Tragedy in Utah

[Rossiapacifica]

There was a dive fatality last Friday in Fish Lake, Utah. Although Utah is not thought
of as a dive haven, there is an active community there that participates in high altitude
lake diving. Fish Lake is an alpine lake that is approximately 8,700 feet in elevation.

Here is an article.

Here is information on diving in Fish Lake.

Please be compassionate in your thoughts, discussions, and questions.
Does anyone know further details?

Rossiapacifica

 

[DandyDon]

Unfortunate. We lose more divers to car wrecks than the sport, but still sad.

I read these in hopes of learning about mistakes and preventions, though. I do hope such will be forthcoming.

 

[northcoast_diver]

...I read these in hopes of learning about mistakes and preventions, though. I do hope such will be forthcoming.

Buddy separation is often, about half the time, one of the factors stated in fatal accidents. We appear also to have it evident in this incident.

Diving side by side, with your buddy in constant view, is a good way to maintain constant visual contact. Using a short buddy line works well too.

Ascending after a dive, face to face, is a good way to stay in contact during the ascent phase. That is also true for the descent phase as well.

It is really sad and painful when something like this happens to someone with a family and kids. Very painful. Sad to hear.

 

[Jim Ernst]

sorry to hear, best wishes to the family!

 

[TwoBitTxn]

My first impression is this could be a case where a medical issue arose while she was diving (i.e. heart attack) that could have caused her death.

Sincerest condolances to the familiy and friends.

TwoBit

 

[MikeFerrara]

Unfortunate. We lose more divers to car wrecks than the sport, but still sad.

I'm not so sure. First of all you're skill as a driver is of no matter when you're diving so they seem to be totally independant.

But even so, since I've been diving I know of more divers who died diving than driving.

I read these in hopes of learning about mistakes and preventions, though. I do hope such will be forthcoming.

I don't think we know enough to even guess at what happened here. The one thing that should be noted though is that ascents and descents are two dynamic portions of a dive when problems are most likely to happen.

It's also the portions of the dive where divers often do a poor job of staying together and aware of eachother. Divers being seperated on ascent or descent when something happens to one of them is reoccurring theme in dive accidents.

 

[DandyDon]

Diving is such a rare treat for me that when my buddy hits ascent pressure so much earlier than I do, it's tempting to think "He can ascend on his own, and I'm qualified to solo with my Pony." Bad thoughts. I don't remember actually seeing this put this way, which could be my memory problem only, but perhaps we need to remind each other more:

The one thing that should be noted though is that ascents and descents are two dynamic portions of a dive when problems are most likely to happen.

In my enthusiasm to get in and down, I have to remind myself to meet my bud at 15 ft for a OK-check, descend together even if he lags, then at the end, stay close on the ascents, just in case the usually boring part gets exciting. ScubbaKevDM's recent experience with a post DCS buddy who took a paralyzing hit at the safety stop really drove this home for me.

And these are why I spend so much time here.

 

[jlayman800]

Here is an article.

SLC physician dies in scuba accident

By Michael N. Westley

The Salt Lake Tribune





A scuba-diving accident at Fish Lake claimed the life of a Salt Lake City physician Friday, police said.

Investigators in Sevier County are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine how Deborah Robinson, 53, died while on a dive late Friday afternoon. Fish Lake, 25 miles southeast of Richfield, is a popular diving spot.

Robinson's dive partner, Myron Barrett, told police they were surfacing from a depth of about 30 feet when they were separated. Barrett stopped his ascent and waited at 15 feet for several minutes but did not see Robinson. After surfacing, he went to shore for help. Robinson was found floating in the water around 6:30 p.m. and was taken to Sevier Valley Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.


SOMETIMES THESE ARTICLES ARE LOST SO I THOUGHT I WOULD PASTE THE DIVING SAFETY RELEVANT INFORMATION HERE. AFTER READING THESE FOR THE LAST 3 OR 4 MONTHS, IT SEEMS LIKE DIVING ACCIDENTS TAKE TWO FORMS (FOR THE MOST PART), PEOPLE WHO MAKE MISTAKES DUE TO INEXPERIENCE AND OLD FAT MEN (OF WHICH I AM ONE) WHO SUFFER OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS WHILE DIVING.

 

[DandyDon]

Preety good sumation. I'd suggesgt a couple of changes:

" IT SEEMS LIKE DIVING ACCIDENTS TAKE TWO FORMS (FOR THE MOST PART), PEOPLE WHO MAKE MISTAKES DUE TO INEXPERIENCE, careleesness, or just ignoring their training AND some WHO SUFFER OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS WHILE DIVING."

 

[diveprojeff]

My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends