Another accident in Tulum Cave Diving

[Divin' Ivan]

The report is real. It was obviously leaked by someone at IANTD. Once on the side mount Facebook group page about 2200 members had access to it and then the world. The dive started badly enough with the guide working the camera. That is how he lost sight of the diver. Running a "trust me" blind circuit for this 3 day certified cave diver was another mistake. Finally pulling the jump reel and cookie sealed her fate.

 

[RayfromTX]

I'm putting myself in her shoes and thinking. "I'm such an idiot. Where is that line and that cookie? It's got to be just around the next corner. Why isn't it here? What did I do wrong?"

 

[Divin' Ivan]

The lost diver drill has you not only leaving all reels and cookies in place, but also leaving a light hanging from the line attaching also a slate letting that lost diver know you left the cave with a directional cookie or rummie pointing the way out. You are taught never to guess whether your lost diver is still in the cave. Rather you are taught to assume they are still in the cave.

 

[jmb]

While I have no cave training or certification at all, I have dived the cenotes with Alessandro many times and would just like to state that he was always very careful and safety-conscious, and I would still dive the cenotes with him. My deepest sympathies to all parties.

 

[nadwidny]

While I have no cave training or certification at all,

With that qualifier how can you then feel you have any authority to go on and state....

I have dived the cenotes with Alessandro many times and would just like to state that he was always very careful and safety-conscious, and I would still dive the cenotes with him.

You don't know what you don't know.

 

[jmb]

Yes, I agree that I have no authority - just a personal opinion if that is allowed.

 

[CptTightPants21]

Yes, I agree that I have no authority - just a personal opinion if that is allowed.

Allowed? sure. Should it be voiced, not really. As you state, you have ZERO cave training. I don't want to say you don't know what "safe" is, but without proper training your opinion is suspect at best. This is a very sad story that will always have unanswered questions.

What is known is that Alessandro pulled the jump reel with his buddy still in the cave, as an instructor this is a completely unforgivable breach.

 

[halocline]

Yes, I agree that I have no authority - just a personal opinion if that is allowed.

Of course it's allowed, and nobody else on this thread has any authority either, just speculation. It's always impressive to me how quickly people pile on someone, without any first hand knowledge of the person involved. Of course its a very different story when the people involved in an accident are friends and colleagues.

At least your comment is based on actual in-person experience. So it has validity.

That said, the guide in question did apparently admit to making a crucial mistake that may or may not have contributed to someone's death. Beyond that, it's all speculative. Personally I feel horrible for the woman's family and friends, and I'm sure the guide feels horrible too.

 

[Divin' Ivan]

Of course it's allowed, and nobody else on this thread has any authority either, just speculation. It's always impressive to me how quickly people pile on someone, without any first hand knowledge of the person involved. Of course its a very different story when the people involved in an accident are friends and colleagues.

At least your comment is based on actual in-person experience. So it has validity.

That said, the guide in question did apparently admit to making a crucial mistake that may or may not have contributed to someone's death. Beyond that, it's all speculative. Personally I feel horrible for the woman's family and friends, and I'm sure the guide feels horrible too.

A trained cave diver would recognize several mistakes made all of which appear to have contributed to this tragic outcome. Assuming the veracity of Mr. Moreno's report the following are my observations which I don't think to be speculative. The first would be the "trust me" or blind circuit the instructor led the decedent on. The secondwould be the instructor/ guide being too pre-occupied with the camera to notice his client was trying to leave the cave. The third would be the decedent's determination to leave the cave solo missing the jump the guide had previously installed. The fourth would be the decedent determination not to leave with or communicate she was lost to the exiting team.The fifth would be the instructor failing to use "lost diver" practices such as hanging a light and slate with stated intention to leave the cave written on the slate with a directional cookie for good measure. Lastly and the only "mistake" willingly observed by the last poster, was the instructors assumption his buddy had left the cave and determination to remove the jump reel. I'm not inclined to quickly jump to any conclusions either, but Mr.Moreno was a cave instructor and his client had been certified three days before. I also don't think it speculation to reason that this series of "mistakes" caused this woman's death. I think what is important for those of us left to wonder how tragedies like this happen, or who intend to keep cave diving, as I intend, is to understand what went wrong so we can keep it from happening again. Labeling reasoned analysis as "all speculation" IMHO isn't helpful and doesn't serve that cause.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

The first would be the "trust me" or blind circuit the instructor led the decedent on..

Do me a favor and go back and reread this -

https://m.facebook.com/groups/399477463449300?view=permalink&id=1361547317242305

Then make your speculations.