Two German divers drown at Gran Cenote Kalimba at Tulum

[wgw04024]

If they were on their own, how does one prevent them from traversing that far?

 

[Björn Jakobsson]

Nothing indicates they were traversing, and if they did, why would you stop them? Traverse from Kalimba to Grand is an usual traverse.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

If they were on their own, how does one prevent them from traversing that far?

As a cave diver there is no one to stop you from going somewhere. You are the one who decides if you have the skill - knowledge - gear and correct mindset to be in a particular cave. Security at a site is generally there to keep a non cave diver from entering a cave diver only site. We dive 1/3rds on our gas. 1/3 in. 1/3 to get out. Should have 1/3 remaining at the surface. To have a cave diver be 1200 meters into a cave would suggest either a navigation error or perhaps the lead diver got stuck going thru a restriction causing both divers to be unable to exit. I don’t know what happened. But if 1200 meters is correct then they had a major problem. Feel bad for them, their family and friends and the people who found them and got them out.

 

[Caveeagle]

To have a cave diver be 1200 meters into a cave would suggest either a navigation error or perhaps the lead diver got stuck going thru a restriction causing both divers to be unable to exit. I don’t know what happened. But if 1200 meters is correct then they had a major problem.

Unless I am missing something, 1200mters. (3900ft) doesn’t seem all that outrageous assuming relatively shallow depth. Could they have been using scooters?

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

Unless I am missing something, 1200mters. (3900ft) doesn’t seem all that outrageous assuming relatively shallow depth. Could they have been using scooters?

My point would be tha

Unless I am missing something, 1200mters. (3900ft) doesn’t seem all that outrageous assuming relatively shallow depth. Could they have been using scooters?

if 1200 meters is correct - then they were not close to the exit. Imagine if a diver didn’t dive 1/3rds and therefore were further into the cave than then they should have been. Turned back to exit only to run out of air/gas close to the exit. Again - if 1200 meters is correct then whatever happened - happened to both of them. Medical emergency- one would exit - one wouldn’t. Navigation error - both are lost. One is stuck - maybe one can exit - maybe both are lost. I don’t dive scooter so I can’t really comment of the topic.

 

[Johnoly]

... then they were not close to the exit.....

That's what I was thinking. It might be doable in some systems with scooters and we haven't really heard if they had other/more stages dropped prior to the dive. It's Mexico and I'm guessing we won't hear much else.

 

[Seya]

You can't scooter at that site. It's very shallow dive. With two tanks and a stage your dive time can be very long and you can travel an enomenor distance.

 

[Björn Jakobsson]

First off; 1200 meters on a single stage is not a big deal, made one yesterday. Second; they were 1200m from their entry, but not from surface. In Kalimba system you have small centoes during your dive (or not so far away at least). Most likely did they know this and swam for a closer one but did not make it (can be hard to see in stressed out situation).

Edit: they did not use scooters, so let’s not speculate more on that

 

[elgoog]

Just wrapping up a week of cave diving here. I overheard a bunch of conversations around the shop from other divers who were trying to figure out what happened. I did not participate as I'm a lowly Intro diver with only 21 cave dives to my name and don't know enough to add anything useful.

The conversations did raise some questions for me which I'm posting here. I didn't want to ask at the shop as the tension in the room was palpable.

FWIW, it seems from @Björn Jakobsson posts that he has more knowledge of this particular incident than I do and maybe even knew the divers so apologies in advance if what I'm typing here comes off as disingenuous.

They were diving from Centre Kaliba and were not treversing to Grand cenote.

Nothing indicates they were traversing, and if they did, why would you stop them? Traverse from Kalimba to Grand is an usual traverse.

This definitely came up - more than once and in completely independent conversations.
I don't know if this was due to just repeating the same speculation/rumor or if this is such a common dive from Kalimba that it is the most obvious scenario considering the number of bottles they had or what.

My questions for those with more site specific knowledge -
From what I've gleaned, this particular traverse is a complex traverse even with a stage and diving 1/3. Is this accurate? If so, this would mean that there should have been a setup dive from the other direction?
Or is this so shallow that with good SCR you can make it before you hit 1/3 which makes this a simple traverse?

Second; they were 1200m from their entry, but not from surface. In Kalimba system you have small centoes during your dive (or not so far away at least). Most likely did they know this and swam for a closer one but did not make it (can be hard to see in stressed out situation).

This may already be answered here but are any of these smaller cenotes obvious on this route while you're in the cave?

If it makes any difference, it was bright and sunny on Wednesday morning but got cloudy and rained quite a bit starting around 2PM local time.

Obviously, you should not be relying on seeing sunlight to get to safety but, when you're stressed out, every little thing ...

we will have to await the investigation report later.

It's Mexico and I'm guessing we won't hear much else.

I've lurked on cave forums enough to know that this never happens - and not because it's in Mexico.

Really sad to hear about this, regardless of what the reason was :/

 

[nadwidny]

My questions for those with more site specific knowledge -
From what I've gleaned, this particular traverse is a complex traverse even with a stage and diving 1/3. Is this accurate? If so, this would mean that there should have been a setup dive from the other direction?
Or is this so shallow that with good SCR you can make it before you hit 1/3 which makes this a simple traverse?


This may already be answered here but are any of these smaller cenotes obvious on this route while you're in the cave?
:/

If you do a search for "Double Fatality at Cenote Calimba" you should get a link to the .doc that was done by Steve Bogaerts after the 2004 double fatality with a pretty decent map.