clownfishsydney
Contributor
A Vanuatu newspaper article on the death: Mother of President Coolidge diving fatality wants action taken - Vanuatu Daily Post: News
US Expat fatality in Vanuatu
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Quite a bit of handwaving by the president of the VSOA, there...
Too much flag waving and vested interest to clearly see the issue at hand. Resolving the root cause of the incident would put to bed most divers concerns and allow tourism to increase.
Flag waving and ongoing self justifications do nothing more than scare people off. Not what anyone wants on either side of this issue.
Flag waving and ongoing self justifications do nothing more than scare people off. Not what anyone wants on either side of this issue.
I dove with Aquamarine back in 2010 or 2011. I was there for 10 days, and did 2 technical dives per day, 14 dives total. Having done deep penetrations below 110 meters here in the Great Lakes, I was very comfortable on (and in) the wreck and we covered it from bow to stern. I had no complaints with my guide, but everyday I heard nothing but grumbling and complaining from all of the guides about Rehan, which was awkward as a client. No question in my mind that Rehan was dollar driven, not service or customer driven. In the end, he took money from me and didn't provide what he said he would. He would never answer my emails after that. I only lost a few hundred dollars to him, but it's the principle that bothers me. No, I wouldn't dive with Aquamarine again.
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Excerpting from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11579980 - hit link for full report
clownfishsydney
Contributor
Again, if you want to read the full story as well as see the NZ Coroner's Report and the NZ Police Report, go to my web site http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/viewpage.php?page_id=893.
Ayisha
Contributor
From the above article: "He made a "personal recommendation" to all divers, saying they should be confident and competent in their equipment, which should be of the correct size, and have good quality air in their cylinders".
In addition to the info regarding oily tasting gas, apparent lack of compressor (and other gear) maintenance, engine oil usage, filters seemingly not being changed, etc., was a carboxyhemoglobin test conducted post-mortem, and is the result known? (Notwithstanding all the other issues that may be at play in this incident).
In addition to the info regarding oily tasting gas, apparent lack of compressor (and other gear) maintenance, engine oil usage, filters seemingly not being changed, etc., was a carboxyhemoglobin test conducted post-mortem, and is the result known? (Notwithstanding all the other issues that may be at play in this incident).
clownfishsydney
Contributor
Ayisha, as per the Watson matter, I encourage you to please read my article the answers are probably there. However, as you do not want to read anything I write or the evidence I supply, I will answer here. It would seem no test was done for carbon monoxide. However, the dive instructor present (who I spoke to within a week or so of the accident) stated he specifically looked at Laila's finger nails to see if there was evidence of carbon monoxide. He saw none.
Ayisha
Contributor
Michael, as usual, I did read your blog and I was asking for clarification on whether a carboxyhemoglobin test was actually done and whether the results are known based on your statement in your blog:
"Dr Edmonds also indicated to me that the blood samples should show if carbon monoxide levels were too high. I had hoped that the full post mortem results would reveal something about this".
You also say: "Testing the air would also show if there was a correct oxygen level and if there was too much oil, carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. I have spoken to Dr Carl Edmonds (lead author of Diving and Subaquatic Medicine) and he indicated to me that the normal physical observation of carbon monoxide poisoning, cherry red colour under the victim’s fingernails, is not very obvious in diving related carbon monoxide poisoning. Therefore, it is likely that if this is the problem, it may not have been noticed by David Ellaby (the paramedic), the female doctor doing the CPR or John. John confirmed to me that there was no colouring at all and he said that he specifically looked for this. Therefore it is unlikely that carbon monoxide poisoning is relevant to what happened".
Sorry, I don't think whether someone notices discolouration is a reliable indicator of CO poisoning or not. Testing the tank for CO should be done. A carboxyhemoglobin blood test is not available in all countries, unfortunately, but should be done when available or where indicated.
You later go on to say: "There are a couple of things that I thought would have been covered by the Police report and the autopsy but which do not appear to have been looked at. One is the presence of carbon monoxide in Laila's blood. As I indicated above, Dr Edmonds says that this shows up if a test is done. As there is no mention of it, all I can guess is that it was not looked at".
So I take it you're still guessing.
"Dr Edmonds also indicated to me that the blood samples should show if carbon monoxide levels were too high. I had hoped that the full post mortem results would reveal something about this".
You also say: "Testing the air would also show if there was a correct oxygen level and if there was too much oil, carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. I have spoken to Dr Carl Edmonds (lead author of Diving and Subaquatic Medicine) and he indicated to me that the normal physical observation of carbon monoxide poisoning, cherry red colour under the victim’s fingernails, is not very obvious in diving related carbon monoxide poisoning. Therefore, it is likely that if this is the problem, it may not have been noticed by David Ellaby (the paramedic), the female doctor doing the CPR or John. John confirmed to me that there was no colouring at all and he said that he specifically looked for this. Therefore it is unlikely that carbon monoxide poisoning is relevant to what happened".
Sorry, I don't think whether someone notices discolouration is a reliable indicator of CO poisoning or not. Testing the tank for CO should be done. A carboxyhemoglobin blood test is not available in all countries, unfortunately, but should be done when available or where indicated.
You later go on to say: "There are a couple of things that I thought would have been covered by the Police report and the autopsy but which do not appear to have been looked at. One is the presence of carbon monoxide in Laila's blood. As I indicated above, Dr Edmonds says that this shows up if a test is done. As there is no mention of it, all I can guess is that it was not looked at".
So I take it you're still guessing.
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