Diver Dies of heart attack in Cabo Feb.18th 2013

[johnZdiver]

This is a google translation of the news paper artical in Todays paper. The basics are that a father and son went Diving when they reached a depth of 8 meters the Divemaster noticed there was some water in the mans mask and the Divemaster took him the surface where he died .This is the second death in 8 months.

Cabo San Lucas, BCS-Personnel Command Homicide in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, reported that at 10:45 hours, had knowledge by staff of Module C-4, which in the vicinity of the beach called the Chilean, located in the tourist corridor 14.5 Km road stretch Cabo San Lucas - San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, was a dead person, which was transferred aboard a boat belonging to his dock Naval Sector, moving immediately assigned to the Command Element, accompanied by the Public Prosecutor of the Common Jurisdiction Shift Researcher, and Expert Services personnel, corroborating the above having before arriving at the pier, a boat Defender, with economic number BR -07, watching over the stern of the vessel, the body of a person of sex femanino, who wore a black suit for diving, the representative attesting social ministry, ordering the lifting and transporting the body to the amphitheater Attorney for practicing Necropsy of Law, the causes of death being acute myocardial infarction, according to opinion of the medical examiner.

Similarly the person interviewed and named Aaron Wilkinson, 27 years old, orignario Alaska, residing in passing at the Wyndham Hotel, the son who manifested dela now deceased and who in lifetime as name Roberta Allen Wilkinson 60-year-old from Alaska, same address, adding that they were on vacation, arriving the day February 17, 2013.

He then met with the person named Daniel Torres Olvera, 35 years old, from the State of Michoacán, residing in Cologne Zacatal, occupation Pacific boat captain, who informed about the facts that the 09:00 am, out towards the bay with the Gulls, which is located near the beach called the Chilean, this with the purpose of providing the service Snorkel, so once found in the boat before the mecionada now deceased in the company of another male, were introduced into the sea at a depth of eight meters meters, realizing that the now deceased viewer had filled with water, pulling it to the surface to see the state he was in, being unconscious state, so they immediately gave notice to the appropriate authorities.
Collective appointment official part Pericú Attorney General

 

[Ayisha]

This is a very confusing account, with the victim being described alternately as male and female? The DM saw that the victim's mask was filled with water, brought the victim up, and observed that the victim was unconscious. And the cause of death appears to be a heart attack?

 

[Quero]

In the actual news account
Turista muere en Playa El Chileno | Colectivo Pericú
it's clear throughout that the victim was a woman. In summary, a boat took out a pair of tourists visiting from Alaska--a 60-year old mother and her 27-year old son. When they were at about 8 meters deep, the guide noticed that the woman's mask was filled with water, and he took her to the surface where she was unresponsive. The Coroner determined the cause of death as acute myocardial infarction. What isn't clear is that they were on scuba. The news report only mentions snorkelling (though it says the woman was wearing a "black diver's suit"), and of course it's perfectly possible to dive to a depth of 8 meters while snorkelling.

 

[DandyDon]

This article says snorkeling: Google Translate

As does this one: Google Translate

 

[Quero]

That news report you cite, Don, also says she was a Canadian from Alaska. So the snorkeling "facts" might very well be just as confused as the geographic ones. Still, I don't see how the responsibility for a heart attack, whether while snorkeling or diving, can laid at the feet of the tour operator.

 

[RJP]

Oops - nevermind.

 

[Quero]

I think you're mistaken in your reading. Do you read Spanish? The headline is
Turista canadiense sufre ataque al corazón cuando buceaba en playa El Chileno
which, literally means "Canadian tourist suffers heart attack while diving at El Chileno beach"

The google translation is:
Canadian tourist suffers heart attack while snorkeling in Chileno Beach

The article does not mention any other case of a Canadian, or anyone else for that matter.

 

[openmindOW]

I think you're mistaken in your reading. Do you read Spanish? The headline is
Turista canadiense sufre ataque al corazón cuando buceaba en playa El Chileno
which, literally means "Canadian tourist suffers heart attack while diving at El Chileno beach"

The google translation is:
Canadian tourist suffers heart attack while snorkeling in Chileno Beach

The article does not mention any other case of a Canadian, or anyone else for that matter.

I could very well be wrong, but I believe that bucear may mean SCUBA dive, not snorkeling.

 

[tajkd]

This is a great shame. More so for me because I know this operation very well. I have had some great dives with them and always felt safe. From my experience, they are a very safety-conscious operation. As mentioned before, this is the third incident in as many years.

 

[Quero]

I could very well be wrong, but I believe that bucear may mean SCUBA dive, not snorkeling.

Some of those sources specifically say "snorkeling" even in Spanish, while that particular one says "bucear." This and the fact that one of the sources that seems to have reassigned Alaska from the US to Canada is precisely why I said in post #5 that the "facts" are not particularly clear. The reporters are (predictably) unreliable when it comes to details....

Having said that, the term "buceo" is just diving, not specifically scuba diving, which is "buceo autonomo" nor specifically snorkeling or free diving, which is "buceo en apnea" or "buceo libre".