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Old 06-28-2019, 05:00 PM   #67
aue-mike
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: St. Petersburg
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Re: Rebreather's Will Kill You

Quote:
Originally Posted by sealark View Post
Link and stover were in the after metal compartment breathing at atmosferic pressure. The submersible got fouled in the shipwreck fred t Barey. Two divers were deploid off the USS Tringa. It was to danderous to attemp clearing the JSL. In an over 200 lb mk5 mod 1 rig. The depth was a little over 300 ft. The JSL was finally retrirved. I made a dive to 60 ft to check that the lower compartment was secured. Both perished from hypothermia and or sufocatian. Links body was covered with baralym from trying to heat it. The compartment had been pressurised with intent of a lockout to clear the hangup. The people in the forward plastic bubble survived. I went through diving school with Clayton Link Jr. Class 1666. Only to see him deceased in after chamber of the JSL. 60 ft from the surface.

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The rescue was a Charlie Foxtrot. Link and Stover were dressed lightly for the expected short excursion. The unmoused clip in the blind spot snagged a cable, anchoring JSL to the wreck. Once the USN got on scene, they took over. They prevented Link/Stover from conducting a short dive to free the clip, instead insisting SS divers would deal with it. Time was wasted just getting on scene and in position to deploy divers. The high current swung the stage at such an angle they almost killed the diver. They also prevented a 1 ATM suit from being deployed from a Canadian team that likely could have worked better. By the time USN could not affect a rescue, Link/Stover were hypothermic since they were only wearing shorts/t-shirt. Cold temperature also affected CO2 absorbent.
They had to ultimately get a salvage company to get the JSL out of the wreck.

The USCG investigation report is online and very sobering/sad.
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