Unconscious diver - Sarasota

[Glock Diver]

Just wondering if anyone heard about this incident today, 5/22/11. At about 1:30pm, we were on a surface interval at BOXCAR7 reef off Boca Grande, in the Gulf. Heard USCG station Cortez talking to a boat on VHF16, about an unconscious diver they were bringing in. The CG boat was dispatched to rendezvous with the dive boat, but that's all I know. Anyone hear any details? I hope s/he is OK.

 

[SOFDiver]

We Heard the same radio traffic, and later learned that the female diver had expired. Diver reported to be a well known member of Sarasota outdoors community, but no other details. Always sad when something like this happens.

 

[Scott L]

Ugh, a lot of accidents the past week. R.I.P.

 

[DevonDiver]

---

---

A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Moved to Accidents and Incidents Forum. Please be aware that special forum rules apply.

---

 

[Glock Diver]

That is terrible news. Here is what I found online:


Former dive shop owner dies while scuba diving

Staff Report

Published: Monday, May 23, 2011 at 5:55 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, May 23, 2011 at 5:55 p.m.
SARASOTA COUNTY - A 60-year-old Sarasota woman died while scuba diving Sunday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard in St. Petersburg.

The woman who died is Lynn Ormond, her son, Travis Ormond confirmed Monday. Lynn Ormond owned a Sarasota dive shop about 20 years ago, according to public records.

A Coast Guard rescue boat responded to an emergency call from a 20-foot recreation boat at about 12:45 p.m. Sunday. The boat was about 15 miles west of Longboat Pass. Passengers on the boat were performing CPR on Ormond after she came to the surface unconscious, said Coast Guard spokeswoman Mariana O'Leary.

The Coast Guard transferred Ormond to its rescue boat and continued CPR as it continued to shore before docking at the Coquina boat ramp at 1:18 p.m.

Ormond was pronounced dead at the boat ramp and custody of her body was taken by the Sarasota County Medical Examiner's Office.

Authorities have not released the cause of death.

 

[Jax]

What a horrible weekend! Seven in 2 days.

 

[Glock Diver]

Should have included the link:

Former dive shop owner dies while scuba diving | HeraldTribune.com

I hope we're able to find out what happened, so that we can all learn from it. Very sad.

 

[bleeb]

Ugh, a lot of accidents the past week. R.I.P.

Unfortunately, maybe not. According to DAN statistics, in an average year, there are 70-100 fatalities in Canada/US/DAN America insured divers. (The latter likely be a small minority of Mexico and Central America). That means about 1.5-2/week, but diving is a bit seasonal, so one might expect less over the northern winter, more during the dive season, and a peak in the spring when there are a larger number of divers getting back in the water after a bit of a break.

 

[Holly7]

Lynn was married to my Father. It was my Dad, Brother, and Lynn on the boat that day. My dad said she signaled to him that she was going up and motioned that she had an upset stomach. My Dad and Brother can up I believe they said about 15 min later. She was a short distance away on the surface. She was on her back. She had used my speargun that day and managed to clip it to a rope on the side if the boat. She still had all her gear on when they found her. Something happened in that short amount of time that we will never know. Her gear was checked by the coastguard and later returned to us. There was no fault in any of the gear. An autopsy was done and no answers came with it. She had nothing unusual in her system. And all organs normal. The best answer we were given was her heart simply stopped with no signs of heart attack or distress. She left this world doing what she loved with the people loved. She was given back to the water once again in the most beautiful urn. A shell made of biodegradable materiel. My Dad, Lynn's daughter and Son paddled out in a pair of kayaks and let her shell go to float atop the water for several min and then gently sink below the waves. Roses were tossed into the waves by each of us. They eventually washed back on the shore creating the most beautiful shoreline. I have a picture I took showing all the roses in the sand about 20 yards down the beach from where they were tossed and one single rose had washed back up and rested leaning up against my Dads Kayak. I hope her Son and Daughter and my Dad don't mind posting this story. RIP Lynn....you are missed
~Holly

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks for sharing this Holly.