Diver’s body found off La Brea - Trinidad, West Indes

[DandyDon]

From Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday : newsday.co.tt :

The body of missing diver, Randal Charles, was discovered floating off the coast off La Brea yesterday.

Coast Guard spokesman, Lieutenant Kirk Jean Baptiste told Newsday, fishermen sighted a body about one mile off the coast of La Brea and called the Coast Guard, who responded and brought the body to King’s Wharf in San Fernando.

The body was identified by Charles’ stepfather, Sargeant Paul of the Coast Guard. Charles 21 of Sidels Trace in St Augustine disappeared in waters off Carlibay, Couva on Monday morning after slipping off a boat.

A search was mounted shortly after by his colleagues as well as the Coast Guard, but they turned up empty handed.

A police report stated that at about 11 am on Monday, Charles, an employee of Underwater Works Inc Ltd, (UWIL), with over six years diving experience, had just completed an underwater job of collecting water samples, and was climbing into the boat when he began slipping off the boat. A colleague, the report said, tried to rescue him by grabbing his arm but was forced to let go of him as Charles, who was still wearing the weight belt, went under the water.

According to one of Charles co-workers, the man had not yet taken off the weight belt when he slipped off the boat, and back into the water. He said Charles began to panic before being swept under the water.

Divers employed with UWIL also assisted in the search for their missing colleague.

Sgt Joseph, PC Lewis and a party of police officers from the Couva Police Station visited the scene.

 

[heavierthanlead]

Um, first rule... Get buoyant, when surfacing??

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Did he fall into a whirlpool? Couldn't he just inflate his BC? Or did he hand that to the crew?.....or just drop the weight belt.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I'm of the opinion that your BC+tank+reg+any integrated weights should be negative with the BC and tank empty.
That way, if you take your BC off, your and your weight belt are positive.

Chuck

 

[blackvans1234]

Should've just dropped the weights...