Scuba diver dies after complaining of gear malfunction

[CuzzA]

Scuba diver dies after complaining of gear malfunction

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) - A woman who died after scuba diving off St. Pete Beach had complained of a gear malfunction before her death, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Kimberly Houtz, 54, had been scuba diving and spearfishing with her boyfriend, the captain of the boat and two other passengers in the Gulf of Mexico about 13 miles off the coast.

At about 10:15 a.m., authorities say Houtz and her boyfriend stopped to dive a popular wreck that was in about 37 feet of water. Witnesses told investigators Houtz had complained about a diving equipment malfunction but continued with the dive.

Houtz was underwater for less than five minutes before she rose to the surface in distress.

She was pulled back onto the boat and reported feeling nauseous and experiencing abdominal pain. She also had trouble breathing.

As they headed back to shore, Houtz began losing consciousness. The occupants on the boat radioed for assistance and began performing CPR.

An Eckerd College Search and Rescue Team met them about a mile offshore and a paramedic administered shocks from an automated electronic defibrillator (AED) and used oxygen to treat Houtz.

Once they reached land, Houtz was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg Hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries. She died Saturday at 3:15 p.m.

Detectives say her death appears to be accidental in nature.

Her official cause of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner's Office.
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A good reminder for new divers to ensure your gear is operating correctly, and if not, fix it or don't dive. And while the article doesn't say the cause of death and we don't know for sure, it's a safe assumption that pulmonary barotrama is at play in this case. Whether a panic bolt to the surface or a runaway inflator, don't hold your breath while diving... ever.

Diving Doc: Pulmonary Barotrauma

 

[BoltSnap]

Problem with equipment, get back to the surface and get out of the water and never go back underwater before fixing the equipment with fault!

 

[Bob DBF]

Problem with equipment, get back to the surface and get out of the water and never go back underwater before fixing the equipment with fault!

I agree and that applies to any serious problem.

From the sounds, I'm thinking a medical event, possibly believing the gear was the cause of the distress, rather than a medical issue. Abdominal / stomach pain can be a symptom of heart attack. The symptoms could give you the idea that the reg wasn't giving enough gas, if you had shortness of breath. Also it was not considered a serious issue, probably checked on the surface, so a shallow dive was determined to be safe.

Playing with vintage gear, sometimes without much of a check, I've run into more gear issues underwater than I otherwise should. Once I get to the surface things always get better.


Bob

 

[The Chairman]

Yeah, many medical events can come across as a gear malfunction. Learn to call the dive. Nothing down there is worth paying for with your life.

 

[KathyV]

Don't go diving without the availability of emergency equipment and oxygen and leave someone on the boat that knows how to use it.

Of course that won't work in all cases, like shore diving Bonaire.

 

[Kensei]

I agree and that applies to any serious problem.

From the sounds, I'm thinking a medical event, possibly believing the gear was the cause of the distress, rather than a medical issue. Abdominal / stomach pain can be a symptom of heart attack. The symptoms could give you the idea that the reg wasn't giving enough gas, if you had shortness of breath.
Bob

Agree... we need to wait until the investigation is finished... this may not be what it appears to be at first glance.

 

[The Chairman]

this may not be what it appears to be at first glance.

But what if it is? No single gear failure should cost anyone their life. Not that gear fails on a regular basis, but I've had the gamut thrown at me, including DMs turning off my air. It's my opinion that less money should be spent on gear and more on training. No, you don't have to get a card with that training. I consider my most popular class a remedial course and so offer no card for it: Trim, Buoyancy and Propulsion.

As a caveat, all bets are off if you have a stroke, a cardiac event or even pulmonary issues and you're at depth. Chances of survival are slim when those occur. You can have the best-equipped boat and even a doctor on board and still expire. I can train for gear issues, but not really for health-related ones.

 

[Dan]

What kind of gear problem would make a diver comes up to the surface quickly?

 

[michael-fisch]

What kind of gear problem would make a diver comes up to the surface quickly?

Tear in a silicon mouthpiece near the tiewrap, practically unnoticeable but will eventually start breathing wet and the more you fumble with it underwater the wetter it breathes. It takes an active decision in order to then transfer to an Octo.
(USD Comfobites are famous for this failure, especially since very few exchange this mouthpiece for a new one on every service.)

Michael

 

[uncfnp]

What kind of gear problem would make a diver comes up to the surface quickly?

Panic