Two missing Thai divers in Sattahip, Thailand
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Ex-Aquanaut
Contributor
My Thai staff told me Russ found the body inside the hardeep. Pretty specific info for a TG to come up with unless she got a phone call from her TG mates at MMs.
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I found info in the "hardeep" you all are referencing: http://www.pjscuba.com/wrecks.htm
I screw up at times, but I avoid panic while trying to make the best of my dumb luck - and never let my reg outa my mouth, even on an OOA ascent. Sorry he did. You can work thru a lot of problems with 1400# of air left. Never lost a mask, altho I did nearly last trip - but always carry my spare in my pocket and do practice going without it at times. I think these are good ideas for all to consider here.
I screw up at times, but I avoid panic while trying to make the best of my dumb luck - and never let my reg outa my mouth, even on an OOA ascent. Sorry he did. You can work thru a lot of problems with 1400# of air left. Never lost a mask, altho I did nearly last trip - but always carry my spare in my pocket and do practice going without it at times. I think these are good ideas for all to consider here.
All the "Thai" divers know about the Hardeep, or should. Your post will help those not familiar with Samaesan. It is one of the best wrecks at recreational depths in the Gulf of Siam. What I am and suppose many are interested in is a confirmation on the Hardeep claim of a diver being pulled from it. It seems it could be in error. Other accounts put the depth way beyond the depth of the Hardeep (28-30m vs. 49m). Let's still hope the other diver managed to find safety.
Ex-Aquanaut
Contributor
Like I said, it's just what we heard. Saw report he was at the bottom of The Hole, but that's about 76m, so that doesn't jibe either.
Thanks for the update. I realize you were just trying to pass on news we all wanted to know more about. Things can get jumbled when passing between sources. Understanding the dive plan and what actually happened may help prevent a similar occurrence. I hope this information is eventually communicated in this forum. I can imagine how agonizing this must be for all involved.
Two Thai recreational divers (one instructor and one AOW student) went missing on the afternoon of May 10th. They were diving near Ko Rong Khon/Rong Nang (near Samaesan, Thailand).
The student's body was recovered by Russell Martin and David Hildreth (Mermaid's Dive Center) on May 13th. The body was found "near" the Hardeep, not at or inside the wreck itself, but at deeper depth (around 47m apparently).
The other diver is still missing as of May 14.
The student's body was recovered by Russell Martin and David Hildreth (Mermaid's Dive Center) on May 13th. The body was found "near" the Hardeep, not at or inside the wreck itself, but at deeper depth (around 47m apparently).
The other diver is still missing as of May 14.
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I know nothing about what happened on this incident but quite frankly everyone coming out of a OW class should be proficient and comfortable with a mask removed, flooded and be able to calmly maintain airway control and safely abort the dive or don a backup mask.
A mask dislodging can occur at anytime for many reasons even at OW depths and from my experience its the point at which most people panic even more so then if the regulator is taken out of there mouth.
I only post this comment since I see you are a AI and hopefully you will ensure that any students whom you are observing skill with are able to perform this skill to the required proficiency not just complete it.
John
J-Kater has a good point.
When I did my advanced open water course a couple of years back in the Philippines, the first thing the instructor had us do once we were in the water was practice this skill. On the navigation dive a day later we finished the skills portion early, so he asked us to do a mask clearing again, plus a scheduled practice buddy breathing test as well.
My fiancée and I do these practice tests at the beginning of each trip, just as a precaution, just as many people do.
In Seattle for my rescue diver course, the instructor was interested to find out that I had done all my diving in warm tropical settings. He told me to do a mask clearing exercise in very shallow water in the Puget Sound near Alkai Beach. That freezing water was unlike anything
I’d ever experienced. It flushed over my face with a sensation similar to one of those freezing headaches you get when you eat ice cream too quickly, only much more intense. To my surprise, I stood up when this hit me. I quickly realized that he was wise to ask me to do this in shallow water before we hit deeper water later on for our rescue sessions. Even when skills are well practiced, the environment changes the dynamics of what you know and how you normally react.
As far as I am concerned, any further classes I take ought to come with a built in expectation for mask clearing among other things, not unlike the required check out dives many shops insist upon before taking even the most experienced divers out on deeper, more challenging dives.
Cheers!
When I did my advanced open water course a couple of years back in the Philippines, the first thing the instructor had us do once we were in the water was practice this skill. On the navigation dive a day later we finished the skills portion early, so he asked us to do a mask clearing again, plus a scheduled practice buddy breathing test as well.
My fiancée and I do these practice tests at the beginning of each trip, just as a precaution, just as many people do.
In Seattle for my rescue diver course, the instructor was interested to find out that I had done all my diving in warm tropical settings. He told me to do a mask clearing exercise in very shallow water in the Puget Sound near Alkai Beach. That freezing water was unlike anything
I’d ever experienced. It flushed over my face with a sensation similar to one of those freezing headaches you get when you eat ice cream too quickly, only much more intense. To my surprise, I stood up when this hit me. I quickly realized that he was wise to ask me to do this in shallow water before we hit deeper water later on for our rescue sessions. Even when skills are well practiced, the environment changes the dynamics of what you know and how you normally react.
As far as I am concerned, any further classes I take ought to come with a built in expectation for mask clearing among other things, not unlike the required check out dives many shops insist upon before taking even the most experienced divers out on deeper, more challenging dives.
Cheers!
InTheDrink
Contributor
If it was the current that ripped off the mask, then mask skills of themselves were unlikely be only factor. The current may have been pulling him down also. That's a lot of task loading in a very hostile environment and even very skilled divers could react poorly to this. However I agree, practising diving without a mask is a useful skill for just such an event.
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