Underwater Vortex from Hell? Socorro Island

[Diving Dubai]

That looks terrifying. Bubbles like to go up, anything that prevents them from doing so is a powerful force. Thanks for posting.

If I saw someone trapped like that, I would say that a basic principle of Rescue is that you wouldn't do anything that was likely to create a second victim. Even sending a line looks like it would be more likely to get tangled up than help.

It was a tiny current, with respect to the vertical area it affected. Simply inflating their bcd a bit would have broken them out of it where then they could swim away while dumping excess air from the bcd to prevent a fast ascent

 

[Gone for diving]

Looks at times he trying hard to stay in the vortex...
Seems a bit fake that he can't get out of it, mean while buddy swims back and forth relatively close by and
Camara man keeps recording???????

Personally looks like fun. I'll give it a try no problem...

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Looks at times he trying hard to stay in the vortex...
Seems a bit fake that he can't get out of it, mean while buddy swims back and forth relatively close by and
Camara man keeps recording???????

Personally looks like fun. I'll give it a try no problem...

I agree. I dive in the Clackamas River, near Portland, Oregon, USA a lot, and bubbles going horizontal are pretty common. A current of 1-2 knots will do that to bubbles, and it is not a problem to get out of such a current. I think this diver was trying really hard to keep into this vortex.

SeaRat

 

[O-ring]

I think by the final frames that the diver was finally able to slay the evil vortex with that giant BFK thus freeing himself. Hey, whatever gets the most views on social media, right? Need to change title to "OMG AMAZING FATAL VORTEX STABBED TO DEATH BY DIVER - MUST SEE!!!11!11" for moar views.

 

[tr3a]

Wife & I got stuck in a vortex in Palau (2013). Did not know what it was until told by other divers not in vortex (actually twin vortexes). Very strange. exhaust bubbles went down. Hard to get to surface even with inflated wing. We were dragged back down twice before reaching surface (confirmed by DC profile)