Diver death in Mabini Batangas Philippines

[Pao]

I went to check my tanks to see how many turns it took to open. On hand I had 3 thermo valves (similar to what you usually find in Anilao) and 2 old dacor valves. The Dacors took 2 1/2 turns as well as 1 Thermo. The other 2 Thermos took 3 1/2 turns. Given that it took 2 1/2 turns to shut off her valve, I'm not too sure gas flow was the major precipitating factor. She was able to do 16 min descending to 29m with 3 min at depth for a total of 19 min without indicating any issues it seems.

Most modern vales have 2.5-3 turns to be fully open, 2.5 turns is either fully open or half a turn off, either way it should be an issue - unless it was a very old style valves with more turns?

Mine are 21/2 turns also. I never bothered to count them. It just seems that they take forever to close on valve drills and it feels like at least 5 turns.

 

[Pinecube]

• Tank valve took 2 and a half turns to shut off completely.

Does this mean 2 and a half 'full rotations of the valve' or 2 and a half 'twists of the wrist'? There's a big difference between the two.

 

[BryanDP]

Sorry I missed that part

2.5 turns of the valve

Additional info from the (heaven sent) diver who recovered her: Blood was oozing out of her ears and nose when the body was being lifted. Enough to make the water look hazy around them (from POV of other recovery divers doing their deco stop)

Reg set is an Apex AT20 that looked new. BCD is one of the newer jacket style Aquatech.

 

[deepbluekermit]

Im having a hard time accepting the statement that blood was still "oozing" from her ears and nose when the body was being lifted? And water got hazy? After 24hrs of being underwater? Its impossible. That's clinically a post mortem state already. The oozing of blood appears very unusual to happen. Most especially she was underwater for 24 hrs. But bove all these, i am still very curious of this particular incident.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Did anyone check to see if she had been hit by a boat? Check for bruising etc on her head?

Side note too those speculating "narcosis". Narcosis wouldn't have had her going for the surface like that. While it could conceivably get a diver started, once the diver'd gone up a bit the narcosis would clear and she'd be able to think again about what she was doing.

 

[chillyinCanada]

So with the 2.5 turns it seems she shouldn't have been sensing out of air. What about water/clogging in the tank? If she inverted it could seem like an out of air experience. Who did you say was checking the tank? Are they checking the dip tube also?

Wouldn't she have had to suck in water at the surface, to end up on the bottom in a full 3 mm, a partially empty tank and only 8# of weight, even with an empty bcd.

 

[Centrals]

One instructor + two rescue divers are never enough to look after 7 students especially in poor viz.
There was another tragedy happened in Republic of China(Taiwan) recently even with two instructors and one certified diver they still managed to lose of the two students in the group in poor viz.

BTW, OW divers should never been allowed to dive Canyons(26m) in Puerto Galera(Sabang)!!!!
I know several dive centres would never allow it.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I thought it was an Advanced OW course?

 

[Centrals]

I thought it was an Advanced OW course?

It was indeed an AOW course at Anilao but I was talking about her previous trip to PG and dived Canyons which is not suitable for OW certified diver because of the depth and the notorious down current. I know some operators insist 70 bars as the bare minimum to ascend.

 

[Lexter Yap]

Did somebody test the air?