2 Finnish divers dead, 3 injured in Plurdalen / Norway
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Forget my last comment. AFAIU from the link, the info was published by the Finnish Diving Association, at the wish of the surviving divers. I guess that makes it official...
Two rebreather malfunctions on the same dive . . . I wonder what unit they were diving. And it is particularly chilling that one bailed out and still died.
darushin
Contributor
I wonder what unit these drivers were using and the status of their upkeep was. Also I wonder if checklists were used or not
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Wasn't one of the malfunctions caused by the mechanical stress when trying to get free in the restriction? Interestingly, in a video of some different divers in that cave, they were diving Inspos without covers.
News update: The diving accident in Norway
10.02.2014 16:00
Survivors from the cave diving accident in Norway have given the following explanation on the unfolding of events to Finnish Diving Association's Technical Diving and Safety Board's accident review task team and their wish is to have it published. Identities of the divers will not be revealed.
Timeline of cave dive in Plurdalen (Norway, February 2014)
The plan was to dive in two teams. First team had two divers, D1 and D2. The other team had three divers, D3, D4 and D5. The latter team went into water two hours after the first one. Route was planned from Plura to Steinugleflåget. After arriving there, the plan was to let the equipment stay in cave for the night and dive back the same way next day.
Estimated time under water was five hours and deepest point at 129 metres (423 ft). Divers had gone through a bailout plan, i.e. a reserve gas plan if rebreathers were to fail during the dive. There were both spare rebreathers and also extra tanks for open circuit breathing.
Preparations:
First team starts cutting a hole into the ice at Plura. Second team leaves to transport equipment to Steinuglefläget. Second team returns to Plura and assists the first team to begin their dive. After this the second team begins their preparations and goes underwater two hours after the first team.
Timeline of events underwater:
First team:
Going down, everything went as planned. After passing some narrows before 129 m depth and beginning ascent from the deepest point, equipment of D2 gets stuck in a narrow place at 110 m (361 ft) depth. D2 fails to get free and gets in trouble with rebreather. D1 does everything to help, but D2 dies.
D1 is forced to continue ascent towards Steinugleflåget. Due to lost time and the depth at which the incident happened, the total time D1 spends underwater goes from the planned five hours to eight hours. D1 is therefore stretching resources to their limits. The last deco stop at 6 m must be shortened by 45 minutes, but with no ill effects. D1 stays in Steinugleflåget waiting for D3 previously seen underwater.
Second team:
First half of the dive went as planned. Passing the narrows before 129 m depth and after beginning ascent, D3 discovers deceased D2 at 110 m depth. D3 attempts to free D2 unsuccessfully. Next D3 begins to unload equipment and push them past D2 and tries to push through.
Meanwhile D4 is in trouble with rebreather and has switched to reserve gas. D5 tries to help D4, but D4 dies at 111 m (364 ft) depth. D5 tries to message to D3 but fails to be understood. D3 manages to push past D2. D3 assumes D4 and D5 have turned back. D3 proceeds alone towards Steinugleflåget.
Required time underwater for D3 goes from five hours to more than eight hours because of the events. Therefore D3 also must stretch resources to their limits. D3 meets D1 at 12 m depth. D3 cuts last deco stop at 6 m by 80 minutes, feeling slight joint pain after surfacing. An hour after D3 surfaced, D1 and D3 start climbing out from the cave.
D5 turns back after the death of D4 and after failing in attempts to have D3 join him. Time underwater for D5 goes from five to eleven hours due to events at depth, an unfavorable return route and a later scooter failure. D5 cuts the last deco stop at 6 m short by 90 minutes but feels no deco sickness.
Aftermath:
D1 and D3 contact a local citizen and summon the police and medical help. After D5 surfaces, all three are taken by helicopter and by plane to Tromssa, where D3 is put into pressure chamber twice. D1 and D5 visit the chamber once, just to be sure.
Norwegian police is continuing investigations and has started planning for recovery of the bodies.
10.02.2014 16:00
Survivors from the cave diving accident in Norway have given the following explanation on the unfolding of events to Finnish Diving Association's Technical Diving and Safety Board's accident review task team and their wish is to have it published. Identities of the divers will not be revealed.
Timeline of cave dive in Plurdalen (Norway, February 2014)
The plan was to dive in two teams. First team had two divers, D1 and D2. The other team had three divers, D3, D4 and D5. The latter team went into water two hours after the first one. Route was planned from Plura to Steinugleflåget. After arriving there, the plan was to let the equipment stay in cave for the night and dive back the same way next day.
Estimated time under water was five hours and deepest point at 129 metres (423 ft). Divers had gone through a bailout plan, i.e. a reserve gas plan if rebreathers were to fail during the dive. There were both spare rebreathers and also extra tanks for open circuit breathing.
Preparations:
First team starts cutting a hole into the ice at Plura. Second team leaves to transport equipment to Steinuglefläget. Second team returns to Plura and assists the first team to begin their dive. After this the second team begins their preparations and goes underwater two hours after the first team.
Timeline of events underwater:
First team:
Going down, everything went as planned. After passing some narrows before 129 m depth and beginning ascent from the deepest point, equipment of D2 gets stuck in a narrow place at 110 m (361 ft) depth. D2 fails to get free and gets in trouble with rebreather. D1 does everything to help, but D2 dies.
D1 is forced to continue ascent towards Steinugleflåget. Due to lost time and the depth at which the incident happened, the total time D1 spends underwater goes from the planned five hours to eight hours. D1 is therefore stretching resources to their limits. The last deco stop at 6 m must be shortened by 45 minutes, but with no ill effects. D1 stays in Steinugleflåget waiting for D3 previously seen underwater.
Second team:
First half of the dive went as planned. Passing the narrows before 129 m depth and after beginning ascent, D3 discovers deceased D2 at 110 m depth. D3 attempts to free D2 unsuccessfully. Next D3 begins to unload equipment and push them past D2 and tries to push through.
Meanwhile D4 is in trouble with rebreather and has switched to reserve gas. D5 tries to help D4, but D4 dies at 111 m (364 ft) depth. D5 tries to message to D3 but fails to be understood. D3 manages to push past D2. D3 assumes D4 and D5 have turned back. D3 proceeds alone towards Steinugleflåget.
Required time underwater for D3 goes from five hours to more than eight hours because of the events. Therefore D3 also must stretch resources to their limits. D3 meets D1 at 12 m depth. D3 cuts last deco stop at 6 m by 80 minutes, feeling slight joint pain after surfacing. An hour after D3 surfaced, D1 and D3 start climbing out from the cave.
D5 turns back after the death of D4 and after failing in attempts to have D3 join him. Time underwater for D5 goes from five to eleven hours due to events at depth, an unfavorable return route and a later scooter failure. D5 cuts the last deco stop at 6 m short by 90 minutes but feels no deco sickness.
Aftermath:
D1 and D3 contact a local citizen and summon the police and medical help. After D5 surfaces, all three are taken by helicopter and by plane to Tromssa, where D3 is put into pressure chamber twice. D1 and D5 visit the chamber once, just to be sure.
Norwegian police is continuing investigations and has started planning for recovery of the bodies.
Last edited:
Dive Bug Bit Me
Contributor
I'm not a rebreather diver, but can anyone help me out on why rebreather divers all needed to cut deco short?
What would the limits be?
What would the limits be?
And even a scooter failing, wow.
They extended their dive time enormously, from planned 5h to 11h!! There are limits to planning for contingencies. This was an extreme case. And rebreathers allow divers to go deep, far and stay a long time in the water, but when they fail then enormous amounts of gas are needed in OC.
The coincidence that one diver had problems when they reached the other dead diver brings up some questions... We try to prepare ourselves to deal with an accident but dealing with a dead friend is something else... that could have lead to fast breathing, CO2 build-up... and that was the problem...
They extended their dive time enormously, from planned 5h to 11h!! There are limits to planning for contingencies. This was an extreme case. And rebreathers allow divers to go deep, far and stay a long time in the water, but when they fail then enormous amounts of gas are needed in OC.
The coincidence that one diver had problems when they reached the other dead diver brings up some questions... We try to prepare ourselves to deal with an accident but dealing with a dead friend is something else... that could have lead to fast breathing, CO2 build-up... and that was the problem...
Tigerman
Contributor
There really was a lot of **** hitting the fan on this dive 
On the topic of media, I just heard while driving home that they where ONE KILOMETER in from the entrance. Wether or not this is accurate I don't know, but if so it was not only deep...
On the topic of media, I just heard while driving home that they where ONE KILOMETER in from the entrance. Wether or not this is accurate I don't know, but if so it was not only deep...
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