Cozumel Incident 9/4/11

[sealkie]

I would be very interested in getting feedback on that subject from the Cozumel dive professionals that are following this incident in this forum. I'm guessing that it is just not that unusual in Coz and many other dive locations.

I think the other shop owners in Coz have little choice but to keep their views to themselves on this one. It would be close to impossible to comment without it becoming an attack on the dive shop involved given the situation. I would be unprofessional and also it would open them up to counter attacks - if any of their DMs had done a similar dive in the past and someone chose to report it it would quickly deteriorate into a mud slinging match that would portray all Coz DMS and shops as fast and lose cowboys - it`s a delicate and no win situation.

I`m sure all the shops there want to continue to promote Coz as a safe destination suitable for all level of divers with a wide choice of professional dive ops and entering into this debate would not be a smart move.

 

[WSOPFAN]

For anyone interested (oops no names here) a diver involved just posted a response personally in the Cozumel thread.

 

[Craig66]

Perhaps Cozumel dive ops should document what down currents have been experienced (if any) with enough details to make it a well understood condition. That along with recommended actions if one is encountered removes this as a concern

Ron I agree, I firmly believe that Coz is extremely safe as a dive destination but if there is one potential hazard that Coz has that is somewhat unique to it, it would be the down drafts. I have dived Coz for 4 years now with 4 diveops and 7 dive trips and have never been told about the potential for down drafts. I became aware of it through SB but hard though it is to believe most divers dont even know of SB existance (horror of horrors ) and perhaps as part of the initial pre dive briefing or as a document given during the initial presentation of C cards, all dive ops should make people aware that these happen, they are rare but most imprtantly they can be dealt with.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

For anyone interested (oops no names here) a diver involved just posted a response personally in the Cozumel thread.

Google translate does a poor job, but it helps to get the flavor of his post. [-]A better translation would be beneficial for the English speakers.[/-]



EDIT - Better translations have now been posted by a couple of folks - - THANKS!

 

[DandyDon]

Ron I agree, I firmly believe that Coz is extremely safe as a dive destination but if there is one potential hazard that Coz has that is somewhat unique to it, it would be the down drafts. I have dived Coz for 4 years now with 4 diveops and 7 dive trips and have never been told about the potential for down drafts. I became aware of it through SB but hard though it is to believe most divers dont even know of SB existance (horror of horrors ) and perhaps as part of the initial pre dive briefing or as a document given during the initial presentation of C cards, all dive ops should make people aware that these happen, they are rare but most imprtantly they can be dealt with.

I think it was clarified early here in TxTorpedo's report that one was not the main cause of this accident, but still - I tend to agree. I've mentioned them in Coz forum a few times and I was PMed earlier today by a nice lady asking my opinion. I see that she just started a thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/395903-what-do-down-welling-down-current.html

 

[Ron Lee]

It is hard to understand what he is saying from the translation. I do read optimism. I can't tell if he mentions his prognosis. If so is it positive?

Does he state that he was at 400' depth during the rescue?

 

[WSOPFAN]

Google translate does a poor job, but it helps to get the flavor of his post. A better translation would be beneficial for the English speakers.

So he went to 400 to save her.......WOW......

 

[Craig66]

I think it was clarified early here in TxTorpedo's report that one was not the main cause of this accident, but still - I tend to agree. I've mentioned them in Coz forum a few times and I was PMed earlier today by a nice lady asking my opinion. I see that she just started a thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/395903-what-do-down-welling-down-current.html

DD I am aware that the downdraft was not a factor in the accident but part of the analysis involves coming away with lessons we can all learn and it is clear that although the drafts did not cause this that they can cause a major peoblem to an unaware diver. Whilst it is great that you are starting a thread it is of little use to the diver that does not come on SB and so the info should be given out at the source - The dive op.

Thanks for the thread though.

 

[Texas Torpedo]

Posted by Gabi in the other thread:

VIERNES 09 DE SEPTIEMBRE DEL 2011

HOLA!!!

PARA TODOS LOS QUE ME CONOCEN Y LOS QUE NO ME LLAMO O ME DICEN GABYLOCO ESTOY AQUI EN UNA CAMA DE LA CAMARA HIPERBARICA SIN PODER MOVER LA MITAD DE MI CUERPO SIN PODER DEFECAR Y/O ORINAR POR MI MISMO PERO FELIZ POR QUE PUEDO CONTARLES LO QUE VIVI Y ESTOY CON MI FAMILIA DESPUES DE UNA DESCOMPRESION MUY FUERTE, SI TU ERES BUZO ME ENTENDERAS QUE DESPUES DE 300 PIES DE PROFUNDIDAD LO QUE SE RESPIRA YA NO ES NITROGENO NI MUCHO MENOS OXIGENO SI NO SOLO ES VENENO PURO, LE DOY MUCHAS GRACIAS A DIOS QUE ME DOTO DE LA FUERZA DE PODER RESCATAR A UNA PERSONA QUE MUCHOS QUIEREN AQUI EN ESTA ISLA DE COZUMEL Y QUE SE LLAMA O LE DICEN; MAS BIEN LA CONOCEN COMO "OPAL" LA CUAL SE ENCONTRABA A 400 PIES POR QUE AL ENTRAR EN NARCOCIS YA NO SABIA LO QUE HACIA, Y YO TOME EL RIESGO DE IR POR ELLA A SU RESCATE Y SOMOS AFORTUNADOS DE HABER SALIDO AMBOS CON VIDA. DIOS NOS DIO OTRA OPORTUNIDAD YO ME ENCUENTRO PARALIZADO PERO "OPAL" SIGUE LUCHANDO POR SU VIDA Y EL SR. HEATH QUE TAMBIEN ESTUVO CON NOSOTROS EN EL ACCIDENTE SE ENCUENTRA CON ELLA APOYANDOLE EN TODO YO SE QUE YA NO VOY A PODER BUCEAR POSIBLEMENTE NUNCA MAS PERO DOY GRACIAS A DIOS QUE AL MENOS ESTAMOS VIVOS PARA PODER CONTARLO Y YO SE QUE CUALQUIERA DE USTEDES HUBIERA HECHO LO MISMO POR "OPAL" AHORA QUIERO DARLE LAS GRACIAS A TODAS LAS PERSONAS QUE NOS ESTAN APOYANDO ECONOMICAMENTE Y CON SUS BENDICIONES QUIERO QUE SEPAN QUE ESTOY MUY AGRADECIDO AL IGUAL QUE MI FAMILIA Y QUE DIOS LLENE DE BENDICIONES A TODOS MIS VERDADEROS AMIGOS QUE SON USTEDES POR QUE EN UN CASO COMO ESTE SE CONOCEN EN REALIDAD LOS AMIGOS. YO AQUI ESTOY EN LAS MEJORES MANOS QUE DIOS ME PUDO HABER BRINDADO ESTOY RODEADO DE PUROS ANGELES "MUCHAS GRACIAS JULIO TORRES; QUE DIOS TE BENDIGA"
LOS CUALES SON EL EQUIPO DE MEDICOS DOCTORAS, ENFERMERIA, PARAMEDICOS Y TODOS LOS QUE LABORAN EN LA CAMARA HIPERBARICA DE COZUMEL QUE SON LOS QUE NO ME DEJARON MORIR Y QUE YA SON PARTE DE MI FAMILIA AQUI ESTOY CON MI FAMILIA EN LA FOTO POR SI NO ME CONOCEN, Y EL DIA QUE QUIERAN PLATICAR CONMIGO AQUI LES ESPERO POR QUE MIS TERAPIAS VAN PARA LARGO ES TRISTE PERO CON APOYO Y MUCHA FE EN DIOS NOS VAMOS A RECUPERAR. PARA LA GENTE QUE NO SABE DE ESTO SOLO LES PUEDO DECIR QUE ESTOY ASI POR SALVAR UNA VIDA Y ESTOY TRISTE POR QUE EL BUCEO ERA LO MEJOR QUE ME HABIA DADO DIOS Y YA NO PODRE HACERLO MAS. AHORA TODOS LES REZAMOS A DIOS PARA QUE "OPAL" SE RECUPERE EN DONDE ESTA POR QUE TODOS LA QUEREMOS MUCHAS MUCHAS GRACIAS POR TODO LES QUIERE GABYLOCO Y FAMILIA...

MI CORREO ES gabyloco1974@hotmail.com
mi numero de telefono celular es: 9871198691

Here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/395192-scuabamau-diving-accident-25.html#post6042503

Google Translation:

ELLO!

FOR ALL WHO KNOW ME AND NOT TELL ME OR CALL ME I'M HERE GABYLOCO on a bed of the hyperbaric chamber unable to move half of my body NOT to defecate and / or urine BY MYSELF BUT HAPPY BECAUSE YOU CAN COUNT ON I lived and'm with my family after decompression STRONG, IF YOU ARE ME UNDERSTAND THAT DIVER 300 FEET AFTER DEEP BREATHING AND WHAT IS NOT MUCH LESS NITROGEN OR OXYGEN IF NO ONE IS PURE POISON, WE GIVE THANKS Doto ME GOD TO FORCE SOMEONE TO RESCUE MANY WANT HERE IN THIS ISLAND OF COZUMEL AND CALLED YOU SAY OR, RATHER known as "OPAL" WHICH WAS THAT A 400 FEET TO ENTER NO LONGER IN NARCOCIS TO KNOW WHAT AND I TAKE THE RISK OF GOING FOR IT TO YOUR RESCUE AND WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE BOTH GONE WITH LIFE. GOD GAVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE BUT ME stalled "OPAL" STILL FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AND MR. HEATH WAS ALSO IN THE ACCIDENT WITH WE ARE HELPING WITH HER AT ALL I KNOW AND I WILL NOT POSSIBLY NEVER DIVE MORE POWER BUT THANK GOD THAT AT LEAST WE LIVE IN ORDER TO TELL AND I KNOW YOU HAVE ANY OF FACT Ditto for "OPAL" Now I want to thank EVERYONE WE ARE YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND BLESSINGS Please know that I am grateful LIKE MY FAMILY AND GOD FILL OF BLESSINGS TO ALL MY TRUE FRIENDS WHO ARE YOU WHY IN A CASE LIKE THIS IS REALLY FRIENDS KNOW. HERE I AM IN THE BEST HANDS THAT GOD COULD HAVE GIVEN ME I'M SURROUNDED BY ANGELS PURE "JULIO TORRES THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU"
WHICH ARE THE TEAM OF MEDICAL DOCTORS, NURSES, paramedics and everyone working in the hyperbaric chamber COZUMEL ARE NOT LEFT ME TO DIE AND THAT YOU ARE PART OF MY FAMILY HERE I'M WITH MY FAMILY IN THE PICTURE FOR FAILURE KNOW ME, AND WANT TO TALK WITH ME THAT DAY HERE awaits them THERAPIES THAT MY VAN FOR LONG IS SAD BUT WITH A LOT OF SUPPORT AND FAITH IN GOD WE WILL RECOVER. FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW OF THIS I can only say I am SO TO SAVE A LIFE AND I am sad because the snorkeling was the best thing that had God given and can no longer do it anymore. NOW ALL We pray to God to "OPAL" recovered WHERE THIS FOR ALL THE MANY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL WANT LES GABYLOCO AND FAMILY ...

Hopefully someone can do a better job at translating than Google.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Ron I agree, I firmly believe that Coz is extremely safe as a dive destination but if there is one potential hazard that Coz has that is somewhat unique to it, it would be the down drafts. I have dived Coz for 4 years now with 4 diveops and 7 dive trips and have never been told about the potential for down drafts. I became aware of it through SB but hard though it is to believe most divers dont even know of SB existance (horror of horrors ) and perhaps as part of the initial pre dive briefing or as a document given during the initial presentation of C cards, all dive ops should make people aware that these happen, they are rare but most imprtantly they can be dealt with.

As I have reported in at least one previous post, I don't think that I've ever done a dive on Santa Rosa Wall without the risk of downcurrents being stressed in the pre-dive briefing on the boat - it was usually something like this - "We are going to Santa Rosa Wall - it is a deep dive, Max depth 100 feet. Please be aware that downcurrents can come over the top of the wall and take you down faster than you want and farther than you ought to be. These downcurrents are usually several feet out from the wall - if you stay very close to the wall, within 3-4 feet, you should not have to worry. If you stray out from the wall and get caught in a downcurrent, don't try to fight it directly, and don't start pumping air into your BC - swim as close to the wall as you can and ascend quickly, but safely, back up above the depth limit. If absolutely necessary, use the wall itself to stop yourself from an unsafe descent." The only time I saw someone descend too deep off Santa Rosa it was because such a warning was ignored, & the diver got out maybe 15-18 feet away from the wall, where she descended to about 140 feet fairly quickly. I had to go get her, drag her back to the wall by her BC, & get her back up above the limit. I got a similar warning the only time I dove Barracuda (I just don't like that dive - current is too fast, & the visability isn't near what it is on dive sites further south; I'll leave Barracuda to the divers looking for a roller coaster ride).

Maybe I just used good Dive Ops - kudos to both Aldora & Dive With Martin DMs - but I assumed that such warnings in the briefings were standard. I've been diving Cozumel over 20 years, and I've never gotten so cocky that I thought I could just ignore the pre-dive briefings.