Posted by Les Jackson on September 25, 2000 at 20:46:47:
In Reply to: It is not solo diving per se that kills, it is attitude. posted by Eins on September 25, 2000 at 13:37:46:
The five most recent DAN reports describe 474 dive fatalities from 1992 through 1996, 62 of them (13 percent) involving solo diving
In your post I quote,
"Unfortunately, we seem to find more over-confident solo divers amongst us than such buddy divers, which may be one reason for solo dives causing more deaths than other forms".
Where did you come up with that? It seems like 87% of deaths are from buddy divers, according to DAN. Its old data but the numbers can't change that fast. I think its important to realize that there are divers who dive without a buddy because it works out that way ( buddy does not show ) and divers who are prepared for solo diving. Either way you have to evaluate each accident, could a buddy help or would there be two dead divers. If your diving solo and have a massive heart attack, it's not solo diving that killed you, it was your poor fitness. I agree attitude, lack of self-evaluation, poor judgement and other forms of denial are the real killers.
Les