Woman dead, husband injured on 230 meter dive - Greece

[Ken Kurtis]

The reason the record has not been broken in a while is probably of most of the world's divers have stopped thinking that sort of thing is important.

Or that those trying died during the attempt.

 

[ajduplessis]

chasing numbers and the results is no surprise

 

[oceancurrent]

I have encountered Teodora once or twice at dive sites in Greece. She left the impression of an experienced but modest diver with good judgement and risk management attitude. She didn't seem like the type who would go after records.

A recent interview with Teodora (Sept 2017, judging by the posting date): Rough summary: Confident, level-headed, and upbeat Teodora explains very knowledgeably recreational and tech diving considerations and procedures. She has been diving for the last 17 years. She started diving while on vacation. Her husband and her are not of the "all inclusive resort" kind - they always seek experiences and adrenaline... There are "master classes" for people diving beyond 100m depth, while the regular certification classes max out at 90m. If one wants, one can set a new world record... People differ in their susceptibility to narcosis even day to day... Planning a technical dive is a complex process: planning, gases, logistics, team, etc. Reaching a depth is the end result of a lengthy and hard process. She believes that "If you are not ready, you don't dive." There is no room for errors in tech diving. There is no such thing as a mandatory dive. Anyone can call a dive for any reason. Also, the descent is the easy part, it is the ascent that is the delicate part. One must be very precise during deco stops. DCS can lead to paralysis and death... She emphasizes buoyancy proficiency to her students... Her deepest dive has been to 110m which lasted 130min with 2 min at the bottom, but she prefers the 50-70m depth range... She has no favorite place to dive, she is excited to dive everywhere, even in murky ponds. She mentions Sri Lanka and Egypt as beautiful diving destinations... It was not easy starting a dive center in Greece, but she managed to work through the red tape during the first year on her own because she speaks Greek... She goes on to describe the training experience and progression for entry level divers.

 

[Centrals]

Huge difference between 110m and 230m.

 

[northernone]

Huge difference between 110m and 230m.

This situation could be a stern reminder of progressively expanding our limits. That's an extraordinary depth increase quickly if that's the case.

Sorrowfully,
Cameron

 

[DandyDon]

the regular certification classes max out at 90m.

That does not sound right...??

 

[fennel]

Huge difference between 110m and 230m.

Her last training dive was to 200 mt. according to her FB post

 

[Kromar]

There is interview available here with Michail Balabanov. It's in bulgarian, but google translation is readable. It looks like they both had cold before taking fatal dive.

 

[boulderjohn]

That does not sound right...??

It is correct. Most trimix classes end at that maximum depth, but the training does not have to go that deep. In the trimix classes I teach, the final dive must be between 75-90 meters (245-300 feet). The bottom of the lake where I usually conduct those dives is between 270-285 feet, so that is where things max for my classes. I can't do any more without a shovel.

The course materials then tell the diver that although the certification is only to 90 meters/300 feet, deeper dives are possible, and there are no more classes in that program for that. They are thus on their own to get the experience they need to make gradual, reasonable, and thoughtful increases in their range.

 

[oceancurrent]

There is interview available here with Michail Balabanov. It's in bulgarian, but google translation is readable. It looks like they both had cold before taking fatal dive.

He also claims that they did not have any symptoms of having cold before the dive. She started feeling dizzy during their 40m deco stop, kept getting herself entangled in the ascent line, then he became sick too. Essentially, his claim is that they experienced vertigo induced by a reverse block.

I recall experiencing a reverse block once when I dived with a cold. Was not pleasant but not particularly threatening either. I felt the discomfort the moment I started my ascent. The discomfort resolved on its own when I slowed down my ascent and let the trapped gas work its way out of my inner ear and sinuses.

Not saying that it was not a reverse block that they experienced, but to me the symptoms that he describes sound more like neurological DCS. Just saying...