Tragic - Tragic - Tragic

[King_Neptune]

Well, reports are still kinda sketchy but today in La Jolla, CA, The diving industry takes another HIT.

"On a 40 year old mans VERY FIRST DIVE after his Open Water certification, he did not come back Alive.

Diving with a buddy, and failed to surface... They found him on the ocean floor shortly thereafter ... "

I don't want to jump the gun here, and the media isnt always the most accurate FIRST WORD on anything but I have a question ...

[red]WHERE WAS HIS BUDDY?!?[/red]

 

[TexasMike]

No kidding!

KN, be sure to provide us updates as you get the details. (conditions, type of dive, investigation results, etc)

 

[detroit diver]

So sad. This guy was doing the equivalent of solo diving. I think some people call it "same ocean" buddy diving. You'd think that everyone would be on a high state of alert for one's first dive.

My condolences to the family and friends.

 

[JustAddWater]

Sounds like a tragedy that may have been avoided. Any indications as to the cause of death?

 

[Rick Murchison]

I do believe I have seen more idiots per square foot in La Jolla Cove than anywhere else in the diving world (that was in the '73-'81 time frame when I used to dive there).
There were several lost during those years, and the cause was usually the same broken record - borrowed gear, unqualified diver, overweighted etc etc.
While not exactly the same, this does sound like another case of experience level not up to the task.
I am really curious to see what the accident investigation turns up.
Question for KN - you're still in that area, right? Is the cove still a magnet for diving's worst?
Rick

 

[Lost Yooper]

Somewhere I read that 60% of diving fatalities occur within the first 25 dives or so of certification and 50% of DCS and embolism cases involve inexperienced divers. I believe this was a study or something. I'll look for it.

Mike

 

[Lost Yooper]

According to a snip from my notes, a couple guys name Elliot and Bennet published something called Underwater Accidents -- The Physiology of Medicine and Diving in 1993. What I have says that 60% of all fatalities occured with divers having less than 20 dives (not the 25 I said previously). It also stated that about 50% of DCS and embolism incidents occured with inexperienced divers.

I don't have a link, just the publishing info that I had in my notes from a few years ago. I haven't read the entire report, but I'm fairly sure what I have is accurate. Regardless, if this is true, then my question is not where was his buddy, but where was the training? These numbers reinforce what I have always said about most of the training agencies.

Food for thought.

Mike

 

[Newhampster]

or so I recall. Can't remember which magazine issue, but it was probably in last 12 mos.

 

[Scuba1]

Well theese days one can get an OW with just 4 open water dives and be an instructor logging just over 50. Makes me think.
Michael

 

[JustAddWater]

Rick,
Funny that you said that about some of the divers you've encountered at La Jolla Cove. I've read about two diving accidents there. One involving a homemade rebreather, another about two divers trying to break their "personal" depth record (I think I read they were trying for 250') off of La Jolla canyon, each using one aluminum 80 with compressed air- no backup. I understand the canyon is accessible from the shore, by about 150 yard surface swim. Scary. May they rest in peace.