Re: Johnson-Sea-Link research

["Marsee Skidmore" <heyred@email.msn.com>]

Thanks, Ray. Are you gonna send this to the kid with the CO2 question? :-o
Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Keefer <Ray.Keefer@eng.Sun.COM>
To: Personal_Submersibles@psubs.org <Personal_Submersibles@psubs.org>
Date: Wednesday, March 17, 1999 10:08 AM
Subject: Johnson-Sea-Link research


>Hi,
>
>I did a little research in the library on the Johnson-Sea-Link disaster.
>Some details are contradictory but generally consistant.
>
>Regards,
>Ray
>
>New York Times Index 1973, pages 2125:3-2126:1
>
>Johnson-Sea-Link (Research Submarine): Navy spokesman Lt Comdr W Smith
repts
>on June 18 that 1st attempts to rescue 4 men trapped in 21-ft research
>submarine Johnson-Sea-Link, 360-ft under Atlantic off Key West, Fla, failed
>when divers from rescue ship Tringa discovered submarine wedged into
wreckage
>of scuttled destroyer; Lt Comdr R H Brisbing repts from radio conversations
>with trapped 4 that carbon dioxide levels are rising and temperatures have
>dropped to 40 degrees; vessel's designer E A Link, whose son is among crew,
>estimates life support resources aboard submarine show oxygen only
sufficient
>through noon, June 19; Johnson-Sea-Link submarine, owned by Smithsonian
Inst
>and Harbor Branch Foundation Lab at Fort Pierce, was participating in
>oceanographic research with Smithsonian and Seadiver Corp on fish
surrounding
>sunken destroyer F T Berry and was accompanied by support ship Seadiver:
>vessel's 2-part construction consists of forward glass bubble containing
>submarine's controls and housing 2 crewmen, and aft section with tube
through
>which scuba divers pass; Dr G M Griffin, who was scheduled to take command
on
>June 18, say crew may be instructed to break free of craft and try to
surface
>if all other rescue attempts fail, although method is highly dangerous:
crew
>consists of Pilot A Menzies, ichthyologist Dr R Meek and divers E C Link
and A
>Stover: issus of vessel. Je 18.1:1: research vessel A B Wood secures
grappling
>hook to Johnson-Sea-Link submarine, imprisoned for over 30 hrs in sunken
>destroyer Berry's innards of tangled cables and debris, lifting at least 2
>members of oceanographic crew to safety; remote-control TV cameras assist
in
>operations supervised by E A Link, who maintained radio contact with
submarine
>throughout operation: winch hoists vessel to surface where rescue workers
open
>forward acrylic bubble which enhanced survival chances for A Menzies and R
>Meek by not conducting frigid ocean temperatures: Navy Comdr J Neville
>expresses uncertainty about fate of divers E C Link and A Stover,
unconscious
>in aluminum aft compartment for nearly 12 hrs before craft is brought to
>surface, noting no vital signs are evident: divers raised pressure as
>temperature dropped because Baralyme, used in absorbing carbon dioxide,
does
>not function in cool temperatures: cycle eventually failed. stifling area
with
>carbon dioxide and causing occupants to lose consciousness: submarine is
>lifted aboard mother ship SeaDiver with rear compartment still sealed;
>attempts are made to lower inside temperature and fix air pressure at sea
>level: cheers from crews of rescue vessels accompany oceanographers'
emergence
>from submarine: illus of submarine aboard mother ship; project was reptdly
>designed to enable oceanographers to observe how subtropical fish had
>converted wreck of 2,425-ton destroyer into 390-ft artificial reef. Je
19.1:1;
>bodies of oceanographers E C Link and A Stover are removed from research
>submarine Johnson-Sea-Link on June 19, 29 hrs after vessel is untangled
from
>debris on submerged destroyer F T Berry, and following gradual
>depressurization of aft compartment; spokesman for Smithonsian Inst, owner
of
>vessel, says intensive inquiry is planned into tragedy; physician on mother
>ship Dr D Youngblood attributes divers' deaths to exposure, noting chilling
>40-degree temperature in their compartment was coupled with rising carbon
>monoxide level, rendering 2 men unconscious: pressure I forward chamber was
>maintained at surface level allowing survivors A Menzies and R Meek to be
>released from submarine immediately and spend only 90 mins in decompression
>chamber as precaution: says initial rescue efforts were balked by swiftness
of
>Gulf Stream current: support ship Sea Diver is tied up at Key West Naval
Base
>on June 19; rev of events of submarine's entanglement in scuttled
destroyer;
>issus, Je 20.1:4; destroyer F T Berry, in which Sea-Link submarine became
>entangled, resulting in death of 2 oceanographic researchers, was one of 2
>Naval vessels that were sunk off Key West, Fla. To create artificial reef;
2d
>ship was USS Wilkes-Barre, Je 20,26:6; med examiner Dr A Fernandez says on
>June 20 that results of autopsy of bodies of E C Link and A Stover, who
died
>within research submarine Johnson-Sea-Link, died of carbon monoxide
poisoning,
>not exposure as was originally assumed: episode is slated to be subject of
>internal investigation by Smithsonian Inst bd headed by inst sec S D
Ripley;
>major debate will focus on means of expanding rescue capabilities in
>ocenographic field; issue is complicated by fact that private oceanographic
>vessels, more prone to mishaps than larger, standardized submarines, share
no
>uniformity of design with Navy craft; Key West Submarine Squadron comdr
>Commodore J Cuddy explains that Navy was unable to employ its diving bell
in
>assisting Sea-Link as submarine lacked necessary hatch for locking 2
vessels
>together, noting 5-ton bell would have squashed fragile craft, Je 21,82:6;
A
>Menzies and R Meek, survivors of Johnson-Sea-Link submarine tragedy, reveal
E
>C Link and A Stover rejected option of escaping submarine by swimming 351
ft
>to surface, preferring to await Navy rescuers who were expected to arrive
>within 5 hrs, June 22 news conf following divers' funeral; say decision was
>based of fact that record ascent ever made by diver is 306 ft; Menzies adds
>Link and Stover repeatedly asked about carbon dioxide level and made final
>contact with forward campartment 15 hrs after submarine became trapped in
>cables dangling from scuttled destroyer F T Berry. Je 23,29:4; article revs
>events leading to entrapment of Sea-Link research submarine in wreck of
>destroyer F T Berry and traces series of rescue plans evolved in attempt to
>free vessel; submarine illus; diagram showing Sea-Link's position on
destroyer
>on ocean floor. Je 24,IV,7:1; 3 USCG officials will open hearings on June
28
>into accident in which E C Link and A Stover died of carbon monoxide
poisoning
>in trapped Johnson-Sea-Link submarine, Je 28,53:3; Oceans and Atmosphere
>subcom chmn Sen E F Hollings introduces bill on July 11 requiring
>establishment of safety standard for undersea research vessels such as
>Johnson-Sea-Link submarine that became entangled in wreckage of scuttled
>destroyer F T Berry  on June 18, resulting in deaths of 2 divers, including
>son of vessel's designer E A Link, Jl 12,31:1; article revs successful
rescue
>operations that freed R Mallinson and R Chapman from Brit minisubmarine
Pisces
>III, lauding crewmen for extraordinary courage and presence of mind
displayed
>during 3-day ordeal; compares struggle with June 18 tragedy in
>Johnson-Sea-Link submarine in which oceanographers A Stover and E C Link,
son
>of vessel's designer, died, S 2,IV,5:5
>
>