Wreck fatality near Point Iriquious, Michigan

[genxweb]

As many of you may have heard on the news, we had a divefatality on Monday, June 25 at Whitefish. To keep the gossip to a minimum here are the facts. The news reported that these wererecreational divers on a wreck that is 175' deep. This is wrong. These were trained technical divers on thistrip. The diver that passed was with hisdive buddy. There profile was fine andthe dive went well until the ascent. DYbecame entangled in the line and his buddy untangled him. They ascended and completed their 70' stopwhen DY began to drop with no regulator in his mouth. His buddy attempted to catch him but couldnot go any further due to limited gas supply. The Michigan State Police recovered DY on Tuesday. He had 800 psi in double 100's for back gasand 1500 psi of O2 for deco on him when found. Also no reg in his mouth. According to the State Police all gear appeared to be workingproperly. They are suspecting some sortof health event was the cause and are doing an autopsy. This is an unfortunate accident and DY'sbuddy did the right thing or there would have been 2 gone. DY was a friend and will be missed by all whoknew him.

First prays and condolences to all involved in this a lost life is always a tragic event no matter the circumstance. Next I find it odd that his deco bottle only had 1500 psi in it. I am wondering if he took a oxtox hit, since the post also say it had 02 in it.It is possible after task loading from the entanglement or possible separation that the diver switched to his deco mix not thinking and if out of range from his buddy was not checked. This could cause them to go unconscious sink and drown. I be interested in seeing what the final verdict is.

This is just a thought I had no facts other then what was posted in the post I quoted.

 

[windapp]

Understand the circumstances may not have allowed this. If they were ascending and the deceased went negative before the buddy realized and was on his way down - gas supplies and deco obligations may have not allowed him to follow his buddy, get a bag on him and send him to the surface. Instead of one dead diver we'd have two. I pray I never have the situation where I have to make that choice. We shouldn't be judging the buddy on his choice to survive.

I don't think anybody is judging the buddy here. We are merely discussing what could have been done if the buddy could have been safely stopped from descending like if he had been able to grab him right way.

I am not a tech diver, but I do know that the 70 ft stop is not the final decompression stop by a long shot, and the diver would have had guaranteed DCS on ascent.

That has to be the most horrifying feeling knowing that there is absolutely nothing you can do to save somebody.

 

[ianr33]

First prays and condolences to all involved in this a lost life is always a tragic event no matter the circumstance. Next I find it odd that his deco bottle only had 1500 psi in it. I am wondering if he took a oxtox hit, since the post also say it had 02 in it.It is possible after task loading from the entanglement or possible separation that the diver switched to his deco mix not thinking and if out of range from his buddy was not checked. This could cause them to go unconscious sink and drown. I be interested in seeing what the final verdict is.

This is just a thought I had no facts other then what was posted in the post I quoted.

Yeah, I also thought it a coincidence that this happened at 70 feet. That is the depth you switch to 50% at. 50% and 100% are very,very common deco mixes. 180 feet is deeper than I would want to dive with only O2 for deco.
Wonder if there is any chance he accidentally switched to 100% O2 at 70 feet and toxed? That might explain only having 1500 psi of oxygen.

 

[PfcAJ]

Yeah, I also though it a coincidence that this happened at 70 feet. That is the depth you switch to 50% at. 50% and 100% are very,very common deco mixes. 180 feet is deeper than I would want to dive with only O2 for deco.
Wonder if there is any chance he accidentally switched to 100% O2 at 70 feet and toxed? That might explain only having 1500 psi of oxygen.

1500psi or so of o2 isn't uncommon. It's all about bank pressure (unless they boost o2, a somewhat controversial practice) and if that pressure will provide enough gas to complete your deco/ a reasonable reserve.

 

[rx7diver]

All,

I dove the Mather a couple of times, last about 12 years ago. We dove it on air, which we felt was relatively safely done if one stays up near the deck at ~165 ffw iirc, rather than go to the bottom. Double HP 100's were quite sufficient for a 20 minute dive on/around the deck. I mention this because some divers who did this used only the single deco gas oxygen, switching at 20 ffw. First required deco stop was ~40 ffw iirc. However, some divers at that time opted to take (non-required) deep stops. A 70 ffw stop might have been an optional deep stop (and didn't involve a gas switch) for some of us then.

FWIW.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[Chris Brown Tech]

Yeah, I also though it a coincidence that this happened at 70 feet. That is the depth you switch to 50% at. 50% and 100% are very,very common deco mixes. 180 feet is deeper than I would want to dive with only O2 for deco.
Wonder if there is any chance he accidentally switched to 100% O2 at 70 feet and toxed? That might explain only having 1500 psi of oxygen.

Agreed. An 02 fill is often around 2000psi as thats around the average max pressure in the gas suppliers cylinder. Perhaps he had breathed it for a bit and then toxed?

Perhaps the Capt would be kind enough to confirm if they know what deco gas the guy was carrying?

Otherwise, hopefully an autopsy will show a cause, but I doubt it.

 

[finnks]

This thread and many other threads like it make me wonder if there are any studies on the amount of physical exertion it takes to dive and how it scales at depth? I know after 2 dives (on air anyway), I am pretty spent and I consider myself to be in pretty good shape. Im 31, still running 5 minute miles, work out 3 times a week, run 3 times a week, etc. I'm more tired after 2 dives than I am after running 5 miles... Take an older gentleman who may or may not be in good physical condition and have him perform an "exercise" that is potentially more physically demanding then running 5 miles (for example), and you can see how health related issues might arise. I think an older gentlemen might say hell no if you told him to run 5 miles hard, but might not think twice about scuba diving because the perceived exertion is much much less, but the real exertion may be much greater.

Perhaps you are doing something wrong in your diving to exert yourself so much - or getting subclinically bent. Many people say they feel better after diving nitrox than after diving air - speculation is that they are getting subclinical DCS. In short, non-emergency action in low current conditions should not be physically demanding in easy conditions - which includes going deep.

I say this because I am a (slightly) older 'gentleman' in absolutely terrible physical shape. I'd say hell no if you told me to run 200 yards, yet feel fine after a four dive day in Coz (~4-4.5 hours dive time per day). More tired after a shore based tech dive, but that has more to do with suiting up for cold water (~50F) and hiking over 100lbs of gear to the water in 100F weather than 1-2 hours spent relaxing underwater (so far max 144 ffw on air).

 

[Captain Brian]

Agreed. An 02 fill is often around 2000psi as thats around the average max pressure in the gas suppliers cylinder. Perhaps he had breathed it for a bit and then toxed?

Perhaps the Capt would be kind enough to confirm if they know what deco gas the guy was carrying?

Otherwise, hopefully an autopsy will show a cause, but I doubt it.

He was carrying O2 as a deco gas. His buddy stateted that he was on his backgas at the 70' stop.
The plan was to use the hang O2 from the boat for deco but to carry a deco bottle in case they
couldn't get to the line.

 

[ahava]

Sounds to me like a medical problem, heart attack, stroke. Or maybe a dive related problem like A.G.E. or I.P.E. Imersion Pulmanary Edema. But until we get a autopsy report ( that we will most likely not get) we will never know.

 

[PfcAJ]

He was carrying O2 as a deco gas. His buddy stateted that he was on his backgas at the 70' stop.
The plan was to use the hang O2 from the boat for deco but to carry a deco bottle in case they
couldn't get to the line.

was he carrying another deco gas, as well?

the described dive is at the outer bounds the range that I would carry just 1 gas (50%), and I wouldn't carry just o2 for a dive like that. I hope he didn't think he was switching to 50% (70ft gas) when it was really oxygen. That would be most tragic.