Posted by tleemay on January 23, 2003 at 09:34:18:
In Reply to: Re: Yes, zat's so. posted by seahunt on January 23, 2003 at 06:22:02:
From two instances I know about at the Matterhorn,
and one near incident at a very similar site:
Too long and too deep on the wrong back gas and/or
deco profiles. Diver A started and ended the dive
with a buddy. Narcosis was an issue imparing both
buddys and their judgement and dive plan at depth. Diver A got bent and was treated, Diver B suffered
from muscular and joint pain off and on for years
following until he died of a heart attack at the
ripe old age of 71. The treated Diver A to my knowlege is still alive.
Getting into deco and being blown off the pinnacle
aborting the dive in panic... without completing
the last 40+ minutes of what deco. Diver started
with a buddy, but he separated as they hit the
bottom. This diver was treated for DCS and stopped
diving after that incident. To this day he still
has a continuing numbing in his shoulders a decade
plus later.
And one I learned about last tonight from someone
who told me their experience over the phone;
diving the site and being so narc'd at 180 that panic set in. The diver left his buddy and clung to the anchor line until his head cleared and he was able to get out of the water safely. This
diver (who has a few THOUSAND dives) told me
point blank that what he did was STUPID - his
words, not mine.
Like I need to point out that these dives
were not done applying common sense. As the
industry expanded, so did the knowlege base.
People began to learn from others mistakes and
analyze the accidents (or near accidents)
factoids. 20 years ago no one knew better, these
days many people do and are safer for it.