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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

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