Missing Diver in Tacoma (Nov 2006)

Sergeant Pepper · Post by **Sergeant Pepper** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:38 am

A co-worker this morning came to me and asked if I had heard about a missing diver in Tacoma. He said that apparently a group of people were on a night dive and came up one short. Anyone know anything about this?

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 2:27 pm

Oh no.... I haven't heard anything. Please keep us posted if word gets out.

DiverDown · Post by **DiverDown** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:03 pm

I saw an update in the Tacoma News Tribune online: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/u...-5436809c.html

Tacoma police and firefighters search for missing diver

Karen Hucks, The News Tribune
Published: November 10th, 2006 11:56 AM

Tacoma police and firefighters continued searching for a missing scuba diver along the Ruston Way waterfront again today after they couldn’t find him Thursday night.
The man was among six people diving in pairs Thursday evening off the wall near the Lobster Shop restaurant, said Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum. The area is a popular spot for diving.

Police received an emergency call just after 8:30 p.m. that the man didn’t surface after a dive. Friends told police that the man told his diving buddy he was having some sort of respiratory distress.

They all began to surface, but the visibility was limited, either because of the darkness or the extra silt in the water from the storm, Fulghum said.

The Tacoma police and fire department boats and a King County Sheriff’s department helicopter searched for the man until midnight, and then started searching again this morning.

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:17 pm

How did he tell his buddy?? what exactly is the hand signal for "Im having respratory distress"?

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:18 pm

I cant get the link to work either.

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:38 pm

I can't find anything about this anywhere- I scoured the News Tribune, KOMO, and Scubaboard- no info at all. My boss's wife heard about it, and he asked me if I knew anything, but I haven't found anything at all so far.

DiverDown · Post by **DiverDown** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:33 pm

I saw a segment on KOMO, Not much to say other that they were searching today for him..

Pinkpadigal · Post by **Pinkpadigal** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:31 pm

I was getting phone calls all day, asking me if I knew them. I had no idea what was going on. The "rumor" was they were out of Tacoma Lighthouse. They were diving Lobstershop Wall, and they were planning a dive over 200 feet deep. I heard a couple of names but no one I recognized. Again, this is all "rumors" I heard.

Post by . » Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:44 pm

Cera wrote:How did he tell his buddy?? what exactly is the hand signal for "Im having respratory distress"?

Keep in mind this is written by the same types who use the term "oxygen tanks" when referring to our air supply. They were probably referring to an OOA hand signal.

lamont · Post by **lamont** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:52 pm

working link: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/upda ... 6809c.html

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:00 pm

Well, it's just more rumor, but someone I trust told me the group of divers was planing to go to 200, and that at least 1 of them was on an Aluminum 80- and that he was the one who ran out of air and bolted for the surface, and still hasn't been found.

I don't know anything for sure, but, as I said, I heard it from a reliable source, and the 200 foot part matches with what PinkPadi heard....tragic and ill advised, if true.

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:11 am

It's always a sad day when a diver goes missing in such a manner. 200' on an AL80? I hope that part isn't true.

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:22 am

Here is the latest article:
TACOMA: Search continues for scuba diver missing near waterfront restaurant

THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: November 11th, 2006 01:00 AM

Tacoma police and firefighters continued searching for a missing scuba diver along the Ruston Way waterfront Friday after they couldn’t find him Thursday night.
The man was among six people diving in pairs off the wall near the Lobster Shop restaurant, police spokesman Mark Fulghum said. The area is a popular spot for diving.

Police received an emergency call just after 8:30 p.m. that the man hadn’t surfaced after a dive. Friends told police the man had indicated to his diving buddy he was having some sort of respiratory distress. All the divers except that man surfaced.

Visibility under water was limited, either because of darkness or the extra silt in the water from recent storms, Fulghum said.

The Tacoma Police and Fire department boats and a King County sheriff’s helicopter searched for the man until midnight Thursday, then started searching again Friday. The search ended at dusk Friday and will not resume until Monday, Fulghum said.

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:24 am

This was on Scuba board:

Man presumed dead in diving accident
10:56 AM PDT on Sunday, September 7, 2003

From KING Staff and Wire Reports

TACOMA, Wash. - A 24-year old Seattle man is presumed dead in a diving accident in Tacoma's Commencement Bay.

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department says the victim went down Saturday night, but never surfaced.

Pierce County sheriff's deputies say the man was one of two students who went into the water with an instructor. They planned to go down 215 feet as part of a training course and each had enough air for five minutes, but only one of the two students came back to the surface.

"Unfortunately, at that depth you're only going to make it three to five minutes with oxygen so this is probably a recovery mission, we doubt we're going to find anyone alive," said Ed Troyer, Pierce County Sheriff's Dept.

The other student and the instructor made it to safety.

*THIS IS OLD AND IS THE ARTICLE I THINK PEOPLE ARE CONFUSING WITH THE CURRENT STORY. THIS IS FROM 3 YEARS AGO******

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:27 am

HUM... I think this is why people are confused.. it is what came up when I looked it up on scuba board.

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:29 am

I wonder if other people are confusing these as well?? Because the 'details' that eveyone is mentioning sounds like this previous article?

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:39 am

The details sound the same because local news doesn't really know about diving accidents or basic terminology. Most all of the news reports can be interchanged by inserting the missing divers name.

D

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:59 pm

if they were breathing oxygen down to 215 fsw, then they had 3-5 seconds not minutes. i hope they were on air, or trimix.

Sergeant Pepper · Post by **Sergeant Pepper** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:05 pm

We are not confusing these two incidents. I went to Underwater Sports this morning, and spoke the to the guy working there about this and he pointed out the window, and said, "Yeah, I know, that's his truck right there." I went there twice today once before my dive and once after for a re-fill, and it was very unsettling seeing the truck there. The guy is most definitely gone, and every time we hear about one of these, it should be a wake up call to take care of your buddy before the dive. You know BWARF, no sense in not doing it... bubble checks, and friends don't let friends dive to 140 ft on Al 80s. Practice being a good buddy, I will appreciate it when I dive with you.

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 2:20 pm

I agree, it is a wake up call... I don't know the spot they are talking about but it sounds like it was just a problem waiting to happen.... I feel so bad for the family... It is really so senseless when something like this (so preventable) happens.
It sounds like you have a few more details than the rest of us...
I think its not so much about the equipment as the experience of the divers, but I don't know the details. I agree with you SP, it sounds like one of those things that could have been prevented, and that is the truly sad thing.

peo · Post by **peo** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 3:10 pm

Cera wrote:[...]They planned to go down 215 feet as part of a training course and each had enough air for five minutes, but only one of the two students came back to the surface.[...]

This is of course a tragic accident, but it is even MORE tragic if this was done during a training course, since the diver (assuming he was a student) would no doubt trust the instructor that this was a good plan.

If anyone has any more details on whether this was true, and, if so, what training course it was, then please PM me.

EDIT: Perhaps I should READ the previous posts and not just skim them next time... :-)

DiverDown · Post by **DiverDown** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 3:17 pm

PEO that story was from 2003. "not" the missing diver in Tacoma..

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:27 pm

You know what is funny... Looking back at that story there is no closure on the event from 2003. I wonder what really happened there? Does anyone remember that far back?

DiverDown · Post by **DiverDown** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:57 pm

Cera wrote:You know what is funny... Looking back at that story there is no closure on the event from 2003. I wonder what really happened there? Does anyone remember that far back?

I remeber that, That was the same time I got certified to dive. Apperently The diver was a student at DIT. and was newly certified. He was diving with some freinds on a "non class dive" I dont think they ever found his body..

Cera · Post by **Cera** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 6:58 pm

Hum... Thanks for the info. What a bummer, some of those guys think they are invincible...