video showing diver's death - should be broadcasted?

[Stryker]

You are misinformed if you think he dove to 800+ feet... the record breaking dive was to 280 FEET. Well actually the dive PLAN was to 250, but because Dave began to sink, he rested at 280 feet.

As for whether or not it should be shown, I dont see why anyone would have any problems with it. It was on the National geographic channel last night and that channel is mainly to teach people about things they know nothing about. It spoke of how dangerous cave diving is and even went into what mistakes were made and how they affected the "mission". It allows the people involved to tell their story, and share a little bit of a lifestyle that few ever see.

I will make this argument, if they had succeeded on the dive (no injuries/fatalities) no one would have any problem with them airing the story. This show makes us realize the dangers of cave diving, and in all reality would (I hope) make new divers who might be a little exploratory and no cave training stay away from any cave-like area.

 

[Lightning Fish]

I remember years back when we have some uncharacteristically heavy storms in southern California and a 17 year old kid fell into the storm channel. The news media savages gleefully showed this terrified kids last minute of hellish life, all for profit to help with their ratings. That is how crass and exploitive todays tabloid journalism is. The media are crass ambulance chasing ghouls always in need of another fix of human tragedy to sell their decadent wares at the expense of peoples privacy.And when their isn't any, they make it up, they've perfected fearmongering and exaggeration, from stories like "Vitamin C, the Hidden Dangers You Need to Know! To all their other sham stories on alar, cell phones and brain cancer, electromagnetic transmission, drive by shootings, herpes, radon, asbestos, breast implants, the hetero AIDS utterly non-epidemic, etc.

Well said. The news stations up here in Vancouver started to turn to sensationalism a couple years ago to try and draw a larger audience. "Tune in at 11 to find out what you need to know about some kid's tragic death".

Obviously he ment for the tape to be seen. He knew there was a risk of dying.

A few people have made this connection. I think it is a bad, bad assumption. Unless he specifically stated as such, how can we possibly make such a great assumptive leap.

From the description of the video, I can't really see what intrinsic value that it would lend to the casual viewer (albiet diver). Watching another person's misery is not going to benefit anyone, and I think there is a lot of morbid curiosity being stirred here. We all have the capacity for it, that's why it's hard to drag your eyes away from road kill.

leading to ...

Morbid curiosity is a survival trait. When we something in a state we really do not wish to join, we study it and try to figure out what happened to avoid doing the same. Reading accident reports just does not have the same effect on our psychee.

NO! The rubberneckers that slow traffic down to catch a quick glimpse of a mangled body won't learn anything about what caused the accident or how to avoid the next one. Often, their morbid curiousity will create another accident.

If the video can benefit other divers, and in this case probably a select few, then perhaps the select few can see the video. However, in this case, I would think it is possible to learn from the video without seeing it. In accident analysis in construction or industrial settings, the accident doesn't have to be viewed in order to make changes to policy.

For myself, I have no interest in getting my thrills by watching someone die. That is most likely the purpose that releasing the video will serve to the majority of the population. (Ref. the first quote).

Bill

 

[gangrel441]

You are misinformed if you think he dove to 800+ feet... the record breaking dive was to 280 FEET. Well actually the dive PLAN was to 250, but because Dave began to sink, he rested at 280 feet.

As for whether or not it should be shown, I dont see why anyone would have any problems with it. It was on the National geographic channel last night and that channel is mainly to teach people about things they know nothing about. It spoke of how dangerous cave diving is and even went into what mistakes were made and how they affected the "mission". It allows the people involved to tell their story, and share a little bit of a lifestyle that few ever see.

I will make this argument, if they had succeeded on the dive (no injuries/fatalities) no one would have any problem with them airing the story. This show makes us realize the dangers of cave diving, and in all reality would (I hope) make new divers who might be a little exploratory and no cave training stay away from any cave-like area.

If the dive was to 280 feet, then perhaps you would care to explain this:

http://www.deepcave.com/images/Boesmansgat_Dive_28th_Oct_2004.pdf

Read the whole thing, but scroll to the last page. Last I checked, m = meters, not feet. But who am I to argue...

 

[Stryker]

Yes you are correct on THAT dive. The one you put on there was a rebreather dive in South Africa. The one the show was about happened in either 1993-94.This one was strictly air only in New Zealand.

Either way 280 feet or meters, those guys are a bit crazy... Thanks for pointing that one out though.. Thats am amazing feat regardless of how he got there.

 

[dive]

You are misinformed if you think he dove to 800+ feet... the record breaking dive was to 280 FEET. Well actually the dive PLAN was to 250, but because Dave began to sink, he rested at 280 feet.

You are wrong it was 270 meters that = 885 feet...

 

[Stryker]

The record may be 270-280m but the show on Natl. Geographic was about a 280 FT dive.

Here is the Ad on Natl. Geographic's website

------------------------------
"Expeditions to the Edge Episodes
Deadly Cave Dive

New Zealand's Pearse Cave system is one of the deepest in the world—just right for explorers Kieran McKay, Pete Hobson, Sean Macey, and Dave Weaver. In May 1995, they expected to reach depths of around 260 feet (80 meters), farther than anyone has ever dared to go in this cave. When complications prove disastrous, will team members make it out alive? "
-------------------------------

I am sure people have completely erased this record since then, but that was the show.

 

[sdiver1957]

The last minutes of Dave Shaw in the Boesmansgat cave
Here is the full story:
http://capeargus.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=2372385

I would like to know your opinion whether such video should or should not be broadcasted - at least within the divers community?

I personally think it shouldn't.
Mania

i think any dive accident videoed should be available to the diving community

 

[dive]

The record may be 270-280m but the show on Natl. Geographic was about a 280 FT dive.

Here is the Ad on Natl. Geographic's website

------------------------------
"Expeditions to the Edge Episodes
Deadly Cave Dive

New Zealand's Pearse Cave system is one of the deepest in the world—just right for explorers Kieran McKay, Pete Hobson, Sean Macey, and Dave Weaver. In May 1995, they expected to reach depths of around 260 feet (80 meters), farther than anyone has ever dared to go in this cave. When complications prove disastrous, will team members make it out alive? "
-------------------------------

I am sure people have completely erased this record since then, but that was the show.

This thread is about Dave Shaw not Dave Weaver...

 

[Stryker]

You have to be kidding me?! I have been ranting this whole time about the wrong incident?! dont I feel like a total jackass .... I appologize and retract all stupid comments I made...

Thanks for pointing that out... I guess I just thought that since the show just aired this last weekend was what everyone was talking about. SORRY!

 

[wacdiver]

were do you people come from ? we are talking about the death of a human being, you can't learn from this. this is tragic and some of you are just sick in the head

That is my opinion

There were Millions of human Deaths during WWII!!
I think we LEARNED ALLOT from that situation don't you.
Not just about Tyranny but allot of medical advances and procedures came from the very horific and unfortunate deaths of many Nazi prisioners, and regular soldiers.

I know I learned ALLOT from the videos in Driver ed class that showed cars crashing, blowing up and people dying because of it. It shows you REALITY!
Something that most of us deny until it is put to us so that we CAN NOT Ignore or Deny it anymore!

His death was Tragic (no debate there) but it was also REALITY.
Is it that Reality on TV is only OK if it entertains, us makes us laugh, or eny other people?
Is it that REAL TRAGEDY not woth learning about?

Did you history teacher ever say to you "those whom do not know history are dommed to repeat it?" CAUSE it IS TRUE!!!
We need to know what went wrong so as to KNOW what NOT TO DO. Sometimes that is MORE imortant that What to Do.

Do we need to broadcast this mans death on National TV? HELL NO!!!!!! It is NOT a media event nor is it a from of sick entertainment.
Could this video possibly have some Training or Education value? YES in the correct context and setting. Showing it to OW divers is OVERKILL! Showing it to Cave, Deco, Saturation, Tech, and other divers that Could benifit from it is the right audenience.