U.S. Coast Guard Rescues Missing Dive Instructor off North Carolina

 

On Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard and a good Samaritan boater rescued a missing diver at a position about 20 nautical miles off the coast of North Carolina, thanks to a timely call from the survivor's wife and the use of a high-visibility float. 

At about 1226 hours on Tuesday, Coast Guard Sector North Carolina's SAR center received a call from the wife of diving instructor Steve Oatman, 54. Oatman was out diving alone off Bald Head Island, and had planned to be gone for one hour. When he ran 30 minutes overdue, his wife decided to notify the Coast Guard that he had gone missing. Oatman had a wetsuit and a personal locator beacon on him, she said. 

A Jayhawk rescue helicopter aircrew out of Air Station Elizabeth City flew to the scene and arrived at about 1400. They spotted Oatman, who was floating about three miles away from the initial reported position; he was waving his arms and was floating with a bright green safety sausage. A Coast Guard response boat with an emergency medical technician on board arrived shortly after, with directions from the aircrew, and the boatcrew retrieved Oatman from the water (with assistance from good Samaritan divers). 

"This diver’s preparedness and experience played a major factor in his rescue," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Sparks. "Having the right safety gear, filing a float plan, and staying calm under pressure can help any diver or mariner in danger."

Sparks noted that the rescue happened a year to the day after another, similar diving incident off Cape Fear River. On August 13, 2023, Sector North Carolina received notification that four divers had gone missing about 60 nautical miles off Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Coast Guard launched a large-scale search with a helicopter, an HC-130 search plane, three surface vessels and a U.S. Navy destroyer. In the early hours of August 14, the HC-130 aircrew spotted a strobe light and all four divers in the water. The SAR aircraft launched a life raft, and the men climbed aboard until destroyer USS Porter arrived on scene to pull them from the water. All were in good health and were back on shore by 0610 hours.