Karl_H
Contributor
Both divers were found together at the same point at the same time, they were found near the entrance to the deeper cave, just passed the restriction. The bodies were recovered on the same day but at different times.
Mapating cave is a large sea cavern at 45m/150ft (technically a cave but only as it has a bend to block out day light), there's a small passage from the main cavern leading down to 60m/200ft which is where the divers were found. No guideline appears to have been used, deco tanks are normally left in the cave mouth at Mapating or at least before the restriction to the deeper cave.
The training mentioned in the article refers to the Coast guard/Navy recovery team, not much is known about the certifications of the victims. The accident was almost certainly down to not using a guideline, the stages making the restrictions tighter is secondary and no wrong switches were made.
Sadly this is an accident that has been in the making for a long time, the main cavern is not a particularly challenging dive for a technical team, the second deeper chamber is more difficult. The area outside the cave also has some serious current as it's quite a way from shore out in open water. Hopefully this accident will serve some good as it will stop people who shouldn't be diving this site trying to dive it, hopefully some of the agencies represented by the instructors using this site will also do something.
Mapating cave is a large sea cavern at 45m/150ft (technically a cave but only as it has a bend to block out day light), there's a small passage from the main cavern leading down to 60m/200ft which is where the divers were found. No guideline appears to have been used, deco tanks are normally left in the cave mouth at Mapating or at least before the restriction to the deeper cave.
The training mentioned in the article refers to the Coast guard/Navy recovery team, not much is known about the certifications of the victims. The accident was almost certainly down to not using a guideline, the stages making the restrictions tighter is secondary and no wrong switches were made.
Sadly this is an accident that has been in the making for a long time, the main cavern is not a particularly challenging dive for a technical team, the second deeper chamber is more difficult. The area outside the cave also has some serious current as it's quite a way from shore out in open water. Hopefully this accident will serve some good as it will stop people who shouldn't be diving this site trying to dive it, hopefully some of the agencies represented by the instructors using this site will also do something.
