Diver Run Over As She Surfaces - Update

[kato]

Press Notice No: Duty Notice
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Posted 16:40 GMT

DIVER RUN OVER AS SHE SURFACES

Dover Coastguard were alerted at just before 11.00 a.m. this morning from the local dive vessel `Taurus’ that a large vessel had run over one of their divers who had just surfaced and that the vessel had not stopped.

The report indicated that the diver was now back on board the `Taurus’ with a suspected broken arm and possible internal injuries, and that the crew needed immediate assistance to evacuate the injured diver to hospital.

The Dover RNLI all weather lifeboat was asked to launch and the Coastguard Tug `Anglian Monarch’ was also sent to the scene to stand by the `Taurus’. The local Dover Coastguard Team was also sent to the shore side to assist.

Kent Ambulance Service was alerted who sent one of their vehicles to Crosswall Quay ready to receive the injured 37 year old woman.

When the lifeboat arrived a stretcher was passed to the `Taurus’ before the female casualty from Kent was transferred back to the lifeboat and taken to shore.

Gordon Wise, Dover Coastguard Watch Manager said:

“We have informed the Marine Accident Investigation Branch of this serious incident and we will keep the Agency’s Enforcement Unit appraised of the situation.

“ We would also like to thank the highly professional paramedics from the Kent Ambulance Service who travelled out to the `Taurus’ on the lifeboat and stabilised the patient before bringing her ashore.”


Posted by: Mark Clark


For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Duty Press Officer
==========================

Hope all those involved are ok and get back in the water soon.

[Lou]

Shit. Hope she is ok, I am sure Andy will let us know the story when he is able to post. In the meantime best wishes tot he diver involved.

[resting rifleman]

Originally Posted by Lou

Shit. Hope she is ok, I am sure Andy will let us know the story when he is able to post. In the meantime best wishes tot he diver involved.

can only echo lou's sentiments on this one!
i bet channel 16 was an "interesting" exchange of pleasantries
lets hope the injuries heal soon and the nob on watch on the ship gets his just deserts!

[Darren A]

WTF!!! Was it another dive boat?

[Mr T.]

Hope it's better than has been reported and good luck Andy Commie!

I'm sure you'll let us know how things are in your own good time.

God's speed mate to you, crew and complement

[Andy the Coastie]

A very SAD day today, where diver ended up hurt from enjoying her sport, unaware that coming to the surface was more dangerous than being below.

I had 7 divers from a club and of course the Deck Bitch.....

The plan was to head towards Dungeness way , as viz yesterday was 8 mts. The divers were from a VERY LOCAL dive club and all experienced channel divers. The wreck of the St Celilia was chosen, which is 10 miles South West of Dover in whats normally a quiet part of a large bay ,,,,,,,

Anyway, The shot was deployed and slack was slightly later than predicted, at Slack Deck Bitch did his duties as normal, taking only 4 minutes 09 seconds from ' Ready to bag on the surface '. This was at 10:35 with the others in at 10:40

I shut my side door cleared the decks and dropped the ladder, then i hear my alarm from the guard zone that i set on my radar sound, ( now , today i could see france clearly and was 20 miles away ), I always have my radar on when divers are in the water , as it can show when a SMB, DIVER or even a seagull set off the alarm, ( some of my divers on here have seen that, before the KNOWITALLS jump on the band wagon ). Turning the Taurus , i saw a vessel approaching some 2 & 1/2 miles away and his track didn't appear to be on a Collision course, but the more i studdied the radar and watched the vessle, it appeared at a mile that he will come close , and a rough CPA would mean that he would be within 100 mts of the shot line ,,,,,, which i wasn't happy with. This point i was underway at 12 knots heading straight for the bows of the approaching vessel ( any skipper knowing what he was doing , would at this point immediately turn to STARBOARD ) which he didn't do. I turned to Starboard at the last safest moment and before being abeam of him, i was on deck pointing to my ' A ' flag and wavering him off , trying to make him alter course, I could clearly see 2 persons on the bridge...... No action was taken, i saw the name of the vessel and ran inside to make radio contact with him on ch 16,, ( no contact made ) . After a second call, a dover coastguard intercepted my call , and told me to call the vessel on ch 11 ( Dover , channel navigation VHF channel , which all ships must report to them on ). STILL NO CONTACT, then came the waving of a torch and search light and trying to pace him ( which he was faster than me ) tried in vain to slide him off course...... no joy.

I was looking at my radar to see if my shotline buoys wre targeted as the heading i and the tug was on , was on track for them, i cut across his stern to have a look on his Starboard side when . FUCKKKKKKKK i shouted as i throttled back hard ..

In front of me slightly to the right, i saw a divers head appear within 5 mts of the vessels stern then followed by the buoys ........

NIGHTMARE STARTS

Picking up the diver was quick , as i never am so close to a shotline . I shouted from my ladder " Are you Ok ? " spotting her mask and gloves drifting away..... all she rplied was " I think my arm is broken ". What a remarkable lady , saying this at the time calmily. With me pulling her jacket strap to assist her climbing my ladder with her right arm hanging limplessly, she was on the boat, although a few specks of blood on her face , i was fearing the worse of a or some limbs missing, at this time , the impact had hit her pillar valve or first stage, and a leak was heard.... i was waiting to take full brunt of it myself. One deck i got most of her kit off, and quickly ran and threw 2 thunderflashes about a minute apart over the side near the shotline, as the second one went over , another diver was on the ladder getting back on the boat relisling there was a problem and didn't know what,,, a quick chat to him and the coastguard was called on VHF.....

Assistance quickliy came with the Coastguard tug , anchored 3 miles to the West of me , and in time time was on my stern just in case the diver needed quicker medical care. Each diver was being picked up and all the deck was running smoothly, the casuality was on O2 as a precaution as no sign of her computer and not knowing if the tug pulled her to the surface quickily or she was on the surface, plus to aid some of the other pains she was no experiencing ( Head , lower abdoman ,<< sp >>and CHEST ) . The worse bit was picking up her husband and when he was alongside the boat getting to the ladder he said " it's Sue , isn't it ? " .. This was FUCKING HORRIBLE as i nodded, never want to EVER do that again.

The Dover lifeboat arrived with 3 paramedics, and as there was a bit of wind and tide at this stage, and i asked the Cg Tug capt, if i could use his tug to act as a nice side of LEE to get the lifeboat and kit for transferring boats ,,, this was great , this happened 5 times as personel and equipment was passed from boat to boat. It also made a very steady platform for the paramedic's to give Jab's ,and get her into a basket strectcher.. transfer was good and then basically proceeded back to Dover. I got on the lifeboat pontoon just as the ambulance was pulling away from the boat house.

Now, my opinions ONLY

I can now see why , that i NEVER anchor into wrecks and never dive in the shipping lanes without the coastguard having knowledge and can put out a broadcast to shipping.

That my ' A ' flag is bigger than a Hanky or a sheet of A 4 paper.

When some of you have witnessed me aiming at yachts and asking them to alter cousre , that i do it for a reason

The Marine Accident & Investigation Branch ( MAIB )are aware of this incident and hopefully justice will be done ,,, my words will be to string the Skipper, Officer of the Watch and company high up a flagpole by the bollocks.

.................................................. .................................................. ....


and where was my bloody Diving Doc mate ,,, Chris P ?

sat at home doing housework, i suppose , dreaming about his sexy partner doing it in a short skirt , high heels and stockings ....

[Fiona]

I know you said don't post, but I to hope she is OK.

[Andy the Coastie]

Originally Posted by Darren A

WTF!!! Was it another dive boat?

What ? when the coastguard say " LARGE VESSEL " ,,, FFS , this is Dover , large are 100 mts and longer .........

[Darren A]

Originally Posted by Andy the Commie

What ? when the coastguard say " LARGE VESSEL " ,,, FFS , this is Dover , large are 100 mts and longer .........

Ok. Sorry. Hope she makes a speedy recovery.

[Mr T.]

Steady the boat lads