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Queensland fatality - Australia
- Thread starter DandyDon
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clownfishsydney
Contributor
We heard about this as we motored our yacht into Townsville Marina two days ago when a cargo ship relayed a message from the dive boat to the port control over the VHF radio asking for assistance in locating a missing diver. Lodestone Reef is north-west of Townsville and off Palm Island. Over the next couple of hours we head the relayed messages and the following is what we believe happened.
They arrived at Lodestone at 1000. They entered the water at 1045. She surfaced at 1115 (not clear if everyone did) and then disappeared. They searched for 15 mins and then called for help which we heard. A rescue helicopter was sent (we believe) but it did not get there till 1250 at the earliest. She was found at sometime (at least 90 minutes after she went missing) and declared dead. They came back to the marina about 1630 or 1700 and we saw the Police and other authorities with the boat and the passengers were not allowed to leave. We believe the woman was Canadian.
Conditions that day were not good, we had to bash into a very strong 22 knot southerly which was creating very rough waves, although they would have had the wind behind them for the trip out. We were going to dive the SS Yongala with the operator the day before but did not due to other commitments and were going to dive the Yongala today with them but the weather forecast was not good (as it turns out today is nice here). We may go out with this operator next Wednesday.
My suspicion is that this could be another case of IPE (immersion pulmonary edemia). Very sad.
They arrived at Lodestone at 1000. They entered the water at 1045. She surfaced at 1115 (not clear if everyone did) and then disappeared. They searched for 15 mins and then called for help which we heard. A rescue helicopter was sent (we believe) but it did not get there till 1250 at the earliest. She was found at sometime (at least 90 minutes after she went missing) and declared dead. They came back to the marina about 1630 or 1700 and we saw the Police and other authorities with the boat and the passengers were not allowed to leave. We believe the woman was Canadian.
Conditions that day were not good, we had to bash into a very strong 22 knot southerly which was creating very rough waves, although they would have had the wind behind them for the trip out. We were going to dive the SS Yongala with the operator the day before but did not due to other commitments and were going to dive the Yongala today with them but the weather forecast was not good (as it turns out today is nice here). We may go out with this operator next Wednesday.
My suspicion is that this could be another case of IPE (immersion pulmonary edemia). Very sad.
Ayisha
Contributor
OP
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Ken Kurtis
Contributor
At the risk of sounding like the Speculation Police . . .
1. There's nothing in the report, let alone an autopsy, to indicate IPE. Plenty of divers have made it to the surface and sunk and it wasn't IPE.
2. Although perhaps a fair assumption, there's also nothing in the report to indicate that she was found with weights on OR off, only that she was found at the bottom, 30-35 feet down. We don't know her height/weight or what gear she was wearing. In a skin and a steel tank, if she's skinny and has no air in her lungs, she might be negatively bouyant regardless. In the good old days when we were all skinnier, I used to warm-water dive and didn't need any weight. No one knows if she was wearing weight or not.
Point is, why speculate, let alone come to conclusions - or at least offer theories - on which there is absolutely zero evidence.
Just my (usual) two cents.
- Ken
1. There's nothing in the report, let alone an autopsy, to indicate IPE. Plenty of divers have made it to the surface and sunk and it wasn't IPE.
2. Although perhaps a fair assumption, there's also nothing in the report to indicate that she was found with weights on OR off, only that she was found at the bottom, 30-35 feet down. We don't know her height/weight or what gear she was wearing. In a skin and a steel tank, if she's skinny and has no air in her lungs, she might be negatively bouyant regardless. In the good old days when we were all skinnier, I used to warm-water dive and didn't need any weight. No one knows if she was wearing weight or not.
Point is, why speculate, let alone come to conclusions - or at least offer theories - on which there is absolutely zero evidence.
Just my (usual) two cents.
- Ken
clownfishsydney
Contributor
The article in the Townsville paper said she was "experienced with 30 dives" which is rubbish. I believe that she was found well after 1220 as we heard radio calls well after this that indicated she was still missing. Other information I have indicates she surfaced, was seen, and then disappeared. Yes, it is speculation on my behalf, but based on many other accidents and what I know here, I think IPE is a very high possibility.
Ken Kurtis
Contributor
All right clownfishsydney, I'll bite: Please share with us the specific details or facts of this accident that would point to IPE at the exclusion of other causes. I'm truly curious.
- Ken
- Ken
I don't see anything indicating that she surfaced then sank. Clownfishsydney did you hear that on the radio? It would be awful to be hearing a tragedy unfold on the air like that and not be able to do anything other than listen in frustration!
OP
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Agree with Ken; IPE is a stretch.
So, what else makes sense given the assumption that she did indeed surface, and disappear?
Few dives, so air embolism due to accidental breath hold, perhaps during a rapid ascent?
Personal health issue - heart attack, stroke.
The coroner will probably find she drowned.
Possible lessons to learn - practice your drills! Remove the weight belt!
Remind yourself every dive, do not hold your breath - hum on your ascent, it is a method.
Make sure you get an annual health check and are fit before you dive.
So, what else makes sense given the assumption that she did indeed surface, and disappear?
Few dives, so air embolism due to accidental breath hold, perhaps during a rapid ascent?
Personal health issue - heart attack, stroke.
The coroner will probably find she drowned.
Possible lessons to learn - practice your drills! Remove the weight belt!
Remind yourself every dive, do not hold your breath - hum on your ascent, it is a method.
Make sure you get an annual health check and are fit before you dive.
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