Need Volunteers *URGENT*

[cybordolphin]

There was a boating accident in S. Calif. (Lake Castaic). And the boat is down 260ft. Need a team that can make the dive to help recover the bodies (3) and wreckage.

Anyone up for the task?

Thanks.

Edit.. ok... there will be some $$ involved... ?

 

[Dee]

Originally posted by cybordolphin
There was a boating accident in S. Calif. (Lake Castaic). And the boat is down 260ft. Need a team that can make the dive to help recover the bodies (3) and wreckage.

Anyone up for the task?

Thanks.

Edit.. ok... there will be some $$ involved... ?

I think it best to leave that to the Search and Recovery professionals. That's no job for recreational divers. It involves rigorous training, conditioning and support personel.

You don't want to be the 4th victim.

 

[Arduous]

I well agree with Dee:

I do search & recovery operations for a small government agency and when fatalities are involved there’s more to the dive than just the technical side of things.
The boat, the bodies, the scuba equipment all must be handled properly. They must be photographed as they are on the bottom. Things need to be noted, the position of the boat, the bodies, what the gauges read, ect…. Evidence must be preserved. This is not the task for the average diver. This is best left to highly trained professionals and I’m sure the area in which this boat has gone down has such a team available.

 

[Inspector#2]

Have you used a side scan sonar to insure bodies are with the wreck? What you probibly will need is a remote control DSV to recover bodies found with sonar to a level humans can work for a period of time. What is the lake elevation? Is this a man-made lake or natural formation? Is the wreck monetarialy (sp) worth the risk? Bottom contour and composition?
This will require a lot of manpower, time and capitol depending upon how sure you are of location.
I would highly recommend Gene Ralston at

http://gralston1.home.mindspring.com/Sidescan.html

for locating the important objects (bodies).

Dave

P.S. Time is no longer a factor at 260" except to the immediate family.

 

[cybordolphin]

Understand the difficulties involved. However.... the families are not able to find anyone to help, and are asking for help. They are also looking at having to afford/pay for the recovery.

Thanks for the ideas.

This is a man made lake at about 1,000 ft. I am sure that there will be donations made to the families (perhaps insurance $$ from the lake owners as well, etc..), The families have been made aware that they will be responsible to pay for the efforts.

Sonar has located the wreck and bodies are still believed to be still in the wreck (still in their seats belted in). This was a race boat.

Anyway... just thought I would throw this out there... and see what would come back.

Thanks again.

 

[Greg G.]

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[Inspector#2]

Also, if this was a USSBA sanctioned event their insurance should cover any recovery operations for the bodies. In So. Cal. there should be a bunch of commercial outfits looking for work like this.

Dave

 

[cybordolphin]

It was not an actual race. It was only a race boat. And I have not found out why... BUT the families are alone on this. For some reason they are obligated to find their own salvage team. The local authorities apparently cannot help. I know it seems odd... it did to me too.

But... the families are indeed searching for help with this. And have been informed that they will need to pay for the efforts.

The police/fire department.. are not handing them a bill at all. They are simply sitting this one out. Period.

Go figure.

 

[Walter]

The police/fire department dive teams are probably not qualified to make dives to 260 ft. Make no mistake, a dive to that depth is dangerous under ideal conditions. When other factors are added it only makes it worse. Recovering bodies, while a comfort to the family, is simply not worth divers dying for. While I'm sure the family would feel better if the bodies were recovered I'm sure they would feel even worse if one or more people died in a recovery attempt. My sympathies to the family.

DSSW,

WWW™

 

[Greg G.]

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