Posted by Kendall Raine on December 01, 2000 at 12:29:17:
In Reply to: Truk diver fatality: definitely solo posted by Eins on November 30, 2000 at 22:28:44:
From the skethcy information on the site provided, it's unreasonable to draw hard conclusions. However, there appear several things about this dive, from the information provided, which could have contributed to this death:
1) The guy was solo. While he might have died even with a competent buddy, it was clear from the article he effectively drained his gas. A buddy could have made the difference on this point.
2) The guy removed his doubles. While he may have removed his doubles in order to enter a restricted area to explore, it is more likely he removed his doubles to negotiate a restriction in order to exit. I say this purely speculatively based upon the fact that disturbing artifacts in Truk is prohibited. That being the case, why risk removing your tanks inside a wreck at depth to just look? Again, speculation. If valid, however, this suggests he may have attempted to exit by a different route from the one which allowed him to enter with his tanks on. The only reason to do this is if he were lost. There is no mention of a guideline being used. A guideline is key in lowering the risk of getting lost.
3) The whole medication thing is really spooky but impossible to interpret other than the part of the report which said the guy lied on his waiver. If he did, was it because he knew he had a counterindicated condition? Diving and heavy medication is stupid beyond comprehension.
4) The blood in the mask seemed to be profuse enough to suggest something other than simple sinus rupture. The report suggests massive vascular rupture in the brain, but who knows. There is no mention of a gash on the head which could also create such blood flow.
In conclusion, the guy violated, in my opinion, a series of safe diving principles:
1. No buddy
2. No guideline
3. Heavy medicant
While cause and effect are impossible to figure from the information, nothing in the report offers support to the idea that these actions are benign. Rather, the inference is that having a buddy, using a guideline and being "healthy" may have prevented this death.
In the end, however, I fear all this death will amount to is continued hardening of people's positions, on both sides, of these issues. What a waiste.