First 2016 Diver Death in the Caymans

[KathyV]

Sea claims life of second tourist this month
Cayman News | 27/01/2016 |
North West Point area in West Bay

(CNS): A 54-year-old man visiting the Cayman Islands died Tuesday afternoon following a dive off North West Point in West Bay, police have confirmed. He is the second tourist to die in the water so far this year after a visitor died last week after snorkeling at Cemetery Beach, also in West Bay. Yesterday, the 911 Emergency Communication Centre received a call around 2pm about a diver who was experiencing difficulties.

Police and other emergency services responded and found that CPR was already being administered by the dive crew. CPR was continued by emergency staff and the diver was transported to the George Town hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

 

[scubadada]

So, there have already been 2 "water-related" deaths in Grand Cayman in 2016, one snorkeling and one diving. https://www.caymancompass.com/2016/01/21/police-identify-tourist-in-snorkeling-death/

It would be great to get any details on the above, diving-related death. A relatively young man

 

[Rich Keller]

You almost never get details. If the police do not suspect foul play it will not be investigated any further.

 

[scubamatt1968]

I was on the boat with Mr. English and his wife. So very sad and of course hard to experience. Internet story from his people at US Shooting association stated they believe he suffered a pulmonary embolism. We were on dive 1 of a two tank dive on North West wall. Max depth for me and my buddy was 80'. At about 35 mins I believe, he ascended and I was next up and apparently Mr. English was lucid for a brief time before collapsing on the platform. I feel all did all that could be done but his condition worsened very rapidly despite us getting the remaining divers in boat quickly and a fast mile and a bit back to shore where EMTs were pretty much arriving. My heart goes out to his wife and family.

 

[DandyDon]

We were on dive 1 of a two tank dive on North West wall.

Does it seem that vacation diver deaths usually happen on the first dive of a trip?

Your link currently only goes to the snorkeler story, so here is the dive accident: Second water related death in a week

In the year’s second water-related death on Grand Cayman, US visitor Michael English, age 54, died after a diving accident off North West Point, West Bay on Tuesday 26 January.

Shortly before 2pm, the 911 Emergency Communication Centre received a call of a diver experiencing difficulties while diving.

Police and other Emergency Services responded to the location where CPR was already being administered by the dive crew.

CPR was continued by Emergency Services and the diver was transported to the George Town Hospital for medical treatment. He was later pronounced dead at the George Town Hospital.

Mr English, who was from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was the second American tourist to die in local waters this year.

 

[AggieDiver]

I was on the boat with Mr. English and his wife. So very sad and of course hard to experience. Internet story from his people at US Shooting association stated they believe he suffered a pulmonary embolism. We were on dive 1 of a two tank dive on North West wall. Max depth for me and my buddy was 80'. At about 35 mins I believe, he ascended and I was next up and apparently Mr. English was lucid for a brief time before collapsing on the platform. I feel all did all that could be done but his condition worsened very rapidly despite us getting the remaining divers in boat quickly and a fast mile and a bit back to shore where EMTs were pretty much arriving. My heart goes out to his wife and family.

Thanks for the report Matt. It is nice to see some firsthand details reported here when they are available.

 

[scubamatt1968]

Now back from our trip and I have not seen any more information from his family and perhaps they do not have a full autopsy report yet. All I can really add is that Mr. English seemed fine on the dive, we were all having a good dive, although it was a little rough on surface and there was a small current at depth, but nothing substantial. Visibility was not great by Cayman standards as there had been 3 Norwesters in the past 10 days so conditions were not their usual nice, long, clear blue visibility. We did a fairly standard wall dive and I and my buddy did not exceed 80'. We were advised Mrs. English was newly certified and she seemed to do fine, we saw no difficulties with anyone and there were only 5 divers + the DM. We did no real overheads, just a few swim throughs, it was really an uneventful and I would say unimpressive dive by Cayman standards. I was preparing to ascend and left my buddy with the DM and the other 2 divers and I noted Mr. English was already under the boat. I am thinking this was at 35 mins as it was our first dive of the trip and I usually will head up at around 30 -32 mins and 750 psi after some time spent at 80'...I am cautious that way and follow my computer, + some extra padding. I noticed he did a very brief safety stop if any stop at all as at one glance I noted he was near the weighted reference line, then next glance he was at the ladder. As I did my stop I noticed the bottom of 2 fins still in the water and I thought that didn't seem right, divers almost never sit on the platform. Then the banging began, many loud bangs on the ladder with a weight and I knew there was trouble. I popped up and saw Mr. English collapsed on the back platform and the Captain working on him and administering O2. I swam hard for the DM and Mrs. E. then went for the last 2 divers who were doing their stop near the front line and motioned for them to come as soon as they were able and I know they cut their stop short. We were all on the boat quite quickly and sprinted for shore, perhaps 1 NM. I do not feel comfortable giving further details other than to say Mr. E. was in grave condition when I got back to the ladder and we all did everything we could to revive him, however, whatever he had suffered was clearly catastrophic quite early on in the ordeal. I am so very sad and sorry this happened on such an innocuous dive (or any dive) and my heart goes out to Ana and his family.

 

[Lopez116]

I've always wondered it and this thread reminded me to bring it up. If something like this happens to a diver and you're still at depth (and haven't started your safety stop), do you skip your stop altogether in the interest of getting the injured diver back to shore ASAP? Do you do a SS but make it shorter?

 

[KevinNM]

You can always skip a safety stop if needed. And this one time it is needed. Along with running out of air. If you are air sharing on a rec dive you should skip the safety stop too.

 

[DandyDon]

I've always wondered it and this thread reminded me to bring it up. If something like this happens to a diver and you're still at depth (and haven't started your safety stop), do you skip your stop altogether in the interest of getting the injured diver back to shore ASAP? Do you do a SS but make it shorter?

Safety stops are good suggestion, but not a deco requirement. When an emergency sounds, skip it.