Coast Guard Cutter Healy Deaths

[Diver_C]

Hill's father is right - if the divers were tethered, how could either/both reach such depths if max depth was only 20'. And if uncontrolled, wouldn't the line be ripping out of the hands of whomever was holding onto it? Wouldn't that be an obvious sign something wrong, try to stop the line from being let out, and bring them back in sooner than they did? There must be a lot more facts not being released. This very sad story gets worse and worse. What a tragedy.

 

[pnwdiverman]

The Coast Guard ship is well over 200'. If the divers were near the opposite end of thier entry. They could easily drop to 189' without the support team knowing anything was wrong until the line gave a jerk. I hope someday we are able to learn what really happened.

 

[tomirock]

SEATTLE - One of two Coast Guard divers who mysteriously died during a training dive in the Arctic last summer sank uncontrollably as far as 190 feet below the icy surface and suffocated, according to an autopsy summary obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The autopsy ruled Hill's death an accident. The cause was asphyxia, lung trauma caused as pressure decreases during ascents, and possible air bubbles in the blood. Duque's family could not immediately be reached to confirm whether he died of the same causes.
"It is quite likely the divers lost consciousness prior to or during the ascent," Adams wrote.
The autopsy summary also noted that a third diver planned to take part, but "immediately aborted the dive" for reasons that are not mentioned.

This is a little more than confusing to me..."The cause was asphyxia, lung trauma caused as pressure decreases during ascents, and possible air bubbles in the blood."

So, she is breathing air at ambient pressure (assumed) and her lungs experienced "lung trauma caused as pressure decreases during ascents" ?
If they are correct that possibly one of the divers had some air left in the tank "nearly empty" then perhaps they were killed by the rapid ascent to the surface because they were being pulled up. If they were dead or unconscious at depth, does the airway open allowing the rapidly expanding air to escape? If it does not, by default, open (no matter the pressure gradient), then I can see why there was trauma...but I doubt it was the cause of death, unless, of course, they were still alert when the surface support team pulled them up.
Also, if they are citing asphyxia caused by the uncontrolled descent as the cause of death, how does that happen...unless they stop breathing on purpose? Has anyone ever heard of someone rapidly descending to a significant depth and becoming unconscious as a result? Perhaps this is a possibility, but I have never heard of it.
And, how would 'air bubbles in the blood' (DCS/DCI/AGE) be present during the descent? Is there some sort of 'reverse physics' phenomenon in Alaska?

Again, perhaps I am ignorant to some of the things I have stated/asked here. I am very much open to an education and some clarification from some of you who have more experience than I.

Either way, it is a very sad situation when those who honorably serve in the defense of our country die as a result of stupidity and ignorance on the part of the 'support' system they stake their lives upon.
I'll be praying for their families...they they experience God's comfort in this time of emotional chaos.

 

[Rickg]

Here is the latest article that I have seen on the subject.

http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=70895263104

I'm waiting to see what the final CG report is but first impression tells me this is an accident that should never have happened.

Rickg

 

[daniel f aleman]

Here's an autopsy report from the AP:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061122/ap_on_re_us/diver_deaths

 

[DiverInAk]

So far there is no mention of thier breathing gas being analyzed. It's pretty obvious to anyone with a clue that both of these divers became unconcious earlier into their planned dive. The fact that the line tenders didn't notice what was going on is another matter.

I was dissapointed in the autopsy result, as it doesn't even address what caused what was termed and "uncontrolled descent".

I'm still guessing on something like 100 percent pure O2 causing confusion and possibly convulsion and a black out. They would still be breathing and slowly descend. At 180ft it doesn't take too long to suck up that gas even if you're breathing while unconcious. Normally a diver suffering 0xTox would drown, but they had full face masks.

There's a lot of this that still doesn't make sense. I am beginning to doubt whether any of this will ever by really sorted out, but I'm sure that this was a tragic event that could have been prevented in more ways than just one.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I am beginning to doubt whether any of this will ever by really sorted out

Why's that? All we're seeing right now is the impatience of the press and public. The Coast Guard will complete their thorough investigations and then we'll know what happened. There are several possibilities - the one you suspect is one of them. All I'm willing to forecast pending the final report is that there were multiple screwups in several places resulting in two tragic and avoidable deaths. Other than that, I'll wait for the CG investigators to finish their work. I am confident it will be professional and complete.
Rick

 

[Rickg]

Why's that? All we're seeing right now is the impatience of the press and public. The Coast Guard will complete their thorough investigations and then we'll know what happened. There are several possibilities - the one you suspect is one of them. All I'm willing to forecast pending the final report is that there were multiple screwups in several places resulting in two tragic and avoidable deaths. Other than that, I'll wait for the CG investigators to finish their work. I am confident it will be professional and complete.
Rick

Rick is right. Let the CG complete their investigation. I do feel for both of the families because they want to know what happened to their loved ones but there is nothing to be gained by rushing the investigation. The several reports that I have read on Navy diving accidents have all been "thorough" and "painstakingly" detailed with the goal of not only reaching conclusions on what happened but what can be done to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.

Rickg

 

[Ocean One]

News story this evening on one of the major news networks about the incident. The CG is still not saying anything pending further investigation. The ship has been docked and stripped of its diving equipment and the ship's Captain relieved of his command.
Seems the divers did a yet to be explain descent from 20' to around 200' in a matter of minutes for an unknown reason or by an unknown cause. It was said that their control tethers were nearly pulled from their handlers hands who struggled to try and stop the descents.

 

[techdiver2us]

Another report I read said it normally takes 30 minutes to descend to 200 feet, I've never taken that long myself, give me 3 minutes maybe. And the video I saw showed them wearing doubles. There also is the incongruity of "20 minutes at 20 feet and 10 minutes at 200. Should be over 2 hours at 20 and 38 at 200 figured at .7 CFM SAC. Big mystery is what caused the rapid descent. The lung barotrauma could have been caused by them being hauled back up.