Cave diver death at Ginnie Springs

[mselenaous]

I'm at Ginnie Springs today and heard some of what happened here last night.

Late yesterday, a buddy team (purposely leaving out their names out of respect) entered the Devils system with scooters. One diver made it back, the buddy was found 300 ft from the entrance out of air.
This buddy team has many years of experience and many many dives in this system.

Sad day for the cave diving community & for the family. Prayers to the surviving diver.

Cave diving is a dangerous activity.

 

[ucfdiver]

That's awful. It'd be interesting to hear details. For now, though, thoughts&prayers with friends&family.

I think it's best that friends and family get notified and have a day to grieve before details are posted. There's no way this thread isn't going to get ugly fast.

 

[Cyprian]

The gentlemen's name has been released.

Per the Sunshine Reporter on FB - The date is correct in the heading but incorrect in the body (someone typed in May instead of April), but this information is from the sheriff's office.

"GINNIE SPRINGS
PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Lt. Jeff Manning
Release Date: April 27, 2015 Public Information Officer
Desk (352) 4633491
Cell (352) 6725472
jmanning@gcso.us

On May 26th, 2015 at approximately 5:30 pm, two divers, Robert Jurich and
Evelyn Dudas entered the underwater cave known as Devils’s Eye located within Ginnie Springs. Over an hour later, Evelyn Dudas resurfaced notifying officials that she and Robert Jurich had become separated. Dudas reported that Jurich was last seen approximately 3000 feet within the cave system. Ginnie Springs management and the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts. Members of the group known as the International Underwater Cave Rescue and Recovery unit responded to Ginnie Springs and the recovery/rescue operations began. At 1006 pm. the body of, Robert Jurich w/m 68, Glen Mills, PA was located and recovered. Gilchrist County Sheriffs Deputies, Deputy Jeff Davis and Investigator Kenny Phillip, were on scene and the 8th Judicial Circuit Medical Examiner was notified
along with the next of kin for Mr. Jurich. According to friends and colleagues, Mr. Jurick was an experienced cave diver who had previously dove at Ginnie Springs in the past. The investigation will not be completed until the results of the autopsy are reported by the Medical Examiner’s Office. This is the third diving related death reported in 2015 at Ginnie Springs."

 

[ucfdiver]

Since the distance was mentioned in the article I figure this might help for anyone not familiar with Ginnie.

Mainland is around 3000ft back in Ginnie to the right along the hill just before the Heinkle. It's a delicate, low (ish) area with a clay floor. This area isn't used for scootering by anyone I know. It extends to approximately 4200ft penetration although I can't imagine how you'd get a dpv that far. Most people use 1-2 stages and HP130/LP104's for backgas on scooter dives to this area, using scooters and stage gas only to get to Mainland and then dropping everything and going Mainland on back gas. Having full backgas when you get to the tunnel is helpful as you're swimming against fairly strong flow in there and it's all black (what's left) walls which you really shouldn't pull and glide on.

From what I was told, diver and buddy were scootering into the tunnel with LP95's for back gas only and were separated. Buddy was found a few 100ft from exit. This is an IUCRR recovery so you'll likely never see a formal accident report.

 

[The Laconic]

Evelyn Dudas, as in the first woman to dive the Doria?

 

[mselenaous]

Evelyn Dudas, as in the first woman to dive the Doria?

Yes it is

 

[Black Jack]

Wow it has been a rough year at Ginnie. Sorry to hear the news.

 

[LiteHedded]

Since the distance was mentioned in the article I figure this might help for anyone not familiar with Ginnie.

Mainland is around 3000ft back in Ginnie to the right along the hill just before the Heinkle. It's a delicate, low (ish) area with a clay floor. This area isn't used for scootering by anyone I know. It extends to approximately 4200ft penetration although I can't imagine how you'd get a dpv that far. Most people use 1-2 stages and HP130/LP104's for backgas on scooter dives to this area, using scooters and stage gas only to get to Mainland and then dropping everything and going Mainland on back gas. Having full backgas when you get to the tunnel is helpful as you're swimming against fairly strong flow in there and it's all black (what's left) walls which you really shouldn't pull and glide on.

From what I was told, diver and buddy were scootering into the tunnel with LP95's for back gas only and were separated. Buddy was found a few 100ft from exit. This is an IUCRR recovery so you'll likely never see a formal accident report.

Wowsa

that's was some dive plan

 

[cerich]

If that is true, having scootered that section more than a few times...even when flow was down a few years ago, I have never done that without at least a stage per diver...with the current flow...2 stage 80's per diver could still be tight.

I REALLY Hope what you have heard is not the actual plan..... any chance they missed/lost their stages and they are still back there somewhere?

Since the distance was mentioned in the article I figure this might help for anyone not familiar with Ginnie.

Mainland is around 3000ft back in Ginnie to the right along the hill just before the Heinkle. It's a delicate, low (ish) area with a clay floor. This area isn't used for scootering by anyone I know. It extends to approximately 4200ft penetration although I can't imagine how you'd get a dpv that far. Most people use 1-2 stages and HP130/LP104's for backgas on scooter dives to this area, using scooters and stage gas only to get to Mainland and then dropping everything and going Mainland on back gas. Having full backgas when you get to the tunnel is helpful as you're swimming against fairly strong flow in there and it's all black (what's left) walls which you really shouldn't pull and glide on.

From what I was told, diver and buddy were scootering into the tunnel with LP95's for back gas only and were separated. Buddy was found a few 100ft from exit. This is an IUCRR recovery so you'll likely never see a formal accident report.

 

[LiteHedded]

If that is true, having scootered that section more than a few times...even when flow was down a few years ago, I have never done that without at least a stage per diver...with the current flow...2 stage 80's per diver could still be tight.

I REALLY Hope what you have heard is not the actual plan..... any chance they missed/lost their stages and they are still back there somewhere?

You drag scooters into mainland?