Florida Scuba Diver Hit by Lightening--It Happened To Me

There but for luck would the same have happened to me. When I was 16, I
was scuba diving on Lake Bistineau in Louisiana in the channel of the
river that was damned to make the lake. My diving buddy was Joe Coffield who
was 10 yrs. older than I and no longer with us.

The old river channel in the lake was about 30 ft. deep and we
was looking for outboard motors that had fallen off boats and any and
other junk from the days of the civil war when boats plowed the once navigable
river back then.

While I was diving and down for about 30 minutes I surfaced to find
lightening and rain. As I swam back to the boat, Lightening either hit my
air tank or very near. I was paralyzed for about five seconds. It was one
of the most terrifying experiences I ever had. After I realized I wasn't
dead or hurt I finished swimming to the boat and got out of there scared
the whole time.

Upon reflection why I wasn't killed, I came to the belief that it was
because it was in the month of December and I was wearing a Bel Aqua Dry
rubber suit with long underware beneath. I had on rubber gloves that were
sealed off with rubber cords at the wrist. The rubber cords wrapped
around a plastic grooved bracelet fitted underneath the sleeve of the Dry
suit. I was completely dry and sealed off except for the area around my
mouth underneath my face mask. I believe I would have been long gone if I
would not have had that dry rubber suit on. I would have been gone if I
would have had a wetsuit on or if it was in the summer and no suit.

Bob White

Fla. diver dies after lightning hits air tank
By The Associated Press


DEERFIELD BEACH — A 36-year-old diver was killed after lightning struck
his air tank, authorities said.

Deerfield Beach resident Stephen Wilson was diving with three others off
a boat near Deerfield Beach on Sunday, when a severe thunderstorm warning
was in effect in the area.

When he surfaced, “lighting struck his tank,” said Deerfield Beach fire
Chief Gary Fernaays. “He was approximately 30 feet from the boat at the
time.”

The three other divers struggled to get Wilson back into the boat and
radioed for help. Wilson was then rushed to the beach where a rescue crew
was waiting. He was given CPR and taken to North Broward Medical Center
in Pompano Beach, where he was pronounced dead, Fernaays said.

An autopsy by the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office determined
Wilson died of electrocution.