Posted by Joe R on November 19, 2000 at 23:18:02:
In Reply to: Re: Florida scuba fatality. posted by AADIVER on November 19, 2000 at 12:14:40:
A properly trained Dm or instructor as a buddy probably could have averted the situation. Part of instructor training is problem recognition BEFORE a problem happens, and if it does what to do.
I personally have seen divers panic severely and get entangled. It sounds as if the buddy acted quickly but didn't see the problem brewing. I dive regularly off Long Island, NY where most of our dives are below 100ft many in the 130 to 150ft range. I see relatively new divers on these wrecks, some need a little hand holding especially when the vis is bad.. (less than 10 feet many times less than 5) but proper supervision and proactive measures lead to safer and better dives. Don't get me wrong we do have deaths on our wrecks, but they usually involve penetration or occur in our deeper wrecks (>150 while on Air).
This August we had an VERY experienced diver who lost his life testing his equipment in a mere 100 ft (His 7 bottle rig (>$90,000) was a work of art) unfortunately he had catastophic failure and was unable to get out of his rig in time (no quick releases, just 1 damn piece of webbing!)
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