Scuabamau diving accident

[islanddream]

Heath:
I'm so sorry for everything you, Opal, and Gabi have gone through the past few days. Thank you so much for letting us know the brief details of the accident. The three of you remain in my prayers.

Although I don't know Kevin, he's been the person who informed SB of the accident and has been very respectful in every post he's made. I believe you have him confused with another poster who hasn't been very respectful of the situation.

May the good Lord be with you, Opal, and Gabi during your time of recovery.

islanddream

 

[84turboz]

I am so sad. I've had the pleasure to dive with them several times over the past two years. Great people. My thoughts and prayers to all involved.

 

[gypsyjim]

OK so let me start by saying my name is Heath and i am the 3rd diver involved in the accident. I was there unlike kevin who seems to be spreading rumors as to what happened and was not even on the island ( so Kevin shut the F*** UP! and stop spreading hearsay and rumors ) I was there for the entire dive that has put the three of us in the hospital and has the three of us taking rides in the chamber twice a day. the three of us were caught in a down current that pushed us down deeper than we had ever planed on going and by the time we recovered we had to buddy breath off of one tank all the way to the surface and were not able to make any stops due to the lack of air.

I know none of you know me but at this point Opal and Gabi are both in bad shape and don't need rumors being spread about what might have happened but they do need to be in your prayers.

Thank you, Heath and best wishes in your recovery. Our hopes and prayers are with you, and our friends. Right now there is not one thing we can do from our distance, except hope and pray.

I will say here that I would not be aware of this horrible accident that involved people we had come to now and respect, or be saying those prayers, had not Kevin let us know, and asked everyone for their support. Or, we would have read the news of it posted by some other SB member who was not as close and caring.

Rumors always spread faster than the truth in any of these events, and speculation takes over, with total strangers to the truth trying to fill in the gaps. There have certainly been some pretty tasteless posts in this thread, but none that I saw originated with kevin. From every post I read, Kevin deliberately avoided discussing any of the events or causes, but only passed on the news of any progress or developments in the care of you, Opal and Gabi.

Our prayers are still with all three of you, and family and friends who always suffer along side of the victims of such a horrid accident.

 

[unclepooty]

Heath,

Just heard about this today. We dove with you and Gabi about two weeks ago. I'm Perry with the orange BCD. Please let Opal and Gabi know that our thoughts are with all of you. God bless.

 

[DandyDon]

OK so let me start by saying my name is Heath and i am the 3rd diver involved in the accident. I was there unlike kevin who seems to be spreading rumors as to what happened and was not even on the island ( so Kevin shut the F*** UP! and stop spreading hearsay and rumors ) I was there for the entire dive that has put the three of us in the hospital and has the three of us taking rides in the chamber twice a day. the three of us were caught in a down current that pushed us down deeper than we had ever planed on going and by the time we recovered we had to buddy breath off of one tank all the way to the surface and were not able to make any stops due to the lack of air.

I know none of you know me but at this point Opal and Gabi are both in bad shape and don't need rumors being spread about what might have happened but they do need to be in your prayers.

Hi Heath. I know you, to an extent anyway. I dived off the same boat as you some the week of Aug 22-26, along with FristDive/Kevin. Yeah the picture of me is old but I resemble it I think.

I was very sorry to hear about the accident by texts from friends while I was camping this weekend, more so when I could finally get online yesterday - and some of us wondered then if you were the other diver, then heard today that is was you. Anyway, we're all pulling for you, even if one of the posters early here seemed critical; glad he shut up.

PM me (click my name in red, then select Private Message) if I can help you navigate or post here since you are new to SB. More importantly, let me know if I can help arrange anything additional for y'all? I do hope that you all three have DAN insurance including TravelAssist in case anyone needs to be medically transported to the states for treatment - and this has to be arranged thru the number at that link: 919-684-9111 collect ok.

I am glad to hear that you and Gabi are responding to treatment if the reports have been correct, and still hoping for the best possible for all of y'all. While this thread is mostly about personal concerns, it would be helpful if you feel up to describing the accident on our Accidents and Incidents forum. For one, it'd help prevent speculations, but it may help others in many ways.

 

[driftin' by]

FWIW, I don't remember reading anything Kevin posted that contradicts what you wrote.

I agree, sounds like what was reported by Kevin.

Good to finally get some first-hand details but hopefully, in time I'd like to know the site as to avoid it in the future and hope that op's avoid sites with such potential risks. I had once thought the we experienced down-currents on La Francesca, but relative to this account, it was probably just crazy currents.

Heath, glad that you have recovered to the point of being able to post here.

Please send regards to Opal and Gabi and their families. Good vibes from Colorado.

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

I have only been out with Scuba Mau once and that was last year. I do remember Opal from Blue Angel though. What a tragedy.

 

[Darol]

I'm the third diver!!!
OK so let me start by saying my name is Heath and i am the 3rd diver involved in the accident. I was there unlike kevin who seems to be spreading rumors as to what happened and was not even on the island ( so Kevin shut the F*** UP! and stop spreading hearsay and rumors ) I was there for the entire dive that has put the three of us in the hospital and has the three of us taking rides in the chamber twice a day. the three of us were caught in a down current that pushed us down deeper than we had ever planed on going and by the time we recovered we had to buddy breath off of one tank all the way to the surface and were not able to make any stops due to the lack of air.

I know none of you know me but at this point Opal and Gabi are both in bad shape and don't need rumors being spread about what might have happened but they do need to be in your prayers.

Thanks so much for some facts.... Still in my prayers.......

 

[lsorenson]

Heath,

There are a bucket load of folks out here pulling for you three to recover fully from this incident... I am just a diver, nothing more or nothing less who has dove in Coz in the past and look forward to diving Coz again. Now I know none of you; you, Opal, Gabi, and Kevin so I can only go by what was read in this thread. Please let me say (although its none of my business) I hope your comments about Kevin were due to stress because Kevin has stressed and begged that this thread contain only prayers, good thoughts, and best wishes...

I have read every post in this thread and have two or three comments myself pulling for you guys... Kevin may have been off on a point or two but not recklessly and always very respectful, at least in my opinion... All of us have done everything possible to squash any type of rumor, hypothetical, and off topic and I hope you will see this upon reading the thread...

Again, all three of you are in all of our thoughts and prayers...

Respectfully, lee

OK so let me start by saying my name is Heath and i am the 3rd diver involved in the accident. I was there unlike kevin who seems to be spreading rumors as to what happened and was not even on the island ( so Kevin shut the F*** UP! and stop spreading hearsay and rumors ) I was there for the entire dive that has put the three of us in the hospital and has the three of us taking rides in the chamber twice a day. the three of us were caught in a down current that pushed us down deeper than we had ever planed on going and by the time we recovered we had to buddy breath off of one tank all the way to the surface and were not able to make any stops due to the lack of air.

I know none of you know me but at this point Opal and Gabi are both in bad shape and don't need rumors being spread about what might have happened but they do need to be in your prayers.

 

[cardzard]

Hopefully more good news will surface in this thread. Roxanne and I hope all involved make a speedy recovery. You have all been in our prayers.

Heath it is good to see you are well enough post, please post more details about this accident. So that others can learn from this, but only when you feel up to it or feel it is time to do so.