Lost Diver in Cozumel, Mexico, February 2016

[mmmbelows]

Some of you seem to have forgotten that we recently lost one of our own. In that instance, the very experienced buddy team had had a shakeup but were essentially back together with eyes on one. But a single moment of looking away and the other diver went missing.

Are you referring to this incident or another one? This incident happened during the day in Cozumel with visibility. Nobody looks away for just a moment in those conditions and the other diver just disappears. There's is a bit more to what happened than just looking away for a moment. The divers had to have additionally be separated by a distance that was out of the range of the visibility that day.

In this case, we don't know how far apart the buddy team actually was from one another. Regardless, if an experienced buddy can look away for a second and a buddy be lost, then it could happen to any buddy team unless tethered together.

Again I don't know what incident you're referring to, she wasn't an experienced diver according to what has been posted here she was young and new to diving. The only way to prevent a buddy from disappearing is to be tethered together? I have to disagree. Dive with me and just try to disappear from me, it will be impossible for you to do.

Whole groups of people have seen divers surface and then one disappears.

Stuff happens, it's very sad but that's the ocean and what can happen to divers in it.

Again can't agree with that, groups don't dive together or are responsible for keeping tabs on individuals, buddies (two people) dive together and if there was a group of people and saw a diver surface and then that diver disappears the responsibility isn't on the group, the question as always would be to the buddy, Where were you?

 

[Ayisha]

Many years ago in Cozumel on a night dive in pretty clear moonlight, we had a videographer who was solo diving near us. He was part of the travel group, but had told everyone not to worry about him. I watched him every once in a while anyway, and at one point, I saw that he had something that drifted onto his face and upper body. I saw him stop and swipe gently at it, and I kept with my buddy. I then stopped and shone my light on him and back on my buddy and the group, but nobody noticed and they kept swimming further away. I thought, "he's an instructor, he'll be fine", and I had to make a decision to help him and lose the group or chase my buddy and group. It was huge and all over his mask and reg as well. He was flailing aimlessly and completely ineffectively with his one free hand, the other on his large video system, so I went to him and grabbed and flung the disgusting thing that was on him, not knowing if it would attach itself to me or why he wasn't able to get it off. We then went and we managed to catch up with the group, and neither they nor my buddy knew I had left the group, or about what happened to him. He thanked me after the dive and I asked him what that was on him, and he said a basket star.

Sometimes when a diver is trying to help someone, whether their buddy or not, they might try to signal other divers or get their attention and they're making quick decisions. If they keep trying, the gap can widen considerably. Hopefully in this kind of situation, especially in a current, one would establish contact first with the diver who needs help and worry about the group later.

 

[chillyinCanada]

No mmmbellows, I was referring to a different but recent loss in an attempt to explain it can happen.

 

[Richard Phillips]

There were 7 client divers and 2 divemasters.
Buddy surfaced shortly after losing visual contact with her mother and began searching.

 

[pendle]

There has been a positive identification of the skull through dental records confirming it is Connie. A small blessing since it will make closure a little bit easier.

God bless and stay safe out there everyone.

 

[KathyV]

There has been a positive identification of the skull through dental records confirming it is Connie. A small blessing since it will make closure a little bit easier. God bless and stay safe out there everyone.

That information has also been posted on the GoFundMe page for Connie, see below. My sympathies are with her friends and family.

"It is with a heavy heart that I update you all with news that Connie's remains have been found. Annie will be flying to Milwaukee tomorrow to be with the family. Thank you all for showing such support to the family during this difficult time."

 

[KathyV]

No mmmbellows, I was referring to a different but recent loss in an attempt to explain it can happen.

I understood your reference and you are right, it does happen and that doesn't mean that someone was at fault. When TS&M was suddenly lost without a trace it really made me understand that if tragedy can strike two such experienced divers - then it can happen anywhere and to anyone.

 

[Bob DBF]

I am a firm believer that divers should be able to safely ascend SOLO. That too can be practiced in a simulated mode under the supervision of the divemaster/instructor.

I am shocked that this is no longer a skill practiced in OW for a lost buddy situation.
Bob

 

[Ron Lee]

I am shocked that this is no longer a skill practiced in OW for a lost buddy situation.
Bob

I do not know if it is or not. We still do not know exactly what happened and probably never will. It seems the best that we can do is make reasoned assumptions and try to reduce the chance of it happening again.

The suggestion for a private divemaster is one that I got from Blue XTSea some time ago. It makes sense but I doubt that dive shops will make it a common requirement or that almost all novice divers will see it and go that route to learn the skills that they need to dive safely on Cozumel.

This is not a suggestion that Cozumel is dangerous. Novice divers get their start in Cozumel every day. This type event is rare but in my opinion can become even less common.

What if the comment that there were two divemasters on the dive is true? Could one have stayed back to monitor the two women? I monitor the entire group during descent and periodically during the dive. It costs nothing other than a few seconds to scan the area, count the number of divers and see if anything looks problematic.

 

[KathyV]

You would be shocked how quick anything dead on a reef is consumed...Even in my 90 gallon reef tank, if a descent sized fish were to die, it would disappear within several hours.

I admit I expected that the remains would not turn out to be the missing diver because it seemed unlikely (to me) that a human body could decompose so quickly, even at sea.

When my husband's uncle died on the Great Lakes during a yacht race (his boat was lost with all hands in a sudden storm) his body washed up on a beach a month later. There was significant decomposition but his body was still generally intact and clothed. His keys were in his pocket and that helped with the identification. But of course that is cold, fresh water with much, much less life than the warm reefs of Cozumel.

This is an uncomfortable subject but I do know from my husband's family that it does bring some closure to find and identify the remains; so I am sure that her family are grateful to the search and rescue divers that made the discovery.

Shakespeare usually has something pertinent to say about almost every subject and Ariel's Song in the Tempest reminds us that we are mortals and therefore our bodies can easily undergo "a sea change".

Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.