Four dead in Italian cave

[DandyDon]

From Four divers drown in Italian caving accident | Reuters

Four divers were killed on Saturday while exploring an underwater cave system at Palinuro near Salerno in southern Italy, authorities said.
The four, three men and a woman, were part of a larger group of divers exploring a site known as the Cave of Blood, due to the red color of its walls, when they apparently became disoriented.
"We have already questioned the survivors of this tragedy but it's still too early to say exactly what happened," Andrea Agostinelli, an official with the regional Salerno coastguard, told SkyTG24 television.
In a separate incident, another diver died off the island of Capri, near Naples, Italian media reported.

 

[TSandM]

Oh, my God -- what a horrible tragedy. I hope we eventually learn something more about what happened, at least something about the passages and conditions in which they were diving.

 

[heavierthanlead]

These appear to be sea caves...

Excursion to the caves of Capo Palinuro

 

[TSandM]

A rough summary of an Italian news article posted on CDF says that there were 10 OW divers whose guide took them into the sea caves. There are apparently two rooms, with a small passage between them. The viz was blown in the second room; six divers made it out, but four drowned. The dive guide is in the hospital "in shock".

 

[DandyDon]

I saw a few other news articles in Italian. Some suggested the possibility of a cave in trapping them or obscuring viz. Since the bodies were quickly recovered, I doubt they were trapped. And those news stories may have had more wrong...?

 

[mala]

thats about as bad as it can get.

 

[ianr33]

A rough summary of an Italian news article posted on CDF says that there were 10 OW divers whose guide took them into the sea caves. There are apparently two rooms, with a small passage between them. The viz was blown in the second room; six divers made it out, but four drowned. The dive guide is in the hospital "in shock".

 

[Jim Lapenta]

"Oh it's ok we do this all the time" was most likely said at least once. Another reason to never listen to such drivel. I am going to send an email to my contacts in Italy and see if I can get more info. I have a few good friends there in the dive community who won't BS me on the details. In the meantime I hope everyone who reads this sees the reason that DM led "trust me" dives for OW divers are one of the most dangerous and reckless things you can do underwater.

 

[mainedvr]

Jim

I agree one hundred percent, and even trusting a DM that you do not even know for anything other than pointing out the best part of a reef or a wreck is reckless. I had an experience that I will not go into and because I decided that I did not care if I pissed off the DM I am still here. Such a tragic loss.

"Oh it's ok we do this all the time" was most likely said at least once. Another reason to never listen to such drivel. I am going to send an email to my contacts in Italy and see if I can get more info. I have a few good friends there in the dive community who won't BS me on the details. In the meantime I hope everyone who reads this sees the reason that DM led "trust me" dives for OW divers are one of the most dangerous and reckless things you can do underwater.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

I hate reading threads like this because these deaths were entirely preventable. Not an accident at all, but rather pure foolishness. Sigh...