Diver dies in Bimini, Bahamas

[kelemvor]

Just saw this on the Florida SCUBA group on Facebook.

as of 1400hrs (EST) Reports of Diver just died in Bimini Bahamas. Supposedly diver surfaced and was feeling very ill. Tried to rush him back but had complications. Pronounced dead. Diving with Neal Watson Dive Center.

Still awaiting more details, stay tuned.

Neal Watson Dive Center is a shark dive operator, and the report didn't say the guy came up covered in blood. My guess is heart attack.

 

[AKRay]

Just saw this on the Florida SCUBA group on Facebook.


Neal Watson Dive Center is a shark dive operator, and the report didn't say the guy came up covered in blood. My guess is heart attack.

 

[likelite]

Wonder if it's this poor soul... public obit says "died during a scuba diving accident." The dates would match up.

West Kentucky Star - Obituaries

"Dr. Burton Newman Stodghill, age 47, of Paducah, KY died March 2, 2017 during a scuba diving accident."

 

[custureri]

Yes. this is same person. Bahamas have yet to report anything.

Diver was in 90ft water and there was complications (specific I don't know).

was pronounced dead by time they got back to the dock.

 

[DandyDon]

Diver was in 90ft water

I wonder how deep he actually got? This different article mentioned that he was re-certifying one this trip after decades of no diving after first certifying as a kid. Local surgeon dies in scuba accident - Local News - Paducah Sun

was pronounced dead by time they got back to the dock.

I don't think his chances would have been much better in the Biminis even if had arrived at the dock alive. I don't know of any trauma facilities in the Biminis and it's a long boat ride to Florida. The best chance would be a direct medivac to Florida if a dive crew could arrange such and make it happen, but can a boat crew make that happen without going thru medical channels? I'm afraid most crews would refer an injured diver to hospitals in Freeport or Nassau, on far away islands. That's a long, round about trip to survive before finally getting to Florida. I once was on a boat in Exumas when a diver had to be shipped by local boat during the night back to port, then flown to Nassau - where they didn't do much overnight, but the next day he was alive enough to then fly to Florida, and survived in spite of the challenges. It was a cardiac event, but not so deadly.

Since he was just getting back into scuba, I so hope he had one of DAN's top dive insurance plans, or great Trip insurance. All of the family trip changes that pile up can be horrible, shipping the body home to Kentucky, extra hotel stays, different flights, and the airlines really suck now about such. Not like the old days when they would let you use old tickets on new flights as courtesies. You just get to buy new tickets, for immediate travel once you can.

 

[custureri]

Well said. He was Deeper than 90ft for the plan. Being he lives in an area with limited diving, and doubt he has a lot of time off given his profession......a refresher was in order. However I don't know if this dive was part of that or not.

The autopsy can at least rule whether it was medical issue (heart attack). from what I here, there are different accounts based on witnesses on the boat and what the operator is saying. Either way the island is being very hush hush about it.

 

[Tiyana Dunsdal]

Can anyone give me details about the accident? Just a family friend and would like to know why it is being kept hush hush. What are the witnesses and boat operator saying about the incident? Any news or details would be greatly appreciated. It is very hard on the family not knowing what happened. Thanks

 

[Wookie]

It is typical for an incident like this to not have any or much mention. All of us could only speculate, the operator has all of the liability and are trained to not say anything to anyone, and it is highly unlikely that the Bahamas Government will investigate, so the only people who know anything are also the same folks the ambulance chasers would target. It is highly likely we know all we are ever going to know about this incident. Chalk it up to death by misadventure, diving IS dangerous, after all, and most everyone will move along. Like a parachute that didn't open, we'll likely never know why.

 

[MPalma]

Can anyone give me details about the accident? Just a family friend and would like to know why it is being kept hush hush. What are the witnesses and boat operator saying about the incident? Any news or details would be greatly appreciated. It is very hard on the family not knowing what happened. Thanks

We were the pilots flying family back from Bimini to Fort Lauderdale and told his wife I was so sorry to here about it, being a diver myself it's hard to here about this. Left three girls behind. The best thing to do it get his dive computer me check out dive profil for loss.

 

[SIUegyptiandiver]

I have no knowledge about this incident or what type of diver Dr Stodghill was other than what was in the newspapers. I will say, however, that if the reports in the paper are true, it is sad that he didn't drive across the Ohio river to Mermet Springs and take a Scuba Skills Update class or simply re-certify if it had been many years since his last dives. Mermet is about a 30 minute drive from Paducah, KY. With no further information, it is unknown whether or not this would have helped to prevent his death, but if he was diving in 90 feet of water after years of no diving, it would certainly have been a good pre-trip plan. RIP Dr Stodghill, West Kentucky lost a good man.