Canadian woman presumed dead - Roatan, Honduras

[Pinecube]

@dmaziuk Thank you, I did see that one but I figured that there must have been another post. I just don't see how someone could read that and make the leap to 'made no effort to save herself'.

Thinking about what I would do in her shoes and what I would look like, I would probably fit that description.

On a typical giant stride off of a boat (I'm making an assumption that it was a giant stride), my arms would be 'folded'. One hand on my reg/mask and one hand a cross my chest holding whatever else. If I don't immediately surface and I realize I'm still sinking I would probably be:
- vertical trying to kick up (It would be hard for the DM to see me kicking if they are above me)
- trying to equalize quickly as my ears would be in pain (one arm 'folded')
- trying to inflate my BCD (another arm 'folded')

Maybe she was trying to reattach the LPI? That would fit the description. Maybe she was trying to orally inflate? That would fit the description and further explain the 'head tilted to one side'... I know she didn't 'respond to the DM' but what exactly was she supposed to do? Stop trying to save herself just to watch the DM chase after her?

Maybe this was 'planned' as others have put it, obviously we don't know anything for sure, but I find it hard to come to that conclusion based on that one description of the victim.

 

[diversteve]

AKR boats are ALL giant stride off the back of the boat

That's what we did/saw also. These are the AKR boats - you GS off the back - the 42's do have a step-down side entrance - easier to board from the AKR dock - where the cut-out is.

Roatan Dive Boats | Anthony's Key Resort | Roatan | Honduras

 

[wgw04024]

Jumping in the water with my tank valve shut is one of my worst fears. I check my bcd inflation, regs, and spg multiple times before jumping in.

 

[liteblue]

I don't know this woman and have refrained from asking due to the terrible tragedy, BUT

after reading and re-reading all of the post and replys, and being relatively new to this group, is there a possibility this was intentional? Just asking, don't mean to offend anyone.

 

[BFRedrocks]

Jumping in the water with my tank valve shut is one of my worst fears. I check my bcd inflation, regs, and spg multiple times before jumping in.

Same here...I ALWAYS make sure I have plenty of air in my BC so even if my tank is off for some reason, I pop right back to the surface. This is also why I don't like when DMs check my valve again after I've done it.

I don't know this woman and have refrained from asking due to the terrible tragedy, BUT

after reading and re-reading all of the post and replys, and being relatively new to this group, is there a possibility this was intentional? Just asking, don't mean to offend anyone.

I think that was brought up a few pages ago. I guess it's possible, but I think as divers we're all trying to figure out the possible issues that could have caused this experienced diver to go through this, before that "final" question is answered.

 

[t-mac]

Responding to the over-weighted discussion. Not making any comparisons on amount of weight, but when I'm descending and properly weighted, I would be easy to catch if I'm not finning down. May or may not have anything to do with the result, but based on what I'm seeing, I don't see how she could have been beyond 200 feet without being caught if she was properly weighted (if she was being observed, which she apparently was). All things being equal, someone finning should easily overtake someone passively sinking as the air in the bladder should have undergone maximum compression by 33ft/10m (the ratio gets smaller from there). FWIW, this sounds like a medical or technical issue combined with overweighting. May not have changed things, but unless things are not being reasonably portrayed, I don't see how she dropped so fast as to not have been caught unless she had too much lead.

 

[Texas Torpedo]

@dmaziuk
I know she didn't 'respond to the DM' but what exactly was she supposed to do? Stop trying to save herself just to watch the DM chase after her?

How about this... Ditch the weight belt / integrated weights... Something everyone that dives has practiced doing before they got their learners permit = OW cert..
Her not doing this pretty much renders the idea that she was actively working to save herself moot, IMO.. That and had she wanted to reach the surface she would have likely been kicking in an attempt to arrest the descent and head back up.. My view of the description given by the DM is one of a diver with no panic or urgency what-so-ever.. Sure, as she approached and exceeded 200fsw, narcosis could have had a numbing effect, but that doesn't change the fact that she should have been able to ditch weight and kick back up much earlier in the dive...

 

[BFRedrocks]

Maurene was on my boat with 5 other divers. She had everything set up on the boat except for her weights. She had the dive master put them in as she directed. At least two were in non dump able pockets high on her rig. I think she had 14 or 16 lbs.

Terry (thank you for posting) did say he "thought" she had 14 or 16 lbs, but it either could have been much more, or the DM could have put more lead in her BC than she requested by accident (certainly not blaming the DM and this is pure speculation). That could lead her to be overweighted, but I agree @t-mac that it would have been hard for her to accelerate faster than a diver finning down to catch her, in my opinion.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Unfortunately, unless her gear is recovered, or enough of her remains are recovered to allow an autopsy, I doubt we can ever really determine the cause of this with any certainty, even with some eyewitness information of the dive & descent.

We can speculate, but I doubt will reach any solid conclusions.

RIP.

 

[Dan]

No, 500ml of water is a bit over 1 pint, which is only 1lb of buoyancy.

You are right. So I checked my other emergency gear such as the PLB1 in camera case, which also float. So it might be the sum of these light stuff & my new 5mm wetsuit add up to that 4lbs.

I may need to get a different case for that PLB1 & forget about carrying 500ml water bottle.