Hydro Atlantic Incident 9-30-2012

[cruiser]

While we're on a tangent... how many people have died from CO poisoning whilst on scuba??

Unknown. Testing on the deceased isn't extensive enough to determine which deaths were from CO poisoning.

 

[HowardE]

Unknown. Testing on the deceased isn't extensive enough to determine which deaths were from CO poisoning.

OK... how many are suspected?

 

[DandyDon]

OK... how many are suspected?

Still unknown as too little is done industry wide to really know. DAN has no idea how many scuba deaths are actually caused by CO. Most diving destinations have no requirements for prevention, testing, etc. It's a known risk all too easy to avoid by testing. This is really off topic here tho.

I saw two experienced divers in Coz last year dive Nitrox tanks unknowingly on the first, deeper dive of the trip. They had ordered the tanks for the second dive, but the tanks were simply confused on the boat - and Nitrox tanks there are often not well marked. They were unhurt, but shaken.

It's easy enough to test every tank for Nx & CO, which could help prevent some losses however few that may be.

 

[scubacouple]

I was a friend of Jeff's and I can tell you for certain if he could see some
these comments he would be the first to tell you What happened to me is
because I compromised protocol. The very protocol I teach and reiterate
to all of my students over and over. Always analyze your tanks! It seems
like there may have been various "life" factors leading up to this
tragic accident that may or may not have contributed to this terrible
tragedy. The bottom line though is that the Hydro is a serious tech dive
not a sport dive and not ever to be taken lightly. Jeff had done so
many deep dives this one was just another one. I personally feel that
Jeff had a lot of things going on and this was a large enough
distraction to be a contributor. It was a mistake on Jeff part and even
for those who insist or speculate a dive industry one, even then you can
not deny It is your job as a nitrox and/or tech diver to analyze your
own tanks which for unknown reasons in this instance Jeff did not do...
It's just one of those things. Normally Jeff was adamant about checking
his mixes, telling everyone else to make sure they do this and the one
time he didn't, it bit him. That is the lesson for us all to take from
this. ALWAYS Analyze your tanks!! Each and EVERY Time!

 

[boulderjohn]

I saw two experienced divers in Coz last year dive Nitrox tanks unknowingly on the first, deeper dive of the trip. They had ordered the tanks for the second dive, but the tanks were simply confused on the boat - and Nitrox tanks there are often not well marked.

Two weeks ago in Coz I went to the shop early to test my tanks before my last day of my trip, but two of the tanks I needed were not there. I was told they would be at the boat when I got there, and I could test them then. They were supposed to have EAN 36 for use during decompression. They were indeed on the boat when I got there. They were as beat up as all the other AL 80 tanks on the boat, with a small circle of well-chipped green paint around the valve to indicate they were nitrox tanks. I knew they were mine because they had kits for slinging them. I tested them and set them aside in my place. I put some tape on to indicate the mix and MOD. There were only tech divers on the boat that day, and there were only a few of us, so there was no possibility of a mix-up anyway.

But our plans for the dives changed, and I ended up only using one of the tanks.

I helped unload the boat at the end of the day, a hurried and somewhat chaotic process that included separating tanks and gear into different places for different pickups, etc.

I was back at the hotel sipping a much wanted margarita when a vision of that unloading process floated through my mind. Where was that second tank of EAN 36 that I had not used? I remembered handling the used one when we took out the empties, but what had happened to the one I hadn't used? I didn't remember seeing a tank with the gear setup and markings in the full tank group.

That crew was highly experienced and knew what they were doing, so I am sure that my unused EAN 36 bottle was handled properly, but how easy would it have been for it to have been mistakenly placed in with the full AL 80s filled with air, with its MOD tape and its gear removed? In that case, the only hint of trouble to an OW diver preparing for a dive on air would have been that small ring of chipped green paint.

 

[The Chairman]

OK... how many are suspected?

At least one in the Maldives!

 

[ScubaPink]

Of course, it’s not very often that a non-nitrox trained OW diver grabs a nitrox mixture and dies, and that’s not what happened here, either.

I have another thread about the benefit of learning to use Nitrox. (which I haven't yet) I do not understand why an OW diver accidentally grabbing a Nitrox tank and doing a normal 60ft or less dive would die? If you took the Nitrox course, would you not be doing the same thing - only with an understanding of what you are breathing- or do you actually perform differently while breathing Nitrox. (can't imagine how)

I am going to start doing some research on Nitrox and Air and whatever Tri-Mix is too. However, that line confused and frightened me because I just do not understand how that would be a problem. I can see if you needed special air to go really deep, (as in the dive this man was doing) but not the reverse. Was it actually just "bad" air? Is that more prevalent with Nitrox rather than Air? I am sorry to ask so many questions. As I said, I am going to begin to do my own research on these mixtures- but in the meantime I'd like a quick and clarifying response to that quote because it definitely applies to me--however unlikely the occurrence may be. Thank you!

 

[HowardE]

I have another thread about the benefit of learning to use Nitrox. (which I haven't yet) I do not understand why an OW diver accidentally grabbing a Nitrox tank and doing a normal 60ft or less dive would die? If you took the Nitrox course, would you not be doing the same thing - only with an understanding of what you are breathing- or do you actually perform differently while breathing Nitrox. (can't imagine how)

A recreational diver grabbing a tank of nitrox that is less than 40% (recreational mixes) most likely wouldn't have trouble where convulsion is the result. You will easily understand this once you take your nitrox training.

 

[Rooster In Ohio]

A very sad story here. If there is any good to come out of it, one thing is that I went out and purchased a new sensor for my long-out of service analyzer, hooked it up, put in a new battery, calibrated it, and called my dive buddy/wife over and told her that we were committed as a dive team to always check every tank before getting wet, every time going forward. I would never want to witness what happened here, especially to a loved one.

My sincere condolences to any who knew this diver.

R/S,

db

 

[dumpsterDiver]

A recreational diver grabbing a tank of nitrox that is less than 40% (recreational mixes) most likely wouldn't have trouble where convulsion is the result. You will easily understand this once you take your nitrox training.

However, it could also kill him in 40 feet, say if the tank was mixed with PP bleding, and someboody forgot to add air and then somebody else forgot to analyze it... and the diver failed to notice that tank was partially filled and just went diving with it and figured he would check his pressure gage a few minutes into a dive.... In other words... if you don't follow standard protocols, you could be descending with a tank filled with 100% oxygen (and not know it).

I think this accident will motivate me to be more diligent in my checking of "air" tanks...