Diver drowns repairing deck - India

[DandyDon]

Diver drowns in freak accident in Army golf course

Chennai: A sea diver from the Kasimedu fishing hamlet drowned in a 10-foot deep artificial lake, which is a leisure spot for defence officers at the Indian Army’s Palm Grove golf course located in the Island Grounds on Anna Salai on Tuesday. He was part of the team outsourced by the Army to fix a damaged boat deck, built over floating rafts, which had slipped into the lake in the recent heavy rains.

The deck that was designed to allow officers to lounge on it had submerged partially in the water after its support rafts had moved from their positions in the water. The deceased, Rajendran, 51, was part of an eight-member crew led by Kumar from Kasimedu, hired for Rs 5,000 to put the boat deck back in position over the water.

The body was found stuck under the boat deck at around 5 pm after nearly five hours of search by the fire and rescue team. The diver had reportedly tried to lift the rafts before the deck had been properly secured by ropes.

The team had planned to lift the damaged deck from the water and put it back in place after draining all the water. The Army officials were reported to have suggested that the logs be secured first, but Rajendran had dived into the water earlier, around 9 am, and started working on lifting the deck of size 20 feet x 8 feet. He was said to be trying to lift the damaged deck on his head, which is when he went down and got stuck under the rafts.

Also, the visibility was very low because of the accumulation of rain water in the lake.

Kumar and his team began searching for Rajendran on their own and only later were the Army officials alerted. Subsequently, the help of Fire and Rescue services was sought and its personnel reached the spot at around noon. “Around 5 pm we lifted the deck and the raft using a crane and found his body,” fire and rescue team member Sivasankaran said.

“The sea diver, who is accustomed to deep sea diving, seems to have failed to handle the weight of the deck and drowned” the police said. An Army spokesperson said it was a case of accidental death was and being handled by the local police.

 

[Abdullah]

So, for the whopping sum of $83 a diver was going to salvage and repair this deck? Seems like that wouldn't cover many expenses for an actual dive team. The ad hoc plan seems to have had a fatal flaw.

 

[wgw04024]

Sad. Well, I'm sure $83 us goes alot farther in India than here. I don't understand how he got 'stuck' by trying to lift it with his head.

 

[Diver Dan 28]

I have never posted on accidents forum before so I hope this isn't against the rules. They ended up using a crane?? I guess hind sight is really 20-20. Very sad.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I don't understand how he got 'stuck' by trying to lift it with his head.

Have you ever used your head to hold up sheet rock while you are searching on your body for a hammer or nails to put it up? I have - it works - you need both hands to put the sheet up and use your head to steady it while you are digging out the hammer and nails or screw gun and screws...

My speculation is he thought he could lift the deck even though it was submerged - I will further assume he tried to lift from underneath and got stuck in the muck as well as got pinned by the dock... Not the smartest move but I could see his logic - however sheet rock on a ladder and a floating deck with unstable mud are slightly different scenarios.