Possible death on the oriskany Nov 14, 2009

[lamont]

Red / pink froth sure seems to come up a lot in accidents.

That is blood + lung surfactant and just indicates lung injury.

It could be IPE, but lung barotrauma and drowning will lead to lung injury as well.

Just because IPE leads to red/pink froth doesn't mean that all the causes of red/pink froth are IPE.

 

[Jax]

Agreed! I'm wondering if there perhaps are more IPE injuries that go hidden behind drownings and such. I just read a Navy write-up on "Chest" website where special forces in training have developed IPE. Strangely, since they swim on their side to keep an eye on their partner, the IPE develops in the side that is mostly underwater. Such an odd affliction.

And if it is happening to our highest-trained people in tip-top shape, perhaps there is more to this then "a rare happening".

For instance, DAN cites increasing incidences . . . increasing, truly? Or increasing because people are becoming more aware and it is being diagnosed correctly more often?

 

[Hetland]

Agreed! I'm wondering if there perhaps are more IPE injuries that go hidden behind drownings and such.

I spoke to a reliable source recently and this subject came up (we were both at the Oriskany at the time of the accident). My source was a technical/rebreather diver, and was privy to the results of the investigation. But, it's still 3rd hand info, so take it FWIW.

• There was a significant equipment issue with the diver's system.
• The equipment issue was serious, but would not have lead to immediate injury.
• The diver (and everyone else diving that day) suffered exertion due to dive conditions.
• The diver's exertion likely masked symptoms caused by the equipment issue.
• The diver lost consciousness at depth.

Hope this info helps someone.

 

[Cave Diver]

• There was a significant equipment issue with the diver's system.
• The equipment issue was serious, but would not have lead to immediate injury.

Some of the recent accidents got me thinking about some of the previous accidents and wondering if the increase in CCR for technical diving may lead to a revision of the rules of accident analysis for overhead diving to include maintenance issues.

 

[NoBreather]

The scrubber o-ring was left out during pre-dive assembly of the rebreather. This allowed CO2 to bypass the scrubber.

His airway was not open during the assent, leading to the lung trauma.

 

[Jax]

The scrubber o-ring was left out during pre-dive assembly of the rebreather. This allowed CO2 to bypass the scrubber.

His airway was not open during the assent, leading to the lung trauma.

So he passed out from the CO2?

 

[Hetland]

So he passed out from the CO2?

That is my understanding. The symptoms that could have alerted the diver to the problem, and given him a chance to switch to his bailout, were masked because he had exerted himself on his descent.

Had the conditions been better, he might have been able to self-rescue.

 

[rigdiver]

The unit had more issues than the O-ring being left out. It would not pass the negative pressure test. It was a modified unit, not stock. And, my source is first hand. Don't bother asking a name.
Bill