Lessons to be learned-Death in Palau

[Dragon2115]

Unbelievable, I turn on my tv last night and amazingly 'Divers Down' is on and it's on diving in Palau, featuring Blue Corner. They showed the procedure for reef hooking on the site and the way I saw it being done I have no problem with it. They were very selective with where they placed the hooks. Interestingly I saw only one diver holding the hook line with his hand while the rest were clipped in to their bc's and were busy snapping photos. In this particular case all the divers were together but if they were to be spread out a bit from trying to hook on while the current is running at full strength, they'd be as good as diving solo. Their buddy is not going to be able to get to them in time if something happens. Plus, there's so much going on they probably aren't going to be watching their buddy very closely once hooked in. Lets face it, to be safe you have to be looking at your buddy every five seconds to be on top of a developing situation, and that's not very realistic. I would plan the dive around that and go prepared.

It sounds like this lady got herself in beyond what she was actually ready for, forgot her training and panicked, and then paid the price for the mistakes. Unfortunately that is the risk in this sport. Some things that could help avoid making these mistakes are:

1. Stop, breathe, think, act. In this particular incident my bet is that when her mask came off she got a shot of water up her nose causing her to start coughing which if she didn't get her nose blocked would only get worse quickly. That coupled with not being able to see she went into panic mode.

2. If you're going to be anchored to something (not really a good idea but if you're going to do it anyway) - make sure you have multiple ways of getting free i.e. knife(s), shears, line cutters, quick release, etc.

It did look like a very exciting dive though, and I can see how someone might be tempted to push their limits in order to do this dive. Ask yourself this question, if you were in Palau and you had the chance to go on this dive but it would be pushing your skills to the limit, knowing that you might never get back to Palau ever again in your life, would you take the risk? I bet more would say yes than no if actually faced with the choice. Scuba divers are risk takers, to one degree or another, by definition. Why else would we strap a tank of compressed air (that could be contaminated) onto our backs (great, now I need a chiropractor) so that we can breathe through a mechanical device (that might fail when I need it most) that cost hundreds of dollars to see some fish (that I could have paid $12.50 admission to the local aquarium to see) or a rusted out p.o.s. boat that sank and is now covered in organisms that if I accidentally touch I'll probably end up in a vinegar and meat tenderizer soak. So yeah, I think we're all risk takers in this sport somewhat. This sport has a very impressive safety record given the potential risks and the shear number of active recreational divers there are. But with risks come loses. Even though the rate remains low, with increased numbers in the sport there will be an increased number of accidents. And with the information age everyone will know about them so it will seem like there are even more.

 

[scububa]

Unbelievable, I turn on my tv last night and amazingly 'Divers Down' is on and it's on diving in Palau, featuring Blue Corner. They showed the procedure for reef hooking <snip>

It did look like a very exciting dive though, and I can see how someone might be tempted to push their limits in order to do this dive. Ask yourself this question, if you were in Palau and you had the chance to go on this dive but it would be pushing your skills to the limit, knowing that you might never get back to Palau ever again in your life, would you take the risk? I bet more would say yes than no if actually faced with the choice. Scuba divers are risk takers, to one degree or another, by definition. <snip>
This sport has a very impressive safety record given the potential risks and the shear number of active recreational divers there are. But with risks come loses. Even though the rate remains low, with increased numbers in the sport there will be an increased number of accidents. And with the information age everyone will know about them so it will seem like there are even more.

Now, I am not a highly qualified diver, but it seems to me that diving should be about recognizing and managing the risks (as you aptly point out do exisit) and not just about taking them. Two things create high (or low) risks, the probability of the risk occuring and the consequence from the risk occuring. We shouldn't be accepting risks that we are not prepared to manage (operators, instructors, or divers). Everyone has to push the limits in order to grow, but pushing too many limits, too far creates a bigger risk senario. After you have looked at them and made a decision to take the risk, you generally have something in mind as a reaction to the potentials. This doesn't mean something might not go wrong, but it should be from a risk that you accepted not one that you ignored.

Making the wrong decision is one way to "never get back to Palau ever again in your life".

 

[detroit diver]

Ah, but what if you're not given "all" of the information to make a "correct" decision?

Now, I am not a highly qualified diver, but it seems to me that diving should be about recognizing and managing the risks (as you aptly point out do exisit) and not just about taking them. Two things create high (or low) risks, the probability of the risk occuring and the consequence from the risk occuring. We shouldn't be accepting risks that we are not prepared to manage (operators, instructors, or divers). Everyone has to push the limits in order to grow, but pushing too many limits, too far creates a bigger risk senario. After you have looked at them and made a decision to take the risk, you generally have something in mind as a reaction to the potentials. This doesn't mean something might not go wrong, but it should be from a risk that you accepted not one that you ignored.

Making the wrong decision is one way to "never get back to Palau ever again in your life".

 

[triton94949]

Ah, but what if you're not given "all" of the information to make a "correct" decision?

On boats that I have been on in the tropics, a D/M normally goes down a drop line first, to investigate what the state of the current is at depth. I am surprised that the dive boat operator did not do this (have you heard whether he/she did or not?) Was there ever a lawsuit that came out of it all, by the way? Did you hear anything?

 

[Damselfish]

Ah, but what if you're not given "all" of the information to make a "correct" decision?

another one of the risks...

 

[Web Monkey]

Ah, but what if you're not given "all" of the information to make a "correct" decision?

I've got to say that being a fresh water diver, if someone said "Palau" or anything else that sounded remotely exotic, I would have to assume that it's nothing like the water I was certified in (deep, dark, cold, not much current) and would be doing a bunch of research on the conditions (actual and possible).

I'd also want to hear about the dive conditions from people who have been there, and aren't trying to get my money.

Terry

 

[Hop Devil]

What a tragic story. Sounds like the clasic withches brew. Strong current, undetermined skill level, Follow the leader diving. I saw this many times in Cozumel where people blindly follow the divemaster as if he controls their destiny. Diving is a dangerous sport. Its unfortunate when we lose one of our own, and the husband will live with his pain forever. My condolences to the husband and family.

 

[scubatwinned]

Obviously, the strong current and likely surf, as well as patient condition would have contrindicated this for the poor Palua victim, had she been able to get herself off that damned hook and to the surface. And often, as you say, the damage (embolii etc, ) will already have occured and signs and symptoms will indicate that oxygen and first aid treatment and urgent medivac are the best solutions.

When a car goes through a red light its not the cars or the red lights fault its the opperator. So why do we blame the "damned hook"??? The group and the poor victim were diving way over their heads!!!!!!!! How can one put the blame on the equipment, very simple equipment in this case, and not the user I will never understand this.

 

[scubatwinned]

On boats that I have been on in the tropics, a D/M normally goes down a drop line first, to investigate what the state of the current is at depth. I am surprised that the dive boat operator did not do this (have you heard whether he/she did or not?) Was there ever a lawsuit that came out of it all, by the way? Did you hear anything?

One goes to this dive site for the current. It is called The Peleliu Express or Cut. The word current is always in the same sentence as Peleliu when talking to DM's or divers who have been there for more than a couple of days. The Phillipine Sea and the Pacific meet here, tides and this fact cause the fast currents. Thus the large number of pelagics, thus the want to go there by divers. There was talk of the hubby sueing but I have not heard, this incident happened a few years ago.

 

[scubatwinned]

Unbelievable, I turn on my tv last night and amazingly 'Divers Down' is on and it's on diving in Palau, featuring Blue Corner. They showed the procedure for reef hooking on the site and the way I saw it being done I have no problem with it. They were very selective with where they placed the hooks.

It did look like a very exciting dive though, and I can see how someone might be tempted to push their limits in order to do this dive. Ask yourself this question, if you were in Palau and you had the chance to go on this dive but it would be pushing your skills to the limit, knowing that you might never get back to Palau ever again in your life, would you take the risk?

Blue Corner is one of the best dives you will ever do!!!

The incident was at Peleliu. From what I have gathered from this thread she had less than 20 dives!!!

The current at Blue Corner is a fraction of what it is at Peleliu when the tide is at it's strongest. So one can push it a little more with not having the needed experience and get away with it.(Not saying that this is good) but Peleliu is not so forgiving!!!