Two divers lost around Mikomoto...

[TJO]

Truly sorry to hear about this. Having done a 45+ minute float with Nori-san in 5 -7 ft waves and wind (made the safety sausages fairly useless) finally to be spotted by a fishing boat that radioed the boat, which was way over by Mikomoto-jima, I agree this is a site you don't want to do without experience and (warranted) confidence.

The boat carries a large number of divers, some are blue water drift diving, some are hanging around the rocks, people are everywhere. Add wind, unpredictable current, haze, low light, inexperience, etc. and you can see this could be a tricky spot.

To paraphrase Harry Callahan, "A good diver knows his/her limitations" ...and doesn't dive past them.

Good points Dev. Now if the captain would be trained to look out for the alert markers and anticipate divers drift directions... It all goes back to the excellent post Matt and Titan started on diving safety. Experience, education and equipment is important... so is the support. Imagine doing a deco dive there. That is Russian roulette with several bullets for many divers. My condolences for the victims families and friends.

Thomas

 

[SCUBAMedicBill]

I haven't seen any media coverage on these two incidents. I found one From Japan Today, which I'll reprint at the bottom, But if anyone knows of a article, please let me know. I like to use them as training issues.

Thanks

Bill

TAKENO, Hyogo -- A female diver died while practicing techniques off the coast of Takeno in the predawn hours of Sunday, police said.

Investigators said friends of the woman, Mutsuko Tomiyoshi, 32, noticed she was not acting normally while they were diving about 30 meters off the coast of Takeno, and they dragged her to shore.

She was taken to a hospital but died about two and a half hours later.

Investigators said Tomiyoshi, a pharmacist, was one of a group of eight people in the medical profession who were diving together from about 1 a.m. on Sunday. They were reportedly practicing for an emergency diving situation, releasing their oxygen tanks and using a rope to climb to the surface.

Tomiyoshi was demonstrating the technique when she suddenly fell away from the rope.

The pharmacist had a 4-year history of diving, and there was reportedly another diver in the group with up to 20 years' experience. Police are continuing to investigate the cause of her death. (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan, Sept. 12, 2004)

 

[Mar Scuba]

Now if the captain would be trained to look out for the alert markers and anticipate divers drift directions

Yes, but that captain is one of the best on the whole penninsula. His whole team is very professional. Don't know how that happened on his watch and I would like to know more details when available.

 

[dcpac]

TAKENO, Hyogo -- A female diver died while practicing techniques off the coast of Takeno in the predawn hours of Sunday, police said.

Investigators said friends of the woman, Mutsuko Tomiyoshi, 32, noticed she was not acting normally while they were diving about 30 meters off the coast of Takeno, and they dragged her to shore.

She was taken to a hospital but died about two and a half hours later.

Investigators said Tomiyoshi, a pharmacist, was one of a group of eight people in the medical profession who were diving together from about 1 a.m. on Sunday. They were reportedly practicing for an emergency diving situation, releasing their oxygen tanks and using a rope to climb to the surface.

Tomiyoshi was demonstrating the technique when she suddenly fell away from the rope.

The pharmacist had a 4-year history of diving, and there was reportedly another diver in the group with up to 20 years' experience. Police are continuing to investigate the cause of her death. (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan, Sept. 12, 2004)

I am sorry for the people who died and thier familys. It sucks that people have to die doing stuff like above.
I have never dove in Mikomoto but from what I have seen about Japan dive boat operations and shops I would be surprized if they even know CPR let alone have a chase boat, look outs posted to look for SMB's or go over any procedures for surfacing away from the line. I am sure they are not all like that but you have to admit Japan has a long way to go when it comes to safety and diving.

 

[sunfish]

I'm not sure we know enough about any of the incidents to decide that lack of training by any operater or individual was their cause.

 

[Henryville]

...one of a group of eight people in the medical profession who were diving together from about 1 a.m. on Sunday. They were reportedly practicing for an emergency diving situation, releasing their oxygen tanks and using a rope to climb to the surface.

Tomiyoshi was demonstrating the technique when she suddenly fell away from the rope.

WTF???

Admittedly the media everywhere often (usually) get scuba accident stories wrong, but what kind of training is this?

 

[Henryville]

Yes, but that captain is one of the best on the whole penninsula. His whole team is very professional. Don't know how that happened on his watch and I would like to know more details when available.

If the diver doesn't send up a SMB or surface, there is really not much a captain or crew could do. From my limited experience, the captain and crew handle the boat with real skill in some difficult conditions.

On the other hand getting a lot of people in the water, often in locations exposed to different currents, some intentionally blue-water drifting, others not, without a chase boat and with dive leaders of varying skill does set up some potentially hazardous conditions.

All good reasons for those who choose to dive here (as I hope to do again) to be prepared, mentally, physically with the right gear and the right training.

 

[nori1841]

Sep/04 Ida Izu,　female, 29 year-old、, founded 6m away from shore, depth -1.5m, experience is 20 tanks, strong surge w/no visibility in shallow water, but the site wasn't closed, 5 divers group guided by professional,　lost just moving on surface - cause is drowning
my comment : beginners point but footfold is bad due to many slippy rocks,　always required to use regulator even during EN/EX.

Sep/08 Akajima-Okinawa, male, 52 year-old, 3.5Km north, lost after 30min past, professional guided tour, founded -13m, - cause is unclear

Sep/11 Mikomoto Izu, two divers still missing(male 28 & female 31), the searching was ended in 13th then the site has been reopened since Sep/14 but Fukumaru(KAIYUSHA) may only continues searching until the weekend.
The divers didn't come up at exit, not drifting on surface, all diving boats of this area includes pure fishing boats had been searching with aircrafts from Mikomoto to Nozaki Chiba-Pref. and guide divers had been searching bottom of the sea for 3 days.

http://www.290.jp/index.html

I have seen the website of Weather Report(Diving Shop) on Sunday but it can not be found, maybe closed now.
- two divers were doing octpus breathing just before exit due to air shortage.

- Sep/28 ; He was found out on -30m bottom of Kamene.

Sep/12 Takeno north Hyogo-pref(Sea of Japan)., female 32 year-old, 4 years of experience, AM 01:40, beach in front of Kashimakankoh(DS) , strong surge, almost nearby sites were closed, she was instructing how to do emergency ascent using rope without BCD, it seems really midnight practice but some professionals mentioned why midnight? - cause is cardiac failure

She was demonstrating to detach the tank(BCD?) for an emergency ascent, then black out suddenly, then she was coming off from the rope. An instructor was conducting the practice.
I don't also understand why midnight practice took place since they can't have an emergency assistance smoothly in any way.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20040912-00000016-mai-soci

Sep/12 Osezaki Izu, female, 33 year-old, panic in -5m, - cause is drowing
beginnes point and no deep except open sea. but accidents have occurred periodically because so many divers play there.

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0912/016.html

I'll post my impressions of first trip to Mikomoto later which is really difficult but attractive site.

Sep/25 Kumomi, male, came from Ibaragi-pref. 31 year-old, a group of 8 divre's includes two DM's. He was found at dead end of a small cave in -13m bottom of Koushi with no air in 2 hours later after lost.
-cause ; drowing

The diver had 8 tanks experience beginner. DM's searched missing diver into the cave easily just after lost, then continued fun dive with other guests. When the group returned to harbor, a local shop DM who heard the accident then immediately started to search, then found him but too late.
It is said that the DM's on duty might think he was continuing dive as a sole then came up safely by himself. It's too easy thought.
DM's have 2 times experience of Kumomi.
Now focusing on why they didn't stop fun diving and didn't search him until the end of their air supplies. And a cave is risky for newcomers even a small one.
Two boats have been operated like a shuttle service so a head-count is not checked　by a boat captain.　

http://www.shizuokaonline.com/local_social/20040926000000000011.htm