Cruise Ship Fatality on the 18th?

[Alucard]

A friend of mine just got back from a cruise aboard the Carnival Conquest and says that one of the guests died in a SCUBA incident on Grand Cayman on Thursday the 18th of December. She says he was in his mid-20s, went down with a friend and never came back up. Authorities found the body, apparently.

The only news story I have found is Edmond Man Drowns While Scuba Diving - Oklahoma City News Story - KOCO Oklahoma City which has a different age, and says it was on the weekend.

Anyone know more about this incident? Are they the same?

 

[ianr33]

Here Ya go
Tourist dies during dive

Not to make light of any fatality but this is normal crappy reporting:
<<Mr Stuart was visiting the Cayman Islands as part of a cruise. He and a friend rented oxygen tanks from Divers Down. During the dive the victim lost consciousness for unknown reasons.>>

 

[Alucard]

So do we know any more details about what happened?

 

[Drew Sailbum]

So do we know any more details about what happened?

Nothing else made public at this point. There is not likely to be more until the coroner's inquest which could be a year or two away.

And there was only one incident like this so I don't know where they got the mid-20's age.

 

[1KWIK_69]

I hope it wasn't caused by contaminated air. We were planning to see if Diver's Direct rents tanks that we can use to go to some of the shore dive sites that don't have a shop.

 

[-hh]

Nothing else made public at this point. There is not likely to be more until the coroner's inquest which could be a year or two away.

And there was only one incident like this so I don't know where they got the mid-20's age.

Agreed. As per the Cayman Compass report, the deceased was age 57.

Its not an accident analysis, but the Compass also said:

"During the dive it appears the victim got into difficulty and passed out. He was brought to shore while CPR was conducted by his dive partner.

Mr. Stuart's death is the ninth watersports-related incident to occur on Grand Cayman this year."

I've not been particularly meticulous about keeping track lately, but its been my general observation that the Caymans (all islands combined) broadly tend to have very roughly somewhere around ten (10) dive fatalities per year.

FWIW, I do happen to recall that #6 occurred on 13 October 08, on the north side of Cayman Brac. That one happened on a Sunday, the first dive-day of that visitor's trip.


-hh

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I remember talking to a DM in Cozumel who stated that they average 1-2 deaths per month. It seems about right that Caymans would have about the same average. The average victim is a 45-55 year old white male on vacation. The usual cause is heart problems.

 

[1KWIK_69]

Any updates???? I haven't been able to find any info besides what we already read. I want to know if it was health problems or contaminated air.You'd think they would have figured that much out by now.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

I hate to make self-referential posts, but there will be nothing further made public until the coroner's inquest (assuming there will be one). That normally takes one to two years (sometimes longer).

If you are concerned about the possiblity of contaminated air, you could always ask to see the most recent air analysis report from the operator. I know I saw Eden Rock's air analysis report posted right on their counter.

Contaminated air is a relative rarity. Borrow the medical school dictum... when you hear hoofbeats, think horses not zebras... and apply that to diving. When you hear of a 57 year old male losing conscious and dying whilst scuba diving, you should first suspect a medical issue.

 

[ianr33]

Alucard, if you are in the least bit concerned about the air quality in a tank smell it before using it. (This is always a good idea but I must admit I dont generally do it)
If you are really concerned consider a carbon monoxide monitor http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba...able-co-monitor-tester-field-experiences.html