Shanghai diver drowns in Philippines

[Pearlman]

I dived Verde on two vacations and I found the site challenging in terms of safety - to ensure I didn't get swept away or become a liability for others on the dive.

I thought it would take a very brave buddy or foolhardy one to come after you once you get swept away from here. I am not sure a search is even possible at this place without a dive scooter. I can imagine the others watch helplessly from the sheltered reef wall while the poor diver floundered and struggled to inflate his BCD. I once stayed at La Laguana too and recall the members of the Dive shop, though I didn't dive Verde with them.

(Posting a quick 40 sec glimpse of the currents at the site, from my collection)

RIP dear departed Diver!

 

[Richard Lee]

This man was the father of my childhood best friend. Eugene Guo. Weeks before his death, Eugene was discussing plans to apply for school in the USA. I cannot imagine how much of a shock this must be, to overcome the death of a parent at the age of 14. He was a uplifting man during his life.

 

[Richard Lee]

He graduated from the University of Los Angles, he worked for multiple conpanies during his life.

 

[Richard Lee]

Here’s the obituary if you are intereasted. God bless him and his family.

 

[Richard Lee]

His funeral is on the 3rd of March 2018. I wish all of us here can give him a second of silence.

 

[Dan]

RIP Kai Guo. Condolences to his family & friends.

This accident reminds me of the importance of having DSMB & the skill to launch it underwater. It can be used as backup BCD if the power inflator failed to work (quick connect got disconnected or broken hose). Also dumping off the weights. The first goal is to get myself afloat (positively buoyant). I rather have AGE and rescued than drown & recovered.

 

[Centrals]

RIP Kai Guo. Condolences to his family & friends.

This accident reminds me of the importance of having DSMB & the skill to launch it underwater. It can be used as backup BCD if the power inflator failed to work (quick connect got disconnected or broken hose). Also dumping off the weights. The first goal is to get myself afloat (positively buoyant). I rather have AGE and rescued than drown & recovered.

He had no business to dive Verde Island. DSMB or whatnot would not had saved his life.
The fault is entirely on his instructor/tour operator by bringing him there.

 

[Dan]

He had no business to dive Verde Island. DSMB or whatnot would not had saved his life.
The fault is entirely on his instructor/tour operator by bringing him there.

That’s clear as discussed in previous post. I’m talking about what I learnt from it. If that happens to me, like my BCD is flooded due to broken inflator hose & facing down current in the blue water.

Also there were lots of drown divers with weights still on them. Dumping those weights needs to be ingrained in my head when facing such situation.

I had an experience a down current in Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia in search of oceanic mola mola (see my avatar). DM gave a good briefing about how to prepare for it & warning us to NOT swimming too far in the blue water, away from the slope. I felt the current pushing me down, my air bubbles going down to the abyss, ear start to hurt. I swam toward the slope & started to rock climb underwater back to the shallow with mask facing the down current to avoid being rip off my face.

 

[Centrals]

His funeral is on the 3rd of March 2018. I wish all of us here can give him a second of silence.

What is your message to the instructor?

 

[Pearlman]

DM gave a good briefing about how to prepare for it & warning us to NOT swimming too far in the blue water, away from the slope. I felt the current pushing me down, my air bubbles going down to the abyss, ear start to hurt. I swam toward the slope & started to rock climb underwater back to the shallow with mask facing the down current to avoid being rip off my face.

You mean even though you were not far away from the slope but practically clinging on to it, there were still down currents hitting the wall?

P