RonFrank
Contributor
Here is a summary of what happened based on what I've read from those closest to the divers living on the island, or from the divers themselves.
Maybe this is old news, I don't know.
I will call them Divers 1-4. Diver 1 was a safety diver and stopped at 150' and waited. They we not hurt.
Divers 2-4 planned a deep bounce dive to 250-300 feet.
Diver 3 and 4 were using AL80s and Diver 2 had an AL100. There were no backup bottles or safety gas of any kind. They were all on Air.
Divers 2-3 executed the dive to approximately 300F, and stopped.
Diver 4 at 300f got very narked, and continued a descent.
Diver 3 decided to go after Diver 4 and did so, but did not stop the decent until approx. 400f.
Diver 3 grabbed Diver 4 and started the ascent back to Diver 2.
By the time Divers 3 and 4 were back with Diver 2 they we running out of air. They decided to buddy breath to the surface off of Divers 2 gas. They ran out of air on the way up but some how made it.
Unfortunately a second party was still in the water when divers 1-4 surfaced. Diver 2, 3, 4 were in pain.
Diver 4 decided to go back down to 60 feet to re-compress. Diver 3 quickly followed.
The second party surfaced a few minutes later. Divers 3-4 came back up in distress. Divers 4 was put on O2 and passed out.
Divers 2-4 suffered problems as a result of this dive.
Diver 2 requires assistance, but can walk.
Diver 3 is paralyzed from the chest down, but is regaining feeling in the chest. They will be released from the hospital this week, but continue ongoing chamber rides.
Diver 4 was flown to Miami and is paralyzed from the neck down. They are responsive (mostly) but still in bad shape, and the outcome is not known at this time I do not believe. They can not do chamber rides due to brain stem issues.
Divers 3 and 4 have no insurance and are accepting donations to help with costs.
K I've left out the names, but this is as close to what occurred as I can tell based on first hand accounts.
A very tragic story indeed, and so pointless....
Maybe this is old news, I don't know.
I will call them Divers 1-4. Diver 1 was a safety diver and stopped at 150' and waited. They we not hurt.
Divers 2-4 planned a deep bounce dive to 250-300 feet.
Diver 3 and 4 were using AL80s and Diver 2 had an AL100. There were no backup bottles or safety gas of any kind. They were all on Air.
Divers 2-3 executed the dive to approximately 300F, and stopped.
Diver 4 at 300f got very narked, and continued a descent.
Diver 3 decided to go after Diver 4 and did so, but did not stop the decent until approx. 400f.
Diver 3 grabbed Diver 4 and started the ascent back to Diver 2.
By the time Divers 3 and 4 were back with Diver 2 they we running out of air. They decided to buddy breath to the surface off of Divers 2 gas. They ran out of air on the way up but some how made it.
Unfortunately a second party was still in the water when divers 1-4 surfaced. Diver 2, 3, 4 were in pain.
Diver 4 decided to go back down to 60 feet to re-compress. Diver 3 quickly followed.
The second party surfaced a few minutes later. Divers 3-4 came back up in distress. Divers 4 was put on O2 and passed out.
Divers 2-4 suffered problems as a result of this dive.
Diver 2 requires assistance, but can walk.
Diver 3 is paralyzed from the chest down, but is regaining feeling in the chest. They will be released from the hospital this week, but continue ongoing chamber rides.
Diver 4 was flown to Miami and is paralyzed from the neck down. They are responsive (mostly) but still in bad shape, and the outcome is not known at this time I do not believe. They can not do chamber rides due to brain stem issues.
Divers 3 and 4 have no insurance and are accepting donations to help with costs.
K I've left out the names, but this is as close to what occurred as I can tell based on first hand accounts.
A very tragic story indeed, and so pointless....