Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: May 13, 2008

Contact:  Lt. Russ Hall
(504) 393-6032

COAST GUARD HELPS FIND MISSING DIVER 

NEW ORLEANS - A Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans  rescue helicopter crew located a missing diver 30 miles south of Grand Isle, La., today.

At approximately 1:15 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a call from a member of the dive team after the diver missed a check-in time.   Sector New Orleans immediately launched an HH-65C rescue helicopter crew from Air Station New Orleans to respond. 

Assisting in the search were the offshore vessels Seacor Advantage, Miss Adrian, and the drilling vessel Discoverer Deep Seas. 

After a crewmember aboard the Discoverer Deep Seas spotted a possible man overboard, the Coast Guard rescue aircrew flew to the location, found the diver, and guided the Discoverer Deep Seas' small boat to the diver's location to pick him out of the water.  A medic aboard the Discoverer Deep Seas assessed the diver's condition and he was transferred back to his dive vessel in good condition.

The dive crew was performing diver operations near an oil rig in Grand Isle rig block 82.

Media Note: There is no video of this rescue.

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U.S. Coast Guard - Saving lives since 1790