Samaesan diving accident

[limbo]

What Bowmouth posted is accurate, as far as what was mentioned on Thai TV channels, I heard that myself, rather than what was mentioned in The Nation;

There was some footage on Thai TV News tonight with shots of the body of the student diver and the scuba equipment being brought on land. The reporter said that the Instructor hasn't been found yet and that local divers were invited to call a certain local number to join a planned underwater search for him. There was also mentioned that any diver interested in helping should be able to dive to 50 meters depth and that the body of the student diver was found in a channel under a rock at 49 meters deep. It was even suggested that "the authorities" now thought that the Instructor could be stuck under a rock too!
Nothing was said about the victim being found in a shipwreck but it was mentioned that foreign (farang) divers had found the body first.

Understanding where the divers went missing, it must've been a sheer 'needle hitting the haystack' scenario, for this student's body to hit the Hardeep and get stuck in it.

Looking forward myself how Aquanuats heard about the Hardeep. As Josh mentioned, the expat grape vine gets mangled indeed.

 

[jkaterenchuk]

There was some footage on Thai TV News tonight with shots of the body of the student diver and the scuba equipment being brought on land. The reporter said that the Instructor hasn't been found yet and that local divers were invited to call a certain local number to join a planned underwater search for him. There was also mentioned that any diver interested in helping should be able to dive to 50 meters depth and that the body of the student diver was found in a channel under a rock at 49 meters deep. It was even suggested that "the authorities" now thought that the Instructor could be stuck under a rock too!
Nothing was said about the victim being found in a shipwreck but it was mentioned that foreign (farang) divers had found the body first.

It's sad and frustrating to see that there's apparently so little known yet about what really happened to those two people. I hope the people who are going to organize and/or join the proposed underwater search will know what they do and not get themselves into trouble.

I could be wrong but I believe I have been diving in a area close to the Hardeep. I am not great at estimating distance over water but maybe less than 1000M away and there is a deep hole that goes to 75M deep. I guess they must have a controlled search area so someone does not mistakenly venture down the sloping sand bottom and find themself unexpectantly in 60+ M depth. It would then be a whole different dive situation.

John

 

[namnam123]

Ok. Let's clear things up. I spoke to the CD last night after he had returned from Samaesan.

The diver was found in the hole at 47m (max depth: 85m), NOT in the Hardeep (depth: 27m).
They were planning on a second dive today on trimix to try and search deeper for the other missing diver.

Any other details I post would be mere speculation on my behalf, so I won't. If I hear anything later on today I will post what I've heard from the S&R divers.

 

[Vie]

A body was recovered by Russell Martin and David Hildreth (Mermaid's Dive Center) on May 13th. The body was found "near" the Hardeep, not at or inside the wreck itself, but at deeper depth (I also heard around 47m).

The other diver is still missing as of May 14.

 

[lord khram]

No I got that part. But which story is the true story? And if not in the Hardeep then why would a Pattaya Dive Shop post a message on the forum that they had talked to the Course Director also in Pattaya that found the body and say that it was in the Hardeep?

How did the information get so screwed up and who is responsible for the screw up?

John

Unfortunately in my experience most pattaya shops seem to screw a lot of things up.
Probably both versions of the story on here are incorrect.
Personally I will wait for the official outcome of this very unfortunate incident rather than listen to gossip.
It is always a very sad day in my mind when a diver comes to grief in this manner and posting incorrect information on websites helps nobody and serves no purpose.
How do you think their friends and familly feel if they are unfortunate enough to be reading this speculation?

 

[Bowmouth]

Probably both versions of the story on here are incorrect.
Personally I will wait for the official outcome of this very unfortunate incident rather than listen to gossip.

In my post I translated exactly what the news reporter said. I watched the whole report myself as well.
On top of that I received a PM from a person in Pattaya who is involved with the Search and Rescue divers confirming that the recovered body of the student diver was not found inside the wreck.

I personally have been actively involved with the search and recovery of 15 dead people during my diving career and I would never post any gossip or foolish remarks about serious incidents like this.

LK; there's a time for play and there's a time to shut up and sit back. This time it's your time to shut up.

 

[Bowmouth]

Tonight on Thai News:

Divers are still searching for the missing Instructor underwater, at the surface and on islets. Divers found today one fin (full-foot white) that belongs to the missing Instructor, not too far from where the body of the student diver was found.

 

[Ex-Aquanaut]

I posted only what we had heard from the Thais. The Thai grapeine is just as dodgy as the farang one. Sorry guys.

 

[lord khram]

In my post I translated exactly what the news reporter said. I watched the whole report myself as well.
On top of that I received a PM from a person in Pattaya who is involved with the Search and Rescue divers confirming that the recovered body of the student diver was not found inside the wreck.

I personally have been actively involved with the search and recovery of 15 dead people during my diving career and I would never post any gossip or foolish remarks about serious incidents like this.

LK; there's a time for play and there's a time to shut up and sit back. This time it's your time to shut up.

I thought this was a discussion forum where people can express their beliefs and opinions. Just because my opinion differs to yours please do not be so rude as to tell me to shut up.
I will repeat, idle speculation and rumours fuels further speculation and serves no purpose. Just read the threads on here to see the result of yours and others actions.
you may have recited what you saw on TV but as we all know the media never let the truth get in the way of a good story and a healty profit. And it would appear your recital from the media has since been proven inacurate.
Aquanauts original statement that a body was found in the Hard deep also appears to be untrue. Where did this originate from??
You made a statement on my Pattaya bash thread about wreck penetration. Was that recited from the media or just something you cooked up in your mind??
At least some people on here are showing some restraint and respect for those involved by properly researching and putting plain straight facts on here. I wish to thank those concerned for the information.
Maybe Bowmouth, you should examine your own actions and the actions of others on here before telling me to shut up.
An incident like this is always very unfortunate, however, accurate details of the cause and outcome can help others to learn and avoid making the same mistakes in the future. But all too often as has happened here accurate details are clouded by irresponsible people.

 

[lord khram]

I posted only what we had heard from the Thais. The Thai grapeine is just as dodgy as the farang one. Sorry guys.

If you know the 'Thai grapevine' to be dodgy, why make the statement in the first place?
As it would appear your initial statement fueled most of this idle speculation, it is not other users on here you should be appologising to. It is the friends and families of the unfortunate divers that deserve the apology for all the nonsence that has been spoken on here the last few days. I do hope they have not witnessed any of this.