There was something wrong and I knew it. I didn't know what it was.
It's dark, it's wet, it's...eerie.
You know, you climb down this ladder and I get down to the bottom
and now I'm consumed in death.
And I yelled for help and I couldn't...I could not make it on my own.
And that's a hard thing for a human to admit, that I could not save my father. I couldn't do it.
We worked that morning, just setting up the tools, getting the welder out, and kind of
figuring out what we wanted to do that day,
and it took almost until the sun came up, which was right around, I don't know, 7:30 probably.
We had a coffee break. It was actually a pretty good day. My father
was actually in a really good mood that day.
I'm just going to open up some of these hatches and see where we're at.
All right, I'll check in with the boys.
Do me a favour, will ya? Ask Marco if those parts are ready and then bring 'em on down here. OK.
Hey you want any more coffee? No, no, I'm OK, son, thanks. You go ahead I won't be long.
My father grabbed his little flashlight and his notebook and pen, and decided to go down
and assess what needed to be done,
finally get some work on the go.
Cody, what's up, man? Hey guys. So my dad needs those parts we were asking for.
Yeah, yeah we got it. Just give us a hand with this shit and we'll set you up.
I'm helping you guys?
You got a problem with that?
No prob, save your breath, OK? He's checking the hatches anyway.
I know it seemed to be only a few minutes,
but probably more like a half an hour and I had noticed that dad hadn't come out of
this compartment of this barge yet.
I don't know if it was just a normal reaction or something inside me kind of felt wrong
to be honest with you.
Have you seen my dad?
Hello?
I didn't feel right and I stuck my head down inside this hole.
Dad?
No answer, kind of strange. I got up and I looked around and something just didn't feel right.
And I didn't say anything to the guys. I just leaped down the hole.
The light is ending when I go into this hole, right?
Literally, the light is ending and darkness is arising in more ways than one.
Dad?
I looked down and I could see a milky light, what looked like his flashlight under the water.
And as I knelt down, I reached across, I picked up the flashlight.
I could tell the life was taken from him. I don't know how, I'd never seen a dead person before in my life,
but I just...I might not have admitted it right then but thinking about it I knew he was gone.
His eyes rolled right around and his skin looked clammy. He just...it didn't look like a real person.
Help!
All right dad, I'm going to get help, you stay here.
Help!
When I fell unconscious on my father I was still alive.
Here's a picture of a father and son literally lying on top of each other, dying with every breath they take.
And the rest of the world is going on and doesn't even know what's happening.
Hey, you guys down there?
Hey Jimmy, did you see Cody?
No, where was he?
I saw him go down here.
Cody! Cody!
Where's the old man?
Hey! Cody?
Oh...shit! Hey! Help, you guys! Help!
They just wanted to help. These men really respected my father in a way that I had no idea until the funeral.
But they just wanted to help him.
Hey Dana, what's happening? Dana!
Well shit man are they dead? What's down there?
Cody!
Why aren't they answering?
How the [expletive] should I know? I just heard him yell help that's all.
What about the old man?
Cody's dad? I don't know. That's all I [expletive] heard.
Cody! Dana! Dan! Are you down there? Hey Dan!
I'm going to check it out.
You can't prepare for something that you don't know is there. Do you know what I mean?
And that's what happened to us. We did not realize the risks and yeah you can sit down
and make well we should have had this or blame this,
but it comes down to yourself. You're the only one that can keep you alive.
Man, that's not a good idea. We've got three guys down there. Now you wanna make it four?
What else can we do?
You go down there, you just don't know. I don't like it.
You want us to be the chicken shits that let these guys die?
[Expletive] you man. It's not about being scared. We're not trained here. You don't wanna go down.
No [expletive] you. These are our friends. I'm going down.
Look, you're making a mistake. I'm begging you man, don't do this.
It's gonna be fine. I'll call out when I find 'em.
You can't save someone if you can't save yourself, do you know what I mean? There's no point being a hero.
You have to think on your feet when you're down to the crunch.
Marco! Can you hear me?
Oh shit! Marco!
I told you... I told you... I told you... Hey!
Help! Help! Anybody? Help!
If I'd have went down there 25 minutes earlier I could have saved his life probably. It's not my fault,
I didn't know, but that's a fact. Time is precious when you're running out of air.
Help! Help! Anybody? Help!
On October 4, 2001, four workers were rendered unconscious from a lack of oxygen.
Dan McNolty died.
Every year more workers die attempting rescues in confined spaces than victims of confined space accidents.
Enclosed or partially enclosed areas can be deadly.
Employers and workers must be aware of the hazards of confined spaces.
For more information visit WorkSafeBC.com