Vortex Missing Diver Incident - Aug 2010

[Cave Diver]

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Recap of known facts:

• Male diver reported missing on Friday at Vortex
• Possibly missing as early as Wed.
• Diver was not certified in cave or decompression diving
• Modifications were made to the gate that allowed it to be bypassed.
• Had deco bottle inside the cave
• Evidence of the divers passage has been found
• Body has not been recovered as of 8-24
• FBI has been called in to assist. Not sure in what capacity.
• Dogs have been requested to check the surrounding area.

 

[wjefferis]

I was there just the accident scene started. Here is what I know:

I arrived at about 08:30 this morning (8-20-10) at Vortex to play around in my sidemount gear. I had heard that there is new management at Vortex which was confirmed when I entered the dive shop to check-in. When I walked in I over heard the people behind the counter say that they couldn’t find the key to the gate for the cave. They didn’t seem all panicked so I just figured they couldn’t figure out where they put it. I was checked-in and I brought my tanks to the water and noticed that there was one diver in already. I began getting my gear together when the solo diver I noticed when I put my tanks in the water got out. We began talking as I was gearing up. Just then an ambulance, sheriff’s deputy and other emergency support personnel arrived at Vortex. I just figured that they were going to be doing some training until I saw the sheriff’s deputy start walking over to us. The deputy asked us if we had seen anybody in the water. The solo diver (who was only OW certified) told the deputy that he dove down to the gate (which is a cave dive). He stated that he noticed a bottle just past the Grim Reaper sign next to the white pipe. The solo diver also stated that he noticed that the gate was open. I asked the solo diver if the bottle was slim and fairly tall and he said yes, so I figure it was a 40 cu ft deco bottle (total guess and unconfirmed). Just then the new owner operator lady started talking and she stated the key to the gate was checked out on Wednesday by a male and it was never returned (accident was on Friday). The water was considered a crime scene at that point and we were obviously told we could not dive. I saw Eduardo (sp?) who is the resident dive guy at Vortex suiting up to attempt to make a recovery as I was leaving. From there I went over to Cave Adventurers to check a few things out. By the time I got there they were calling for Edd (who was out of the country diving) to see if he could help out in the recovery. My understanding is that the backmount diver(s) could tell where he was (I am guessing by following his line?). Unfortunately, they couldn’t enter the area he was at in backmount, so they were looking for skilled sidemount divers who could get to the area the diver was in. When I left Cave Adventurers they were trying to give them some names of qualified sidemount divers who could help in the recovery.

At the time of me writing this I am unaware if they have recovered the diver yet or not.

It was a pretty humbling day today. I will be more than happy to field any other questions if I am able to answer them.

 

[wjefferis]

The solo diver stated he saw a deco bottle in the water (doesn't really confirm anything) along with the gate being opened. When I went to Cave Adventurers they were asking for a sidemount diver because they thought they knew where he was at (i'm guessing by following his line), but couldn't get to him in backmount.

I am not sure what the protocol at Vortex is to get the gate key. This would have to be answered by some of the full cave divers on the board.

Vortex is also a campsite, so I don't know if he was camping there as well. This would allow the vehicle to be at a campsite and nobody would think the wiser. However, I didn't count vehicles on my way out to see if there was an "extra" vehicle parked by where the divers usually park or not.

This is from the News Herald: Possible drowning at Vortex Springs | springs, hamilton, sheriff - Breaking News - The News Herald

Possible drowning at Vortex Springs

Comments 0



August 20, 2010 02:19:00 PM

Florida Freedom Newspapers

Holmes County Sheriff's Office has reported a possible drowning at Vortex Springs north of Ponce de Leon on Hwy. 81. Lt. Harry Hamilton of the Holmes County Sheriff's Office said the unidentified diver is possibly missing in the underwater caves at the springs, a popular diving location. Hamilton said a team of expert cave divers is being prepared to continue the search.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

To get the key to the gate you must leave your full cave card. That was implemented under the advice of Jeff Loflin. And a great implementation at that.

 

[wjefferis]

Here is an update: Possible drowning at Vortex Springs | springs, hamilton, sheriff - Breaking News - The News Herald

UPDATE: Possible drowning at Vortex Springs

Comments 0



August 20, 2010 02:19:00 PM

Florida Freedom Newspapers

PONCE DE LEON — Holmes County Sheriff's Office has reported an apparent drowning at Vortex Springs north of Ponce de Leon on Hwy. 81. LT Harry Hamilton of the HCSO said the unidentified diver is missing in the underwater caves at the springs, a popular diving location.
According to Holmes County Sheriff's Office, the missing diver is from Tennessee and about age 30 and has not been seen since Wednesday evening. His name has yet to be released.
A cave-diving expert with the Holmes County Sheriff's Auxiliary is on the way to explore the cave at Vortex Spring. The search diver may have to swim up to 1,500 feet in the search, with air tanks left along the route.
HCSO reports that two air tanks and other equipment apparently belonging to the missing diver has been found in the cave.
Mark Smith of Underwater Adventures of Baton Rouge, LA, has dived Vortex Springs several times. Smith said it appeared that the missing diver ignored some basic safety precautions, especially by apparently diving alone.
"Diving is a buddy team sport," Smith said. He said cave diving like that done at Vortex Springs is a demanding sport and should not be done alone or without a plan.
"Plan you dive and dive your plan," Smith said.
The last death at Vortex Springs involved 64-year-old man in May 2009 that apparently died of a heart attack.

 

[Hetland]

Vortex Springs: Recovery Team Still Unable to Find Missing Cave-Diver
Vortex Springs: Recovery Team Still Unable to Find Missing Cave-Diver

Vortex Springs: Recovery Team Still Unable to Find Missing Cave-Diver
No one knew the 30-year old man victim was missing until Friday morning, because he was not authorized to enter the cave at Vortex.
Reporter: Meagan O'Halloran
Email Address: meagan.ohalloran@wjhg.com


Two teams of highly trained, certified cave divers are at Vortex Springs at this hour, looking for a Tennessee man who's been missing since Wednesday. The search was put on hold earlier today to allow the divers to arrive from all over the region.

No one knew the 30-year old man victim was missing until Friday morning, because he was not authorized to enter the cave at Vortex.

Local dive teams and certified cave divers spent most of the day and the night to locate a 30-year old Tennessee man who is presumed dead.

"We're going to put together a 2nd attempt to explore the cavern and see if he's there. We tried to locate him on the surface and around the area says Captain Harry Hamilton with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.

But investigators say they have reason to believe he is in the underwater cave that stretches more than 1600-feet long.

They found the man's decompression air tanks around the 3-hundred foot mark.

Mark Smith, a member of ‘UnderWater Adventures’ a dive team from Baton Rouge, participated in the initial search. He says this particular cave illustrates the tight and restricting path he had to negotiate.

"It’s a rather large opening going down the first 120ft. After that there's a metal gate that he either had a key or jimmied the lock to go through, which is a direct deterrent for most divers of any stature", Smith says.

The dive shop confirmed the man, who was a frequent visitor to Vortex Springs, was not authorized to have access to the cave and did not have a key.

The dive shop called Holmes County Sheriff's Officials Friday, after a worried employee noticed the man's truck had been parked in the same spot since Wednesday.

"We presume at this time he has made a solo cave dive into the springs; we've got reason to believe he planned this dive and executed it maybe sometime late Wednesday", Hamilton says.

As of 10:15pm Friday, the first dive team had no luck finding the man and if second team is unsuccessful, recovery operations will resume first thing Saturday morning.

 

[ElleDrewinTN]

A friend directed me to this thread today and as a friend of the missing diver, I feel compelled to post about him.

I don't want to disclose his name out of respect for his family but I would like to say that B has an amazing zest for life. He's an inspiring individual who loved not only to dive but to climb as well. His facebook is scattered with all kinds of pictures of his random adventures, whether they are underwater or on a mountain, and I would be lying if I said I didn't envy how adventurous he was and even aspire to be more like him in that regard.

This is hitting a small community back here in Memphis pretty hard. B was a huge influence in our community of friends a few years ago, when we were all a lot younger and "wilder" if you will. Not only did he throw some of the best events, his house parties are almost legend around here. He is always the life of the party where ever he goes and his smile and ability to have a good time is infectious. I know that I, along with many others fear that we are going to have to face the fate of having to hold on to memories instead of laughing with him per usual.

Not only was he the life of the party in his younger years but, imo, matured into an amazing humanitarian as well. This is not the first time tragedy has struck his family. Two years ago this Sept he lost his younger brother very unexpectedly. His younger brother had donated all his organs and this touched B in a way that changed him forever. Instead of losing himself in his grief, he with his older brother created a foundation to honor their little brother. The foundation raises money to spread awareness about organ donation. B is also an active member of the Donate Life community and would take every and any opportunity to educate about how important organ donation is. He is actually the reason I have a little heart beside my photo on my driver's license now. What hurts my heart the most, is that if B has met his untimely fate, he was robbed of donating the very thing he advocated so valiantly, life.

Thank you all for your heartfelt concern, warm thoughts and prayers for not only him but his family and friends as well. I will be forwarding this thread along to several other friends of B and will continue to pray alongside this wonderful diving community for not only a friend but for the search teams as well.

Much love,

A worried friend in TN

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

For informational purposes as there have been questions concerning the Vortex "system". I am one of the few divers that dive this passage a good bit. Just had Lasik so I am out of the water for another few weeks. Bugman (Mat) is another, that dives it with me, or me with him and he is assisting in this. Please keep him, and the other recovery divers, in your thoughts as this is an awful thing to have to do.

Vortex cave is not very long. 300'p to the gate at 120 ffw. Off to the left of, and before, the gate, is a section of very silty s/m cave that has been permanently gated. A person could squeeze past if they wanted. Before that (toward the entrance) is another little section that doesn't go far but a person could get stuck there too. Beyond the gate it goes maybe another 500 or 600' tops (estimation). There is a duck under that can be done in b/m, and then a section about 250' long that is best done in s/m. Belly to back in b/m digging throught he sand if you go through in b/m. Before that section there is a fissure crack, and before that a passage that is low and silty and maybe not diveable. At least one other, and myself tried to push it and it is too nasty. After the low section it opens up and dead ends. This is all around 120ffw. Just before the dead end it goes right and down to about 150 ffw. It goes left at this point and is only backmountable for a few feet. Sidemount goes a few hundred feet at most, last time I was there. It is not an extensive cave like JB or the likes, but it is not a novice dive either. Vortex Cave has claimed more than a few lives and only a few were over medical reasons.

As far as the key, there has only been 2 for some time. Eduardo had one and the desk had the other. The other has always been hard to keep up with. I have used Eduardo's on many occasions. We always lock the chain and lock, with the gate open. Not really a big deal. Wrap the chain around the grate and lock it. Pull the gate closed to keep ow divers from wandering in, or push it open and leave it. It takes work to move it either way. Whether or not a key was given out, I won't speculate. After reading everything on the web, victim may or may not be beyond the gate. My intro / cavern instructor recovered a diver who was on the exit side of the gate that others missed, and in one of the, above, mentioned areas.

As far as the comments about solo, Smith is talking out of turn, if he actually said that. News outlets are notorious for writing what they think you said. I took a police diving class with Mark Smith in 2002 or 2003. He is a reserve Dty with one of the Baton Rouge Parish SO's (east or west). Either way, it is such an uneccesary loss and my thoughts are with his family. Mark Michaud

 

[DogHouseDiver]

I was on Team 3 of 3 teams last night. I will not mention names at this time.

Holmes County Sheriff setup incident command with EMS and volunteers, and a few hours of safety discussion, dive planning, and gear preparation occurred before any attempt was made. The volunteers were divided by skill set and mission into 3 teams, 2 search teams and 1 support team. Team 1 was a team of 3 divers. Team 2 was a team of 4 divers. Team 3 was a team of 2 divers.

I will allow the members of teams 1 and 2 to post their own comments about their dives so as not to mis-inform. Both of those teams made long and deep penetrations and did not sight the victim. Great effort was made by those teams pushng both depth and restrictions in attempts to locate the victim.

Team one surfaced reporting no sighting. Team 2 geared up and began their further push. Team 3 departed approx 15 mins after Team 2 to perform the tasks below:

As part of Team 3 we placed stage bottles at the buoy and inside the cavern entrace past the turn for ourselves and other teams. We placed a rescue litter/recovery basket at the cavern entrance and secured it with weights. Then we searched from the gate and backward, thoroughly checking all of the shallower (108ft and up) portions beginning at the gate in the Piano Room and back. We checked all obvious and tight restriction passages in Sidemount throughout the Piano Room. We visually checked the side cave that is blocked by rebar and has an old boat rope in it. This area has reportedly had other victims in the past and a cursory search was made of this by Team 1 on their dive. There is evidence of rebar bend from past dives, but we saw no obvious disturbance of recent dives. Exiting the cave we searched all of the small offshoot passages and sand banks. We also searched the cavern/cave entrace area and the pipeline all the way to its restriction into the main basin. Our goal was to double check and rule out any of the areas from the gate and out, while setting up the litter for recovery teams.

Team 3 exited with no sight of the victim, Team 2 was approximately 20 minutes behind Team 3 carrying the bulk of stage and deco bottles.

Having made no sighting, calls went out to additional recovery divers experienced in sidemount, restrictions, and deep diving (mix). The search was postponed around midnight. Team 3 re-entered to recover 3 stages and relocate the rescue basket to a spot in the cavern out of plain sight to O/W but easily accessible to Saturday's recovery team.

The family arrived onsite during the dives, and they are very appreciative of the efforts of all the EMS personnel and volunteers. My heart goes out to them.

Recovery efforts are scheduled to resume at 10am Saturday. Additional specialty divers are enroute to continue the search and recovery.

 

[Cave Diver]

Map of Vortex: