Bahamas: Missing Female Diver

[alohagal]

I too read through every post... in one fell swoop. Great information from most of you folks.
Just for clarity purposes as reported by DAN THE ENGINEER and MEG DIVER...the HUSBAND was more-or-less a third with the DM and the wife. But, mainly the DM was the buddy for the wife. The DM was a female as well as the victim. We are not sure at this point where the husband ended up when DM and 68 year old former stroke victim "wife" ended up at 140 feet when "rescue" attempt was aborted. Her bubbles were seen trailing at 170 feet. It was reported she was combative when DM approached her to ascend. Also, unclear is whether this DM was "hired" voluntarily by the couple or "forced" upon the wife by Dive OP due to health problems or recent dive inactivity. It has been speculated here that she was either 1. Narced 2. Suffered another stroke 3. Suicidal. 4. Strong personality not wanting to be bossed around by young whipper snapper.

Alas, I have learned much from the back and forth on this thread. I realize I am more naive than ever...have had a few close calls of my own....and liked diving better as an "ignorance is bliss" newbie.

 

[pilot fish]

Key for me is, why was DM at 60 ft and victim at 80 ft? That starts it. Buds need to be closer. Now the DM makes contact at 100 ft and is pulled down to 140ft. When first contact is made, should the DM have put air in her bc to keep from being taken down to 140 ft and latch on to some part of victim or victim's equipement? Just given what is known and reported in this thread, it would seem DM got scared that she too would be dragged down deeper and had her own panic to deal with. Now the question becomes, I think, should the DM be prepared to instantly be able to provide lift at first contact at 100 ft?

It was reported that victim was "pushing" DM away but I'm going to guess that is inaccurate. The victim could have been flailing, panicked, waving her arms and DM was too afraid to get any closer at 140 ft for fear of having reg pulled out of her mouth? Remember, all this is being observed from above? It could have been panicked actions, not resistance?

 

[AquaExplorer]

Because the DM "screwed the pooch", period.

 

[pilot fish]

Because the DM "screwed the pooch", period.

It seems that way, from what has been reported in this thread. The key, I think, is the DM being at 60 ft and victim being at 80 ft. That's how it all started. Has anyone reported why that might have been? I don't think I read that? Who's to say what they might have done at 100 ft, while being draggged down to 140 ft. Do you start thinking of your own survival at that point? Do you think, I'm not going to be a victim too? 140 ft is very deep and the possibility of having your reg pulled out is very real, and scary. Who's to say, for sure, what they would have done? Granted, if they had been at same dpeth, 60 ft, none of this would even have to be considered.:depressed:

 

[mikerault]

The first responsibility of any rescuer is not to become a second victim. Until we hear more than hearsay we should hold off judging the DM. Hindsight is always 20/20, we all know what we would like to think we would have done, myself included, but until we are in the same situation we just don't know.

Mike

 

[Cave Diver]

What's a new diver to do, except make sure that when they rent-a-buddy that the buddy has been diving since, at least say, the mid-1980s?

That's a pretty broad generalization and no guarantee of safety.

If a new diver is going to take the time to research the cert date of their rent-a-buddy, it would serve them well to ask additional questions too.

There is no "magic certification date" that guarantes or disqualifies someone as a good diver and buddy.

 

[Cave Diver]

Alas, I have learned much from the back and forth on this thread. I realize I am more naive than ever...have had a few close calls of my own....and liked diving better as an "ignorance is bliss" newbie.

Alohagal,

There is a learning curve. In the beginning, you don't know what you don't know and dives are filled with wonder with not much thought given to safety. As you gain experience your eyes open and you suddenly realize there are dangers to the sport you hadn't realized and for some people that warm fuzzy feeling gets replaced with a cold prickly sensation. As you continue to dive and learn, you realize that like anything else, diving is about identifying and managing the risks that are present.

People all manage the risks differently. Some do so by never diving below 60'. Some do it by seeking out the best training and most experienced mentors they can find. Eventually you'll find the balance that lets you dive safely and still enjoy every dive that works for you.

 

[ItsBruce]

I have investigated well over 2,000 diving fatalities, this is the first such case I've heard of and it has no factual basis in terms of what happen to the rescuer, only speculation on the part of many who are hardly qualified to do more than speculate on the internet.

Wow, I had not realized there had been that many fatalities in total!!!

 

[redacted]

In my experience, the Caribbean DM/DG tend to instruct their divers to "follow me" and don't get in front and don't go deeper. So slipping deeper, especially intentionally, is quite simple if that is what the diver wants to do.

 

[Cave Diver]

Wow, I had not realized there had been that many fatalities in total!!!

Thal's been doing this awhile.