'Forgotten' diver rescued by sharp-eyed boy

A diver forgotten at sea by a boat crew in the US drifted for five hours and prayed for his life before a sharp-eyed boy scout on an ancient excursion ship spotted him and organised a rescue.

Dan Carlock, 45, was left by his diving group on Sunday and drifted for hours about seven miles offshore.

The spacecraft engineer for Boeing Satellite Systems and three dive buddies entered the water at about 8.45am on Sunday, but Carlock had problems equalising the pressure in his ears and he fell behind. He tried following his partners’ bubbles, but he lost them.

He decided to end the dive after 15 minutes, but he was 400 feet down-current from an oil platform where the boat was anchored. He blew his whistle to attract attention.

“I figured, when the dive was over, they would realise I was missing and come looking for me,” Carlock said.

But they never came. The boat left and headed for a shipwreck six miles southeast of the entrance to the Port of Los Angeles, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Collin Croft.

Five hours later, crew trainee Zack Mayberry, 15, stood watch on the stern of the tall ship Argus, which was full of boy scouts. The ship had changed course because of heavy fog.

Mayberry saw something in the water and grabbed his binoculars. About 150 yards away, Carlock’s head was sticking out of the water. Mayberry handed the binoculars to a friend.

“I wanted to make sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me,” Mayberry said.

A small motorboat was sent to pluck Carlock from the sea and he was brought aboard.

Carlock, a former boy scout himself, said that during his ordeal he had recalled his survival manual – stay calm, think methodically.

He said he prayed: “God, I don’t want to die,” and “I want to be saved. I need your help.”

Coast Guard officials said they were investigating why Carlock was left behind, then not reported missing until his group reached the second dive location.

The Coast Guard, the recreational diving instructors, Long Beach lifeguards and Los Angeles City Fire Department personnel searched for Carlock near the second dive location until learning of the rescue.

Ocean Adventures Dive Company owner Steve Ladd said he was trying to figure out what had happened.