Multiple deaths diving off NC coast May 10, 2020?

[scubadada]

I hate to go there but the reports do say the husband is “retired” so assuming at least in his 60’s. Prime age for a health/cardiac event. I could easily imagine a scenario where he becomes distressed by a medical event at depth and she attempts rescue. The dive is already into the lowish on gas stage and while attempting to help she runs out of gas as does he or he dies at depth and she runs out attempting to bring him up.

Don't get me wrong, I would take you as my dive wife . I could easily see sacrificing myself in an attempt to save my wife or one of my children. I'm not sure if I would go to the same lengths with a stranger, the situation has never come up. Makes me very sad

 

[rlskill1]

RF...

Thank you for the update...

I was on the Seaquest a few times with Jerry when he ran out of Discovery...he usually handled the overflow when Terry had a full boat on the Outrageous V...

In all the times I have dove with Discovery...the six pack was always moored...I never saw it out...

Both Terry and Jerry were excellent captains...

With only the Outrageous V...and the six pack...I can only assume that Discovery's annual numbers are down significantly...

Sign of the times...with the pandemic not helping matters any...

W...

A sign of the times. Groups that once brought enough to fill a boat are lucky to bring 6-8 people and some groups simply aged out. And as someone stated too, couple that with crappy weather patterns that ruined visibility for weeks or created nonstop winds and waves. None of the operators caught a break.

 

[wgw04024]

Sorry, do you not pay any attention to where your line is tied into the wreck? There are 8 moorings on the Spiegel Grove, they are very easy to keep track of.

Actually, the one time my son and I came up to the wrong boat was on the SG. We knew it wasn't our line, but the visibility and current turned to trash pretty quick. We didn't climb the ladder, just came up, said hello, and they pointed us in the right direction for a relaxing surface swim...

 

[jstamets]

Saw this from a few days ago indicating that there was goPro footage. Now, whether the info gleaned from that footage becomes available and they release info regarding cause is anyone's guess
Couple Dies While Scuba Diving off Cape Lookout

 

[DiverDownD3]

I don't think releasing to the public is necessary. I honestly don't need to see it. But I do hope they provide the footage to someone willing to write up a report of what happened so the dive community can learn from it.
I know for me, it's a simple reminder not to become complacent. I live in the area and dive the wrecks in this area often

 

[jstamets]

Oh gosh, yes, I didn't mean the footage - I meant I hope the information they get from it (and the investigation) becomes available at a high level - OOA, malfunction, medical issue at depth, that sort of thing. I adjusted the post accordingly. I live just north of Wilmington, so this hit a little close to home for me as well.

 

[Anthony in NC]

According to the Medical Examiners report, the deaths were a simple out of air situation that went badly.
James and Carla were spearfishing at 107 fsw.
Neither James nor Carla had any medical conditions that contributed to their deaths according to the ME's report. Both their cylinders were found empty but otherwise functioning normally and they were diving with 30%.

According to the video which the ME watched and cited in his report, Carla ran out of gas first and swam to James with her 2nd stage regulator out of her mouth, signaling that she needed air. James donated his primary 2nd stage, which Carla put into her mouth upside down, causing the regulator to flood. Carla inhaled sea water, began vomiting, and became unresponsive moments later.

James attempted to swim them both to the surface, but he had to release Carla. James ran out of gas shortly thereafter and both sank to the bottom. The rescue diver found both bodies 10 feet apart, in 100 fsw. Neither had their regulators in their mouths when they were found. The ME stated the rescue diver "unclipped their buoyancy control devices and attached equipment and surfaced with both bodies", so I'm assuming neither diver ditched their weights for the attempted swim to the surface.

The ME listed the cause of death as "Drowning while scuba diving" and the manner of death was "accident".


I myself have become quite complacent as DiverDownD3 stated. I've been pretty lazy about bringing my pony. I've left in on the boat the last 3 or 4 trips. I've also gotten into the habit of returning to the boat sometimes with as little as 50 PSI remaining in my cylinder. This was a wake up call for me. I'm going to change my ways.

James and Carla were close friends and this information is posted with the permission of the deceased's mother. Hopefully we can all take something away from this incident that will make us safer and better divers. I know I have. Up until now, a dive fatality is just something I've read about online or in scuba magazines.

 

[johndiver999]

Thanks for the update. Very sorry about your friends.

It is so easy to get wound up when spearfishing and to have air consumption go up faster than expected.

That video must be terrible to watch. Sounds like one very clear demonstration of the potential benefit of carrying pony bottles.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Do we know how long they'd been and depths?

 

[clownfishsydney]

Wow, thanks for the update, so sad and something that should never have happened. Probably too focused on chasing fish than watching cylinder contents.