Report on Decompression Illness, Diving Fatalities and Project Dive

Appendix B: Fatality Case <strong>Report</strong>s03-88 Solo diver with unknown certificationand experience, entrapped on wreck diveCause of Death: Drowning due toInsufficient AirT h e re was little information available surroundingthe death of this 47-year-old male.His certification status, amount of experienceand frequency of diving were unknown. Itwas known that he habitually made solo divesfrom his boat without any topside support.Apparently he died after becoming entrappedand exhausting his breathing gas during awreck penetration dive. An autopsy was performedafter the body was recovered, but thereport was not made available.03-24 Experienced technical diver made cavedive using scooter, separated from buddyand drownedCause of Death: Drowning due toInsufficient Air due to Entrapment in CaveThis 42-year-old male was an experiencedtechnical diver with cave diving certification.He made a cave dive to 94 feet (29 meters)using a scooter for transit. A silt-out occurredduring the dive, and the diver and his buddybecame separated. The decedent’s body wasrecovered one hour later. Toxicology studiesrevealed the presence of narcotic and antidepressant medications. The gas source hadbeen exhausted.03-34 and 03-35 Double Fatality. Insufficientand possible faulty equipment, both diverstrapped under ice and diedCause of Death: Drowning due toInsufficient Air due to Entrapment underIceOne of two divers involved in a double fatalitythat occurred during a dive under ice in aquarry, this 30-year-old male diver had rescuediver certification and was experienced.The other of two divers involved in a doublefatality that occurred during a dive under ice,this 31-year-old male diver had no dive trainingor documented certification.Neither diver had any formal training in icediving, though it was reported that they hadmade dives under ice in the past. They rentedequipment that was likely not sufficient forthe water temperatures in which it was goingto be used. There were signs posted that prohibitedtrespassing and locked gates surroundingthe entry point. They had a rope thatwas tied to a tree on the surface and enteredthe water through a hole in the ice, but neitherdiver was attached to the other end of therope.When they did not return to the surface tomeet their ride home at a prearranged time, asearch was conducted. The extreme weatherp recluded recovery efforts until the nextmorning. Both bodies were recovered morethan 300 feet (61 meters) from the entry pointin the ice. Contributing factors to these divingdeaths included a lack of topside support,inadequate and poorly maintained equipment,evidence of use of alcoholic beveragesprior to the dive and worsening weather whilethe divers were under the ice. One diver’s regulatorand buoyancy compensator leakedwhen tested. The autopsy findings were consistentwith drowning as a cause of death.03-36 and 03-37 Double Fatality. Uncertifiedand inexperienced divers made freshwatercanal night dive with insufficient equipment,both ran out of air in tunnel anddrownedCause of Death: Drowning due toInsufficient Air due to Entrapment in aTunnelTwo bothers, one a 21-year-old and the other a23-year-old, were involved in a double fatalitydiving incident. Neither diver had any formaldive training or certification.DAN’s <strong>Report</strong> on Decompression Illness, Diving Fatalities and Project Dive Exploration: 2004 Edition 117