Diver rescued in pitch dark by signaling a helicopter with his light

Paul_in_Maryland · Feb 21, 2012

News video here; more articles here. According to the video, he flashed a light that was built into his schooner (spelling?). But according to other articles, he flashed his diving flashlight. I'm inclined to believe it was not his flashlight. If it were, he could have flashed it hours sooner. Only later, I gather, did he think of tilting his schooner to aim the light toward the helicopter.

eh4 · Feb 21, 2012

good thinking on his part, even better if he'd had some bright light and other signaling device on his body kit or something... interesting that the radio locator didn't work and the ten foot tall marker buoy was insufficient as well, must have been some scary big swells. If I were messing around in the ocean I think I'd want one of those inflatable silver airfoil kites for daytime signalling.

From Wikipedia: "Some ancient Hawaiian folklore states that Kaʻena Point is the "jumping-off" point for souls leaving this world."

Luxe · Feb 23, 2012

Thats a pretty damn awesome story. Although not so out of the ordinary. I mean you aren't left with very many alternatives once you're put into that position.

angelofwar · Feb 23, 2012

Neat story. Makes me wish my VIP rescue light was water activated.

gcbryan · Feb 23, 2012

He wasn't in a schooner. He was in the water. I'm sure he used his light earlier when appropriate but it would do no good in the daytime. At night they weren't constantly over his position. It's good that he was diving in warmer waters otherwise just surviving for that long would be unlikely.

It's also good that he wasn't on a night dive or it would be likely that his battery wouldn't last last after the dive.

yifu · Feb 27, 2012

Reminds me why i have strobe on most of my lights and all of my EDC ones at least.

yifu · Feb 27, 2012

Reminds me why i have strobe on most of my lights and all of my EDC ones at least.

gcbryan · Feb 28, 2012

You can still signal without a strobe

angelofwar · Feb 28, 2012

gcbryan said:
You can still signal without a strobe

Yep...how many peons out there have SOS memorized??? So easy to learn/remember, but only 10-15% of the population actually know it. Lemme go test my two co-workers right now...

Edit: One of them did (kinda of)...of course it wasn't a large poll group, but yeah...

gcbryan · Mar 1, 2012

angelofwar said:
Yep...how many peons out there have SOS memorized??? So easy to learn/remember, but only 10-15% of the population actually know it. Lemme go test my two co-workers right now...

Edit: One of them did (kinda of)...of course it wasn't a large poll group, but yeah...

However, the good news is that rescue crews respond to victims waving lights even if it doesn't spell out S O S !

Diver rescued in pitch dark by signaling a helicopter with his light

Paul_in_Maryland

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eh4

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Luxe

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angelofwar

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gcbryan

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yifu

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yifu

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gcbryan

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angelofwar

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gcbryan

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