Rebreather Diver Dies On Key West's Vandenberg

Bow of the USNS Vandenberg

Fatality Report

Rebreather Diver Dies On Key West's Vandenberg

By Michael Ange 

A middle-aged male diver died while diving on the USNS Vandenberg wreck off Key West this afternoon, November 13, 2009. The names of the victim and other dive team members have not yet been released pending notification of family members. This is an ongoing investigation, all of the details are not yet available and the facts reported are still pending review. The following details were made available. The following information was available: The diver was one of a three-person dive team that included a technical diving instructor candidate and his instructor trainer. It is not clear at this point what class they were completing; however, the divers were diving rebreathers at a maximum depth of 97 feet and the survivors have clearly reported that the dive was a non-penetration dive. The deceased diver is reported to have been an experienced rebreather diver with more than 50 hours logged on the unit he was diving.

While at depth, the student diver began experiencing some form of problems that were either physiological or equipment related and began to make a rapid ascent. The instructor candidate is reported to have immediately responded, assisting the diver to the surface where he arrived unconscious. Both the instructor candidate and the IT omitted decompression stops to surface immediately and assist the injured diver. CPR was reportedly performed for more than 40 minutes, but to no avail as the diver was reported DOA at medical facilities on Stock Island. The other two divers reported what appeared to be mild symptoms of DCS probably resulting from their efforts to respond and rescue the victim. At the time of this writing, they were in route to a decompression treatment center in Miami for treatment.

Visibility on the site was reported to be approximately 40 feet with a mild to moderate current running southeast. There is no indication at this point as to whether or not the rebreather technology malfunctioned and this was clearly a non-penetration dive conducted on one of the main decks outside of the wreck. The accident occurred from the vessel M.V. Spree. By all accounts available at this time, both the supervising team in the water and the vessel’s crew responded effectively and made every effort to assist the injured diver. No further details are available at this time.