I recently read an article about a poor young women who drowned while diving inside a wrecked submarine in Australia. She and her husband were diving in 130 feet of water and decided to penetrate the sub together. To make a long and tragic story short, she became separated from her husband but he found his way out. He tried to go back into the sub to find her, but was very low on air and knew that if he did not surface immediately, he too would drown. He hoped that she would find her way out, but sadly , she ended up drowning in the sub. They found her body later on, when a team dove to do the body recovery. The husband had to be treated for DCS in a chamber. My question is this: If say the woman had found an air pocket and survived to be rescued, would they choose to bring her up to the surface and risk the trip to a chamber or would they stage her decompression in the water first? I know if that was me trapped in the sub, I would want out and up to the surface as fast as possible. The thought of being in that situation is an absolute horror! I don't think that anyone would have it in them to remain underwater, even if they had air to breathe, and decompress for however long. They would probably be in a state of total panic after thinking they were doomed to drown and want nothing but to get to the surface. Has anyone on this board ever been involved in a rescue situation similar to this scenario? How does one deal with a diver in such a state of panic?
underwater rescue
- Thread starter barbara
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Karen Cleveland
Contributor
Haven't been involved in any rescues so I can't answer to that, but in my opinion...flame suit on here...is you can usually fix "bent" but you can't fix drowned.
Karen
Karen
You probably won't find anyone who even has heard of finding an "air pocket" in a wreck that allowed them to be found alive.
That being said, I have heard of a guy, I think down in Venezuela?? (maybe not, but South America) doing a cave dive. For whatever reason he knew he didn't have enough air to make the exit, so he just stayed where he found an air pocket. They realized he was missing after XX hrs, and mounted a search. They retrieved him, alive, and they all made it out.
If I can remember the Florida Cave divers name who was part of the team, I'll let you know.
He's actually a family member of some friends of mine.
Scary, but a smart thing to do. It saved his life, of course.
Oh man, drowing inside a wreck. I'm sick just reading about it.
That being said, I have heard of a guy, I think down in Venezuela?? (maybe not, but South America) doing a cave dive. For whatever reason he knew he didn't have enough air to make the exit, so he just stayed where he found an air pocket. They realized he was missing after XX hrs, and mounted a search. They retrieved him, alive, and they all made it out.
If I can remember the Florida Cave divers name who was part of the team, I'll let you know.
He's actually a family member of some friends of mine.
Scary, but a smart thing to do. It saved his life, of course.
Oh man, drowing inside a wreck. I'm sick just reading about it.
ElectricZombie
Contributor
It is very unlikely that there would even be an air pocket in a wreck.
SO what are you getting at? We've already entered never never land.
I'll go with what I THINK you are aiming towards, and that is being panicky because you're into Deco?
Odds are good whoever "rescues" you, hopefully being "trained" in such a thing, depending on a WHOLE HOST of potential variables, it could range from "Deco-ing" you out, to getting you out ASAP and to a waiting chamber. Too many variables.
As mentioned, you can "fix" bent, you can't fix drowned. In other words, better a chance on the surface breathing, than drowned and having no hope.
Over staying a Rec limit isn't a death warrant.
Anyhow, you'd run out of gas within minutes of running out of no-deco time (or vis-versa) as a Rec diver.
Regards
I'll go with what I THINK you are aiming towards, and that is being panicky because you're into Deco?
Odds are good whoever "rescues" you, hopefully being "trained" in such a thing, depending on a WHOLE HOST of potential variables, it could range from "Deco-ing" you out, to getting you out ASAP and to a waiting chamber. Too many variables.
As mentioned, you can "fix" bent, you can't fix drowned. In other words, better a chance on the surface breathing, than drowned and having no hope.
Over staying a Rec limit isn't a death warrant.
Anyhow, you'd run out of gas within minutes of running out of no-deco time (or vis-versa) as a Rec diver.
Regards
ElectricZombie
Contributor
Then I would suggest doing basic deco stops...whatever I thought was reasonable based on her exposure. There is no need to rush the person to the surface if there is sufficient gas.
Steve Gerrard and John Orlowski were the rescue divers and the diver that was rescued was Gustavo Badillo. His dive buddy was Eduardo Wallis.
Great story but rare outcome.
Great story but rare outcome.
baenglish73
Registered
In Florida on a picnic, Woody Jasper rescued two divers, who had found an air pocket, from a cave.
I forget the details, their in a book called The Cave Divers by Robert Burgess
I forget the details, their in a book called The Cave Divers by Robert Burgess
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