Found Deceased SC- Alan Devier, 49, Beaufort(Port Royal Sound), 28 April 2020

[mlhenn]

Coast Guard searching for missing diver from North Charleston

Coast Guard continues search for North Charleston diver missing off Port Royal

•Devier was reported missing from Beaufort at 3:42 p.m. on Tuesday.
•Experienced diver that specializes in hunting fossilized shark teeth
•Alan and his diving partner Jimmy Armstrong went diving; Alan went for one last dive
•was not wearing GPS
•His partner looked for him, called 911

Since then, the Coast Guard and partner agencies have searched around 785 square miles of Port Royal Sound.

The Coast Guard Cutter Pompano crew and helicopter crews from Air Station Savannah will continue to search through the night on Thursday.

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/article242405716.html

This is NOT the first time Alan Devier has gone missing during a dive in this area!
Alan and his diving partner Jimmy Armstrong went missing during a March 12, 2020 dive.
It wasn’t until the early hours of the next morning that the men were found. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter found Jimmy first, and a charter fishing boat later found Alan.


After that, they came up with a safety plan:
•the men agreed to have one stay on the boat while the other was in the water.
•The diver would stay on the safety line so he couldn’t be carried away by the current.
•Both men would wear GPS monitors.

However, during the April 28 dive when AD went missing again, he was running late that morning and forgot his GPS monitor.

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article242367496.html

Devier is an experienced diver.
Devier knew the area well and donated fossils to local programs regularly because he is passionate about educating people on the Lowcountry’s waters and their importance to the environment.

Devier’s Facebook says he is a charter captain and blackwater fossil diving guide/expert at Holy City Divers.

A boater in the area called 911 around 6:15 p.m., saying a scuba diver — later identified as Devier — went into the water around 3:45 p.m. and never came back to the boat, according to LE.
The Sheriff’s Office immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard, which sent a helicopter to help search, and boats were also searching for the diver.

 

[Fleur-de-lis]

This is terrible. I hope he will be found in time. It's these awful coincidences that make me very downhearted. The one time he forgets his GPS. So sad.

 

[Fleur-de-lis]

I do not see any news more recent than yesterday. I hope they continue searching. Sometimes experienced divers can live a long time on the water, if hypothermia can be avoided. I hope he at least has a good diving suit on. Poor man, sounds like such a good guy.

 

[mlhenn]

I do not see any news more recent than yesterday. I hope they continue searching. Sometimes experienced divers can live a long time on the water, if hypothermia can be avoided. I hope he at least has a good diving suit on. Poor man, sounds like such a good guy.

U.S. Coast Guard Southeast

I found a post on the Coast Guard Southeast’s fb page that was posted about an hour ago (4:00 pm).
The post contained the following info:
The Coast Guard, partnering agencies, and volunteer crews have searched 4,019 sq miles for the missing diver.
Coast Guard station Tybee Island and station Charleston boat crews will continue searching through the night.

 

[Fleur-de-lis]

U.S. Coast Guard Southeast

I found a post on the Coast Guard Southeast’s fb page that was posted about an hour ago (4:00 pm).
The post contained the following info:
The Coast Guard, partnering agencies, and volunteer crews have searched 4,019 sq miles for the missing diver.
Coast Guard station Tybee Island and station Charleston boat crews will continue searching through the night.

Thank you very much for this. I so hope we get good news, but it is getting late in the day.

 

[mlhenn]

Thank you very much for this. I so hope we get good news, but it is getting late in the day.

I agree, but I feel like there’s hope...esp after seeing the Coast Guard’s post about still looking and their plans to continue through the night. IMO

 

[mlhenn]

USCGSoutheast on Twitter

Map shared by Coast Guard showing the 4,019 sq miles they’ve searched as they look for Alan.

 

[mlhenn]

Coast Guard searching for missing diver in Port Royal Sound

Coast Guard, local agencies search for diver missing from Port Royal Sound

photo provided by Coast Guard shows conditions during day 1 of search

Day 2 search

Alan was wearing a black suit when he went missing during the dive.

 

[mlhenn]

U.S. Coast Guard Southeast

May 3
US Coast Guard will continue there search for the missing diver. The search will continue by air and by sea. The US Coast Guard Auxiliary air crew searched this morning.
US Coast Guard Cutter Pompano crew along with US Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter crew will continue their search throughout the day.

 

[mlhenn]

Coast Guard suspends search for missing diver near Port Royal Sound

News Release from US Coast Guard

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Coast Guard suspended its search for a missing diver near Port Royal Sound, Sunday.

Missing is Alan Devier, 49, North Charleston.

After searching more than 7,589 square miles for over 168 hours, officials were unable to locate Devier.

“Working alongside state and local agencies as well as numerous volunteers, we have searched aggressively since Tuesday evening,” said Capt. John Reed, Commander of Sector Charleston. “Despite that effort, we have been unable to locate Alan. It is with a heavy heart that I have suspended our active search for him. The Devier family remains in my thoughts and prayers.”

 

[Fleur-de-lis]

So sad.

 

[mlhenn]

So sad.

yes, indeed. I feel heartbroken for his family, especially his wife who had to go through the anxiety of her husband missing for the second time in a month...I can’t imagine what she’s going through as the days have passed and the realization that he most likely won’t be found this time.

Megalodon Dive!
Here’s his website to his business, Megalodon Dive. He seemed like a pretty awesome guy who loved diving!
There’s also a message included on the home page asking for prayer for his safe return.

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/article242595971.html
As an SC Diver Remains Missing, Fellow Divers Find Ways to Honor Him

It’s been almost two weeks since Alan Devier, 49, and one of his best friends and diving partner, Jimmy Armstrong, 66, said a prayer — the way they always do — before taking turns diving deep into the Port Royal Sound searching for their next great find.
Almost two weeks since Devier, of Charleston, went down for the last dive of the day and never resurfaced.
Far away from the county, others who either knew Devier or had heard the news about their fellow diver wanted to find a way to help, too.

They’ve found it.

The page is overflowing with fossil hunters, like Devier. Some of the people post their favorite memories of Devier. Others remember how he’d always leave something behind on their boats when he visited so he’d have a guaranteed reason to come back again.

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/article242595971.html

Although the US Coast Guard suspended its efforts after searching more than 7,580 square miles over the course of 168 hours, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and Beaufort Water Search & Rescue are still searching for Devier. They’ve been joined by a host of volunteers.

His wife, Kim, said she still gets messages from people every day saying they’re still looking for her husband.
“We have not given up, but it means the world to me that they haven’t given up looking for Alan either,” she said.

Kim and her family have traveled back to Charleston, but DNR calls them daily with a briefing update.

 

[Darling136]

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/article242643121.html

Found deceased

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/article242643121.html

Found deceased

Although expected, it is terribly heartbreaking. Thank you @Darling136 for finding and sharing this update.


The body of Alan Devier, 49, was discovered on Bay Point Island around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, according to David Lucas, regional public information coordinator for S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen declined to comment at the request of Devier’s family.

An autopsy is scheduled at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston on Wednesday.