Diver Accident Death

[brucet]

First rule of SCUBA diving. Never hold your breath.

Agreed. But i think, looking at the OP, it states 3-400 dives. This was not a new diver. I feel it just goes to show that it can be very easy to loose focus in a panic situation, no matter the experience level. Something everyone can learn from.

 

[TSandM]

We had a lung overexpansion injury on our Red Sea trip, which luckily ended much better than this one. But it wasn't from panic or bolting -- as far as we could ever puzzle out, it seemed possible that the diver got a bit disoriented inside of a wreck which lay at a bizarre angle, and was unaware he was ascending for a bit. What it taught me is how little pressure change is required to do damage.

If this experienced diver began a routine ascent from 40 fsw with 800 psi and only ten feet later, felt distressed enough to demand a regulator from his daughter, it sounds as though something was terribly wrong at that point. Either a health problem, or he just held his breath at the wrong moment while going up.

Tragic story -- I hate to hear these where someone's child is the buddy and has to try to help his or her parent. I don't think you would ever quite get over that.

 

[Diver Kat]

Thoughts and prayers to all touched by this tragedy.

 

[dewayne405]

We just returned from 10 days there, and I can not imagine the horror and anguish in his daughter's heart and mind... Nor that of the others who witnessed, or will be touched personally by this tragic loss... May God ease the troubled souls, and bring peace into their lives...

 

[JenLoves2Dive]

This is so very sad. My prayers and deepest condolences to the family and friends of this diver. And, very special prayers to his daughter. My love and thoughts also go out to the dive masters. I know they are devastated.

 

[blue steal]

This is so very sad. My prayers and deepest condolences to the family and friends of this diver. And, very special prayers to his daughter. My love and thoughts also go out to the dive masters. I know they are devastated.

Hard for me to find the words so I quote from JenLoves2Dive.

 

[firstdive2005]

His tank had air, his reg worked. This was the onsite check.
The only thing I can think of from experience of other divers that told me when it happened to them was a mild heart attack. The could not get enough air out of the own regs. They felt they where OOA.
I cant get his daughter out of my mind. I weep for her. I can not imagine......

 

[paulw]

I cant get his daughter out of my mind. I weep for her. I can not imagine......

I could not say it better, truly heart breaking.
My thoughts and prayers for all involved, daughter, family, DM, divers on the boat and the dive shop. How devastating.

 

[boulderjohn]

The only thing I can think of from experience of other divers that told me when it happened to them was a mild heart attack. The could not get enough air out of the own regs. They felt they where OOA.

This was how my nephew's mother-in-law died. When she had her heart attack under water, she felt she was not getting any air from her regulator. She threw it away and sprinted to the surface, getting an embolism on the way. I have read a number of descriptions of situations like this. When my my mother suffered congestive heart failure while in her bed, she had the overwhelming sensation that she was not getting any air, and she thrust her head out the window in a panic, gasping for air.

If your blood stops circulating properly, it can feel as if you are not getting any air. I believe this is mostly because you are not able to get rid of CO2. Panic is a very real possibility, regardless of your training.

 

[DELMIKE]

The news was saddening, my wife and i will say a prayer for the family, and all of the other people involved in this tragedy.