My first incident...

[Raphus]

I think you did a good job.

Get knowlede about doubles and longhoses.
And always always carry at least 1 cutting tool. A knife could be not enough to cut a harnes fast. Trilo is better for that job. Or shears.

Diving in such a cold environment has its own risks.
Like diver 1 said, avoid leaving the gear in the cold before the dive.
And if you dive a second time, or the next day. Keep the stuff dry and warm.

Rescue class might prepare you a litle bit. But tbh i didnt learn anything in the class, that would prepare me for a failed wing with doubles...

His doubles were probably not full.
20 seconds LP freeflow after 8 min divetime is very fast for doubles. A 80cft is emtpy in about 70-80s

 

[sea_ledford]

OP, it sounds like you did a great job! I always tell my rescue students that I don't care how pretty or ugly it looks to get someone to the surface, as long as you get them there!

"one half of the bladder was one big hole ..... the tanks and backplate was separated because of the explosion"
"The harness was still on .... the real problem was that the twin tanks went off from the harness"
"

This part doesn't make any sense. They only way I can see that happening is if the wing was not between the back plate and tanks? The pictures seem to indicate that the wing was only held on by the bolts as well. So it sounds like Diver 1 had the wing, then plate, then tanks? It sounds like a complete mis-configuration of a traditional double setup.

 

[lowwall]

This part doesn't make any sense. They only way I can see that happening is if the wing was not between the back plate and tanks? The pictures seem to indicate that the wing was only held on by the bolts as well.

The OP clarified in post 19. The plate did not detach from the harness. The OP saw the backplate hanging partially down because Diver 1 had managed to get one shoulder out.

What's weird is that an overinflated wing somehow separated the tanks off the backplate. Did the diver use damaged plastic nuts to hold the doubles bands on? Maybe a grossly undersize nut on an aluminum plate that pulled through?

@Christozs Did you happen to get a look or picture of the doubles bands when this was all over? Anyway, you did a good job in a tough situation.

 

[johndiver999]

I'm still not sure I understand, but I think if we reached the surface and things were not in control to my satisfaction, I would have tried to ditch the victim's lead (after I supplied the octopus). Screwing around with knives.... when bubbles are everywhere and the water is freezing, dexterity is seriously compromised by cold (and leak) and nobody can hardly talk because of noise and hoods... sounds like a difficult situation.

My priority would be to try to make sure the guy doesn't leave the surface until the situation is understood and in control. He can try to get me to buy him a new weightbelt afterward, if I screwed up.

 

[Marie13]

I have to admit this is one of the strangest diving incidents I’ve read about here.

 

[Gareth J]

@Christozs

First point, well done. Everyone got out of the water in one piece. Some may need to change their underwear, but still a good result.

Second point, and no insult to @Christozs , his unfamiliarity with the twinset, increases the risk of misinformation. So trying to determine the actual configuration and failure is prone to mis interpretation.

Third point. Cold water diving presents additional complication and risk. Primarily around the issue of icing, be that first or second stage, inflators etc. In addition, is the drop in individual performance once some one gets cold, including rational thinking, dexterity, physical strength and co-ordination. All of these need to be anticipated, with an acceptance that aborting the dive early due to cold is an important part of the dive plan.

Fourth point. Whilst diving a drysuit is reasonably straight forward, getting training and advice at the start is to be encourage, even if it is not a formal course. Unfortunately, if it is not a formal course (and even with a formal course), the quality of what you are taught can be very variable.

Fifth point. Dive protocols, such as buddy checks are there for a reason. Often as a direct result of lessons learned through lose of life. Ignoring them significantly increase risk of an accident. There is such a thing as normalisation of deviance. Which basically means the more often you break or ignore a rule, with no adverse consequence, the more 'normal' and 'acceptable' it becomes, and the more rules that are subsequently broken. You may go a lifetime with no adverse consequence, or it might bite you in the arse or worse.
Starting a dive with a problem, is not good practice. i.e. normalisation of deviance!

Diving with divers who are not competent increase risk. Whilst everyone needs to learn. Understand this point!
Diving in a three is much more difficult. Know who is leading.
With an inexperienced diver (or poor diver), someone needs to pay attention to the poor diver. If attention is being paid to that diver, attention is not being paid to you. Understand this!
A poor diver seldom has good situation awareness, and may not be aware of what is happening, to them or others! i.e. they are unreliable when things go wrong.

There is stuff you know you know, there is stuff you know you don't know, and there is stuff you don't know you don't know. That applies to everyone, even the best divers. Continuing your education, increase the first two points, and decreases the last. But never forget the last point!

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

@Christozs

Great writeup. Great that you shared your experiences. You obviously learned from this and won't repeat these mistakes.

Did Diver1 use Delrin nuts to secure the bolts for his cylinder bands? I've heard of those getting worn out over time and eventually coming off.

Honestly, I'd suggest taking GUE fundies next instead, and learn team based diving, as well as improving fundamental skills.

EDIT: I see how the holes in the wing were ripped. But I still don't see how that would come off, as the bolts go through steel in the bands, through the wing, through the backplate, to nuts that secure them.

 

[Bierstadt]

@Christozs

Great writeup. Great that you shared your experiences. You obviously learned from this and won't repeat these mistakes.

Did Diver1 use Delrin nuts to secure the bolts for his cylinder bands? I've heard of those getting worn out over time and eventually coming off.

Honestly, I'd suggest taking GUE fundies next instead, and learn team based diving, as well as improving fundamental skills.

EDIT: I see how the holes in the wing were ripped. But I still don't see how that would come off, as the bolts go through steel in the bands, through the wing, through the backplate, to nuts that secure them.

Think it through. Pressurized air bomb goes off, (probably Delrin) nuts instantly strip as tanks and bands and threaded steel rod all head directly backwards from the blast, and the poor wing throughbolt points shred from the threaded rod passing out of them. While the nut material is speculation, it fits the evidence.

The OP took the best possible action in taking the victim directly to shore. Well done.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Think it through. Pressurized air bomb goes off, (probably Delrin) nuts instantly strip as tanks and bands and threaded steel rod all head directly backwards from the blast, and the poor wing throughbolt points shred from the threaded rod passing out of them. While the nut material is speculation, it fits the evidence.

I went back and reread the OP's comment in post #19. So the bladder failed. While I've never experienced or seen a bladder failure, I have trouble thinking that this would be sufficient force to make the nuts fail, unless those were in really poor condition. I don't want to crucify Diver1, but it doesn't sound like properly maintained gear, as many people dive routinely in colder conditions.

 

[Bierstadt]

I went back and reread the OP's comment in post #19. So the bladder failed. While I've never experienced or seen a bladder failure, I have trouble thinking that this would be sufficient force to make the nuts fail, unless those were in really poor condition. I don't want to crucify Diver1, but it doesn't sound like properly maintained gear, as many people dive routinely in colder conditions.

I know what you mean, but I can only follow the evidence as it was told to us. Also I was ice diving this past weekend and EVERYTHING was freezing other than first stages. Freezing cold plus water equals ice, good luck getting that inflator to work again now, etc. So this particular form of equipment failure is quite fresh in my mind. I find it a bit odd that his exhaust valve froze while still immersed, but if it was cold enough anything can freeze.