Mystery surrounds diver deaths in Arctic (Coast Guard)

AP via Comcast News ^ | 24 September 2006 | Gene Johnson

[Moose4]

}:-)4

[yldstrk]

Anything could have happened. my husband and sons dive and it is dangerous even in the best of conditions.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Odd. Without details, we won't know what went wrong.

Ice diving is tricky and uncommon, open ocean diving somewhat less rare, but if they went as a training dive, they sound like they were taking deliberate efforts to "follow the book" about life lines, cold weather diving, and safety rules.

[cmsgop]

Wonder what happend BUMP

[bitt]

thanks for the info - would like a ping to any new developments........

prayers up.

[Shimmer128]

This is rough, sorry to hear and hope we find out what went wrong.

[Enterprise]

If you do get an update can you ping me?

[Professional Engineer]

ping

[skeeter]

Sounds like an equipment failure of some kind. Maybe bad air in their tanks?

[DB]

It sounds like the most likely cause was bad air in the tanks.

[CedarDave]

Original thread with additional links and photos:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1686196/posts

[Enterprise]

Thanks

[bitt]

thanks! I remembered that thread as soon as I saw THIS inspiring picture - I admired her greatly...

[jackibutterfly]

OK, clue us in - what is the picture about, and who do you admire????

[bitt]

see CedarDave's post #11?

He references a thread from August, and in that post there is that picture of LT Jessica Hill, on the left, pinning a medal on another CG., from a ceremony earlier in the year......

and, I admired her.

[CWOJackson]

It is very likely that a contributing cause to these deaths can be tracked back to the Clinton White House and flawed thinking within the Coast Guard itself.

Missing from this and all other articles related to these deaths is some pertinent information about the Cutter Healy itself...it is a floating death trap. From it's very inception, as dictated by a White House intent on cutting costs, the Healy was designed to be heavily automated and with a bare minimum crew.

Manning levels on the Healy are so low that experienced Petty Officers have to clean the ship on their off time; there is no other option. Everyone is working far longer hours then should be necessary and when one person gets sick it only adds to the increased burden on the rest of that department...which may be only a few people.

Given this situation and the very nature of Arctic/Antarctic deployments and some things are going to slip...from cleaning spaces to maintaining equipment or standing watches.

I pray the Healy never suffers a major casualty or fire...there just isn't sufficient crew to handle it and when you're thousands of miles from civilization...

[bitt]

wow - chilling info ping, and I am not trying to be funny here...

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Ping to check out info in post 16

[george76]

"The pair had been underwater for about 10 minutes, estimated Harm Van Avendonk, a University of Texas geophysics researcher, and something appeared to be wrong.

The divers were pulled up by the ropes. Blankets and stretchers were rushed onto the ice, and EMTs immediately began performing CPR. The divers were carried to the ship's sick bay, where they were pronounced dead roughly two hours after the dive."

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!