Diver Death at CSSP - Terrell TX

[CharleyT]

As no one else has posted anything on this, I will. My information comes from the person who did the recovery, as he was filling our tanks yesterday. As I was taken aback during his story, some details are sketchy, but as accurate as I remember.



At some point in the afternoon on Friday (I believe the 10/22/04), a husband and wife team was diving at Clear Springs Scuba Park in Terrell Texas. Something happened to the husband underwater, and the wife surfaced to go get help. She drove to where Michael, the young man who does airfills was (I would assume at the airfill station). Michael was recently certified and this was his second dive as a certified diver. He geared up over his pants and went looking for the husband as the wife called 911.



I believe the victim was somewhere on the North section of the lake. He mentioned finding the man somewhere around 30’ or so, with no bubbles, and no regulator in his mouth. By the time they either surfaced, or made shore, the ambulance was on scene.



I spoke with Robert (who owns the park) about it for a few minutes yesterday and offered them our condolences. This appears to be the first fatality at CSSP and I pray it’s the last. This is a great site, with wonderful people; my prayers are with the bereaved family, and everyone who is part of the CSSP family.



If others have more details, I would appreciate knowing.

Charley

 

[MikeFerrara]

Doing a recovery on his second dive...wow! There was no one more experienced around?

Makes you wonder why the wife didn't bring her husband up with her and get help on the surface, doesn't it?

 

[CharleyT]

Doing a recovery on his second dive...wow! There was no one more experienced around?

Yeah, he seemed to be doing OK when we talked. I hope he'll be alright.

Makes you wonder why the wife didn't bring her husband up with her and get help on the surface, doesn't it?

I'm not sure of the exactly how it all went, so not sure if there were mitigating circumstances.

Charley

 

[snuggle]

mike...why she didnt bring him to the surface is nor here nor there..obviously she panicked and didnt know what to do so she surfaced and went for help..not all divers are calm and collective as we wish them to be in times of panic...my sympathy goes out the her at this time..its comments like yours that really p*ss me off at times.

 

[Sirto]

mike...why she didnt bring him to the surface is nor here nor there..obviously she panicked and didnt know what to do so she surfaced and went for help..not all divers are calm and collective as we wish them to be in times of panic...my sympathy goes out the her at this time..its comments like yours that really p*ss me off at times.

I think it's a reasonable question. Not for the purpose of laying "blame" but to learn from the incident.

Condolences to the family.

 

[wolf eel]

[MikeFerrara Doing a recovery on his second dive...wow! There was no one more experienced around?

Makes you wonder why the wife didn't bring her husband up with her and get help on the surface, doesn't it?]

I know you have sympathy to wife !!

I agree I wonder what did happen ? Did the training fail her ? As in was she taught properly how to respond ?

These are very sad events but I have allways said diving is fun but you have to be fully aware of what might go wrong. And panic is not allways the case.
Derek

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Being rather intimately familiar with CSSP, I'm going to ring in here.

Yes, its absolutely tragic that someone died while scuba diving at CSSP. I am highly suspect about this being an actual scuba related death.

The greatest thing about diving at CSSP on Friday is that there almost isn't any one else there. I am not suprised that wife went to a park employee, who she had probably met, for help and he, much to his credit, helped. This area is less than 40' deep. There are no entrapment hazards, but probably getting chilly about now.

From the story, it sounds like he developed a problem at depth, my initial guess would be cardiac, the wife didn't know what else to do, so she did what she could.

Prayers to the family,

TwoBit

 

[sealskin98]

That was my initial thoughts Tom, cooler water and cardiac. But alas, we have no details yet and all of this is just supposition.

I hope Michael is all right, that must have been....

Charley, he was still working, huh? Good for him.

My sympathies go out to all concerned.

 

[Kim]

Guessing games and supposition do not help here. Please could everyone wait for the facts before making comments on what might or might not have happened.
In the meantime someone has lost her husband and she should have all our sympathy - she certainly has mine.

 

[jbd]

mike...why she didnt bring him to the surface is nor here nor there..obviously she panicked and didnt know what to do so she surfaced and went for help..

Just maybe, she didn't panic at all. Just maybe, she did the only thing she knew to do. Lets not read things into the situation.