Drowning Diver Saved By Being Shot With Speargun

[ricki]

t's off topic but there are lots of divers in the audience. Just came across this, it is an astounding free diving story about a couple of spearfishermen. A free diver is drowning, in convulsions at 75 ft.. His buddy is already submerged holding his breath when he notices this. The buddy swims over but is almost out of air. There is no way he has enough air to reach him and drag him the height of an 8 story building to the surface. So, leave the other diver to drown and drift away in 180 ft. of water miles offshore or ... ?


"Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2008 08:33:57
Subject: Steve
Sad but rewarding story from yesterday diving. I am going to write it all out in full but am stil la bit shook up and need to help out his family in the hospital today.

Was diving in 180 ft of water with a friend Steve Bennet who is a 21 year old from Tarpon Springs. We were diving on an area of broken bottom in strong current from an anchored boat. Making one dive down and getting swept away each time before swimming back to the boat and resting to make another he dove to down and was on his way back to the surface, I watched and he looked fine and regretfully left the surface myself and headed down. I dove and while I was down at 75 ft his gun floated past me, I immediately looked around and saw my friend upside down drifting unconcious and convulsing about 60 ft away at that same depth.

With a strong current and no one else in the water and one chance I ditched my weight belt and swam hard towards him extending the gun to shoot him.

Continued at: http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=66252 "

[ricki]

One diver down, one up as safety comes to mind along with quite a lot of procedures they teach at Dive FIT to help avoid and better manage in the future. Glad the diver made it and the rescuer's aim was true.
__________________

[ricki]

I would like to go on record that if I have a choice between drowning or being miraculously saved by a fairly benign shot, shoot away! Never would have thought I would ever have reason to say that. The trick is not to need saving in the first place.

One diver up, one down might work in the future to reduce the surprise and randomness of rescue. Then again, there is nothing to say you'll be able to see your buddy at 75 ft. anyway. As a rule we are more at risk of blackout at the surface and to a lessor extent in the upper ten feet. They say the risk of blacking out falls to around 10 % deeper than that. The savior in the case is a very adept, unique free diver.

Sounds like the stuff of a made for TV segment on bizarre rescues.


The fin in question. Look at the accuracy of that shot and at distance in extremes. It might have even been moving if the diver was still in convulsions. Wonder if he would have been off even if his eyes were closed?! An amazing, once in a lifetime, we hope for the victim, shot! It is very lucky the divers fin fit was such that it wasn't yanked off. So many fortunate events in this one.
From: http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=66252

[ricki]

Just came across a thread which includes posts from the participants in this bizarre, miraculous rescue along with some analysis at:

http://forums.deeperblue.net/general...ive-again.html