Scuba Diver Panic from 15 meters - Scuba Diving Incident Analysis

[GioPuma]

I was smacking the guy in the face with a regulator as he bolted to the surface. I slowed him down. It was surreal. Thankfully he was exhaling all the way up (yelling) or he'd die from a lung overexpansion injury.



I feel I was woefully unprepared in my IDC for identifying and dealing with full blown active panic (I'm sure I'm inviting a lot of criticism for stating such). This is all hindsight of course. Am I prepared now? Don't honestly know, just better than I was. As I teach small open water courses (2 at a time) and have changed how I teach dramatically over time, I feel that some of the discomfort is mitigated. But never entirely eliminated. That'd be pure delusional hubris to believe that.

I think that the purpose of the training is not to eliminate that discomfort. In fact that would be a very dangerous thing to happen.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I think that the purpose of the training is not to eliminate that discomfort. In fact that would be a very dangerous thing to happen.

Stress/anxiety inhibits people to act, and can increase respiration rate, generating more CO2 which is far more narcotic that oxygen or nitrogen.

Non-stress/non-anxious students perform and learn better.

 

[GioPuma]

yes, I do not think we are disagreeing. I agree with what you are saying about stress/anxiety but I was referring to the insetting of complacency that can happen when the lack of the mental "discomfort" translates in over-confidence.
Let me put it differently:
I think that the fact that your mental "discomfort" is still there, while not degenerating in stress, fear or full blown panic, allows you to be more alert and it is something to be welcomed.
The water is not our natural environment and a small problem can easily become a big one while underwater. No training should ever make you feel comfortable about this fact. It should make you appreciate this fact and give you the tools to make the best decision to avoid trouble or to manage it in case it arises.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I had an open water student panic. Fortunately it was 1:1, so I just rode up with her, slowed her down and ensured she exhaled. The problem was that the shop (now out of business) had really bad/poorly maintained regs (bought from another dive shop that went out of business), so she had trouble breathing.

I don't know how often crappy regs are provided to students or as rentals, but it does happen and takes fun out of diving.

Now if she was breathing slowly/properly (this was back when I first started teaching, so on the knees, no practice/discussing yoga breaths), she may not have bolted. But I think the real solution is to provide at least regs that don't breath like a clogged straw.

Complacency is another matter.

 

[Adamastor]

I cannot imaging forcing a regulator into someone’s mouth making things better. Has anyone known that work?

When forcing a regulator in someone's mouth, you may literally knock some teeth out, as a panicked diver will tend to keep the mouth shut tight.
In such case, it will neither work, nor end up well.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

When forcing a regulator in someone's mouth, you may literally knock some teeth out, as a panicked diver will tend to keep the mouth shut tight.
In such case, it will neither work, nor end up well.

If the panicked diver has their mouth shut tight, won't they burst a lung heading to the surface?

The panicked diver I had was screaming the whole way (until he clocked me and I lost him). That screaming is what saved him. This is one isolated incident. I make no claims that other panicked diver scenarios will be the same.

I'm glad I was there to help, but man, I wouldn't want to be doing this on a regular basis.

 

[Raphus]

I had something similar.. only 4m deep in the pool.

Forced the reg back in, which surprisingly worked. But then the student didnt continue breathing. I cleared the reg with the purge button,but the student is still holding their breath. Glad it was only 4m and the lung was probably pretty empty.nothing happend. But it scared the *** out of me.

I thing there is nothing i could have done.
I always tell them to keep breathing, or at least exhale when going up. And never spit out the reg. But sometimes its not enough.

 

[Dan]

I never understand how someone would spit out regulator. What next? Inhaling the water? These kind of people should not be scuba divers.

 

[Raphus]

I never understand how someone would spit out regulator. What next? Inhaling the water? These kind of people should not be scuba divers.

They dont understand that, too.
They know its wrong. They always apologize on the surface.
But in panic, there are no smart decisions.
Panic kills

 

[Friedolays]

Hey Jim! Nice to see you on scubaboard!

Ive been following you on youtube for almost 2 years!

My question for you is.. if a diver takes in water due to being out of air is it possible for them to recover breathing if an air source is introduced back to them? Or are they drowning at that point, uncontrollably, citing an immediate assisted assent ?

Also, if you are out of air, and holding onto your last breath, say finning to your buddy who is not aware of your situation and a little too far away..will the distressed diver be able to resist gasping to the point they pass out from lack of oxygen or do they first involuntarily gasp, taking on a full lung of water?

I know these are fairly vague questions with other factors coming into play, but if you could share some insight into these scenarios i would very much appreciate your response.

Thanks !
Dan