A Victoria pilot boat scooped up a scuba diver in distress off the Ogden Point breakwater Sunday afternoon and brought him to a waiting ambulance.
Victoria Fire Capt. Dan Mollberg said two people were scuba diving off the end of the breakwater around 1 p.m. when one of the divers got into trouble in 15 metres of water.
“He and his diving partner buddy-breathed to the surface and she flagged down the pilot boat which was heading back to its dock,” said Mollberg.
The pilot boat has a man overboard device on the back, similar to a big hoist. The crew dropped the device into the water, scooped the divers up and brought them to the pilot boat station on the outer wharf.
The male diver had run out of air because of an equipment malfunction, said Mollberg.
“He was in some distress but was conscious. We helped them get off the pilot boat and onto a waiting ambulance stretcher.”
Mollberg said he believed the divers were relatively inexperienced and were not part of a diving class.
B.C. Ambulance could not be reached for comment.
