Filmmaker Rob Stewart dies off Alligator Reef

[Wookie]

However, it's difficult to fathom how a diluent tank would end up empty after two and a half square profiles at 220 ft...

New rebreather diver doing ups and downs in 220 feet? Not difficult for me to fathom at all. I had a relatively experienced dive team run out of dil on a 220 on either the Rhein or the Araby Maid. Both are instructors. Both are Mod 3 instructors. They almost died (both on Megs). It was a big deal, and I never again let divers go on a Mod 3 dive without a fresh fill.

 

[uwxplorer]

New rebreather diver doing ups and downs in 220 feet? Not difficult for me to fathom at all. I had a relatively experienced dive team run out of dil on a 220 on either the Rhein or the Araby Maid. Both are instructors. Both are Mod 3 instructors. They almost died (both on Megs). It was a big deal, and I never again let divers go on a Mod 3 dive without a fresh fill.

Good point and good to know and learn about the incident. Were the sea conditions particularly rough, were they doing drift deco? What caused them to run our of dil? You are suggesting they started low...
It begs the question (for this incident): what about external tank plumbing?

Regarding Steward, the fact (empty or not empty) should be available. It is unfortunate that the recovery team did not have the training or forgot to take note of the status of (and not touch) the unit. Of course, someone in the know about Steward training could clarify what was the likely state of his diluent valve, but no one is (understandably) likely to come forward.
Notice that with a slight leak somewhere, the diluent tank, open, could very well end up empty just as well after few days at the bottom.

To sum up: I have assumed that the most likely situation at the start of the final descent was a closed diluent tank, but there is no statement establishing that as a fact in either exhibit.
The most horrible thought at this point is that of the diver, assuming he was still conscious at that point, pressing on his inflator as he felt he was going under and nothing happening...

 

[JohnnyC]

Have we gotten the NEDU report on the disposition of the unit? A leaky ADV could easily drain the dil bottle and the unit be negative enough for it to have no effect on the buoyancy of the unit, venting excess loop volume all the way and never sending the diver to the surface.

That's not to say that it's what happened, and it's pure speculation as to one way that a dil bottle may be empty.

 

[CptTightPants21]

Th

Good point and good to know and learn about the incident. Were the sea conditions particularly rough, were they doing drift deco? What caused them to run our of dil? You are suggesting they started low...
It begs the question (for this incident): what about external tank plumbing?

Regarding Steward, the fact (empty or not empty) should be available. It is unfortunate that the recovery team did not have the training or forgot to take note of the status of (and not touch) the unit. Of course, someone in the know about Steward training could clarify what was the likely state of his diluent valve, but no one is (understandably) likely to come forward.
Notice that with a slight leak somewhere, the diluent tank, open, could very well end up empty just as well after few days at the bottom.

To sum up: I have assumed that the most likely situation at the start of the final descent was a closed diluent tank, but there is no statement establishing that as a fact in either exhibit.
The most horrible thought at this point is that of the diver, assuming he was still conscious at that point, pressing on his inflator as he felt he was going under and nothing happening...

They had a ~20 min dive to pull the anchor with large depth changes. I don't think dil bottle was off at the start of the descent.

 

[Wookie]

Good point and good to know and learn about the incident. Were the sea conditions particularly rough, were they doing drift deco? What caused them to run our of dil? You are suggesting they started low...
It begs the question (for this incident): what about external tank plumbing?

Regarding Steward, the fact (empty or not empty) should be available. It is unfortunate that the recovery team did not have the training or forgot to take note of the status of (and not touch) the unit. Of course, someone in the know about Steward training could clarify what was the likely state of his diluent valve, but no one is (understandably) likely to come forward.
Notice that with a slight leak somewhere, the diluent tank, open, could very well end up empty just as well after few days at the bottom.

To sum up: I have assumed that the most likely situation at the start of the final descent was a closed diluent tank, but there is no statement establishing that as a fact in either exhibit.
The most horrible thought at this point is that of the diver, assuming he was still conscious at that point, pressing on his inflator as he felt he was going under and nothing happening...

The coroner's report may have the gas remaining in the report. I have 3 or more dated signed coronor's reports, let me wade through them.... I know the answer, but I can't remember if it's public or not yet.

We were slick calm, the divers could have come up the shot line, but didn't. No current. They ran out of dil because "this was a simple dive, we don't need a fill". They had O2, but no dil. I had a deckhand who thought that they just didn't look right.

We changed a lot of procedures after that day.

 

[Wookie]

Have we gotten the NEDU report on the disposition of the unit? A leaky ADV could easily drain the dil bottle and the unit be negative enough for it to have no effect on the buoyancy of the unit, venting excess loop volume all the way and never sending the diver to the surface.

That's not to say that it's what happened, and it's pure speculation as to one way that a dil bottle may be empty.

NEDU has refused to sign their report, which is why we don't have a Coast Guard report of findings either.

 

[JohnnyC]

NEDU has refused to sign their report, which is why we don't have a Coast Guard report of findings either.

Hmmmm.... what does that mean? Aside from not having the information available, does that imply anything about their findings?

 

[Wookie]

Hmmmm.... what does that mean? Aside from not having the information available, does that imply anything about their findings?

No. Word is that they do not want to take the time to get involved in a court case. And all of the other political mess that falls around the report. They examined the rebreather as a favor to the Coast Guard. They did that, but they don't budget for someone to travel to testify.

 

[Kay Dee]

A. Some divers, I hear some divers do this, I would never do this, turn off their diluent when they get to the bottom because they don't really need that gas at the bottom anymore so maybe he turned it off. I don't know."
.

Really????? People do that (now underlined)? Well that's a real bright idea. NOT!

 

[JohnnyC]

I don't know anyone who turns off their dil on the bottom. Many have shutoffs on the ADV (myself included), but turning off your dil completely will screw you 6 ways from Sunday in several insidious ways.