Two fatalities in Monterey

[Chuck Tribolet]

whats going on with the express?...last weekend they went out to the metridium field and dropped anchor to dive,,,ive never seen a commercial dive boat anchor out at breakwater on a busy weekend in a area that divers frequent.

The swells were really up last weekend. Saturday was the first
day I could see TWO sets at the same time behind the Marina
sand plant. Metridium fields was probably a good choice. I stayed dry.

The swells weren't as big today, but still over my maximums. Tomorrow looks like it might be doable.

My consonances to all involved, family, friends, and responders.

 

[alibi 2]

The swells were really up last weekend. Saturday was the first
day I could see TWO sets at the same time behind the Marina
sand plant. Metridium fields was probably a good choice. I stayed dry.

The swells weren't as big today, but still over my maximums. Tomorrow looks like it might be doable.

My consonances to all involved, family, friends, and responders.

yep I agree last weekend was not good at all...but there were still divers at the Metridium fields and not a good choice to anchor in....there are other choices that don't endanger divers below....just my opinion...

 

[NSN13]

The two divers were on a weekend trip with their high school. The trip had been planned for months and the divers had been in training for awhile. Both divers were outstanding talented young men, who will be greatly miss by their entire hometown.

 

[Anti-Hero]

Man this sucks. We witnessed the commotion just as we were exiting the water.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Short news article on MyNews4.com

 

[DiveRN deep]

The news is not a rumor. This is so very tragic. My deepest sympathy goes out to all those who knew these boys and to all who were involved in the rescue attempt.
Here is the latest news clip:

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Two teenage boys died while on a dive trip Saturday afternoon with Monterey Express Dive.
It became apparent that something was wrong when the boys didn't return to the surface with the others in their group. A search party was sent to look for them.
After searching for 45 minutes, divers discovered the two teens on the bottom of the ocean.
They were brought ashore and rushed to the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, receiving CPR from first responders along the way.
Despite the valiant efforts, the boys were pronounced dead Saturday evening.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I just saw this reported on CNN and immediately came here to look for more information. My thoughts and prayers go out to family, friends, those involved in the recovery and the small community these young divers came from.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Very disturbing news. Double fatalities are rare in the accident research I have done. I'd like to know what the certification levels were of the divers. Does anyone know what the weather and sea conditions were like at the time? When I was in Monterey the dive conditions were such that most Fla Keys boats would not have went out. I had no issues but the surge was pretty good and we had one diver who was not used to the temps and conditions require assistance after getting tangled up in some kelp. My first Pacific dive was also my first ocean rescue assist.

The news link is reporting that 19 people were in the water from that boat? Wow.

 

[zf2nt]

It was a high school class from Carson City, NV. Divers on the boat actually located the two divers on the bottom, and I understand they surfaced them just as the Coast Guard cutter with State Parks lifeguards on board arrived. They were transferred to the cutter, then taken back to the fuel dock on the Coast Guard pier. As mentioned, the two divers were 16 and 17. At this point, nobody knows what happened. They were located on the bottom, unconscious, with their weights on and no regulator in their mouths. We may never know what happened here.

I don't know that this was an open water class, as somebody mentioned earlier. Based on the information I have, I seriously doubt it. (I know at least some of them went out on a night dive Friday night, because I filled their tanks.) But I did notice quite a few adults in the group walking around in dry suits, presumably the instructors/DM's. There did not appear to be a lack of adequate staff with the group.

 

[norcalscuba]

I am very familiar with this dive area. For those who don't know, Monterey is the spot where all OW divers get their training in this area. The water is cold, viz is often not good, can be pretty dark even in mid day and there is considerable surge and waters can quickly turn rough. If you learn to dive in Monterey and dive often, you often are a pretty decent diver (lots of variables you must understand/address) Without knowing the cert levels, or anything else...

19 divers in the water is a lot, let alone a big group of high schoolers. Situations that come to mind, or combinations of the following: kelp entanglement (very common), OOA (assuming newer divers with poor air consumption and a AL80 tank, possibly youthful arrogance and/or not appreciating the risks/limits). The fact of a double fatality makes me wonder if one got in trouble, and the other tried to to assist but then also became a victim. Too soon to tell. Very sad either way, RIP young divers. Dive safely, dive within your limits and always visualize emergency situations and your expected responses.