Fatal Accident in the Coron Area of the Philippines?

[wgw04024]

These stories are beyond scarry. Wow!

 

[dmaziuk]

At 28 metres the NDL is around 20 minutes, that should be OK for a not so short no-deco swim. Single tank on a stressful dive to that depth, and with no longhoses on the buddies/DMs would be a no. No line? -- forget it.

 

[Lorenzoid]

The FB post's point about 3rd world countries brings to mind that as much as we may hate the personal injury lawyers, I have to believe the threat of a lawsuit in the US really does help to discourage dive ops from deviating from the norms.

 

[dmaziuk]

The FB post's point about 3rd world countries brings to mind that as much as we may hate the personal injury lawyers, I have to believe the threat of a lawsuit in the US really does help to discourage dive ops from deviating from the norms.

I commented on that elsethread just the other day: in many places the locals can't be arsed to enforce their myriad of laws and regulations, but when something happens to attract the attention of TPTBs they come down on everyone in the nuclear blast radius like a ton of bricks. Bribes only go so far and if an incident makes it to the front page of the country's main newspaper, you may wish you were in a US lawsuit. So I think it's just stupid people.

 

[NYCNaiad]

It was a comment that not all shops are dodgy at Coron. From my experience this particular shop was very professional when we used them. I cannot comment on any other shops in the area as I have not used them. I posted the remarks as a contrast to LeeButlers remarks on the Coron scuba industry in general. Nothing more than that.

I'd be curious to know whether the dive shop you mentioned takes divers into the wrecks who have not been trained on wreck penetration? You said they don't take risks, but I've yet to hear of a shop in the Coron area that doesn't take divers into the wrecks regardless of their experience or training. I was in the area for weeks & everyone seemed to be doing this.

 

[Peter69_56]

I'd be curious to know whether the dive shop you mentioned takes divers into the wrecks who have not been trained on wreck penetration? You said they don't take risks, but I've yet to hear of a shop in the Coron area that doesn't take divers into the wrecks regardless of their experience or training. I was in the area for weeks & everyone seemed to be doing this.

I can only comment on what they did with us. They did not take us into any wrecks that were a risk. The larger wrecks, we did not penetrate. We did wind our way though some very small wrecks but the risks were very insignificant. They did not take risks in the way you suggest.

 

[DevonDiver]

I can only comment on what they did with us. They did not take us into any wrecks that were a risk. The larger wrecks, we did not penetrate. We did wind our way though some very small wrecks but the risks were very insignificant. They did not take risks in the way you suggest.

The standards, for those with recreational wreck training, are:

1) Light zone only - must always be in direct sight of the exit, which is illuminated by ambient light.

2) Maximum 40m linear distance from the surface; vertical plus horizontal distance.

3) No restrictions - No impeded areas where two divers couldn't pass through side-by-side whilst air sharing in conventional scuba gear (short hose only).

4) Continuous guideline to the exit at all times.

5) Rule of 3rds Gas Management - 1/3rd down and in, 1/3rd for exit and 1/3rd strict reserve during the overhead phase.

Did they abide by THESE standards?

Breaching those standards absolutely constitutes a much higher level penetration (advanced/technical wreck) with vastly more training and equipment demanded.

As does silt-out, entrapment and entanglement... if they are in any way foreseeable or predictable risks..

NOBODY that died inside a wreck or cave entered that day thinking the risks were 'unacceptable'..... they ignored prudent limits, standards and training.... and assumed it was safe to do so..

Flawed risk management or risk awareness is a strong underlying factor in most overhead environment fatalities, incidents and near-misses...

 

[PygmySeahorse]

I'd be curious to know whether the dive shop you mentioned takes divers into the wrecks who have not been trained on wreck penetration? You said they don't take risks, but I've yet to hear of a shop in the Coron area that doesn't take divers into the wrecks regardless of their experience or training. I was in the area for weeks & everyone seemed to be doing this.

Everybody I've met who has dived Coron did wreck penetrations untrained - many at OW and new divers. At least in Egypt they want AOW and a few dives before they let you in the Thistlegorm...

 

[PygmySeahorse]

Not implying that's ok, of course!

 

[Lorenzoid]

The standards, for those with recreational wreck training, are:
<snip>

So I take it that "recreational wreck training" is the wreck parallel to cavern training, with similar limits and procedures. Something like TDI Advanced Wreck, I assume. Makes sense to me. If one wouldn't exceed those limits or flout those procedures in a cavern--which, around here at least, is sternly warned against--one sure wouldn't in a wreck.