video showing diver's death - should be broadcasted?

[surfbummer]

Absolutely should not show it. Let a group of experts pick the video apart to glean what safety and training related information they can get out of it, and publish it as a learning tool in print but not video. I agree that perhaps there might be a few who might possibly learn something by viewing something like that, but IMO, all everyone else would be seeing is an unfortunate death.

 

[caveseeker7]

Some people prefer raw data, others don't.

Some people like gauges in their cars, others prefer idiot lights.
If you don't know what an oil pressure gauge shows you the latter is a better solution.
Some people like to read news tickers from AP and reuters, others are fine with their local anchorman. If you ever compared foreign newscasts you know what kind of spin can be added to the original information.
Some people prefer to watch the video, others will prefer not.

Rebreather diving involves a lot more pre- and post dive protocol, checks and analysis than OC diving. RB divers need to be much more involved with and aware of the operation of their gear. It's a state of mind, much like that of a pilot flying a plane. That state of of mind and involvement likely translates into a desire to see raw data in addition to expert analysis rather than just taking some journalists' word for it.

If unedited versions of the video tape and interviews would be available I would prefer those over the video aired and the interviews published.

 

[Bratface]

Some things should remain private like conception, birth and death. Why did all of those NASCAR fans want to see Dale Earnhart's autopsy? Lessons can be learned, but let's respect the person involved.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Regarding the topic of this thread from all the peripheral articles and other info it seems Dave Shaw himself wanted to share his dive with others. Obviously he thought he'd be there to see the video too, tragically, that didn't happen.

Click to view the helmet cam video with his buddy's commentary

The hyperbaric doctors who studied the case, video, and other background facts made several fundamental conclusions:

• Dave improperly assembled his CCR scrubber canister and may have used substitute materials which were not the first recommendation of the manufacturer.
  
• Dave exceeded his plan which already had nearly zero margin for error and he did so at an extreme depth of nearly 900 feet. To illustrate his buddy describes a computer on his own equipment that implodes as he reaches a shallower depth more than 20m above the depth that Dave decended to.
  
• Dave encountered challenges which he was unable to compensate for including a heavy work load which built up a narcotic level of C02 and also entanglement.

A very tragic loss.

 

[Solitude Diver]

Absolutely should not show it. Let a group of experts pick the video apart to glean what safety and training related information they can get out of it, and publish it as a learning tool in print but not video. I agree that perhaps there might be a few who might possibly learn something by viewing something like that, but IMO, all everyone else would be seeing is an unfortunate death.

Some things should remain private like conception, birth and death. Why did all of those NASCAR fans want to see Dale Earnhart's autopsy? Lessons can be learned, but let's respect the person involved.

No offense intended here, but only those close to him really know what he would have wanted. It should be them making the decisions for him and deciding how to best "respect" him.

As a fairly new diver, but with great interests in Technical diving, I have a strong interest in learning what went wrong at the last minute, whether or not he appeared to know what went wrong, and how he may have dealt with the situation. I try to learn from others mistakes. This was a VERY experienced deep diver, and if it can happen to him it can certainly happen to me. Reading does not necessarily give the same impressions or views as to what happened. Watching it, is more like actually experiencing it. This is important when you’re trying to learn to handle emergencies instinctively and habitually without necessarily having them happen to you to do so.

If I where to die while diving, and thought my death may help others to learn from it, and maybe even prevent other deaths, you have my permission to post it on the board (assuming my wife and kids don't mind). After all it is the people closest to him that are still living that have to deal with the grief. He probably does not care too much right now who watches, and my guess is (given the nature of the types of diving he did) that he would have wanted others who follow him, to learn from him.

I say, have those close to him decide what he would have wanted, and respect that.

 

[Double_D]

Sorry, had to weigh in here. This is not a legal or commerical issue. It's a life, and in our world giving a life for a life is accepted to be a good thing. Were Dave here to ask, he may well have agreed to it's use in the interest of saving lives and improving dive safety. Lessons learned are one thing. However, I've discovered no educational value in watching someone die (in this case, it's audio).

Were it up to me (and thankfully it's not) I could be persuaded to let Dave's final moments be edited out and the rest used for dive training. A pilot's final moments before impact are captured by the flight recorders. The NTSB listens to them, but they are sealed except for the family. The difference in my example between federally regulated air movement and the lack of regulation on this kind of diving is, I believe, Mania's point. Either we take reasonable steps to establish standards and regulate ourselves or the public (in it's desire to sensationalize) could blow the event out of proportion, hurt perceptions of the sport and possibly risk more lives in the future through needless or improper regulation.

 

[caveseeker7]

Why did all of those NASCAR fans want to see Dale Earnhart's autopsy?
Lessons can be learned, but let's respect the person involved.

I don't know, you should probably ask that on a NASCAR board.
My take on it is that there is no need for NASCAR fans to know.

But one could reasonably argue that there are people outside the immediate family
who have justified reasons to know the coroners findings:
- other drivers, they're sticking their necks out
- the body governing the NASCAR safety rules, they are in position to prevent or at least reduce fatalities
- maybe even manufacturers to design or improve the obviously needed safety equipment

 

[AXL72]

"Some things should remain private like conception, birth and death. Why did all of those NASCAR fans want to see Dale Earnhart's autopsy? Lessons can be learned, but let's respect the person involved."

I totally agree with bratface.


If you want to learn, please try simply reading the information posted at the following link. I think it says everything you can possibly learn from the death. I realize a picture says a thousand words, but well written concise words in this circumstance may provide better insight for future reference/lessons learned, in my oppinion. Let us not champion the public release and viewing of the video in the same manner most people insist on rubber necking a car accident on our freeways just to see the guts and gore with the enjoyment of saying, "ooooh damn, that must have hurt...are they dead, yet?".

http://outside.away.com/outside/features/200508/dave-shaw-1.html

 

[caveseeker7]

Whatever. Somebody had the copyright to the tape, most likely the spouse/heir since it usually lies with the creator. They agreed to make it publicly available. Not our decision to make, simple as that.

I for one respect the privacy of the involved parties, the family and the fellow team members. If they say 'no' it should not be broadcasted. I don't respect the narrow minds of people unrelated to the victim or incident, may they be private or government officials, that try tell me what I can or cannot watch, what I can or cannot understand, and what I can or cannot learn. I enjoy the freedom to make these kind of decisions fr myself.

Viewing it is voluntary, that the decision everyone has to make. Someone doesn't want to see it? Don't watch it. Maybe the better question to ask in this thread would have been "video showing diver's death - should be watched?"

The discussion is kinda mood anyway since it already has been broadcasted.
Kinda like discussing the open barn door after the horse is gone ... .

 

[tiburon72157]

I found the viewing of this quest and subsequent trajedy, to be very interesting. Not only did it open my eyes to a whole other world of diving I never really considered before, it also educated me. I gained some valuable insight that I feel will benefit me in the future as my training and experience evolve.