Diver Dead In Lake Constance - Germany

[frogster84]

Überlingen: Tauchunfall vor Überlingen: Rettungskräfte suchen nach vermisstem Taucher - German only

According to the currently available information two divers got separated around 40 meters /130 feet. One diver surfaced, received first aid and was airlifted to the nearest chamber. The second diver is currently missing

 

[frogster84]

A bit more information in the announcement by the police (German again): POL-Einsatz: 88662 Überlingen, Überlinger See

Apparently there were 4 divers in two buddy teams which quite frequently lost contact due to the bad visibility. One pair of divers, aged 62 and 34, had a problem at around 130 feet due to which they descended down to around 165 feet. From there the younger diver managed to do an emergency ascent and call for help. Lightly injured he was taken to the hospital (the hospital with the chamber is nearby) for ambulatory treatment.
Despite the big organized search on the surface and below the second diver couldn't be found yet. Today (Monday) they're planning to use an underwater robot to continue searching.

 

[frogster84]

The body has been found and recovered from 240 feet...

 

[The Chairman]

Do we know who it is?

 

[frogster84]

We don't. Most of the western European newspapers (and the police as well) usually don't release those names - If they know it it'll usually be something like "John D." and even that might be changed if it is uncommon.

Same procedure happens in criminal cases - the name of the accused is not released (exceptions might be made after he is found guilty or it is somebody in the public eye)

 

[The Chairman]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[kafkaland]

Note that they have a recompression chamber that accepts divers right there at the lake, where divers may need it. Unlike the roulette with such chambers in what is supposedly the best health system in the world.

 

[Storker]

what is supposedly the best health system in the world.

I don't want to derail the thread with a political discussion, but since I'm rather thick: Which one are you alluding to?

 

[frogster84]

Note that they have a recompression chamber that accepts divers right there at the lake, where divers may need it. Unlike the roulette with such chambers in what is supposedly the best health system in the world.

Yes but...
Three countries share Lake Constance:
Austria with one Emergency capable chamber (in Graz) - which is in the South of that Country - nice if you've had an accident diving in northern Italy but not much use for most of the Austrian lakes (there has been a functioning chamber in Vienna but due to building regulations they aren't allowed to use it)- those accidents will be flown to Germany

Switzerland has one emergency capable chamber in Geneva (absolute south west corner of that country) - most of that countries patients will be flown to Germany.

Germany has 6 full emergency capable chambers (meaning an intubated patient can receive aid inside the chamber) that are staffed 24/7.
Then there are some which don't quite offer services of this caliber. The one the diver was taken to can't deal with non-responsive intubated patients.

The chamber in Uberlingen is a really special case. The regional dive association owns and runs that chamber (they bought it in 2010). Only the doctors are from the hospital in which the chamber is located.

 

[The Chairman]

Do they have many accidents at this lake? How deep does it go?