Accident at Alki Cove 1 today -- PLEASE read the links [Links are fixed]

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They don't any more. I fixed them, as the thread title says.
 
The purpose was not to discuss the accident, but to put up the links again so that people can have access to information which can help to PREVENT incidents like this.

Gas management is not taught ANYWHERE in the PADI recreational curriculum, and at least some instructors feel that it shouldn't be. I don't think it's too difficult for a diver to understand the concept of safety reserves, or apportioning gas for a dive.
This information can save lives. Even if I made a mistake in the headline of the thread, the information is valuable.


Thank you, TSandM, for your posts. There is no need for you to apologize for anything. Your posts on this incident truly help readers to learn and that may prevent similar accidents in the future.

Yes, basic gas management should be taught at the OW level.

Does anyone know where the diver's buddy was?
 
More information from the blog (see wsb's post - #19) West Seattle Blog… Update: 3 divers taken to hospital after rescue near Seacrest
lilatran:
The missing diver was my brother, his name is Duy Tran. We do not know how long he was under water for before he was found, nor have we been told about what the possible cause of the accident was. He has severe brain damage from the extended period of time he was without oxygen, we were told that it took 30 minutes to get his heart beating again. We just hope that there will be some good news somewhere in the future.
 
If that was really posted at 7:48PM. That comment is lacking certain details... I'm suspicious of the source as it doesn't reveal what really happened.

This comment is more along thelines of what happened although again I cannot confirm the source:
king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_110108WAB_alki_rescue_KS.16e463f6a.html

The diver was my brother in law - older sisters ex husband. They had 2 kids together. His condition is now considered vegetation state. He is brain dead. His heart is pumping normal and steady but the inevitable happened...

It's ashamed a person like him passed away for he is very smart and intellectual.

I wisht he best for their families, my sister, and their 2 kids.

His strong courage and determination in life will sure lift his spirit high. He will be missed.

I hope the news covers this tomorrow.
 
Ever since that comment was posted on our site two hours ago, I have been trying to reach Harborview's nursing supervisor to check if information is available on a patient with that name. Just talked with her. Yes, there is a patient by that name at Harborview, and he is listed in serious condition. At the same time I received a note back from the e-mail address left with the comment on our site, the person who identified herself as his sister, with some additional personal details. So I do believe this is legit and I am about to publish a separate update.

Tracy at WSB
 
Vertigoh, that had to be a horrible experience. Glad you and your buddy were there to do what you could; sounds like you gave this diver his very best chance at outliving what may well have been a bad mistake. If he does not make it, it's certainly not because you two did not do your best, risking yourselves in the process.

Now, either way, the post traumatic stress or critical incident stress as Padi calls it in Rescue class is inevitable. You now have hundreds of new diver friends here to talk with here if you want. Whatever you do, please accept no guilt, and do talk it out as needed. Invite the other rescuer here too, if you'd like.

Also thanks to Vertigoh and WSB for your additional information. The board here does require 5 posts before you can post links as we have a lot of problems with spammers. Just keep posting, ok?
 
I've spoken to someone who was involved in the rescue ... and with their permission will provide a summary of what they told me.

The victim was a student in an AOW class, consisting of two students and the instructor. They were doing their deep dive, the objective was the Monolith, a wreck at about 90 fsw. It was unclear whether they found it or not. The dive buddy stated that they were coming up and at about 55 feet the victim suddenly became agitated and broke for the surface. It was at that point that the instructor and remaining student lost contact with him. They made an orderly ascent, expecting to find him on the surface. When he wasn't there, they alerted other divers in the area that a diver was missing and initiated a rescue sequence. The instructor and a second diver went down toward the Monolith looking for the missing diver.

They located the diver in approximately 90 fsw, apparently by seeing his dive light. When approached, the victim was unresponsive, no regulator in his mouth. The person I spoke to said there was foam around his lips and blood in his mask. They experienced some difficulty getting the diver off the bottom, and attempted to relieve him of his integrated weights ... but were for some reason unsuccessful at doing so. And so they made the decision to get him out of his BCD and do a buoyant ascent. The other factor in the decision is that the second rescuer was, at this point, himself almost out of air. He said they were able to ascend under control to about 50 feet, then made a rapid ascent from that point. And although he was taken to Harborview as a precaution, the rescuer showed no symptoms of DCS, and was therefore released without treatment.

This is the information I was given ... with permission to post it here. The rescuer at this point does not wish to be identified, as he's got enough to deal with without the publicity. I would ask you all to respect that wish ... he did as much as he could under very trying circumstances and doesn't need to be subjected to second-guessing from divers looking at the accident from the relative safety of their keyboards.

All of the people involved in this accident have my utmost sympathy and support ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
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OK ... some corrections to what I posted above ... apparently I didn't get it all straight. This is just an honest attempt to let y'all know as much as possible (hey, I'm no reporter yanno) ... as given to me by the person involved in the rescue.

The victim was not an AOW student ... he was an AOW diver with about 12-15 logged dives. He was doing a deep dive onto the wreck with 3 other people, one of them a DM. They hit turn pressure at an unknown depth and during the swim back became panicked and bolted for the surface.

The instructor was not involved in this person's dive ... but rather volunteered to take part in the rescue due to her knowledge of the area. My source commented that it was her knowledge of the wreck's location that resulted in them finding the victim so quickly.

The diver was found at a depth of 93 fsw ... lying face-up with no reg in mouth.

The second rescuer (instructor) made a controlled ascent all the way to the surface with the victim. It was my source who, because of being LOA, made a rapid ascent from 50 fsw.

Again, no intent to speculate here ... I'm attempting to give you all as clear a picture as possible about what happened.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
Any info on if the deceased tanks had gas in them or not?

And the description sounds like AGE might have been involved.
 

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