Dive Accident on Belize Aggressor

[lv2dive]

Regarding the OP (or anyone) not being able to pull herself up into the dingy, could she have stayed in the water and been towed by the dingy to the liveaboard?

Nekton used to do this. Tried it once, clambered aboard the dinghy next time after getting an unplanned sinus rinse.

 

[Steve50]

Nekton used to do this. Tried it once, clambered aboard the dinghy next time after getting an unplanned sinus rinse.

Advanced Neti Pot

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, just being drug thru the water behind a dingy could drown a person I think. At least side saddle I had my head above the boat.

This is why I actually prefer shore diving. My close calls have been in diving off boats and I consider shore diving, at least here in So Calif, safer. You also get a better workout with the swim, but it's a healthy, controlled effort and you can slow down almost any time. If you get lost or run out of air, just surface take your bearing and swim in on your back.

Haha, and I like a chase boat in case. I have a fear of not being able to get back to land.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

This is why I actually prefer shore diving. My close calls have been in diving off boats and I consider shore diving, at least here in So Calif, safer. You also get a better workout with the swim, but it's a healthy, controlled effort and you can slow down almost any time. If you get lost or run out of air, just surface take your bearing and swim in on your back.

You mentioned a few of the reasons why I prefer shore diving vs. boat diving.
I also like the fact that divers can be more spread out during pre-dive gear/buddy checks. If a piece of gear doesn't work, simply take the time to fix it or replace it. You don't have to worry about gate times or a boat that's pitching up/down and inducing seasickness.
There's also no "sunk cost" to speak of if you drive to the shore dive site and the waves look too big. Scrub the dive. Enjoy some sort of non-diving activity instead. No big deal.

 

[Hatul]

Nekton used to do this. Tried it once, clambered aboard the dinghy next time after getting an unplanned sinus rinse.

One of the Catalina dive boats towed me in once like that. As far as sinus rinse or drowning: that's why we have a mask and regulator.

 

[lv2dive]

One of the Catalina dive boats towed me in once like that. As far as sinus rinse or drowning: that's why we have a mask and regulator.

Yeah, that's one of the things about getting towed in,,, when you are holding on to the towing apparatus with one hand, and trying to hold the mask and regulator in place with the other, if the mask slips up, well, you don't really want to let go of anything to fix it. And it's not like this is a skill typically practiced and perfected in confined water sessions prior to working on in OW sessions prior to specialty card being issued for same ;-)

Anyhow, guess my natural skills just don't fall in this particular category, and I hadn't thought about (much less preplanned) optimal towing positioning either... next time I'll know better... luckily this is not an issue in the cavezzzzz

 

[DandyDon]

One of the Catalina dive boats towed me in once like that. As far as sinus rinse or drowning: that's why we have a mask and regulator.

Yes, except for a diver in distress or panic already. Side saddle was not so hard to accomplish, and worked better I think.

 

[Carl_F]

I can't imagine that if I was struggling with strength to get into the boat that I'd also have the strength to hold on during a tow. More than a knot or two and I would think my arms strength would give out (unless I could get on a plane behind that boat like I do on the lake!)

 

[gcarter]

My Belize scuba diving vacation aboard the Belize Aggressor. . .great for the first 3 days. But, then I had a scuba diving accident on Jan 3 that resulted in a near drowning and heart attack. Third world hospital in Belize was not a great place, so doctor there had me medically evacuated back home to Leesburg Regional's ICU. Came home Monday, Jan. 9 night. Heart cath showed I had a healthy heart and the only reason I had a heart attack was from lack of oxegyn due to sea water aspiration. We had gotten caught in a very strong current. The conditions on that last dive were bad and seemed to turn worse during our dive. We made the decision to turn back early. We were doing our stop under the boat. We even saw the ladders when we were in 30 ft. We came up to 20 feet and then hung out at 20 foot for several more minutes. Then the boat disappeared from sight. We tried to wait there, thinking it would swing back. It did not. My husband surfaced to get a direction and we headed in that direction. We had to swim into the current to get back to the boat. I was swimming into the current with ankle weights on (supid). I forgot they were there. I should have dumped them, but did not. I guess swimming with the ankle weights on added to my exhaustion. When we realized there was no way to get back to the boat, we surfaced and signaled for help. We both inflated our BCs and waited for the rescue raft. When the dive instructor got to us, I handed up to him my camera and the weight pockets from the BCD. I was not able to get up in the raft with the tank and other gear on, so the dive instructor removed my BC, tank and regulator. When he removed my BCD and tank, I sank (ankle weights) as a wave raised the raft over my head. I was under the raft gasping for air. I guess that’s when I aspirated so much sea water. As I was trying to kick to get a hold of the grasp handle on the side of the raft, it seemed it was just inches out of reach as each wave raised the raft out of my reach. After multiple trys to grab on, it seemed impossible. At that moment, I gave up. I thought there was no way possible to get into the raft. The dive instructor did not give up on me. He kept saying “you will get up here” and “and we are going to do this”. I am so thankful for his calm, but forceful confidence that encouraged me to give it all I could to get into that raft. I know he was bailing water and trying to maneuver the raft as he helped my husband up into the raft. He kept a level head and made a rescue. We had a 4 hour boat ride back in to Belize city. At first we thought I had just aspirated sea water, but by morning it was apparent that I also had a heart attack. This could have been so much worse, but God has much more for me in this life.

I know leaving ankle weights on was my fault,but I believe the crew of the Belize Aggressor had some responsibility in all this too. They have not stepped up in any way to accept their responsibility. The weather was bad the whole trip. We skipped the first dive in the morning, made the second dive and skipped the 3rd dive. The guys that made the 3rd dive said they thought conditions were too rough for any more diving. An hour later, the Captain said let's dive. We trusted the Captain to know the conditions as he is on these waters frequently. I know ultimately it is my responsibility to decide if a dive is safe for me, but the captain said it was ok. Next, the current was so strong there was a long dely in getting the raft out to us. They had to use 3 men to pull the raft up to the boat. I believe they had an electric winch, but didn't use it. Next, they only sent one guy in the raft to rescue us. I am 6 foot 1 inch - they should have known, he would need help getting me up into the raft. Further, with 2 guys in the rescue raft, they could have pulled me in with all my gear on. I would not have aspirated sea water and would not have had a heart attack. Additionally, I had been using one of their regulators. I am not sure that it was delivering enough oxygen. I have been in current before and never got this short of breath.

I am wondering if any one else sees that the dive operator had some share of responsibility in this accident. I like to hear what you think.

First off, let me say it is good to hear you are now OK. Must have been a big scare and not so much fun to go through.

From what you have written, I attach no blame to the dive op. All of the choices made were your own. Had they done some things differently, it is perhaps true there may have been a different outcome. But the choices were yours to make. Coulda - woulda - shoulda does not transfer responsibility for your choices to them.

I am not unsympathetic, escpecially because you appear to have gone to lengths to fairly recount the events. But I don't think they are to blame.

Get well and get back in the water. Don't let this deter you.

---------- Post added at 10:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 PM ----------

Any idiot can fall off a boat. It's actually a line I use in my briefings, and especially for those rough trips. Yes, I will tell you that when it's very rough. How do I know? Well, I've never suffered a MI that I know of (yet, still waiting for the first one), but I've been too exhausted to climb the ladder. Even in no gear and just a wetsuit providing plenty of buoyancy, I've been too exhausted to get on the boat. The same boat I'm captain of. I was able to take off my gear and have the DM haul it up, but there was just no way I was going to make it up the ladder. I had the DM come get me in the chase boat as I rested bobbing in 6 foot seas, and by the time the chase boat got to me, I was in pretty good shape, although 100 yards or more from the big boat. I was able to get in the chase boat and rest some more before I got to the big boat, and I was able to get on the big boat. That's some scary stuff when you're the captain too.

Now how's THAT for putting yourself out there?

Thanks for sharing.

 

[ScubaNurse758]

Would you describe the heart of a patient who experienced MI as "healthy"? Ejection fraction (EF) may not be different from baseline, but diagnosis of non-ST-segment elevation MI (NSTEMI) implies an incomplete blockage of a coronary artery and that a small portion of the heart muscle is damaged. Perhaps my ignorance here is showing since my experience with cardiac patients, thus far, is somewhat limited.

@BubbleTrubble: When I made my statement I was thinking in the context of patients with elevated troponins but basically an otherwise benign presentation. Many different insults can lead to troponin leakage and therefore a clinical diagnosis of MI. Without having personally examined the OP and knowing whether she had only elevated troponins or some degree of stenosis on cardiac cath to come to her diagnosis I'd be remiss to make much more of an assumption. Any number of situations and/or unknown history could have contributed to the MI. But yes, I have seen many people with a history of MI, especially at 3 months out, that I would consider to have a "healthy" heart.

Jordan.