Discussion Thread Accidents and Incident Threads: Victim Perspective

[clownfishsydney]

Some of you on this forum will know that I have a great interest in investigating dive accidents and incidents for the past 25 years. I have written about these for dive publications as well as my web site. In fact, I have now been involved in a number of investigations where either the defence or the police have sought my knowledge and assistance, the most famous of which is the Tina Watson case where I went to the murder trial in Alabama as the defence expert witness. One of these cases is still ongoing.

I have also been on a dive where a very close friend died, in fact, I organised the dive. I have written about this in great detail on my web site so that others could benefit from the knowledge of what happened. I felt that this was also beneficial for me and my other friends as it let us know that something good might come from our friend's unnecessary death (that is, increased diver knowledge that may save lives).

Unfortunately, I also know too many other people who have died when diving (at the last count it is over half a dozen). In some cases, the people involved refused to talk about what happened and as such, all that has come out is dribs and drabs which may or may not be true. As such, other divers have not learnt from the mistakes made (and in most cases it was diver error).

I have also investigated the accident that BoP is speaking of and think that I have worked out what happened and even perhaps why. However, as I still do not have approval from all the people involved to post what I have written, at the moment the public knowledge about this case is not all put together in a logical order. Hopefully I will eventually be able to post what I have written, both here and on my web site.

I know that in my case, if I was to die in a diving accident, I want it publicly investigated and if I did stuff up, this was made known to everyone so that others will not make the same mistake. My wife (also a diver) and rest of my family know that I want this and expect this to be honoured.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Thanks DB for pointing out this article. Alert Diver | Mental Health First Aid After a Water-Sport Incident

excerpt... Colour added...The entire article is well worth reading.

Some common reactions to a traumatic event include:

• disbelief or confusion
  
• flashbacks or intrusive thoughts about current or previous events
• distress when exposed to reminders of the incident
• "survivor guilt" or feelings of self-blame
• sadness, anger, frustration, restlessness, helplessness and/or emotional numbness
• feeling a strong need to talk or read about the event
• fear or anxiety about the future
• difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• reduced interest in usual activities
• increased desire to be alone
• loss or increase in appetite
• changes in sleep patterns
• increased use of nicotine, alcohol or other drugs
• headaches, back pain or stomach discomfort
• increased heart rate or difficulty breathing

This part also made me think of A & I and the way people react here. When you are in the middle of it... it is hard to see things clearly. That is why I think it is important to try to get the message out before the Ship hits the Sand! It is my hope that if more people know this stuff, more people will be able to help the survivors and the posters get the most out of the A & I with the least pain.

It is normal to have some kind of reaction to a traumatic event. The more personal the event, the stronger the response tends to be; however, strong reactions can also occur even when the event is not perceived as personal. Reactions such as blaming those involved are also normal and can be protective, allowing people to maintain their sense of safety