Divers drown in mining pond during search-and-rescue operation

[DandyDon]

I seriously don't think they were out trying to rescue the teenager.

Aside from guesswork, all we have is what the online news sources say - and that's what they say.

wouldn't it make more sense to use a boat for rescue operation.

If you want to rescue a drowning kid, can get divers to the location in minutes, or a boat in a matter of hours - how do you bet? I don't know if they could get a boat there at all, with jungle on both sides of the pond, a weir above the drowning site, and who knows what's below?

 

[The Wolf]

There's a helpful graphic towards the end of this article that depicts the "whirlpool" at the base of the low waterfall that trapped the divers. It's not quite what I was imagined based on the other reports.

Folks seem to have seen a video of the event (or the site)... is there a link for that video?

Yes, I have seen the video and it's horrible to watch. But, as a first responder, its a video of how not to conduct a SAR looking for a dead body at night. I think the problem, as time goes by will point back at the SOP and a lack of training in Swiftwater rescue and being able to identify the dangers of these low dam's.

I have almost drowned in 1 of these low dam's and in 3 whirpools. I am very confident swimmer and a diver but once you get sucked into these "whirpools"....unless you have very strong legs and understand how to get out of one, you are finished.

I was very lucky on one occassion a safety kayak got to me in time as I was just about out of energy and in the other 3 cases, two were not as difficult to get out of and the 4th was almost a drowning incident for me.

I feel sorry for these guys. They didn't know what they were getting themselves into. And they were being directed towards the whirpool by someone in the background if you listen to the video.

That person had no clue .

 

[yle]

(posted this too early, in response to speculation about water toxicity... before I read further, the whirlpool and the actual cause of the accident)

 

[DrBarbarian]

apparently it's only chest level deep!! I'm confuse now.... I just read another article which I think says that they were not diving..... I will try to search for that article agan....

 

[The Wolf]

apparently it's only chest level deep!! I'm confuse now.... I just read another article which I think says that they were not diving..... I will try to search for that article agan....

From what I can gather...../

1) The 6 were tied together along 1 rope line with a water bouy at the front with the lead guy. All 6 were spread out in one straight line 2-4 meters apart.
2) All had life jackets on. No diving gear. No helmets. No head lamps.
3) They were walking in the river bed with the water level being up to their waist and then higher up to their chest as they moved closer towards the dam
4) They were being directed by a someone standing above them and told to keep moving forward
5) The lead guy gets too close to the dam and gets sucked into the vortex and then drags the rest in as well one by one as the guys on shore struggle to pull all 6 out due to the force and weight of the vortex/weight of the 6 people tied together. All are spun around like in a washing machine under water and drown.
6) They are eventually pulled back to shore and cpr conducted but medical teams are unable to revive them.
7) Not sure if the medical team or rescue teams had a DEFIB unit available.
8) Op was conducted at night

If you look at the photo shared, I have circled the area where the drownings occured and where they were sucked into the vortex one by one. They were checking that area to see if the body was in that area and came from down river walking up river. The mistake they made also was to tie the divers from down river all together using 1 line instead of tying them separately and reducing the number of people in the water to 2 perhaps and both having separate rescue lines (or no rescue lines at all).

They should have done the search in the day time,

 

[rongoodman]

A search on "drowning machine" will provide a lot of background.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

Why are half the threads in accidents titled Diving as in scuba diving when no scuba diving is involved? Cant thread titles be edited?

 

[Jack Hammer]

Why are half the threads in accidents titled Diving as in scuba diving when no scuba diving is involved? Cant thread titles be edited?

It's not always immediately known what type of "diving" was involved. Often the initial reports are lacking, poorly worded, and I'll informed. It's easier to just stop reading a thread if it's of no interest.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

It's not always immediately known what type of "diving" was involved. Often the initial reports are lacking, poorly worded, and I'll informed. It's easier to just stop reading a thread if it's of no interest.

Lol definitely true, im just thinking that moderators etc could alter the thread titles to something more appropriate.

 

[DandyDon]

Why are half the threads in accidents titled Diving as in scuba diving when no scuba diving is involved? Cant thread titles be edited?

Exaggerate much? The thread posters here generally do their best with titles and sharing initial reports. We often don't know if they were on scuba, rebreather (which is still scuba), or freediving from the news stories, and hope new info will be supplied. Changing a title does require Mod assistance, and I have done that at times, but getting the whole story into the headline is too much to ask.

It's not always immediately known what type of "diving" was involved. Often the initial reports are lacking, poorly worded, and I'll informed. It's easier to just stop reading a thread if it's of no interest.

Yep, thanks.