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I have told the story about a Ditch Recovery that was really trying on us as State Police Search and Recovery Divers. Well this story is just the opposite.

This was one recovery that really threw us, due to the lack of care by the family. We were called to Cochiti Reservoir, just north of Albuquerque, New Mexico, to search for a family member that failed to return to the shore after a swim.

On arriving at the boat ramp we were told that the victim was last seen about 20 feet from the shore. As we continued to inquire about the drowning we found that no one really knew just where the victim was last seen. Also the family was not really concerned.

We finally came up with a search plan. Park and Recreation personel would hold on to a line stretched across the cove we were going to search. They were to move it a few feet in a direction after we completed a sweep. It turned out they didn't follow that plan. One of them would move and the other wouldn't. So we did not have a great search system.

We search for several hours. We could stay under for longer periods because we never went more than 30 feet deep. After an exhaustive search we came to the surface and swam to shore. As we were taking off our gear we were told that the victim was handicapped and could not swim well. This made our stress a bit higher.

What really made us somewhat disturbed, was how the family was reacting. They had parked their truck no more than 20 feet from the shore with the tail gate facing the water. They were fishing, cooking tacos and drinking beer. None of them seemed to be concerned as to the status of there family member. I told the Sheriff who was there to take care of the situation and insure that things were on the up and up. It did lay to suspicion as to how the person drowned. The family even came over and asked us if we wanted beer and tacos. Of course, as professionals, we thanked them and refused their offer. This shows why the family could not give us a bearing on where their family member was last scene.

So this is the other end of the spectrum. The lackadaisical condition of the family as opposed to the Ditch recovery. A 180 degree difference. Although we were upset at the lack of care on the part of the family, we as professional divers, have to take into account the many ways families handle a drowning of a loved one. So we just brush it off and wait for the next recovery.

The victim was recovered in 10 feet of water, right in front of where the families truck was parked. It was determined that he had dived down to check something out and got his hand trapped between some large rocks. I do not know the degree of his handicap, but I'm sure that as he fought to get his hand out he panicked and ran out of oxygen in his lungs.

Another sad tale in the life of recovery. As divers, in this sort of operation, it takes several days for us to recover from searching for a drowned victim. As stated several times before, our mental and physical fatique factor is extremely high. Not an easy job for everyone.