Re: Johnson-Sea-Link research

[Ray Keefer <Ray.Keefer@eng.Sun.COM>]

Can't. The mail keeps bouncing.

> 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
> >
> >
> 
> 
>