# Diver missing



## rocklobster (Oct 1, 2007)

Just got off the phone with dk. He's spent the last two hours searching Green's Hole for a diver that went in about 12:00. dk was taking a charter to the "O" . Heard the call, when his divers came up, they headed for Green's Hole. It was a recreational boat. I don't know his name, but hopefully it's not one of PFF guys. He's been down for over 4 hours. I know Brandy and Crash were heading back in to get more tanks and turning around to try again. Say some prayers for his family. I hate to see things like this happen.:angel


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## Angler's Outlet (Dec 31, 2007)

Prayers sent


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## HighCotton (Oct 2, 2007)

Dang ... Not Good.


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## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

prayers sent......rescue divers please be carefull!!!


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

That's terrible news. Are the currents bad today? I've heard they've been strong this week.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Keep us updated. Conditions for a search and rescue are going to get worse as this storm gets into the gulf. I pray that the diver is found. This is the worse news us divers worry about. Hopefully, the diver is floating out there just waiting to be found safe and sound.

Michele,

Let me know if help is needed in anyway.


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## rocklobster (Oct 1, 2007)

Don't know about the currents. dk was breaking up pretty bad (cell phone coming into the pass)and upset. He's never had to search and recover before. Kind of shook him up. I'll get him to give you what details he has when he gets in and has an adult beverage to calm his nerves. Amen to the recovery diver safety. Green's Hole is pretty deep, not much bottom time. I just hope they find him.


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## HateCheese (Oct 2, 2007)

Prayers sent to the diver, friends, and family. Hopefully found before things get stirred up.


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=69246



I hope it turns out better then the FL East Coast Diver they just recovered. Lost one yesterday off the East coast. An experienced Spearo.



:crying

Stressless


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

> *Telum Piscis (8/30/2008)*Keep us updated. Conditions for a search and rescue are going to get worse as this storm gets into the gulf. I pray that the diver is found. This is the worse news us divers worry about. Hopefully, the diver is floating out there just waiting to be found safe and sound.
> 
> Michele,
> 
> Let me know if help is needed in anyway.


Yeah Jon, that's what I was getting at... hopefully he/she just got swept away, and is on the surface somewhere in good health.


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)




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## parrothead (Oct 1, 2007)

Thats scary !!!!!!!!! Prayers sent:angel:angel:angel:angel:angel

Scott


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## rocklobster (Oct 1, 2007)

Update. Crash and Brandy are out again. Their 4th dive at 100'+. dk left the victim's boat with a handheld VHS - they couldn't reach the CG with the radio they had - he had to get his clients in. They were on about a 17' center console. Both Brandy and Crash have been advised not to make another dive - 4 @ 100'+ is overdoing it. Let's hope they stay safe. The current was "ripping" according to Crash. He blew one tank just getting to the bottom. viz is about 10-15'. Not a good scenario at all.Please keep these folks in your thoughts and prayers. It's not a good time at all.


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## Quicdraw (Oct 3, 2007)

they were saying on the radio that he was neutral bouyant and ran out on the bottom


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## spearfisher (Oct 3, 2007)

Let's pray for his family, friends, and fellow divers. As respectful as the PFF family is I know that I don't need to say this, but let's make sure we keep the speculation to a minimum. Right now what this man needs is prayers from us all. God be with him and his family. That is all that matters right now.


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## Big Mac (Oct 2, 2007)

Prayers sent:angel


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## Linda (Oct 2, 2007)

Man, hate to hear this. Hope they find him soon and he is ok.


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## Redfish (Nov 9, 2007)

Hate to hear such bad news, My Prayers are with their family & Friends:angel:angel


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## Beefisher (Oct 7, 2007)

Prayers to the family & Friends


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## Corpsman (Oct 3, 2007)

:angel


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Brandy and I just got in. 

Brandy was on my boat, he left Crasshs boat earlier today and hopped on board with us out in the Gulf.

We have listened to the whole senario on the VHF thruoput the day.

Crassh had another diver on his boat with him. The first call from the Coastguard came in right afterCrassh had pulling anchor and left about 15 minutes prior, and he immedielly reported back to the CG that he was in route, and had divers on board and tanks, and could go down for a search.

Crassh went, along with the other diver, and reported back over the radio later that his guy in the water was almost lost, and surface 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the boat to to an insane current. They gave it a very valient effort, and hats off to the 2 of them for risking there own safety to help another diver.:bowdown

Crassh also stated the the current was west, and he would sweep that sector, since if the diver did surface, that would be the direction.

Then I also heard DKdiver calling in, and stating that he was heading that way for a search of the surface also.

It is a very sobering event, and my heart goes out to the diver, his family, and friends.

And good man Crash and partenr for the risky effort taken on your parts in those conditions.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

One thing too...there was a description given by the CG, bald cacasion male, black and blue wetsuit, and black air tank. SO obviously I assume he was not alone on his boat.

Would be wonderful to hear a positive outcome to this. Seas were less than 1 foot, lets hope!


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## Bigg J (Nov 7, 2007)

Bad news for sure. :angel


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## mekell (Sep 27, 2007)

Anyone hear anything new? My next door neighbor's boy was one of the three. If this is their son there will be three victims. I hope someone finds him.


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## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

> *mekell (8/30/2008)*Anyone hear anything new? My next door neighbor's boy was one of the three. If this is their son there will be three victims. I hope someone finds him.


all i know is a there is a diver missing and we all need to pray for his safe return....as far as victims we need not go there....


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## craasch210 (Oct 4, 2007)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=smalltxt vAlign=top><SPAN id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl3_lblFullMessage>We were out diving today and heard a distress call from a boat called the "pioneer" that was fishing green's hole. They had a diver that had failed to resurface. They stated that the last time they saw the diver, he was on his way up the anchor rope.He did notshow any signs of distress. They were diving in 107 ft of water.Hewas not seen again after that. I cant say for sure if they were diving air or nitrox, but I believe they said it was their 4th dive of the day (I dont know if their earlier dives were shallow water, did not get that information). 

We tied up to the distressed vessel and rolled two divers to try and find their guy. The current was unbelievable at the surface (i had to be towed to the anchorline to get down). The friend that I was diving with attempted to descend and get below the current, but was quickly swept away and was recovered by another boat in the area approx 1/4 mile away from the dive site (just to give you an idea of how bad the current was). The water was completely calm on the surface with mostly sunny skies. The visibility was approx 40 ft on the top and less than 15ft on the bottom when we dove. I believe that the conditions had changed some since we got there, because the other boat reported that the current was weaker on the bottom when they were diving.

I made it to 96 ft on the anchor rope (they had a 3/1 scope on the anchor rope) and the current was still just as strong. I dont ever remember a time when I was diving with current that strong on the bottom.

Sadly, we were unable to locate any sign of the diver. There were multiple boats and a helocopter in the area performing a grid search in the area of the the drift/current. Coast guard boats in the area as well assisting in the search. 

I dont know all of the details, but I do know that this is a 40 year old causasian male with know known health problems. He had been out diving on that boat 3-4 times, but was a fairly new diver per the captain. The "pioneer" is a small pro-line type boat that looked to be approx 21-23 ft long. 

Thanks to Dalton (DKdiver, Kalusa 4) and the vessel "Albatross" for coming out and helping with the search.

I will saya prayer tonight that this guy is floating out to see somewhere and will be picked up by a helo or boat sometime. To my knowledge, the search is still ongoing. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


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## craasch210 (Oct 4, 2007)

Just to clarify, It was the missing diver who was on his 4th dive per reports on the radio. When we reported to the search area we had only been down once to around 85 ft for a very short dive. We only attempted one dive at the search site due to extreme current and unlikely odds of actualy finding the diver on the bottom.

We talked about it and decided that we would be more help by searching the surface (hoping that the diver had just surfaced away from the boat and couldnt swim back).

If a person had surfaced away from the boat very far, it would have been impossible to swim back to the boat. I am a strong swimmer, and had to be towed by line just to get to the other boat that was holding anchor. I'm praying that that is what happened as opposed to something at depth.

I have the first name of the Diver and where he works if you want to pm me. I prob shouldn't say the name in open forum yet.

If anyone hears any news, please post up. We are all worried.

Thanks,

Chris


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Prayers sent, I sure hope they find him soon.


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## craasch210 (Oct 4, 2007)

Just got off the phone with CG. Last information is that the search is ongoing. There is still a helo in the area as well. Maybe this diver will have a dive light to signal.

Man I hope this turns out with a happy ending. You guys keep this guy in your thoughts and prayers. I'm sure he must have a family that is going through a terrible thing.

Chris


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

> *craasch210 (8/30/2008)*Just got off the phone with CG. Last information is that the search is ongoing. There is still a helo in the area as well. Maybe this diver will have a dive light to signal.
> 
> Man I hope this turns out with a happy ending. You guys keep this guy in your thoughts and prayers. I'm sure he must have a family that is going through a terrible thing.
> 
> Chris


Do you guys NOT carry any type of flares????? Smoke or otherwise?


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## Shiznik (Feb 24, 2008)

Prayers sent!

:angel:angel:angel:angel


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Flares don't generally hold up very well at depth. There are other signaling devices that divers can carry-marker tube, whistle, mirror, light, dye marker, chemlight, etc.


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## craasch210 (Oct 4, 2007)

My boat has flares, and all of the other coast guard required equip. I don't know what the dive boat he was on carries. I meant I hope the diver was diving with a dive light. That would enable him to signal any helos or boats passing in the area if he is floating in the water.


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Evensplit (8/30/2008)*Flares don't generally hold up very well at depth. There are other signaling devices that divers can carry-marker tube, whistle, mirror, light, dye marker, chemlight, etc.


I knew there were others but didn't know abt flares.


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## tailfisher (Oct 7, 2007)

that is just terrible,I hope and pray that they find him safe.


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## Chris Couture (Sep 26, 2007)

Sad to hear! Hopefully the diver was picked up by another boat and the news has not surfaced yet on the matter. That's some pretty deep water to try to do a search in.


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## dkdiver (Oct 15, 2007)

Folks,

As a guy who is out there a lot I haven't gotten my thoughts (and heart) around this well enough to make a cogent post about all of this but . . .

My hats off to the "Albatross" (another boat on the scene) and Chris, and his dive buddy. There is not an icon on the side of this that would do justice to their effort. For the record, "Albatross"came in from the "O" and Chris from further east than that. As a retired Navy guy who got to play SAR coordinator a couple of times, their level of coordination with the USCG was just awesome. *I mean that you guys.*

Pray for these folks tonight. I never want to see the look in the face of someone like I saw this afternoon. Two buddies who were missing a friend, and exhausted from looking for him. It honestly makes me tear up still. As Spearfisher said, lets keep speculation down, and prayers up.

"Mary Nora" (Chris) and "Albatross" (if you are on this forum). . . . . :bowdown It's awful to say, butwhat you did today is what being on the water is all about, simple as that.


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## Big Red (Oct 1, 2007)

<SPAN id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl18_lblFullMessage>This isterrible news,our Prayers are with their family, Friends and all the people involved in the search. :angel:angel:angel:grouphug:grouphug


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## Seegul51 (Oct 1, 2007)

Any news on the diver? Still Praying for him.


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## daddytime (Oct 1, 2007)

He and his family are in our prayers:angel


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## David Ridenour (Sep 28, 2007)

Any news? Hats off to all that responded,relayed info and helped.


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

This does not bode well for the searchers:














Hellofa time trying to pick out a dot on the surface in 5-7' - and it'll grow. 














Dang.



Stressless


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## Capt.Ernie (Mar 4, 2008)

Any updates?


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## Seegul51 (Oct 1, 2007)

How come there has been nothing on the media about him missing?


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Seegul51 (9/1/2008)*How come there has been nothing on the media about him missing?


It's a holiday weekend.


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## rocklobster (Oct 1, 2007)

No news as to finding him - crashmay know beter. Bottom line is that GUS is on the way in and they (helos) have probably had to be set "pre/post Gus" - srategically. I just hope there is something good that comes out of this awful event. Just a reminder to all of us to remember and review our training for when the dive doesn't go like we planned it to be.



BTW we have a generator and a walkin freezer If you guys lose power long enough - usually 3 days - put your stuff in bags in your name and we'll make sure you're frozen goods are safe.



Thanks to all. It's been a very somber day/48 hours for those who were on the scene. It seems that human life is only valued after it's lost, but to the boaters out there - Crash, Clay and dk they did the best they could. It's heartbreaking. 



We are here and standing by - honestly - if you need trees cut down or other manual labor, dk could use some "personal" vent time.Hurricanesa suck.



.


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## mekell (Sep 27, 2007)

I have been in touch with the diver's Mom and Dad and they don't have any new information. They are both strong God fearing people going through the pain and sadness that only other Moms and Dads could comprehend. I told them of the well wishes and prayers of the fishing/diving community and they wish to relay their thanks.


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

We dont know what happened with this incident , but it sure makes you evaluate your own personal dive habits.

Diving is something that we all love , yet its so unforgiving. Prayers to the family.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

It makes you want to get back to the basics like if you get seperated, surface immediately. Take every precaution, because you are your own best dive buddy. You have to use common sense. Prayers also for the missing divers buddy that he doesn't blame himself for the mishap.


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## surfrider (Aug 28, 2008)

I am new to this web site - signed on a few days ago - why does the newspaper not report something so serious?


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## SandyKeys (Oct 10, 2007)

:angel:angel:angel:angel

Prayers sent. Please everyone be safe.


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## Shiznik (Feb 24, 2008)

Still monitoring this post and praying that sme good news of his safe return is posted soon. I'm with the guys wondering why the media hasn't broadcast this, I would think that the Coast Guard being involved, they would notify them if they deemed they needed more help. Prayers are stiil flowing from us!

:angel :angel :angel :angel


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## hebegb (Oct 6, 2007)

> *surfrider (9/1/2008)*I am new to this web site - signed on a few days ago - why does the newspaper not report something so serious?




bottom line is the PNJ must have a budget of $12/week



This forum is all over stories they never even find


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## Diverdan (May 22, 2008)

I really hate to hear about this, not only for the diver but also his dive buddies and family. Things like this make us stop and think how short and uncertain our time is here on earth. I pray for God's peace and healing to all concerned.


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## SandyKeys (Oct 10, 2007)

:angel:angel prayers sent


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## Gnwdad (Oct 14, 2007)

He was a coworker and from my understanding from another coworker his dad called and said it turned out for the worst.


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## craasch210 (Oct 4, 2007)

Sorry to hear this.

Did they locate him?

Chris


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## craasch210 (Oct 4, 2007)

Bump for any more info.


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## flynurse (Oct 9, 2007)

yes still wondering myself. it was sad searching knowing not much could be done. but still held out hope. still praying.


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## surfrider (Aug 28, 2008)

What has happened with the missing diver? I am so worried about this post and still don't know the outcome..has anyone heard anything new??


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## mekell (Sep 27, 2007)

As of 5 pm yesterday (Monday) he had not been found.


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## HeartofDixie (Oct 3, 2007)

> *mekell (9/2/2008)*As of 5 pm yesterday (Monday) he had not been found.


So, is anyone (CG) even looking for him??? Sucks to know that someone is floating around out in the Gulf right now!


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## dantheman (Jan 17, 2008)

<SPAN id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl2_lblFullMessage>Prayers sent :angel


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## storyteller (Jan 5, 2008)

Our prayers go out to the diver and his family. MIKE & Family


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## jlbdvm (Nov 12, 2007)

Sad indeed!

http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080902/NEWS01/80902026


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## na_an (Sep 2, 2008)

Can somebody tell me if"the missing diver"is registered on this forum, and what his nickname is?


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## mekell (Sep 27, 2007)

> *na_an (9/2/2008)*Can somebody tell me if"the missing diver"is registered on this forum, and what his nickname is?


He is not a forum member.


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## craasch210 (Oct 4, 2007)

Hello, I would like to make a correction to something I posted. Earlier, I posted that the missing diver was on his 4th dive of the day when he went missing. I just reveived an email from a party that was involved, who stated that the missing diver was on his first dive of the day. The diver on the pioneer reported to the coast guard that the diver had been "out with him" 3-4 times in response to a question that was asked by the coast guard. 

The coast guard was inquiring how muchexperience the diver had. We misunderstood the reply to say that the diver had been "down" 3-4 times. 

Sorry if my post mislead anyone. This will be my last post on this unfortunate event, until the investigation has been completed and we have some facts to go by. These events can be valuable for each of us to examine our own personal dive procedures, but all we have to go on at this point is speculation.

My prayers remain with the family of this this person who are probably going through hell right now.

Chris


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