Another diver death

[Bill McIntyre]

I was in Mori's shop getting a shaft straightened today and he told me about a friend of his dying recently in La Paz. This one was not SWB.

The guy had a big gun with 5 or 6 bands loaded in the boat and he started to unload it. Its not certain whether or not he touched the trigger, but the gun fired and the butt hit him in the belly, causing serious internal injuries. They operated on him in the emergency room in La Paz, and then he was flow to San Diego, where he died.

I know some people like to keep guns loaded in the boat when doing repeated drift dives, diving kelp paddies, etc. I think most of us feel that the danger is from the pointed end, but the blunt end killed this guy. If you must have a gun loaded in the boat, maybe you should get in the water to unload it, and pay as much attention to the butt as to the tip.

 

[Don Paul]

Mori told me the bad news Wed, but I didn't recognize the name, nor did Mori
know what brand of gun it was or was not telling me.

I almost lost my life 20 years ago that way when I cocked a brand new gun for a elderly man in the water. The recoil from 4 bands pushing a 6' 3/8 shaft on a light barrel into my chest from a distance of 2' knocked all my air out and temporarily paralyzed me.
I sunk down to 4O' as the other guy dove past me to rescue his sinking gun and not me.:rcard Unable to move my legs I dropped my wt belt and just barely made it to the surface. I was unable to dive the rest of the day. The mis-fire was due to a mechanism failure and was replaced no charge.

RIP brother.
Don

Don

 

[tecdave]

Horrid story. just hits home the risks that can ocurr in our sport. Thoughts with all buddies and friends of the guy. Must be a huge blow.... never good news...... Lets hope we can learn from this.

Dave

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Mori told me the bad news Wed, but I didn't recognize the name, nor did Mori
know what brand of gun it was or was not telling me.

He told me a brand and model, but I purposely left that information out because I don't want to start any finger pointing at a brand. A sear could conceivably crack with any brand of mechanism, and I don't want to assume my brand is immune.

BTW, make us old farts cock our own guns.

 

[Don Paul]

He told me a brand and model, but I purposely left that information out because I don't want to start any finger pointing at a brand. A sear could conceivably crack with any brand of mechanism, and I don't want to assume my brand is immune.

BTW, make us old farts cock our own guns.

I like you style Sir, only a Forensic inspection can tell if sear failure and not
a bump, a mis-sear or a trigger pull brought about this horrible accident.

Not wanting to armchair quarterback, but a good argument for light 9/32 shafts launched from barrels with sufficient mass to absorb heavy recoil.

Don

 

[DivingDane]

This happens far more often than most of us realize, thankfully it doesn't usually end in somebodies life being lost... RIP to the unknown diver.

I close friend of mine had a 6 rubber cannon of a trigger Gail just as the 6th rubber engaged the spear! Punching the rear of the BIG gun square into his solar plexus! Big gun 10mm shaft and 6x16mm rubbers! Not pretty just lucky nothing serious was damaged.

I really think that unloaded guns in boats should be enforced, or at least loading and unloading be carried out I'm the water.

The brand of gun makes little difference as it is almost impossible to tell waht actually caused the missfire. I just hope people learn from yhis tragedy.

Safe diving to all.

Dd
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[spaghetti]

Thanks for posting Bill, for the condolences and for the teaching we can get from this horrible news. Of all the speargun accidents that may happen, I couldn't even imagine that an accident of this sort could ever occur: killed by recoil punch in the chest is something I'd never heard before.

If I ever get one of those 4 bands guns I'll take care.

Everyone will have to remember this, and take care.

May that diver rest in peace.

 

[Mr. X]

Condolences Bill . And a useful warning of a hidden danger than is not at all obvious - even after seeing those awful youtube recoil videos.

Last week was death week. I heard of more death and terminal illness diagnosis in my local community and extended family than I would have ever expected. I got my haircut and even the guy who worked in my Barbers had passed away. Mainly younger people too, in their 50s and early 60s.