Diving fatality at Osezaki, Japan

[Age]

I was recently informed that there was a diving fatality at Osezaki, Izu last Saturday (22nd August). I was diving there that day and dive there often. All I know was that the diver was found floating on the surface, after being told to surface (alone) by the dive leader, as he only had 50 Bar left at 25 msw. Does anybody know anymore about this?

 

[DandyDon]

That sucks. Ascending alone is just not a good call.

 

[Age]

That's what we all think. He should have ascended with his buddy. I guess the DM was tied up leading and navigating the dive, so taking him up wasn't an option. Anyway, if I find out more I'll post it here. So far, all I can add is that he was in the sheltered bay area of Osezaki, which is frequented by newbie divers due to it's benign environment. Perhaps that's one reason that the dive leader felt he was going to be okay.

 

[herman]

Before making a judgment call on this one we need more info. In and of itself a solo accent from 25m (~80 ft) on 50 bar (~730psi) is not a big deal, even for a diver with moderate experience. This may well be one of those cases where the diver had a heart attack and died from that rather than anything caused by the dive- if so then it is not a dive accident but a heart attack while diving, totally different things IMO. If so, the only thing good accomplished by being with a buddy is someone the hold the body until the boat gets there.

 

[DandyDon]

Oh, I know. There is really not info here on cause of death and for all we know from guessing it could have been unpreventable. In general tho "Ascending alone is just not a good call," even tho I've probly done it as many times as I have with a bud. Having survived my stupid feelings of solo adequacy tho, I really try to stick with my buds all thru a dive now - as a responsibility to my bud as well as my own safety. Of the death reports posted here, solo diving or solo ascents are too often mentioned.

 

[Age]

Before making a judgment call on this one we need more info. In and of itself a solo accent from 25m (~80 ft) on 50 bar (~730psi) is not a big deal, even for a diver with moderate experience. This may well be one of those cases where the diver had a heart attack and died from that rather than anything caused by the dive- if so then it is not a dive accident but a heart attack while diving, totally different things IMO. If so, the only thing good accomplished by being with a buddy is someone the hold the body until the boat gets there.

I'm afraid I still don't have any more information, but I find it unlikely that he had a heart attack just in the few minutes he took to ascend. I do agree that there should not have been any problem to make a solo ascent from 25 metres with 50 bar, but the visibility isn't usually great in the Bay area this time of year. Perhaps he became disorientated or simply held his breath on his way up. I'll try and find out more.

 

[bsee65]

That's what we all think. He should have ascended with his buddy. I guess the DM was tied up leading and navigating the dive, so taking him up wasn't an option. Anyway, if I find out more I'll post it here. So far, all I can add is that he was in the sheltered bay area of Osezaki, which is frequented by newbie divers due to it's benign environment. Perhaps that's one reason that the dive leader felt he was going to be okay.

I don't know, but that sounds like questionable logic to me. Depending upon how you define the role of a DM, guiding and navigating a dive should always take a back seat to the safety of the divers. If there was any question about the safety of the diver, then he shouldn't have gone alone, even if it meant calling the dive and dragging the whole group to the surface.

I don't necessarily disagree with the decision in this case, lacking further facts, just the general concept that the need to contibue leading a dive is a valid dreason to send someone in distress off alone. If the diver actually had a buddy, it would also seem questionable that the buddy would continue the dive and separate at a point where the potential need for a buddy would seem greatest. Of course, one should practice good buddy skills at all times, but especially once something goes a little wrong during a dive reducing the margin for error.