Diver Lost off Pensacola

[jviehe]

I was diving off Panama City today when this came over the radio around 3pm. Coast Guard reported a missing diver about 16miles southeast of the pensacola pass. Older gentleman, bald, black tank, black wetsuit.No links yet.

[1_T_Submariner]

Any updates? I checked google didn't find any thing.

[Little Rich]

As of right now, I believe he is still considered missing. The CG and other private vessels searched for him all afternoon without any success. Right now he and his family need our prayers so please pray for him, his family, and his fellow divers.

Rich

[LIVES4SHARKS]

My prayers are with him, I hope we have a good outcome!

Carolyn:sharks:

[HawgLeg]

This was posted from the Pensacola Fishing Forum under their diving section.

Apparently it was tough out there. With Gustav headed their way it is only going to get worse and I assume the CG will be pulled off to assist in Gustav matters. About 125 miles southwest of the Pensacola pass is NOAA buoy 42040 and it is currently reporting 10 1/2 foot seas and sustained winds of 25 kts.

Bad situation.

Posted by:
craasch210 .....pensacolafishingforum.com/fishingforum/Forum38-1.aspx

We were out diving today and heard a distress call from a boat called the "pioneer" that was fishing green's hole. They had a diver that had failed to resurface. They stated that the last time they saw the diver, he was on his way up the anchor rope. He did not show any signs of distress. They were diving in 107 ft of water. He was not seen again after that. I cant say for sure if they were diving air or nitrox, but I believe they said it was their 4th dive of the day (I dont know if their earlier dives were shallow water, did not get that information).

We tied up to the distressed vessel and rolled two divers to try and find their guy. The current was unbelievable at the surface (i had to be towed to the anchor line to get down). The friend that I was diving with attempted to descend and get below the current, but was quickly swept away and was recovered by another boat in the area approx 1/4 mile away from the dive site (just to give you an idea of how bad the current was).


The water was completely calm on the surface with mostly sunny skies. The visibility was approx 40 ft on the top and less than 15ft on the bottom when we dove. I believe that the conditions had changed some since we got there, because the other boat reported that the current was weaker on the bottom when they were diving.


I made it to 96 ft on the anchor rope (they had a 3/1 scope on the anchor rope) and the current was still just as strong. I dont ever remember a time when I was diving with current that strong on the bottom.


Sadly, we were unable to locate any sign of the diver. There were multiple boats and a helocopter in the area performing a grid search in the area of the the drift/current. Coast guard boats in the area as well assisting in the search.
I dont know all of the details, but I do know that this is a 40 year old causasian male with know known health problems. He had been out diving on that boat 3-4 times, but was a fairly new diver per the captain. The "pioneer" is a small pro-line type boat that looked to be approx 21-23 ft long.


Thanks to Dalton (DKdiver, Kalusa 4) and the vessel "Albatross" for coming out and helping with the search.


I will say a prayer tonight that this guy is floating out to see somewhere and will be picked up by a helo or boat sometime. To my knowledge, the search is still ongoing.

[fairybasslet]

I hope this one has a happy ending.

[beachlawyer]

Anybody heard any more info? Was diving the O yesterday and heard the call go out....

[Little Rich]

as of right now there is unfortunately nothing new to report. The diver is still missing depite outstanding response by local divers (craasch210 and his team specifically,) fishermen, and the CG immediately following the incident.

[T. Brooks]

I'm waiting, watching and hoping, as I am sure so many other divers are.

Tony

[captjuan]

As of now the search has been terminated according to coast guard mobile. We were one of the boats looking for him on Saturday. We tried to resume on Sunday before heading up the ICW back to Panama city but it got real sporty. I am praying for the family now. CJ

[Little Rich]

thank you for your selfless effort. I know we would all want someone to come look for us if we were missing. I am truly impressed by the rapid response by all involved. Thank you again.

[sawfish]

A couple of years ago, I attended a brief lecture by U.S. Navy and Coast Guard search and rescue units. One thing that stuck in my mind was the point they made about how difficult it is to spot a diver in the water. The gist of the lecture was that from a helicopter flying at high speed, the black wetsuit and white face and hands of a diver blend in with the water and whitecaps. Divers were encouraged to carry a safety sausage, wear bright colored fins that they could wave to signal the helicopter, and even carry a strobe in case they were in the water after dark. Divers equipped to signal an aircraft or rescue boat increase their chances of being spotted by 5 times or more. This represents a minimal investment that could provide a maximum return.

[bill-da-ho]

I know the search was called off, but has there been any other word?

[OceanGirl125]

I dove the Oriskany on Saturday, on the way in they told us what was going on. I wish the news was better. I figured the worst when I read on the Pensacola News Journal that the search was called off. The current was super strong on Saturday. Him and his family are in my prayers.

[nwfladiver]

the Pensacola news journal stated the the search has been called off. since hurricane Gustav came through it is safe to assume the worse unfortunately.

[beachlawyer]

Still no word on this diver?

[dtdiver]

a question for you SAR guys.

when a diver is lost in waters with fast currents, do they ever put a marker in the water that rides the currents and base the search around the drifting marker? i do not mean a SMB that will get affected by winds.

it always seems the searches are very random when the diver is very limited to how far they can swim against the currents.

dave

[ianw2]

dtdiver....

By the time you put a marker in the water, the diver could be many miles away. searching around the marker would be worthless. A marker on the surface does not necessarily mean that it will follow the currents at 80-FSW, either.

Currents are usually relatively well documented as part of the weather observation monitoring program.

[jimdiverman]

When I dive in the ocean now, I dive with a signaling mirror and strobes either clipped to me or in a pocket. A strobe can be seen easily for miles at nighttime. A mirror is an excellent locator during the daytime. If someone makes a pocket-sized ePirb, and I did enough ocean diving, I would consider that too.

FWIW, a signaling mirror has a hole in the center of it so that you can line it up with the sun as you try to send a reflection to a potential flying observer or distant water craft.

Dive safe!

[ianw2]

Jim:

Not to hijack the thread, but, check these...

http://www.findmespot.com/explorespot/spotmessenger.aspx

McMurdo (http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/products/product.html?product_type=2&product_sector=1&product=7)

Ian

[dtdiver]

-that makes sense, but if the diver's still at 80 feet it is a recovery not a SAR. i guess at some point you triage the rescuer's efforts.

-doubt the GPS devices are good in water, you need a depth proof EPIRB or a pressure proof container and still it must be really waterproof

still sorry to hear

dave

[Roko]

Somewhere on this forum I believe someone posted a depth rated container that would hold the spot messenger perfectly. The messenger itself is waterproof to about a meter, just not to depth. You could keep it stored in the container for the dive, then if stranded on the surface, you can pull it out of the container, activate it and still be able to use it to get a signal out.. Not a bad little device, One of the folks in our local Jeep club picked one up recently and used it to track a trip. Considering some of our offroading trips take us several hours, minimum, from cellphone coverage, and even out of 2m radio repeater coverage, not a bad little device to have especially since I could use it on ocean dives too.

The old saying applies... Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it. It seems that there are a lot of topics on here about divers being swept away, hopefully technologies like this can become more wide spread and at least mitigate losses where the diver(s) aren't hurt, just swept away by current. Given the cost and risks of diving in general, the price for Spot isn't too high.

Edit: Just to add, I'm not sure what else is out there for personal locaters, so there may be a better option.

[Johnoly]

Somewhere on this forum I believe someone posted a depth rated container that would hold the spot messenger perfectly. .

The McMurdo cannister

Here's Mine:

http://www.johnoly.com/gallery/albums/non-fish-dive-stuff/DSC01533.jpg

[jimdiverman]

The McMurdo cannister

Here's Mine:

http://www.johnoly.com/gallery/albums/non-fish-dive-stuff/DSC01533.jpg


What are the buoyancy characteristics? What are the dimensions of that canister? How do you carry it? Are the devices you put into your canister waterproof?

[dave4868]

What are the buoyancy characteristics? What are the dimensions of that canister? How do you carry it? Are the devices you put into your canister waterproof?


Here are some links (can't find specs yet):

Fastfind Dive Canister (http://www.landfallnavigation.com/spwffdive.html)

McMurdo Pains Wessex Personal Locator Beacons Dive Canister Shop, Find and Buy at ComfortChannel.com. (http://www.comfortchannel.com/prod.itml/icOid/4048)

http://www.diveology.com/marine%20safety%20accessories%20pdf/dive%20cannister.pdf

Dave C