Error Diver drowned after accidentally falling in lake with gear on

[dylanfromwinnipeg]

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?

I always have a reg on a necklace while diving (SM). However, I could understand how somebody could get complacent and get in this situation.

I've never done shore diving, but I dive cenotes all the time and I imagine there's a lot of similarities. I dive SM and I always put my tanks on AFTER entering the water, and if the water happens to be very shallow at the edge, I'll usually grab a tank and drag it over to water that's at least chest deep to make it easier to put on. At that point, I don't have a reg around my neck or in my mouth/hand, it's still stowed against the tank. My BCD inflator won't be connected yet, and the tank may not even be turned on at this point (I try to remember to turn on all my tanks before they touch the water, but it's easy to forget).

The way I stay safe is always always inflate my BCD before getting in the water. But if somebodies gotten complacent, thinks the bottom is just gently sloping, and is trying to wade out to slightly deeper water to make it easier to gear up....

 

[Lorenzoid]

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.

Nothing in the quoted story appears to rule out a medical issue.

 

[also_anon_dc]

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.

This struck me as well. I assume his tank wasn't open. OP mentioned he was in the water getting ready, so it's possible he hadn't even opened his tank yet.

 

[boulderjohn]

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

So a tech diver dies under really unexplained circumstances, and it is PADI's fault?

When I started my UTD/DIR training, I was required to use an alternate on a bungeed necklace, and I was also required to demonstrate using the arm sweep method to recover a lost primary.

 

[davehicks]

This struck me as well. I assume his tank wasn't open. OP mentioned he was in the water getting ready, so it's possible he hadn't even opened his tank yet.

Possible, but grossly careless. You should never be in the water without a live regulator. We've all probably done it but learn and don't do it again.

 

[davehicks]

I always have a reg on a necklace while diving (SM). However, I could understand how somebody could get complacent and get in this situation.

I've never done shore diving, but I dive cenotes all the time and I imagine there's a lot of similarities. I dive SM and I always put my tanks on AFTER entering the water, and if the water happens to be very shallow at the edge, I'll usually grab a tank and drag it over to water that's at least chest deep to make it easier to put on. At that point, I don't have a reg around my neck or in my mouth/hand, it's still stowed against the tank. My BCD inflator won't be connected yet, and the tank may not even be turned on at this point (I try to remember to turn on all my tanks before they touch the water, but it's easy to forget).

The way I stay safe is always always inflate my BCD before getting in the water. But if somebodies gotten complacent, thinks the bottom is just gently sloping, and is trying to wade out to slightly deeper water to make it easier to gear up....

An inflated BC won't do you much good in 12 inches of water. Divers have face planted in shallow water with loaded up with heavy gear and drowned. A working regulator in your mouth is the best protection on a shore dive.

 

[Gone for diving]

My buddy doesn't run a long hose.

But he runs a bungee on his primary reg.
Work perfect... you never have to look where has it gone...

 

[lowwall]

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.

If we assume the tank valve was closed and the weight was too great to swim up, then the diver's options are 1) ditch ditchable weight (or entire rig) and swim up or 2) open tank valve and then recover reg or inflate BCD.

The second option requires training and practice to be effective in the time available. The first just requires keeping a clear head, we've all doffed our gear hundreds if not thousands of times, but not everyone will be able to keep a clear head when dunked in cold water without a mask.

To me the clear takeaway is that you shouldn't put yourself in a position where a few seconds of panic is fatal. I regard the following as minimum safety standards.

- Don't enter the water so negative you can't swim to the surface. Even a negative entry should not be done grossly overweighted. If you want or need to get down fast, use your fins.
- Don't enter the water without verifying your air is on and inflator is functioning.
- Don't enter the water without reg either in your mouth or hand.

 

[Vicko]

A closed tank should be a minor inconvenience, not a death sentence.

Everyone can panic, no matter the experience, perhaps he inhaled a bit of water while going down and got a lagringospasm, flooded sinuses or something similar.

 

[BRT]

So a tech diver dies under really unexplained circumstances, and it is PADI's fault?

When I started my UTD/DIR training, I was required to use an alternate on a bungeed necklace, and I was also required to demonstrate using the arm sweep method to recover a lost primary.

Fall down in 20" of water and a sweep may not work.