Cozumel Incident 9/4/11

[MMM]

Really- you know the dive site was Santa Rosa for sure? How do you know that?

I don't. I thought I read that somewhere on one of the threads (perhaps since deleted) but I might have been wrong. So if they were on Punta Sur Sur or Maracaibo...another 10 minutes. How does that change anything?

 

[fdog]

When I started reading the initial post(s), I sorely wished for a thread similar to this - thank you for starting it, John.

If the implications surrounding this incident are anything close to what really happened, then one thing is plain: the divers were very, very unprepared, in so many ways, to execute this dive. Sad. Even if the dive plan was a mere 200', they were not prepared by any stretch of the imagination.



...I find it interesting that both in this thread (and the original one), the assertion that "this is not a dive that any Cozumel shop would send a vacationing diver on" has surfaced several times. I would submit that any diver with the training and experience to perform this dive, would not have made this particular dive.


All the best, James

 

[scubafanatic]

Lee, I think what Christy meant is this:

Most recreational divers in Cozumel follow a generally standard profile - 1st-dive 70-80 feet, 2nd dive 40-60. I would venture to say up to 70% of shops and recreational divers follow profiles very close or similar to this, I'm sure most of Scuba Mau's trips do too. On a standart profile like this, a downdraft or downcurrent might take you from 80 feet to 110-120 or from 60 feet to 80-90. There are no downdrafts that take you from 80 feet to 300, period. I think this is what Christy was trying to say.

Like most here, I do not know any details of the dive plan, so anything I say is pure speculation, if downdrafts were a factor in what happened, and considering they were on a non-client private trip, it’s probably true that they were doing a deep dive to being with, which could have been aggravated by downcurrents. Again, this is merely speculation.

I too have prayed for them, and hope they make a full recovery.

amazing that it's taken over 200 posts for someone to actually state the highly obvious (and extremely politically incorrect) most likely course of events...and how long it's taken so many people to put two-and-two together, not to detract anything from the 'victims' situation....but we've finally spotted the 'elephant in the room' here.

 

[Rescue Diver68]

I don't. I thought I read that somewhere on one of the threads (perhaps since deleted) but I might have been wrong. So if they were on Punta Sur Sur or Maracaibo...another 10 minutes. How does that change anything?

Because you are telling people that the incident occured at Santa Rosa. Lets discuss the facts. Some people are thinking "OMG it happened at Santa Rosa, we won't dive there again" and I believe it was not Santa Rosa.

 

[MMM]

Because you are telling people that the incident occured at Santa Rosa. Lets discuss the facts. Some people are thinking "OMG it happened at Santa Rosa, we won't dive there again" and I believe it was not Santa Rosa.

OK. Let's assume that it happened at Villa Blanca, which would make more sense given the dive op's location. That would put them about 5 minutes from a recompression chamber. What's your point? Or do you have more information to share that hasn't yet been posted?

 

[WSOPFAN]

amazing that it's taken over 200 posts for someone to actually state the highly obvious (and extremely politically incorrect) most likely course of events...and how long it's taken so many people to put two-and-two together, not to detract anything from the 'victims' situation....but we've finally spotted the 'elephant in the room' here.

Really?? NOTHING has been posted CONFIRMING any story that they hit or passed 300ft. It was posted as 2nd hand speculation PERIOD. WHERE has there ever been any FACTUAL information posted that they went from 80 ft to 300 ft? NONE ..................Anything else you want to add Antonio?

BTW out of respect for the posters here who have repeatedly asked to take this kind of discussion somewhere else feel free to join us at the thread in A and I.

 

[fdog]

It is important to also understand that all dive accidents are not the result of negligence, recklessness, disobeying the rules, dangerous conditions, etc. In the case you refer to, it was actually only 2 days prior to this. The diver was found and an autopsy concluded the cause of death as a heart attack. MANY diving accidents/deaths are health related and not a direct result from anything related to the dive itself.

As a vacationing/tourist/recreational diver - no reputable dive shop is going to send you on the kind of dive that is going to put you in the position of having to deal with the issues that occurred on this dive.

I am not passing judgment, condoning, blaming, making excuses, pointing fingers, etc. - I simply want to reinforce the fact that there is a difference in the types of dives planned for our visitors and the types of dives SOME local DM's do for "fun" when they are off the clock. These dives should not be compared or used as a baseline when determine the safety risk for Cozumel diving.

Christi, with the greatest of respect, I must disagree. The dives "off the clock" do indeed reflect on the safety of the day-to-day diving.

The fact a DM does these kinds of dives implies many things. That they have no grasp of basic gas planning jumps to the forefront. Add to this a lack of planning for failure(s); slim understanding of decompression; a mindset which easily breaks simple rules of safety; a feeling of invulnerability; little experience in managing emergencies at depth.

If you knew someone had all these traits, would you let your loved one dive with them, no matter how seemingly benign the dive? I would not.



All the best, James

 

[Rescue Diver68]

OK. Let's assume that it happened at Villa Blanca, which would make more sense given Scuba Mau's location. That would put them about 5 minutes from a recompression chamber. What's your point? Or do you have more information to share that hasn't yet been posted?

My point is that you are adding a dive site name to the incident which you dont know as fact. You are putting in people's head's that Santa Rosa is a dangerous dive site. If those with first hand knowledge want to let us know what site it ACTUALLY was they will do so. Naming which site you think makes the "most sense" is misleading. I get that you are pointing out the time it takes to drive the boat from the site to the dock.

 

[MMM]

Correct. I wanted to point out that a recompression chamber is not far from any Cozumel dive site. For some reason I can't put my finger on I had Santa Rosa in my head but I dive all of the sites in Coz and don't think any one is more dangerous from the other for most divers. Have dived all of them hundreds and hundreds of times.

 

[WSOPFAN]

BTW this was also posted at the other link by Nauticab:

if i see more rumors posted anywhere, i told her brother i would ask him and get the truth and post the truth. if you have any questions, please ask me and i will find out or tell you if i know. thanks everyone for the prayers. this will be a long road for all.

If there is anyone who is a member of that site or know who she is maybe ask her if she wants to officially clarify the story here.