Two missing in Tulum

[ChuckP]

Just seen this posted on Facebook El Policiaco / Q Roo - I am in Cozumel with no info.

#TULUM
OPERATIVE RESCUE RESCUE IMPLEMENT OF EXTRAVIATED BUZOS INSIDE A CENOT
* From 4 pm they should have emerged from the waters but unfortunately it was not so; specialized divers find themselves looking hopelessly to find them alive
A diver and a tourist have been astray for a few hours, after entering the depths of a cenote in the park ′′ Dos Ejos ′′ located in Jacinto Pat in the municipality of Tulum, which has mobilized the authorities, those who do rescue work to find them.
According to information collected so far, the two subjects arrived at the scene with a group of people to conduct diving activities in one of the park's water bodies, both entered the cenote caves and should have emerged around 4 in the afternoon but that did not happen, so his companions immediately gave notice to the authorities.
It was at that time when the number of emergencies 911 reported the disappearance of both people and the Municipal Civil Protection Coordination implemented a search operative to find them through a group of specialized divers, who will conduct search work in the last one point at which both subjects might be found, however unfortunately there is no hope of finding them alive.

 

[ChuckP]

Update - divers found alive!!

Tulum al Minuto
tSp4mohrnsoreld ·

#Tulum

| #Breaking | A dome with air helped the two divers lost in the cenote of Two Eyes Park survive.
A 4-hour search by experts helped to find two divers who had gone astray inside a cenote of Parque Two Eyes alive.
An intense pursuit by experts achieved the location of the two men who during the afternoon should have emerged from the water, but because of their oxygen depleted, they decided to search for an air dome, so they could survive in what the teams of rescue were preparing to be able to locate them.
It was the night when they were finally located inside the cenote of Park Two Eyes and where they were already waiting for them to give them first responders after staying underwater time.

This is from a previous article before they were found:

Tulum al Minuto
tS6ephonsosreda ·

#Tulum

| #UPDATE Finally authorities confirm that they managed to rescue two divers alive in the Two Eyes Park area.
A diving instructor and tourist have been missing for more than 3 hours in the Two Eyes Park area, where experts are already maneuvering to find the two people.
According to data provided by authorities, around 16:00 hours through the emergency number 911 reported the disappearance of these two people who entered a cenote to conduct diving activities.
But after the estimated schedule ended, they began to see that the two subjects did not emerge from the cavernous areas of the cenote, so they immediately advised the authorities, themselves as they implement a search operative to find the two people.
So far the identity of the two subjects is unknown, only claiming that it is a dive guide and another is a tourist who was doing the above activity.

 

[chillyinCanada]

It's good to hear this outcome!

 

[Raphus]

Good ending.
If they were in a airdome for hours.
This would "count" as divetime, and they have a huge deco time, deoending of the depth of course, right?

 

[JohnRom]

Possibly no deco obligation if the airdome was open to the surface (so not under pressure).

 

[Caveeagle]

Good ending.
If they were in a airdome for hours.
This would "count" as divetime, and they have a huge deco time, deoending of the depth of course, right?

Not in Mexico. Most of that cave has depths around 15-30’. It’s pretty safe to assume this air dome was above the water table.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Were they in the batcave, perhaps? Yes, that's a thing at Dos Ojos. I'm not being snarky.

Thank god they were found. Goes to show anything can happen, even in the most serene of places.

 

[ChuckP]

Glad they were found - Wondering how that four hour conversation went? Also - what's the tip ettiquette after that?

 

[Marie13]

How’s they get off the line is what I’m wondering.

Tip? No tip!

 

[kierentec]

How’s they get off the line is what I’m wondering.

Tip? No tip!

Guided cavern tours in Mexico are done quite carelessly. It's common for cavern guides to take their groups off the line (and far more often than you would like to think, well beyond the cavern zone) to "show them the cool stuff" (cool formation, bones, pottery, halocline, etc.). Also, there is rarely any instruction on how to actually follow a guideline or what to do in an emergency.

The guides obviously don't have any ill intent but they are often very inexperienced cave divers who got cheap training with the sole purpose of becoming a cavern guide.

TDI actually made an effort a few years ago to improve the situation by creating an actual standard for these experiences. The standard requires that if a TDI/SDI professional is to guide anyone into the overhead, they must be a cavern instructor, and there are requirements for land drills about low visibility line following and an open water session to practice skills before going in the overhead. While the standard is quite clearly written, it is largely ignored as there is no oversight and none of the other agencies require the same.