Combat diver student drowns - Key West, Florida

[DandyDon]

Soldier with 10th Special Forces Group drowns while training in Florida

A soldier died in a drowning accident Tuesday at the Army’s combat diving school in Key West, Florida, according to Army officials.

The deceased soldier was assigned to 10th Special Forces Group, according to press releases from the Army Combat Readiness Center and the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, commonly known as SWCS.

The SWCS press release and an Army official confirmed to Army Times that the training death occurred at the Army’s Special Forces Underwater Operations School, which is home to the service’s combat diver qualification courses. The school is located at Naval Air Station Key West and is part of SWCS.

The CRC has deployed a safety investigation team to take lead in the death investigation, CRC spokesperson Michael Negard said, also specifying that the death was a drowning.

The soldier who died was a staff sergeant, according to the SWCS release.

“The Staff Sergeant was a student in the Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course, and was participating in a conditioning exercise in the pool, which stresses the students’ cardio, respiratory and muscular endurance,” the release said.

“During the training event, the Soldier submerged and did not resurface. The cadre immediately entered the pool and found him unresponsive,” read the release. “The Dive Medical Officer attempted to resuscitate him, and he was transported to the Lower Keys Medical Center Emergency Room where he was pronounced dead following full medical intervention.”

In the release, SWCS officials described the course as “one of the most physically demanding courses within the Army” with “stringent safety protocols.”

 

[BlueTrin]

I wonder what’s the drill he was doing.

 

[NothingClever]

Crossovers or bobbing.

 

[FinnMom]

Crossovers or bobbing.

I found this Combat Diver Qualification Course (CDQC) | SOFREP
but I’m still not sure: is crossovers swimming the width of an Olympic-sized pool (what is that measure?) or the 50m length?

 

[Steelyeyes]

Apparently shallow water blackout is common in courses like that. Seems like the reason for fatalities in those situations is that the trainee isn't adequately supervised (eyes on at all times) so they can be rescued and revived in time. I've read about more than a few SEAL trainees dying that way over the years.

 

[Biotech Diver]

Apparently shallow water blackout is common in courses like that. Seems like the reason for fatalities in those situations is that the trainee isn't adequately supervised (eyes on at all times) so they can be rescued and revived in time. I've read about more than a few SEAL trainees dying that way over the years.

I found a good article on shallow water blackout.
Shallow Water Blackout: What It Is and How to Prevent It - Diving Info

 

[dmaziuk]

I found this Combat Diver Qualification Course (CDQC) | SOFREP
but I’m still not sure: is crossovers swimming the width of an Olympic-sized pool (what is that measure?) or the 50m length?

Wikipedia says there's now a standard for width: 10 lanes. The pool I swam in as a kid had 8 and I think that was the common width until recently. A lane's about 2.5 m wide so the width would be around 20 or 25 metres.

 

[NothingClever]

Long course = 50m
Short course = 25m

 

[DandyDon]

The incident was initially labeled a drowning, but now they're not so sure.
Cause of death still being sought for Green Beret who died at dive school

 

[DiveProKoko]

Apparently shallow water blackout is common in courses like that. Seems like the reason for fatalities in those situations is that the trainee isn't adequately supervised (eyes on at all times) so they can be rescued and revived in time. I've read about more than a few SEAL trainees dying that way over the years.

I was an Air Force Pararescue candidate back in the day and "drowned" (blacked out) three times in one day.....Although the instructors respected that I didn't quit, I was promptly washed out. LOL