10 Years on From Fatal Dive - Lessons to be Learnt

[clownfishsydney]

Last night was 10 years since our dive buddy and friend of many years, Carol Martin, died while on a club dive I organised. A summary is that she suffered a second episode of IPE (Immersion Pulmonary Edema) and died despite all our efforts to revive her. On Saturday our dive club will have a dive at the same site (as we have every year since) and then a lunch to remember her.

If you are interested, here is a link to my report of what happened. Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site. Really worth reading, even if to just help you understand what happens when someone gets IPE.

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

I hope you are handling the anniversary as well as possible
and for the many hours I have spent on your site over the years thank you.

 

[Hoyden]

Thank you so much for writing and sharing this article.

 

[Belzelbub]

Thanks for sharing this. Much of what you wrote regarding the symptoms sounds very familiar.

I was on a checkout dive for a Deep course with three other students and an instructor. I was paired up with a newer diver in her 60s. At around 80’, she attempted to bolt for the surface. We were coming up from our max depth. The site was a deep hole that is wider at the top and bottom and very dark. At 80’, the walls are slightly sloping inward, but not much.

The instructor and I got ahold of her and managed to level off the ascent. She indicated she was OK, so the group headed to a shallow platform to complete the safety stop and do some drills during it. She did not participate in the drills, but remained with us and alert. As soon as she hit the surface, she spat out her regulator and was clearly in trouble. I could clearly hear gurgling as she attempted to breathe. When we got her on shore, foamy pink sputum was evident around her mouth. She was put on oxygen and paramedics were called.

She did a chamber ride as a precaution, and did make a full recovery. Her gear was checked out, and though older was in working condition. Physician’s conclusion was IPE.

 

[scorpiofish]

I know of another IPE incident here locally. The person did survive, an instructor doing training dives. She was also an employee of mine. This was probably 2005 or so. Based on your writing, it appears that triggers are still not firm. It is strange, tragic, and usually fatal event.

 

[CT-Rich]

Thank you.

 

[Pressurehead]

Thank you for sharing.

 

[Dan]

Sorry to hear what happened. All of the 3 IPE victims are women. Is that a coincidence? Is there an IPE case happened to man?

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

Is there an IPE case happened to man?

Yes, I have been involved in two cases of IPE in my dive club both male, thankfully not fatal. One on open circuit the other on CCR after diving for years OC.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Sorry to hear what happened. All of the 3 IPE victims are women. Is that a coincidence? Is there an IPE case happened to man?

IPE is suspected to be more relevant to females than males.