# Man trapped in air pocket in sunken boat rescued after 3 days **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 10, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646 "2013-06-10T19:11:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/21 "2013-06-12T09:34:45Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > But how did he grab the diver if he was locked in? Through a window? Given the dimensions of the air bubble mentioned it seems the guy was in a mostly flooded room. In a body recovery dive on a sunken vessel the diver would swim inside the vessel to look around. I’m sure the trapped man would hear the diver. Then he just had to wait and grab him as he went past. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/22 "2013-06-12T10:36:43Z")
I was wondering why he didn’t swim out on his own first. The article said some people were locked in rooms, so maybe he was locked. But then how did he reach out? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/23 "2013-06-12T10:42:45Z")
Being locked in a partially air-filled cabin in a sunken boat… that’s got to be pretty high on my Do Not Want To Die This Way list. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/24 "2013-06-12T11:05:15Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Being locked in a partially air-filled cabin in a sunken boat… that’s got to be pretty high on my Do Not Want To Die This Way list. Gotta admit, “partially air-filled” sure beats “fully water-filled” by a country mile. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/25 "2013-06-12T13:57:49Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > I would imagine that a scuba mouthpiece makes screaming awkward as well. I took an intro to SCUBA class a few years ago. One of the things the instructor stressed was “anything you can do without a regulator in your mouth, you can do with a regulator in your mouth.” Including vomit. He called it “feeding the fishes”. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/26 "2013-06-12T18:00:28Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Gotta admit, “partially air-filled” sure beats “fully water-filled” by a country mile. You think? Barring a fortuitous rescue as in this case, I’d take a minute or two in a water-filled one over three days or however long it took to die in a partially air-filled one any day. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/27 "2013-06-12T18:17:46Z")
Even during daylight hours, I’d imagine it’d be almost pitch black down there too. Terrifying. But, yeh, at least if he were to still succumb down there before rescue, asphyxiating on a build-up of CO2 has to be more peaceful than drowning outright. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/28 "2013-06-12T19:40:29Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > I took an intro to SCUBA class a few years ago. One of the things the instructor stressed was “anything you can do without a regulator in your mouth, you can do with a regulator in your mouth.” > > Including vomit. He called it “feeding the fishes”. Even BJs? ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/29 "2013-06-12T23:34:34Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Even BJs? Yes. [See Rule 34](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rule%2034). OK. Technically it does require periodic removal of the mouthpiece. It is possible to do many things while scuba diving and even take video while doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/30 "2013-06-12T23:55:34Z")
Ugh, he is interviewed [here,](http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/12/18921794-it-was-horror-man-survives-2-days-in-air-bubble-under-capsized-boat?lite) it sounds like hell. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/31 "2013-06-13T02:44:07Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Even during daylight hours, I’d imagine it’d be almost pitch black down there too. Terrifying. > > But, yeh, at least if he were to still succumb down there before rescue, asphyxiating on a build-up of CO2 has to be more peaceful than drowning outright. You’d think, but no. CO2 build up in the lungs is what drives air hunger and the feeling of suffocation, which is agonizing. Drowning? I’ve actually inhaled seawater, enough to fill my lungs, once. It didn’t hurt, just felt much cooler than air. It didn’t trigger a coughing reflex. I had to force exhale to expel it though. I got most of it out pretty quickly but spent the rest of the evening coughing the rest, plus all the plasma it pulled into my lungs by hypertonic osmosis. Not fun. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/32 "2013-06-13T06:33:12Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > I took an intro to SCUBA class a few years ago. One of the things the instructor stressed was “anything you can do without a regulator in your mouth, you can do with a regulator in your mouth.” > > Including vomit. He called it “feeding the fishes”. If you’re planning to do that, remember to switch to your backup regulator first. That’ll teach your diving buddy to watch his gas consumption better next time. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/33 "2013-06-13T17:18:05Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > There was an around the world sailboat race a few years ago where one participant capsized in the middle of the south pacific. > > He managed to survive for a few days on the air that was trapped in the cabin below deck. Amazingly he was found. You’re not talking about Leo Sherman and the [Queequeg II](http://www.soundingsonline.com/features/in-depth/232922-the-final-voyage-of-queequeg-ii-) are you? Joe Strykowski taught me how to dive. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/34 "2013-11-29T04:38:26Z")
…just bumping this, because [this video is incredible.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yek41vDa4mE) ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/35 "2013-11-29T05:43:55Z")
I’ve seen this before someplace… Soon as they start eating some food in the diving bell, is when that thing pops out of Harrisons chest. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/36 "2013-11-29T05:48:34Z")
I thought that the diver and the mission leader both showed a remarkable sense of calm when that hand turned out to be attached to a live body. I would have expected a lot more screaming and cursing right at that point. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/37 "2013-11-29T09:47:59Z")
Thank you for sharing that video. Amazing amazing footage. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/38 "2013-11-29T11:12:17Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …just bumping this, because [this video is incredible.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yek41vDa4mE) Interesting choice of music at the end there. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/39 "2013-11-29T11:35:36Z")
“Body recovery diver” is not a job I will be applying for any time soon. ETA: Also, I wonder if there is also a Jascon 5. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![StrangerThanFiction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@StrangerThanFiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangerThanFiction)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646/40 "2013-11-29T13:21:35Z")
The interesting part starts around 5:20. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-trapped-in-air-pocket-in-sunken-boat-rescued-after-3-days/660646.md?page=3)