2009-11-13 death on Vandenberg

[Cave Diver]

Diver dies on new shipwreck | KeysNews.com

A 51-year-old Texas man died while diving on the Vandenberg wreck Friday afternoon, authorities said.

Richard McCoy Jr. of Cypress was on his first dive of the day with the M/V Spree, a dive charter based at Robbie's Marina on Stock Island, when the incident occurred about 12:10 p.m.

McCoy, who was diving with two instructors, had been down for about 20 minutes and was at 95 feet when he began having unknown trouble, according to a Monroe County Sheriff's Office press release.

They began helping him to the surface, but he stopped breathing, so they rushed him the remaining 25 feet to the surface, sheriff's spokeswoman Becky Herrin wrote.

The M/V Spree notified the Coast Guard about 12:20 p.m., agency spokesman Matthew Meinhold said.

McCoy received CPR en route to the Coast Guard station, and paramedics continued CPR en route to Lower Keys Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Herrin said.

The Sheriff's Office is investigating and took his dive equipment into custody for examination. The Medical Examiner's Office is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

McCoy had flown into Miami and bused to Key West Thursday with a group of people on an organized dive trip.

 

[Wookie]

Mrs.McCoy has asked me to make nothing public until the results of the autopsy are in. Thanks for your patience.

Frank

 

[KeysCuda]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Known facts: I will be adding them to this post as they come to light for easy reference.

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• Middle aged male diving the Vandenberg using a Sentinel Rebreather with 50+ logged hours of experience on unit
• Victims was Richard McCoy Jr., 51, from Cypress, TX...

That first one may be open to question.
Local investigators with the SO who talked to the two divers with the late Mr McCoy are reporting they were told Mr. McCoy "was not familiar with the rebreather system and was in the process of becoming certified."

They do say Mr. McCoy was an an experienced diver.

This is not to criticize - or even contradict - any previous posts. I have no knowledge as to what was the actual case, or of the time needed on a breather to be considered certified.
Often, developing accounts of chaotic rescue incidents change as more information comes to light in subsequent days.

Condolences to Mr. McCoy's family.

 

[Cave Diver]

That first one may be open to question.
Local investigators with the SO who talked to the two divers with the late Mr McCoy are reporting they were told Mr. McCoy "was not familiar with the rebreather system and was in the process of becoming certified."

They do say Mr. McCoy was an an experienced diver.

This is not to criticize - or even contradict - any previous posts. I have no knowledge as to what was the actual case, or of the time needed on a breather to be considered certified.
Often, developing accounts of chaotic rescue incidents change as more information comes to light in subsequent days.

Condolences to Mr. McCoy's family.

The post from the dive charter op involved with this incident indicates that the victim was taking a Trimix Diluent class. Course standards from one agency indicate that a minimum of 25 hours is required for taking a Normoxic Trimix Course. IANTD Mod 2 Normoxic Closed Circuit Rebreather Diver Course The victim could also have been taking this in conjunction with the Mod1 CCR course, with the Mod2 cert to be awarded after logging the required hours.

If you can cite a source to verify the information it can be updated as necessary.

 

[Buoyant1]

Have we gotten any updates on this yet?

 

[KeysCuda]

Have we gotten any updates on this yet?

Typically, the Medical Examiner withholds cause of death (except when it's screamingly obvious) pending "test results", which contrary to CSI shows, usually take weeks - or longer.

 

[chris.evans]

Mrs.McCoy has asked me to make nothing public until the results of the autopsy are in. Thanks for your patience.

Frank

It' been 5 years, can you please share this info you have?

 

[Wookie]

Rich has a heart attack at the bottom (on the deck) while in deco. His death was ruled natural causes, one of the first ever diving accidents ruled so in the keys. Had he had the same heart attack standing on the deck of the boat we might not have been able to save him. When it's your time, it's your time.