Scuba Geek

Family of man who died while scuba diving in Mexico sues resort owner June 6, 2006

Posted by Andy Carroll in : Accidents, News , 1 comment so far

Normally I wouldn’t write about this, as initially it sounds just like any other legal case, but this is more than a little disconcerting, so I thought I should spread it around a bit.

Two years ago, software salesman Ricardo D Loya drowned in what appears to be his first ever dive. He was on a business trip in Mexico, and after reading a brochure in his hotel room offering scuba diving he decided to try it out. The brochure offered a guided dive with a Dive Master certified by PADI. Apparently that is not what he received. The dive operation booked for Loya by the Westin Club Regina hotel and resort wasn’t PADI trained or certified, and one has to wonder that if this kind of thing goes on, how a novice/beginner would know.

Needless to say the family are suing the resort for breach of contract and negligence.
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Jacksonville Man Dies in Scuba Diving Incident June 1, 2006

Posted by Andy Carroll in : Accidents , add a comment

I found this sad report at FirstCoast News and at Divester. The medical examiner in Monroe County is conducting an autopsy on a scuba diver found floating face down by boaters in the area.

Police say 72-year-old George Sipp of Jacksonville was scuba diving with friends and family in about 20 feet of water near Alligator Reef, but he never surfaced. A police report says Sipp’s dive tank was empty and his weight belt was missing, which likely means he experience an emergency under water. According to authorities, the diver had 20 years of diving experience.

Man dies while scuba diving off East Honolulu May 24, 2006

Posted by Andy Carroll in : Accidents, News , 2comments

Reports are appearing which detail a scuba diver fatality in the waters off East Honolulu.

a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserve, aged 47, who had recently returned from Iraq, was taking a vacation, and was diving at a popular diving spot, called ’spitting caves’.
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Disabled on scuba dive, man sues Coast Guard and DAN May 8, 2006

Posted by Andy Carroll in : Accidents, News, Travel , 1 comment so far

There is a story in the St Petersburg Times today which tells the story of Timothy Hogan, who was spear fishing in the Gulf of Mexico at 122 feet when ‘His vision had gone blurry. When he blinked, he saw flashes of light, like electrical charges.’

The weird thing is that Hogan then ignored these signs and continued pulling in a 7lb mangrove snapper he had caught. Eventually arriving back on board his symptoms worsened and his toes were tingling, spreading to his legs. Divers Alert network and the coastguard were called, and a rescue was made, but unfortunately he has never walked since.
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Scuba diver rescued off Brisbane May 2, 2006

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A scuba diver found unconscious at the surface was winched aboard a rescue helicopter from a dive boat and rushed to Royal Brisbane Hospital. Officials said the injured diver was a male in his mid-50s who was suffering from decompression sickness (the bends). The scuba diving accident occured at about 8am at Flinders Reef at Moreton Island.
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Four scuba divers rescued between Bohol and Camiguin islands. March 23, 2006

Posted by Andy Carroll in : Accidents, Travel, Uncategorized , add a comment

The Bohol Chronicle report on four scuba divers who had a bit of a worrying time after becoming stranded on a boat near Camiguin. Apparently they were heading from Panglao to stay overnight at Camiguin, but the rough seas were too much for the boat and they couldn’t reach the shore. Eventually the boat ran out of fuel and they started making distress signals.

They were drifting for more than 48 hours and many passig vessels did not respond, said Elmer Loreno, boat captain, from Sunrise, Tawala, Panglao during an exclusive interview

He identified the scuba divers as Ian Willies, Ali Swandel, Mr. Fritchen and a certain Ruby Hora, from Panglao town. They left Panglao Island at 7 a.m. last Sunday to bring the drivers for an overnight stay in Camiguin.