Diver missing in Gulf today - Updated 6/17/13 - 8:00am

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Tim Raines went missing on Saturday at around 10 o'clock according to Coast Guard reports.

The report we had was that the diver was on his way back to the boat, his fish, floating tails up and when he got to the back of the boat, he just sank back down and out of sight.

We (Paul Cozic, Wil Demuth, Ronnie Joe Collins, Toby Armstrong, two camera men and myself) just so happened to be at ST 67, which happened to have a very nasty Bull Shark that was eating peoples fish right off of their shafts, when we got the calls around 5 o'clock Saturday evening. We had planned to sleep on the rig and dive the next day. Condiditons sucked, it was ruff as shite, not too mention Wil had an issue with his fuel pick up tube on the port side of his boat. I had estimated a 25mi. run to the southeast in the morning if we were going to try to find the missing diver. Although the run to the southeast was very doable in my opinion, even though it was still ruff as shite, we opted to go back to Fourchon because of the mechanical problem in the morning and get a bigger boat.

We were met with the guys from the Blake Terry Foundation, and they helped us load all our gear onto their boats, a 36' Contender with trips, and a monster, Aluminum Custom Cat w/ Hydrofoils and 600 ponies. Also, was Jason Guitreau, Troy Donalson, and George Ansardi on the Heavy Metal. We hauled arse out to the rig, which was ST 185 A. The boats were supplied with plenty of food and drinks by the members of the Foundation.

The plan was for the guys aboard the Heavy Metal to make a dive first to determine the conditions. The water depths were 185' on one corner and 175' on the other corner. When the first team came up, we could see the futility with trying to locate the diver as the murk on the bottom started at 133', leaving approx. 40-50' of murk on the bottom.

We then with all 3 boats started to drag hooks, tied to 2 fishing poles so that we could cover about 5-10' swaths. Very difficult in this depth of water but we did try that for most of the day. We did manage to hook several items on the bottom, so there was a slight possibility if we ran them over the missing diver.

Later on, the second team of divers went down, including myself. The surface was dirty, but after 20+' the water was beautiful blue down to 133', we dove down into the dirt but that was futile as well. However I noticed a current on the bottom that was blowing everything to the north. I have no idea if that current was present when the first team went in the water or if it was present at the time the diver went missing. If it was we may have been concentrating out search on the wrong corner of the rig with our hooks for most of the day.

We readjusted our search but it was getting late in the day and things were looking bleak. The Heavy Metal stayed out while the other two boats headed back in.

Back at the dock, talking to the founders of the Blake Terry Foundation, we discussed ROV's and side scan sonar, however one member, said, "It's nice to be able to find the missing divers and all of that, but we need to do more to try to prevent this stuff from happening". My thoughts exactly!

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diver was last seen drifting away from ST 185A. Please help with the search at day break. We will leave Port Fourchon at Sunrise. All boats needed. Please forward to all council members or anyone who can help

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********A Diver has gone missing 45 miles out of Fourchon this afternoon! We are sending out divers & boats to assist the coast guard in the rescue mission! If you are in the are are & have a boat to go out & help search you can contact the foundation for details. Please keep the diver, family, & all volunteers in your prayers!! Blake Terry Memorial Foundation 985-446-537

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Sad day today, a diver went missing this morning at platform ST 185A. If anyone would like to help out with the search and rescue please give me a call. Hopefully his is ok. Hope and prayers needed for him and his family.

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Nola.com

Search crews are out for a second day looking for a missing diver in the Gulf.

Tim Raines, 56, was spear fishing with his brother Saturday when undertow washed him from the boat Early Life Crisis about 55 miles off Grand Isle. The boat sent out an alert around 10 a.m.

Raines surfaced about 40 feet from the boat and began swimming in, but then was pulled back under the waves, according to the Coast Guard's report.

The Coast Guard dispatched helicopter crews from New Orleans and Mobile, the 87-foot Pelican and a second 45-foot boat Saturday. The Pelican stayed out overnight and the helicopters were running search patterns Sunday morning, said Coast Guard spokesman Carlos Vega.

Accidents of this sort have unfortunately become common in the last few weeks, typically due to rip tides or undertow, Vega said. No warnings were posted for the waters off Grand Isle Saturday.

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Houma Courier

The Coast Guard and volunteer divers are still searching for a Prairieville man who has gone missing while diving about 55 miles off Grand Isle.

Tim Raines, 56, was diving with a group of friends Saturday morning when an undertow from a nearby offshore rig washed him about 40 feet behind the boat, according to Coast Guard officials.

While swimming toward the boat, Raines went underwater, officials said.

“His friends saw him go under, but they never saw if he came back up,” said Rene Ragas, Raines' son-in-law.

Crews of helicopters, boats and an airplane continued the search Sunday.

Cindie Roussel, president of the Blake Terry Memorial Foundation, a recovery and support foundation that performs rescue dives, said they had two boats with divers and another rescue boat searching above and below the water for signs of Raines, who they say had diving weights on him.

As of Sunday evening, Roussel said the crews were unable to find Raines. She said it hasn't been determined yet if the volunteers will continue the search today.

Ragas thanked the Coast Guard and the Blake Terry volunteers.

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