Diver dies in Islamorada

[AggieDiver]

Thanks for the information lilady.

This is purely speculation on my part, but do we know for sure that her regulator was working properly? It is one thing to have a full tank of air, but if her reg wasn't delivering it properly, that would explain why she wouldn't have it in her mouth, despite the captain's encouragement.

Otherwise, I would have to suspect the familiar panic chain reaction of surfacing at or near the ladder, not inflating the BC, taking off fins, and removing reg from mouth, then losing grip on the ladder, panicking and trying to keep the mouth above water without fins, while forgetting to inflate the BC, put reg back in mouth, etc, etc. It seems silly to people reading it, but people can drown with a full tank of air and a functional BCD simply because they panic and forget to use them.

 

[lilady35us]

Hello AggieDiver, The initial equipment check came back with no problems reported. They havent actually make it official yet. My first reaction when I heard the news was that she panniked. It makes me so sad to think that that was all it was. Thanks alot for your imput! I really appreciate it. Your knowledge helps me understand and that really helps.

 

[bobbates]

Hello AggieDiver, The initial equipment check came back with no problems reported. They havent actually make it official yet. My first reaction when I heard the news was that she panniked. It makes me so sad to think that that was all it was. Thanks alot for your imput! I really appreciate it. Your knowledge helps me understand and that really helps.

Terrible incident for all...thank you for your kind and thoughtful contribution to factual info amidst all the mindless blame and (forgive me my bluntness) ignorant assumption.

Panic. There you go. Finally.

 

[Garrobo]

Stating that you think that the lady did panic IS an assumption. I would assume that the cause was a heart attack or stroke considering that she was talking to the DM/instructor and captain before she slipped away. That is my assumption. Beyond all the BS above I am sure that the cause of death is public information and can be obtained through public records. May she Rest In Peace.

 

[BDSC]

Stating that you think that the lady did panic IS an assumption.

Exactly!

 

[AggieDiver]

I think I made it clear that my post was purely speculation and not some statement of fact. I think that because I specifically said that as the second sentence of my post. Not sure why that garnered such an angry tone Garrobo. When or if the cause of death becomes public, hopefully somebody will post it here. Until, then, we are left with the information we have and the ability to speculate how it might have happened and how we would react ourselves in a similar situation.

 

[knowone]

It is interesting to read other divers preferences and opinions on getting safely back onto boats. My preference is to remove my BCD (with integrated weights) in the water while using it as a floatation waiting for others to board. Having fins and a mask on is enough to make me comfortable in almost all conditions in the water. What else do you need, snorkel optional.I relax using the BCD as floatation but would feel comfortable without it as well. If conditions were to be unswimable for me I wouldn't be out there to begin with.If I put myself in conditions beyond my ability then I assume responsibility for that. Should someone else need assistance I would be very quickly able to put the equipment back on. After passing gear on to the boat ,I get a firm grip on the ladder , take one fin off, pass it up, while standing and holding on the ladder take the last fin off and easily climb the ladder with only a mask on. Even with larger waves I feel in control boarding this way. I do what is most reasonable under current conditions but that is safe and easy for me most times. There is risk associated with diving but anyone can sigificantly reduce risk by being physically able,havng proper and well maintained equipment and diving in conditions suitable for your ability,below and on top of the water. If I wasn't a strong swimmer I would probably not dive in rough waters or strong currents. The anxiety of knowing you are in over your head has got to take the fun out of the dive anyway.

Balls.

 

[lilady35us]

Garrobo, I didnt say she DID panic. I said "My first reaction was the she panicked" No one will probably ever know what actually happened but maybe the captain.... It wasnt a heart attack or a stroke. There was an autopsy. It was a drowning. I am sure it will become a public record and you can see this for yourself, these are facts. Ruling that out and a couple of other senarios that probably arent correct, it is an assumption that it was panic. Probably a real good one, but nonetheless an assumption. In certain situations you really arent going to know what happened but with enough facts and the process of elimination , one would be able to at least get a closer idea of what it could have been and learn from the experience to keep everyone safe out there. =)

 

[Digger54]

I was down there during that week. Winds and seas were high, borderline brutal. I spent most of Monday the 12th puking off the stern of a dive boat instead of diving off one. Many divers and dive operations canceled during that week. I wanted to do the Spiegel Grove on the 16th but decided against it.

During my puking session a pair of divers off of another boat were signaling for assistance. Current had carried them a few hundred yards from their boat. It took a while for divers to be recalled, mooring lines to be detached and to get out to them.

 

[bsee65]

If you're bobbing in 6' seas with no fins and your regulator out, you could easily take a mouthful of ocean. Once in that position, panic, or a coughing fit, could easily render you incapacitated enough for real trouble. Of course, that's already well into the incident before that could come to pass. The first question is why she thumbed the dive in the first place. That was the start of the incident. If it was anything related to physical discomfort, you'd have to believe that she was failed by her diving partners when they didn't see her safely back on deck.