Makaha Beach diver missing - Hawaii

[DandyDon]

Rescue crews continue searching for missing scuba diver off Maka - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Honolulu Fire Department are continuing to search for a 52-year-old scuba diver who didn't surface after exploring the underwater caves off Makaha Beach Park Monday night.Crews began their rescue efforts around 10:30 p.m. after friends reported him missing at around 8 p.m. Honolulu firefighters suspended their search at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and resumed their aerial and water search efforts onshore at daylight. A Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter is searching from above while the Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake is searching the waters offshore from the popular dive spot.


Authorities identified the missing diver as Harold "JJ" Jackson, who was last seen wearing a black wetsuit and scuba gear. A friend described him as an avid diver who often assisted researchers with his knowledge of shells and marine life. HFD added that he was very experienced and had been diving for 30 years.

Divers familiar with the area where Jackson went missing say the depth ranges from 25 to 45 feet.

HFD said divers located a piece of dive equipment that may or may not belong to the missing diver.

 

[DandyDon]

Missing Makaha diver's body recovered off the coast of Kauai - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL
[QUOTMAKAHA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Coast Guard's search for a missing diver ended when a body was located 23 miles southeast of Nawilliwilli on Friday.

A commercial tug transiting from Kauai to Oahu noticed a strobe light at 5:20 a.m. Friday, which was attached to JJ Jackson's bouyancy control device. Jackson was not with the equipment. The location of the dive gear prompted a redirection of assets into a new search area.

At 1:17 p.m., a body fitting the description of Jackson was recovered by a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Kauai and transported to Nawilliwilli Harbor. The body was turned over to city officials and positive identification is pending.

Assets that participated in the 4-day search were Coast Guard Cutters Kittiwake and Galveston Island, Response Boat-Medium crews from Station Kauai and Station Honolulu, MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and HC-130 Hercules airplane crews from Air Station Barbers Point. A Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel also assisted in addition to crews from the Honolulu Fire Department.On-scene assets completed 62 sorties, searched a total of 7,292 square miles and deployed two self-locating datum marker buoys.

Honolulu Ocean Safety officials also assisted in the search efforts. Crews utilized a jet ski for majority of the search, along with guards searching from towers.
Watchstanders at Sector Honolulu Command Center received notification from one of the divers reporting an overdue 50-year-old male at 10:30 p.m. Jackson was last seen Monday at 8:15 p.m. approximately one mile off Makaha Beach Park.E][/QUOTE]

 

[RickyF]

A very sad event here in Oahu! A lot of unanswered questions as to how this happened.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

JJ was an immensely experienced diver who knew the flora, fauna, and waters of Oahu better than anyone. I had the immense good fortune to see some of his shells, and was utterly humbled by the scope of his expertise. A very, very sad day.

 

[Seymour Fisch]

(Condolences to friends of the victim. I apologize for taking this in an analytical direction, but that's the purpose of this forum...)

Does the fact that his BCD was found due to a strobe mean that he had been conscious on the surface? Is this an example where a PLB or something similar would have been lifesaving?

Clearly, the strobe was visible enough to be spotted by the tug, but despite a very extensive search, he had drifted most of the way from Oahu to Kauai before being found.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

(Condolences to friends of the victim. I apologize for taking this in an analytical direction, but that's the purpose of this forum...)

Does the fact that his BCD was found due to a strobe mean that he had been conscious on the surface? Is this an example where a PLB or something similar would have been lifesaving?

Clearly, the strobe was visible enough to be spotted by the tug, but despite a very extensive search, he had drifted most of the way from Oahu to Kauai before being found.

According to the article linked above, he was last seen at 2015hrs so the strobe could have been active for a night dive before anything went amiss. Without knowing whether the BCD still had a tank and reg in place when found, it's hard to say whether he removed it for some reason on the surface, or whether it came off/was removed during or after an incident.

 

[iamrushman]

Condolences to friends and family of the victim....sad news.