Philippines / Masbate - Volunteer Robredo recovery diver DCS incident

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latest update (9.45am posted in twitter)
Kara David‏@karadavid German diver who suffered decompression sickness yesterday at the SaR ops will be brought to Legazpi hosp today because his lungs have water
Retweeted by GMA News
 
There seems to be some confusion over the level of Danny's training, in respect of his dives in Masbate. Media reports have listed him as an Open Water Scuba Instructor and as a technical diver, but it is not clear what technical-level training he holds, if any.

Neither is it clear yet which dive team/s he was working with - whether in support of Matt's dives, the NAVSOG, others or operating unilaterally. It is also not clear what nature of in-water support Danny was giving to the operation, or the profile of dives he was conducting.

Until such details are formally released, including the nature of his involvement with the Masbate operation, I think it best not to speculate or make assumptions.

He was allegedly involved in the operation at the behest of DOST, with whom he is a consultant. If true, one should assume that DOST would have had sufficient understanding of the situation to not request, or permit, volunteer divers to undertake dives beyond their experience and training.

Likewise, we might assume that the Philippines military 'command and control' of the operation would be sufficient to prevent the participation of divers, in roles for which they were unsafe. To do otherwise would risk adding further casualties to the list, endanger others and cause delays to the operation as a whole.

For those who might be unaware, it is typical to use shallow 'support divers' in conjunction with deep, technical divers. These divers would remain around the deco stop depths (in recreational depth ranges) to assist decompressing divers on their ascent. In the case of body recoveries, those divers would take ownership of any remains, or equipment, being brought up. This allows the deep divers to decompress without the added stress of retaining control over the remains etc.

Until we know the exact nature of Danny's participation, in conjunction with the level of his technical training, I think it wise not to speculate.

One thing is certain, lessons are always learned from operations like this.


VOLUNTEER GERMAN DIVER IN DIVING ACCIDENT RECOVERING WELL


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[PHOTO -A shot of German diver Danny Brumbach while he was being dislodged from a rubber raft. Photo by Val Cuenca for ABS-CBNnews.com]

DAVAO CITY, AUGUST 22, 2012 (ABS-CBN) By Dennis Gasgonia - The German diver who met a diving accident while conducting retrieval operations at the crash site in Masbate is recovering well.
Mario Montejo, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), told radio dzMM that the condition of Danny Brumbach, who underwent decompression, is improving.
“’Yung last update was a few minutes ago lang, nakakapagsalita siya, nakakapag-galaw ng kamay. 'Yung examination n'ya ay ok. We're still monitoring pero very positive naman ang status,” said Montejo.
Montejo said Brumbach works as a consultant for DOST.
The DOST secretary said the diver experienced decompression sickness while conducting search operations for Interior and Local Government Jesse Robredo and 2 others.
“Definitely, lumutang siya ng mabilis kesa kelangan,” said Montejo.
But Maj. Gen. Eduardo del Rosario, head of Task Force Kalihim, which supervises the retrieval operations, said that Brumbach is on his way to full recovery.
“He is now on stable condition, almost 95% recovered,” said the general during a press conference.
According to an earlier report, the technical diver came out of the sea foaming at the mouth around 3 p.m.
He was initially rushed to the hospital but was brought to the shore minutes later to be transferred to a Philippine Coast Guard ship which had a decompression chamber.
Montejo said the German had volunteered to help in the search and retrieval operations.
The 31-year-old diver, an open water scuba instructor, was part of a coral restoration project in Bohol.
“That was the first of our encounters and our working relationship. Ngayon he is more involved in our programs talaga,” said Montejo.
The search teams retrieved Robredo's body from the crash site on Tuesday morning
The bodies of Capt. Jessup Bahinting and his Nepalese co-pilot, Capt. K****iz Chand, have yet to be retrieved.
Del Rosario said Brumbach’s team was successful in tying a rope which will be used to pull the plane out of the water.
“Nagpadive uli tayo para tignan ang nagawa nila sa ilalim… nakapagtie silang ng main rope, nakatali na ngayon sa eroplano. We need two more para makuha natin ng totally 'yung eroplano... hihiliain pataas," said Del Rosario.

---------- Post Merged at 10:10 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:08 AM ----------

Divers resume retrieval of pilots in Robredo plane crash


August 22, 2012 7:40am


Divers resumed early Wednesday their efforts to retrieve the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot who perished along with Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo when their Piper Seneca plane crashed off Masbate last Saturday.
Task Force Kalihim head Major General Eduardo del Rosario voiced hopes they can recover the bodies before noon, radio dzBB's Benjie Liwanag Jr. reported.

Retrieval operations were suspended Tuesday afternoon after a German volunteer diver suffered what was suspected to be decompression sickness. The technical diver, trained to go deeper than recreational divers, is recovering.

Still to be retrieved are the bodies of pilot Captain Jessup Bahinting and co-pilot K****iz Chand.

 
I'd like to read Matt's report here if ever he comes around to writing one.

Also, I'd like to thank Mr. Brumbach's (and his colleagues') effort in the retrieval operation. I wish him full recovery at soonest possible time.
 
We weren't there so from the comfort of my armchair all I can say is different divers are affected differently on different days. He could have dove perfectly within his usual parameters and still got bent so it's impossible to draw any armchair conclusions on the fact that he got bent alone.
 
Wasn't this involving an airplane accident? Wasn't he trying to maybe save a life? Are we asking the wrong questions here? If I saw a plane go down I would dive past my "training" but within my knowledge to see if I could help. Training and experience are two different things. Situations call for different actions.

Before you go there don't use cliche's on me like one person hurt is better than two. I have been around enough to hear them all.
 
Wasn't this involving an airplane accident? Wasn't he trying to maybe save a life? Are we asking the wrong questions here? If I saw a plane go down I would dive past my "training" but within my knowledge to see if I could help. Training and experience are two different things. Situations call for different actions.

Before you go there don't use cliche's on me like one person hurt is better than two. I have been around enough to hear them all.

It was a search-and recovery operation.... a body recovery. It took several days to locate the wreckage - so I doubt any of the divers involved were under the impression that saving lives was an issue.

Typically, when it comes to body recovery, the primary rule is not to endanger yourself at any cost.
 
Typically, when it comes to body recovery, the primary rule is not to endanger yourself at any cost.

to add to it, even when rescuing, assess that you will not be needing rescuing in the event you decide to rescue. on recovery, the more you should not be a victim.

as it adds more stress to the meager resources on rescuing other people. the rationale is , instead of rescuing the current victim, you may add to the number of victims if you put yourself to tremendous risk.

furthermore, it was only in the words of the Politicians there that after a day of the crash they intend to get survivors under the sea? even if you had a scuba tank with you, you wont last 24 hours submerged. much less after three days.

hence after that late afternoon crash, to most experienced and trained Search and Recovery personnel, would expect that after one hour under water it would be Search and Retrieval operation.

So it would be safe to say that to all participating divers, it is search and Retrieval.

but accidents still do occur and no one would like that to happen. They say the underwater current is strong, so this may have played a factor in Dannys condition.

tho i would like to ask the DOST guys, if they know the team Danny was with when he went down to assist? or ...... o so many questions, lets hope Danny can give his account to prevent similar occurrences from happening.
 
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