Freediving death

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neve

Contributor
Messages
296
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Location
Originally from Bali, but now in Singapore
# of dives
500 - 999
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I hope this will clear some confusion, because this news had previously not been available in English. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

from http://www.gatra.com/index2.php3?id=2003010522502450&rubrik=Nusantara&tanggal=2003-01-06&mid=2

Dutch tourist drowns

Onno Burgen (41), a Dutch citizen on holiday in Indonesia, died while diving in Tulamben, in the Eastern tip of Bali island. This story published by gatra.com said he died while "diving" and wearing "diving gear" but did not specify the gear. Local divemasters and eyewitnesses claimed that he was freediving at the wreck, wearing only mask, snorkel, and fins. He was not wearing any scuba gear.

Burgen went freediving alone, and his girlfriend became suspicious when he has not returned after three hours. A search and rescue team consisting of eight divers found Burgen's body at a depth of 17m, wedged between metal parts of the shipwreck. The cause of death was not revealed, but shallow water blackout is suspected.

The original story in Bahasa Indonesia is as follows:

Denpasar, Senin, 06-01-2003 10:29:54
Wisatawan Belanda Tewas Tenggelam
GATRA.com - Onno Burgen (41), wisatawan warga negara Belanda tewas saat menyelam menikmati keindahan panorama alam bawah laut di Pantai Tulamben, Karangasem, daerah ujung Timur Pulau Bali.

"Jenazah korban kini masih dititipkan di kamar jenazah RSUP Denpasar, rencananya dikirim ke-negaranya sesuai permintaan keluarga korban," kata Kepala Biro Jasa Antarbangsa, Gus Sumastra di Denpasar, Senin.

Ia mengemukakan, Onno Burgen saat menyelam dengan menggunakan peralatan selam pada kedalaman 17 meter di sekitar bangkai kapal tentara AS (USS Liberty) yang tenggelam pada perang dunia II di perairan Selat Lombok, pada Sabtu petang (4/1).

"Saya sedang mengurus kelengkapan dokumen pengiriman jenazah, sambil menunggu kepastian dari pihak asuransi di Belanda tentang kesanggupan membiayai pengiriman jenazah korban," ujar Gus Sumastra.

Korban dari negeri Kincir Angin itu, saat kejadian menyelam sendirian, karena hal itu sudah biasa dilakukan sejak sepekan terakhir dalam menikmati liburan bersama pacarnya di Pulau Dewata.

Namun, pacar korban mulai curiga, karena Onno Burgen lebih dari tiga jam menyelam, belum muncul ke permukaan. Kekhawatiran itu dilaporkan petugas hotel tempatnya menginap ke Polsek Kubu, hingga akhirnya dilakukan upaya pencarian.

Upaya pencarian yang melibatkan tim penyelam beranggotakan delapan orang yang dipimpin I Ketut Hermawan, berhasil menemukan korban dalam kondisi miring dan sudah tidak bernyawa di celah terumbu karang besi tua, bekas kapal perang tersebut.

Sebelumnya wisatawan Jepang, Masaru Suda (23) juga tewas tenggelam di dekat Gili Tepekong, Candidasa, tidak jauh dari lokasi tersebut, awal tahun 2000 lalu.

USS Liberty, kapal perang berukuran besar itu, tenggelam di dekat perairan Selat Lombok tahun 1942. Kini bangkainya menjadi sarang ratusan jenis ikan hias berwarna-warni.

Kehadiran ikan aneka warna yang menghuni besi tua itu, sangat serasi dengan terumbu karang yang kondisinya tetap lestari, sehingga menambah keindahan panorama flora dan fauna bawah laut.

Pemandangan alam bawah laut yang tidak ada tandingannya di perairan Bali itu, menjadi salah satu andalan pengembangan pariwisata di Bali Timur yang sangat diminati wisatawan mancanegara, khususnya yang mempunyai kesenangan menyelam.

Hampir setiap hari puluhan bahkan sampai ratusan wisman menikmati pemandangan bawah laut dengan menggunakan peralatan selam, sehingga pantai Tulamben berkembang sebagai salah satu dari tiga kawasan wisata di Karangasem. [Tma, Ant]
 
to his friends and family, especially his girlfriend who is now most likely in a state of grief in a foreign country.

I hope she is receiving support from the appropriate departments.
 
I hate to hear of a death in my favorite sport. Free diving, or breath-hold diving, gives one very little room for error. Most free divers dive alone, even when they are in the same water as a buddy. The possibilities for problems in this instance include the strong possibility of shallow water blackout, but also include the inadvertent swimming under an obstruction, following a fish into the wreck, or simply forgetting that one is at 45 feet underwater on a single breath with the beauty of the reef. My sincere condolences to the family.

I think of the friend I've lost to shallow water blackout, and the times I've surfaced with that strange metalic taste in my mouth, and dizziness in my mind, knowing how close it has been to me, and I greive with you.

SeaRat
 

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