General Vortex Incident Discussion

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Decomposition indicated at Vortex by cadaver dogs
Source appears to be underwater
September 21, 2010 3:05 PM
JAY FELSBERG, Managing Editor

PONCE DE LEON — Specially trained “cadaver dogs” were deployed at Vortex Springs early Monday morning and the dogs indicated the presence of decomposing material. The source of the decomposition appears to be underwater where a Tennessee man apparently was diving and could have drowned.

The search by the highly trained dogs was the most recent part of the hunt for missing diver Ben McDaniel of Tennessee. McDaniel, 30, was reported missing on Aug. 27 after not being seen for two days at the well-known diving site in western Holmes County.

The Tennessee native is believed to have attempted to work his way past a narrow restriction about 1,500 linear feet inside the cave at Vortex Springs. There are reports McDaniel was attempting to map the cave that is the scene of other diving accidents over the years.

“If the source was above ground the dogs would have found it,” said Capt. Harry Hamilton of the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office. Hamilton said the dogs are from Tallahassee and are nationally certified for this kind of search. They could detect decomposition originating underwater as far as the back of the cave that has been the subject of intensive search.

Hamilton, who is coordinating the McDaniel investigation, said the cave has been “thoroughly searched” by divers up to that restriction. The grounds at Vortex Springs have also been thoroughly searched by HCSO and the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, Hamilton said. The dogs could not pinpoint an exact location, Hamilton said.

The most recent exploration of the cave was last weekend as divers went in about 400 feet, Hamilton said. Several nationally recognized cave divers and cave diving instructors have participated in the search inside the cave and have called the area around the last restriction “extremely dangerous.”

Hamilton said the next step is to deploy an underwater camera on a tether to explore the back of the cave and hopefully past the last restriction. He said arrangements are being made with a company that manufactures the cameras to have one brought to Vortex Springs. No date has been set.
chipleypaper.com/news/ponce-7225-cadaver-vortex
 
Hamilton said the next step is to deploy an underwater camera on a tether to explore the back of the cave and hopefully past the last restriction. He said arrangements are being made with a company that manufactures the cameras to have one brought to Vortex Springs. No date has been set.

:popcorn:
 
I just hope whatever video they manage to recover is made public, so that everyone gets a clear picture of the conditions the searchers have been diving in as they attempt to resolve this.
 
I just hope whatever video they manage to recover is made public, so that everyone gets a clear picture of the conditions the searchers have been diving in as they attempt to resolve this.

It might be spooky, cause nightmares to the average person.
 
It MAY be spooky, but would still like to see the video.
 
I just hope whatever video they manage to recover is made public, so that everyone gets a clear picture of the conditions the searchers have been diving in as they attempt to resolve this.

doubtful
 
I'd like to know more about all 3 bottles found: size, contents, how they are rigged, and location where each was found.

Do the two tanks found in the basin (or wherever) match the "side-mount" nitrox bottles w/ tank boots seen in the video?

Could he swim in, drop a deco bottle, swim out and drop his "side-mount" tanks, boots and all and just leave by foot, friend, staged vehicle, spaceship, whatever...

Do the three bottles equate to his total "known" rig (SM doubles & deco)?

How many 1st stage regulators did he own?

That's three 1st stages already on the bottles found and this guy is only AOW. He'd have to have spent, rent, or borrowed a lot more to get the regulators needed to push farther back, and for what possible reason would you leave tanks in the basin?

There would surely be records of purchase receipts, or if rental or borrowed, the owner would've come forward by now. Interviews w/ dive buddies, if any could reveal this...

Course "in-the-cave" speculators could claim that he secretly purchased 3-4 more 1st stages online w/ cash so it would be anonymous and there would be no record...

And if the smallest point is 8" and he took smaller tanks... just how many 40cuft bottles and regulators would that take?


If we've already found his known existing equipment (pure speculation), like 3 first stages, 3 tanks, etc., then where did the equipment come from to get him farther back in the cave than is currently possible?

Until there is information that it's reasonably possible he had the physical/material capability that closes the "cave option" by logical reason in my speculative head.

I am open to consider differing opinions... but I do not support risking more lives in pursuit of the illogical.

Hey, look on the bright side, I'm now speculating that he could possibly still be alive...

Is there anything publicly known about the pressure and contents of the 3 bottles, one in cave w/ reg, two elsewhere w/out?
 
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