Fantasy Island Roatan Accident March 09

[robint]

I didnt check the CPR cards for the DMs or Skippers @ CocoView, which is practically across the channel from FI, however the crew I dove with seemed to have their act together. We, regardless of level of cert. were all required to do a "check out" dive before being allowed to dive.

This being said, I dont believe all of Roatan's Dive Ops are the same.


Coryedwards, I am truly sorry for your loss.

Has anyone tested his gear (regulator) since??? Seawater or secondary drowning??
We all try to learn from these.

I agree.... sounds very odd, if his heart was okay. Nitrox toxicity usually hits when the diver exceeds the operating depth for that mix, causing convulsions and death almost immediately at depth, from what I understand. So it is doubtful to me that it had anything to do with nitrox specifically since he made it up and onto the boat fully conscious.

I have heard about "bad air" causing deaths, there was the case (reported her on SB) on a Maldives liveaboard last year where one diver died and 8-9 others sent to hospital due to a bad compressor. Did he say anything about a headache? He was disoriented, so maybe lack of oxygen all together??? The survivors of that incident in Maldives complained for days about getting a headache each day during the dives and I think some even vommited, then the fatal dive occurred. As I remember the investigation, the boat had being using the wrong (cheap) filters for the compressor and had unqualified people operating it who didn't know any better, just a bad situation made worse... ignorance and incompetence. Divers had been getting tanks filled full of deisel gas fumes from the boat along with other contaminants, something like that. I am not saying that is what happened in this case...... but it is something to investigate!

robin

 

[Cajuncru Diver]

Loss of a diver is a most distressing event and I also want all involved to know my sympathy extends to all of you. For a number of years my wife and I have been regular visitors to Fantasy Island, we were there in December, April, July and are current booked to return in October. I am concerned and distressed by the statements that the boat driver was unable to assist with recovery of a person from the water, not trained in CPR, didn't know where the Oxygen and first aid kit was on the boat. Having been there many times I know all of the boat captains pretty well and this doesn't mesh with my knowledge of them. Could we please find out the name of the boat and that will let me know who was the boat captain. Also, I have a hard time currently understanding what happened and how it is a "drowning". I am, of course, not disputing that statement, just wishing there would be some further clarification. If John was at the surface and calling out for Oxygen, then began using an Octo, swam back to the boat, was taking off his fins when his eyes rolled back and he ceased breathing I have trouble understanding those activities in context with drowning.
Also robint I understand your concerns about potential air quality, but would it have affected just this one diver and not any others since they all basically get the same fill, not to say if cannot happen but FI has a very effecient and well maintained system. In fact air quality is regularly checked and verified by an independent testing lab-Trace Analytics-in Texas USA and the reports are on file at the dive shop and available for anyone who wishes to look at them. This is a terrible tragedy for all involved and I hope that further information can be made available so a determination can be made that will help prevent such occurances from happening in the future. Harry were both of them new divers with limited experience or did John have more experience than she did?

 

[Web Monkey]

I was at Cocoview March 7-14, 2009 and heard other divers talking about an accident at Fantasy Island where a male diver in his early 50's may have had a heart attack at the surface. By the time I got to the airport I had heard several different stories. Does anyone have first hand information on what did happen and if it could have been avoided?

It's probably not contaminated gas since nobody else got sick, and it probably wasn't an incorrect Nitrox mix, since that generally causes Oxygen Toxicity, which would have occurred at depth, not on the surface.

It's possible it was drowning, or stroke, or Arterial Gas Embolism, or medication that's not compatible with SCUBA diving. For example, two out of the three classes of Blood Pressure meds can cause dizziness or loss of consciousness when changing position or surfacing.

Terry

 

[CajunDiva]

Was the nitrox mix off???? Can that cause confusion and disorientation??

What a tragedy. I am very sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for allowing his fellow divers to participate in the discussion and analysis of what may have happened.

Regarding the comment about the nitrox mix, one of the things you learn during certification is that each tank is analyzed before the dive to ascertain the percentage of oxygen in the mix, which then provides the information you need to determine your maximum operating depth (MOD) Fantasy Island provides analyzers for this purpose, and their standard nitrox mix is 32% (Give or take a . here and there) They also provide you with tags to put on the tank listing this information. It is part of the standard operating procedure before each dive trip. I have experienced this procedure on numerous occasions, therefore I highly doubt that the nitrox mix was a factor in this accident.

I can also comment on the air quality at Fantasy Island. This is an area that I find very important, and have posted about this topic on SB before. Although PADI has requirements about the testing of air quality, in reality not all dive shops follow these requirements. Until or unless PADI/NAUI/SSI and any other certification agencies begin following up on these requirements and enforcing their performance, nothing will change. That is why I make it a point to check the air quality reports at every dive resort I visit. With that being said, I can testify that I have personally requested and seen the reports at Fantasy Island, which I found is a resort that does follow the testing guidelines as set forth by PADI. Knowing that, I can confidently say that I doubt air quality was a factor in this accident either.

Is there any further information available about the dive itself?

 

[Slamfire]

Sorry for your loss, Cory.

...since that generally causes Oxygen Toxicity, which would have occurred at depth, not on the surface.

Terry

CNS O₂ convulsions do not necessarily have to happen at depth. It is possible to ascend without having a convulsion just to convulse at levels above the MOD. In these cases what happens is that the CNS toxicity was so far advanced and convulsions were so imminent that even ascending above the MOD would not prevent them. I am not speculating or suggesting that this is what happened, just stating some facts.

 

[Web Monkey]

CNS O₂ convulsions do not necessarily have to happen at depth. It is possible to ascend without having a convulsion just to convulse at levels above the MOD. In these cases what happens is that the CNS toxicity was so far advanced and convulsions were so imminent that even ascending above the MOD would not prevent them. I am not speculating or suggesting that this is what happened, just stating some facts.

Ox Tox on the surface is certainly possible, but unlikely, using any standard recreational mixes and depths.

Terry

 

[Cajuncru Diver]

CNS O2 convulsions do not necessarily have to happen at depth

Yes, possible

It is possible to ascend without having a convulsion just to convulse at levels above the MOD.

Yes, again---but not probable!

 

[diver 85]

So sorry to hear of the loss coryedwards.....such a tragedy indeed--hoping you get to the bottom of all this.......

Now to mawg, you went a year too late---things were perfect there in June of '94----bad timing is what I'm thinking.....

 

[Ursus]

I am sorry for your loss.

I was at Cocoview a month ago. The operations were great and the divemasters on the boats were top notch. They even broke out the O2 for someone having some sea sickness issues. As to Fantasy Island...it looked deserted for the entire week. Only a ouple of times during the course of a week did I see any signs of life at the resort. Fantasy Island is known for the property having fallen into disrepair. If you are going to dive on that side of the island then Cocoview is clearly the diver's choice.

 

[CajunDiva]

I am sorry for your loss.

I was at Cocoview a month ago. The operations were great and the divemasters on the boats were top notch. They even broke out the O2 for someone having some sea sickness issues. As to Fantasy Island...it looked deserted for the entire week. Only a ouple of times during the course of a week did I see any signs of life at the resort. Fantasy Island is known for the property having fallen into disrepair. If you are going to dive on that side of the island then Cocoview is clearly the diver's choice.

I don't think you have any right to proclaim any particular resort as "the diver's choice". It may be YOUR choice and you are certainly entitled to your own opinion. But your statements about Fantasy Island are WAY out of line. I have been to FI four times in the last year and am planning a return in October. The property is far from a state of disrepair...in fact, ownership has changed and improvements are being made all the time.

Both resorts are side by side sharing the most fabulous shore diving opportunities on Roatan. You don't have to tear down FI to promote your favorite dive spot...we're all neighbors