Error Diver drowned after accidentally falling in lake with gear on

[also_anon_dc]

I saw this post on r/scuba and wanted to share it here. I think it may prompt an interesting discussion. The OP doesn't mention where this happened, just that it was not in the US.

The below post is quoted from u/powerfulbiteshark, source link here
--

This happened just last weekend. Went for my first lake dive with a new LDS. One of the other divers (older guy, apparently very experienced diver, top notch tech diving gear) was standing in shallow water chatting to the other divers and preparing his gear. Doesn't know that the lake generally slopes in gently, but right next to where he's standing, there's a steep 5 metre drop. He stumbles and falls into the drop - BCD is not inflated and mask etc not in place. He's carrying a ton of gear and he goes straight down. He thrashes around panicked and somehow doesn't get his reg in. By the time his buddies jump, he's already unconscious. They drag out his body, start CPR. Ambulance arrives, they give him adrenaline and try to restart his heart with a defibrillator - no luck. I have no idea why someone with hundreds of dives would be in the water without at least an inflated BCD. Apparently, just got complacent and didn't follow basic rules because he was experienced. The guy died right in front of me and I can't get the image out of my mind. Anyone seen anything similar? PS: PLEASE don't forget the basic rules even if you're very experienced.

 

[rx7diver]

Terrible incident. I urge all new *recreational* divers to be ready to drop weight belt and jettison rig at a moment's notice. This includes having a shoulder release on a harness, and not configuring the rig in such a way that the rig won't drop away cleanly, instantly. Being properly weighted and being able to retrieve one's regulator using the reach-over-your-shoulder approach will improve one's survival odds significantly, I think.

rx7diver

 

[Lorenzoid]

Terrible incident. I urge all new *recreational* divers to be ready to drop weight belt and jettison rig at a moment's notice. This includes having a shoulder release on a harness, and not configuring the rig in such a way that the rig won't drop away cleanly, instantly. Being properly weighted and being able to retrieve one's regulator using the reach-over-your-shoulder approach will improve one's survival odds significantly, I think.

rx7diver

As a recreational diver without ditchable weight, I was taught never to get anywhere near the water without first inflating your BC, which I suppose is the key one of the "basic rules" mentioned in the quoted r/scuba post.

 

[rx7diver]

... I was taught never to get anywhere near the water without first inflating your BC ...

We were taught as recreational divers to be properly weighted and to wear a snorkel--which allowed us to remain at the surface, wearing a completely full cylinder and a completely empty BC, breathing comfortably off our snorkel while our heads were below the surface. We often entered the water (to begin a dive) with an empty BC. Nearly 40 years later, I still prefer to do things this way.

rx7diver

 

[Lorenzoid]

We were taught as recreational divers to be properly weighted and to wear a snorkel--which allowed us to remain at the surface, wearing a completely full cylinder and a completely empty BC, breathing comfortably off our snorkel while our heads were below the surface. We often entered the water (to begin a dive) with an empty BC. Nearly 40 years later, I still prefer to do things this way.

rx7diver

I was taught to be properly weighted, too, but I only carry a snorkel on dives where there might be a surface swim. Regardless, it sounds like the guy in the quoted story lost his mask (and any attached snorkel) as he stumbled into the water. Best insurance is to inflate the BC before getting in, I think.

 

[davehicks]

This is a major issue that I see repeated CONSTANTLY. Shallow water + regulator not in mouth or hand. Entry and exit to the water on a shore dive is probably the MOST DANGEROUS part of any dive.

I live in the Pacific Northwest (Puget Sound, Seattle WA USA) and we have a lot of shore diving opportunities with many dozens of great dive sites all over the region. We also have cold water (50F/10C) that requires people dive with drysuits or thick wetsuits with and a lot of lead. 100 pounds of gear is not unusual.

Entering the water on a shore dive is very risky. You have rocks, loose sands, holes, slippery algae, and water that you can't always see through. Waves and currents can knock you over at any time. It is very important that you have your regulator in your mouth when you enter the water. Regulator in your mouth when you put on your fins. Reg in your hand if you are standing about like the person in the story. Even better, your secondary octopus regulator can be on a bungied around your neck. And put some air in your BC before getting in the water!

Last week I was as a popular shore diving site and saw an instructor with a new student doing a first open water dive. They both walked down some submerged stairs, into the water, across about 15 meters of shallow water (low tide) without regulators in their mouth or hands. Then they preceded to put on their fins, balancing on one foot, without a regulator in their mouth. It took everything I had not to go over and slap the instructor.

We in the PNW have had a number of these shallow water drownings over the years and it is just tragic. Some simple training and best practices can prevent this from happening. Please remind your dive buddies to put their reg in their mouth when entering the water! You could save a life.

 

[JohnN]

A terrible accident and a strong vote for having your secondary on a necklace. The BS PADI arm sweep regulator retrieval is just that.

 

[Jaan]

Thanks for sharing. Easy to get complacent and could be very unforgiving …. tragic

 

[Marie13]

A terrible accident and a strong vote for having your secondary on a necklace. The BS PADI arm sweep regulator retrieval is just that.

This was a TECH diver who drowned. I’m now really curious what their configuration was. Are there any doubles/SM divers who don’t have one of their regs on a necklace?

 

[coldwaterglutton]

I'm curious how an experienced diver - even without a mask - could not be able to inflate a BC or ditch weight, even under stress.