Red Sea OOA fatality - Saudi Arabia

[DandyDon]

https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/diver-dies-air-runs-081642413.html

A diver has drowned in Tabuk after his air ran out while he was still underwater. Ibrahim Itwidi and three other friends went on a diving trip to the south of Sharma and descended to a depth of 50 meters (165 feet) where air consumption is very high, according to diving officials.
Itwidi was astonished to find that his air supply had finished, causing him to ascend to the surface at a high speed. This was a mistake, as it caused his lungs to expand the moment he started ascending. His friend was next to him and tried to catch him but he could not.
When he reached the surface he found Itwidi unconscious at the surface. The friend tried to resuscitate him but failed. He then pulled him to the shore and tried to remove water from his lungs through resuscitation, but his efforts were in vain.
They then telephoned the Border Guard and requested help. Red Crescent paramedics arrived but they pronounced Itwidi dead.

 

[boulderjohn]

Sad. According to a joint PADI/DA study completed a few years ago, the number one preventable cause of diver death was an air embolism preceded by a rapid ascent to the surface preceded by being OOA.

I wonder what kind of training and experience the diver had before doing a dive to 165 feet.

 

[radinator]

Reminds me of this video of a near accident.

 

[ajduplessis]

Very sad to hear. I would also not be surprised if this dive was done on a single cylinder with air. I want to blame the instructor for the lack of knowledge transfer, but I have seen to many divers "trash" everything they have learn and do their own thing. What is 'strange" is that they only had the single fatality as the entire dive party was ill prepared.

No dive planning
Inappropriate gas supply
No gas sharing with buddy
No dive planning
No dive planning
No dive planning