothing about diving. Just what I've heard during this tragedy. My buddy had 150+ dives under his belt. They were there just to go deep (probably too deep). The dive master was with them aswell well, along with 2 inexperienced divers. Chad's dive buddy said that they made eye contact with each other and decided to head up because John (chads dive buddy) was "narced up?" John headed for the surface when chad spotted the newer diver Steve on all fours on the bottom. About 200-211 feet down. I believe Chad was about at 180 at the time. Chad went down and supposedly John was suffering extreme Virtigo and was basically It extreme danger of losing his life. Chad went back down to Steve and brought him up to 160 before letting go. Steve said that Chad made a "noise" and motioned to his chest and started kicking for the surface. Thats the last anyone saw of one of my best friends and an incredible human being, again. Everyone who knew him is devastated as you might imagine. Just thought I'd let you people know..
Bryan

This breaks my heart. Chad was a good man ... just young and "invulnerable". Him and his friends were out to break a "personal best" depth record.

The fifth diver on this little adventure is a NAUI instructor. He should've known better than take two new divers on a dive to over 200 feet ... and on AL80's. If it were up to me, whatever his credentials, he'd never teach again.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Hemlon]

Very sad.

My heartfelt sympathies go to the family.

 

[rjack321]

This breaks my heart. Chad was a good man ... just young and "invulnerable". Him and his friends were out to break a "personal best" depth record.

The fifth diver on this little adventure is a NAUI instructor. He should've known better than take two new divers on a dive to over 200 feet ... and on AL80's. If it were up to me, whatever his credentials, he'd never teach again.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I don't believe its in the community's best interest to not disclose the instructor's name. If he or she was there, they either need to explain themselves or get out of the business.

Very sad and so preventable

 

[Vayu]

Sounds like alot of things went wrong really fast. Its hard when the ocean takes its toll. I am sad for the family and for Chad.

-V