ABC Primetime Deep, Deep Diver Story

[lmorin]

There's an issue of philosophy/morality/ethics here. There were bodies frozen on Mt Everest for decades that climbers stepped over on the way to the summit. They were left, despite the fact that if some had really wanted to try removing them, they could have at least tried. Nobody did, at least not until recently (I'm not sure it has been done yet, because the idea has been controversial), because it was too dangerous and might create additional victims. It's the same issue here, IMHO. The dangers were so high, why do it?

 

[Drewpy]

I was thinking the same thing exactly before I got to your post....
I subscribe to Outside and was cringeing as i read the story...Why? The person is gone-let them rest in peace at the bottom.Why risk more lives for a recovery...

To each his own, I suppose...but I thought it was rather selfish of the family to put others in harms way?

just my .02cents
Drew

 

[fisherdvm]

To each his own, I suppose...but I thought it was rather selfish of the family to put others in harms way?
Drew

No, the family was not responsible for the recovery. They were at peace with where their son was.

The deceased rescuer volunteered his service.

 

[pupdiver]

There's an issue of philosophy/morality/ethics here. There were bodies frozen on Mt Everest for decades that climbers stepped over on the way to the summit. They were left, despite the fact that if some had really wanted to try removing them, they could have at least tried. Nobody did, at least not until recently (I'm not sure it has been done yet, because the idea has been controversial), because it was too dangerous and might create additional victims. It's the same issue here, IMHO. The dangers were so high, why do it?

The Everest analogy was my thinking also. The culture/ethic is different in mountaineering for some reason. There is not the same pressure to recover bodies. Effort is made to save someone if it is thought to be possible but mountaineers are much more averse to creating more victims. Perhaps diving is different because of the whole buddy thing - it tends to create an ethic where people feel responsible for bring other divers back.

As I watched the story last night I also wondered if it wasn't really driven at some level by the motivation to do a really deep and difficult recovery for the sake of achievement.

It was a tremendous story though.

 

[Crazy Fingers]

The worst part was thinking of his partner, Don, getting the bends from his rapid ascent from 700 feet. They said he got the hit at about 160 ft, and then had to endure 8 hours of decompression in agony before he could even get in the chamber!

Yikes!

 

[Matt S.]

As a new diver, I found the story utterly fascinating when I first read about it here months ago.

Diving, especially this crazy deep long deco stuff, makes me think of the famous sci fi short story The Cold Equations.

 

[radinator]

I remember reading that story as a kid. Made quite an impression on me.

 

[fire_diver]

The worst part was thinking of his partner, Don, getting the bends from his rapid ascent from 700 feet. They said he got the hit at about 160 ft, and then had to endure 8 hours of decompression in agony before he could even get in the chamber!

Yikes!

My understanding was that he spend 8 hours at 160, and 12 hours total deco. Even after that, he couldn't move at all when he surfaced.

I'm fine with doing deco dives, but holy cow, 12 hours of deco?!

Comrade Stroke

 

[divemastercpas]

i think dave did the dive to hold another record (deepest body recovery).
may he rest in peace.

 

[PerroneFord]

I'm fine with doing deco dives, but holy cow, 12 hours of deco?!

Comrade Stroke

The WKPP guys do more than that every other weekend.