Teenage diver search called off

[ScubaSteve]

Slight update:- Looks like police divers are still searching and they've just been offered some sidescan/proton mag kit to help look for the body:

Proton Magnetometer and Side-scan Sonar - YD Scuba Diving Forums

I hope this helps locate the boy for the family's sake however I still view this search with the magnatometer as looking for a needle in a haystack. Am I too pessimistic in this case?

 

[String]

I hope this helps locate the boy for the family's sake however I still view this search with the magnatometer as looking for a needle in a haystack. Am I too pessimistic in this case?

Maybe, maybe not. A lot of it depends on exactly where they're looking and how far if anywhere the person drifted before sinking. There were big spring tides so big currents and the weather has been gales pretty much all week - that could move something a fair distance on the bottom.

On the other hand if he sunk rapidly and was very heavy then may not have moved far.

So its probably worth trying but in reality you'd need to be very lucky to find anything especially that small a target.

 

[String]

Minor update - a body of a diver has washed ashore. More than likely its this person

 

[Lonefox]

Minor update - a body of a diver has washed ashore. More than likely its this person

Sad, but I guess at least the family now have some closure, it was unrealistic to expect anything else after this length of time. My regular dive buddy is in his teens, so this struck a chord with me. We have both booked rescue and EFR training as a result of this story, and I am now obsessive about maintaining regular eye contact and hand signals from the moment we get in the water, to the moment we get out.

 

[Lonefox]

here's the update to the bbc story.

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Devon | Diver's family told of body find

 

[Jim Ernst]

here's the update to the bbc story.

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Devon | Diver's family told of body find

Glen.

Thanks very much for your reports!

It seems ... There is no doubt that this find is the boy.

I am so sorry the results were not a better ending!:depressed:

 

[theunraveler]

i am juz wondering how did this occur? the boy has ascended to the surface, BC was inflated so how could he drowned?

 

[Lonefox]

i am juz wondering how did this occur? the boy has ascended to the surface, BC was inflated so how could he drowned?

I've been puzzling over the same thing, it does feel like some info is missing.
I've got some theories.

If we take the approach that the lad surfaced, I can only think, that BC dump Valve stuck open, BC depressurised, he was overweighted and was unable, as a result of panic and/or equipment shifting position, to drop his weights.

Did he get bored waiting for the boat to be started and decide to play on his own while he waited, subsequently encountering a problem that he was unable to deal with.

Did he get struck by one of the boats during the drama of starting the engine.

Initial reports stated that he was last seen at 10 metres depth, but later changed to state that he was seen on the surface. Was this initial reporting incorrect?

I guess we have to wait for the inquest, and hope that the equipment is still in a suitable condition to provide the answers.

 

[theunraveler]

I guess we have to wait for the inquest, and hope that the equipment is still in a suitable condition to provide the answers.

do they release the inquest for general public?

 

[ScubaSteve]

At the very least a formal identification will be needed for the family to truly begin the steps of acceptance. No matter how likely that it is their son's body....I am certain that they will be holding out hope until the very last second that their little boy is still out there and alive soomewhere. I hope they can get closure (good or bad) soon.