Why are experienced divers getting killed and injured lately?

[Jason B]

I find a few of the responses in this thread in poor taste.

 

[Scuba Jerm]

Not to distress you further, but it CAN happen to you as well.

"Any diver can die on any dive at any time."

These are good things to remember.... I have friends that have approached me about diving, and they have this attitude of "what could happen?"..... that flat out scares me! I think it's important to remember that life insurance costs more when you disclose you are a diver for a reason. (got mine before my cert )

 

[Tollie]

A sobering read is Diver Down.

Many of the deaths recounted are of professional divers. It happens when we believe we are in a comfort spot or when we believe that a "simple" dive cant bite us.

 

[cowboyneal]

Staying clear of nuts and fanatics works too...lol...

 

[JRScuba]

Perhaps you should consult DAN. They have all the statistics.

Hopefully you willl find your answers there.

Everything has an up and down cycle.
You just might be more aware of it now.

 

[AlexMDiver]

Diving can be risky. So can mountain climbing, paragliding, skiing, snowboarding and driving a car.
How many times have you thought about car fatalities on the rise this year before you turn the ignition.
If you are careful in diving, the risk is pretty low. If you are not careful it will come and bite you in the backside.

The problem with diving in contrast to many other activities, is that when things go wrong, you very quickly run out of options. It is therefore much more terminal than other sports when bad situations happen. Perhaps worse is parachuting. If the chutes do not open, well that is it. Try and light a cigar and wait for impact.

 

[Cacia]

I find a few of the responses in this thread in poor taste.

I am sure you are familiar with "gallows humor".
It serves as a release when very stressful things happen, so maybe just overlook it?
My take is people have been a bit shook up here lately and maybe the dialogue, even "tasteless" cracks is a healthy way for people to manage. One of the things I feel strongly about is that we just have to cut each other more slack than usual when the **** hits the fan.

I must say, I think I learned a lot in the discussions surrounding both accidents, both in the threads and in PM's once the discussion was "too hot to handle". You have to be able to joke around a bit, months later, or too much is pushed underground.
Both people involved in the accidents had/have huge humor.--even the off color
kind.

The Denton Tragedy was particularly well chronicled by a very devoted friend and dive buddy (on TDS) and many dive physiology points have been considered in a very useful way. Ultimately, it does not really matter much exactly what the causes were. That we can consider risks and ways to mitigate them in a constructive conversation is so valuable. The process of doing this together, as members of the dive community is also meaningful. It is not a trial...it is a human process.

 

[pilot fish]

perhaps as the dive population ages, divers who could do certain dives are pushing
themselves past what their older bodies can handle. or perhaps they are taking
risks a less experienced and seasoned diver would not.

combine that with more divers out there, and the percentages do the rest

just a guess

The diver that got killed on the Andrea Doria this weekend was 49 and BigJet was 55. That does not seem too old to me. If that's the case I'd better be hanging my fins up soon.

I think you're right Andy, the more divers there are the more chance for accidents. But I'm still puzzled by the experience level of these divers.

 

[H2Andy]

The diver that got killed on the Andrea Doria this weekend was 49 and BigJet was 55. That does not seem too old to me.

really? think of your average pro athelete ... when do they retire?

why is that, i wonder?

deep, cold, deco diving is a young person's sport ... push your luck... and ....

and other problems creep up on you which young people don't have as much

I think you're right Andy, the more divers there are the more chance for accidents. But I'm still puzzled by the experience level of these divers.

the more experienced the diver, the more complex dives they are going to do.
the more complex the dive, the more things can go wrong.

given the large number of these sorts of dives being done, it is not surprising
that the odds are catching up

 

[BIGSAGE136]

Summer time. Wait till mini season.