Cozumel Incident 9/4/11

[DiverG]

I an curious what other Cozumel divers are thinking now about extreme deep air dives. The physical trauma that two are undergoing is very sobering. While you can read about this type injury, I am not sure when I ever read about such serious injuries. Maybe I have and forgot.

Has this changed the mindset of others who make extreme deep air dives? Perhaps modify their dives to improve the odds? Perhaps stop doing them?

Does anyone have a sense for the impact on the dive op community in Cozumel?

My gut feeling is that it may change a few peoples minds, but the majority that do this type of dive will have the attitude it will not happen to me.

 

[nauticab]

I an curious what other Cozumel divers are thinking now about extreme deep air dives. The physical trauma that two are undergoing is very sobering. While you can read about this type injury, I am not sure when I ever read about such serious injuries. Maybe I have and forgot.

Has this changed the mindset of others who make extreme deep air dives? Perhaps modify their dives to improve the odds? Perhaps stop doing them?

Does anyone have a sense for the impact on the dive op community in Cozumel?

just as a formality, there are 3 victims here, not 2. i was told that opal's case is one of the worst seen in cozumel in over 15 years. this is second hand info, but regardless, it was a pretty damn serious DCS.

 

[Tortuga68]

While you can read about this type injury, I am not sure when I ever read about such serious injuries

Plenty of people have died after these types of incidents, due to DCS, after surfacing AND getting chamber treatment. So it does get worse. Lots more have permanent paralysis or disability afterwards. This is a bad case for sure but they're still alive

 

[sddiver]

The story I heard from a Coz dive professional with a personal relationship with the divers involved has in all detail been vetted out in these discussions. One detail not clear to this point is the three "other" divers and their dive. I was told the other three also did a bounce dive but to 250 feet and completed their dive without incident. No idea on the depth they went to or not or any issues they may have faced. But if true, it complicates the dilemma the boat captain faced even further. Keep in mind this is heresay and needs to be confirmed.

 

[suprane]

I've been wondering why some consider this an accident. To me it would seem to be the sad but predictable end of an experiment.

Ditto!

If you pull out your revolver and place a single cartridge in one of the chambers, spin that chamber then slam it shut, put the gun to your head and slowly begin to pull the trigger one time after another you know what the inevitable outcome will eventually be! It is only a matter of how many times you will get "lucky"!

As sorry as I feel for all three of them, they are (at least two of them) trained diving professionals. They should have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the physiology of deep air dives and the dangers entailed. They chose to ignore this and (for whatever reason you wish to believe) forged ahead with an extremely risky and ill prepared dive. The outcome should not surprise anyone.

That having been said, I wish nothing but the best for them. There is surely not one of us who has not at one time or another done something that we didn't later ponder, "what was I thinking"? We all live and die by the decisions and choices we make on a daily basis. Hopefully we will make wise and informed choices!

 

[Blue Sparkle]

One detail not clear to this point is the three "other" divers and their dive. I was told the other three also did a bounce dive but to 250 feet and completed their dive without incident.

I don't know what's true, but the above scenario doesn't totally fit (to my mind) with what nauticab posted that Gabi told her, which is that there were three other divers on a "much shallower" dive with a DM. I'm a relatively new diver, but doesn't it sound a bit odd to have a DM if you were doing a 250' bounce dive? I got the mental picture of a group of "regular customer" divers doing a sub-100' dive (I don't know that; just saying what came to my mind in hearing "much shallower" and "with DM" -- but then I'm not experienced in the ways of Cozumel.)

 

[BTravlin]

I an curious what other Cozumel divers are thinking now about extreme deep air dives.

I really had no interest in deep air dives prior to this event and they certainly hold even less appeal now.

 

[Ron Lee]

250' is "much shallower" than 400'. If the incident in question had a planned depth of 320' or close, one could state that 250' is much shallower than 320' as well.

My mention of two divers was for Opal and Gabi. My assumption is that the third diver has recovered or should. Opal and Gabi are far worse physically. My knowledge of this type injury is minimal at best. Some reports are not great at this time, but you can't expect them to be up dancing inside a week. So I just take the attitude that they need time to recover. Be positive.

 

[dmoore19]

I really had no interest in deep air dives prior to this event and they certainly hold even less appeal now.

Personally, 100 FSW does not hold any appeal to me, I rather like the 40-60 FSW range personally.

 

[boulderjohn]

As regards the divers in the water,if the Captain had realized the seriousness of the situation could he not have just left them in the water and radioed for someone else to pick them up ?

Believe it was said there were no other boats in the vicinity. Horrible situation.

Something to remember is that the nearest boats to the situation probably would have been in the same situation as the captain on this boat--waiting to pick up their own divers.

I an curious what other Cozumel divers are thinking now about extreme deep air dives. The physical trauma that two are undergoing is very sobering. While you can read about this type injury, I am not sure when I ever read about such serious injuries. Maybe I have and forgot.

Has this changed the mindset of others who make extreme deep air dives? Perhaps modify their dives to improve the odds? Perhaps stop doing them?

Does anyone have a sense for the impact on the dive op community in Cozumel?

It is my fondest hope that it makes anyone who is doing this kind of dive change that behavior, but I doubt if anyone is going to come forward and admit that they have been doing these kinds of dives.