DIVING
AnnualDivingReport-2015Edition
AnnualDivingReport-2015Edition
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1. Dive Fatalities<br />
an unconfirmed report suggests the diver was using a single scooter which became entangled in the guideline. Certainly<br />
an unexpected delay at such depths can rapidly result in significantly greater gas consumption than planned for.<br />
12-CT03: Possible panic after entrapment<br />
29-year-old male, full cave diver engaged in a scientific dive. The victim was diving with a buddy and two additional<br />
divers were in support. The victim and his buddy passed through a restricted passage where divers must keep to the<br />
right since the left side pinches into a low trap. The buddy and two support divers saw the victim taking the incorrect<br />
route towards the impassable section and reported waving their lights to attract his attention. The victim got stuck in the<br />
restriction at ~90 ffw (27 mfw) and the buddy was prevented from rendering assistance because he was wearing his<br />
primary gas tanks on his back, whereas the victim’s 108 cu ft tanks were on his side and thus he had entered a much<br />
lower space than the buddy was able to.<br />
One of the support divers was also wearing sidemounted tanks and managed to reach the victim’s fins in an attempt<br />
to pull him backwards. Suddenly free the victim ascended rapidly, swimming towards daylight instead of following the<br />
guideline to safety, where four additional tanks of gas were staged for emergencies at various depths. His buddies lost<br />
sight of him at this time. Later, the recovery divers found the victim wedged so firmly into a crevice that his equipment<br />
needed cutting off to recover him.<br />
The equipment was recovered the following day. Both tanks still contained over 1500 psi (>100 bar) and tests of the gas<br />
in the tanks confirmed it was trimix 16/33 in the left and 21/29 in the right. After autopsy the medical examiner ruled the<br />
death a result of Arterial Gas Embolism.<br />
11-CT05: Possible cardiovascular event after cave diving<br />
68-year-old male unexpectedly left the decompression stop early and collapsed at the surface.<br />
11-CT04: Decompression sickness<br />
58-year-old male diving a rebreather had given up diving after diagnosis with various cardiovascular health problems<br />
but after valve replacement surgery he returned to cave diving. On this day the victim surfaced from a dive to 285 ffw<br />
(56 mfw) and while loading the van shortly after the dive he suffered symptoms compatible with decompression sickness<br />
(weakness, shortness of breath, headache, pains). The victim was admitted to an emergency department then<br />
transferred to a hyperbaric chamber where he died.<br />
10-CT07: Possible panic disorientation induced drowning<br />
67-year-old female diver signaled her buddy while heading out of the cave, appeared to her buddy to show signs of<br />
panic, then inexplicably turned around and swam back into the cave. The victim was found 830 ft (250 m) into the cave<br />
at a depth of 53 ffw (16 mfw). Following autopsy the cause of death was determined to be drowning.<br />
32<br />
Annual Diving Report – 2012-2015 Edition