Diver Rescued Off Jachsonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Coast Guard transported a diver to safety after he apparently began suffering from decompression sickness, the bends, after a recreational dive approximately 26-miles southeast of Port Canaveral, Fla., at about 12:30 p.m. Jerry Foley, 38, of Brevard County, Fla., surfaced after a recreational dive from the fishing vessel Down Easter 2 and was experiencing symptoms of decompression sickness such as severe body pain, going in and out of consciousness and nausea. The captain of the Down Easter 2 contacted Coast Guard rescue coordinators in Jacksonville, Fla., for help. Rescue coordinators launched a rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral in a 47-foot rescue boat and a rescue aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Ga., to assist Foley. The rescue aircrew was conducting training in Jacksonville, Fla., when they were diverted. The rescue boat crew covered the 26 miles of water in less than two hours and arrived to Down Easter 2's position first. Two members of the boat crew boarded the Down Easter 2 to assist Foley and prepare him for a helicopter medical evacuation. The helicopter crew arrived only minutes later and lowered their hoist basket to the boat crew aboard the Down Easter 2. The aircrew safely hoisted Foley aboard the helicopter with the help of the two boat crewmen. Foley was flown directly from the Down Easter 2's position to the Florida Hospital in Orlando, Fla., where he is in good condition.