Cave Diving Fatality

[Chad]

I copied this from the deco stop. It was posted by Ken Hill. Very sad outcome on an exploration dive. Condolences to the family.


This is an IUCRR notification to the cave diving community that yesterday. At about 1230 noon, a diver entered the water in Devils System, Ginnie Springs. Later that day Ginnie staffers learned the dive was for the purpose of exploration beyond the Hinkel restriction. The IUCRR learned that the diver was configured in a rebreather with sufficient scrubber to last 10 hours and also a side mount/no mount rig for the effort needed to make a passage through a suspected new lead.

The staff of Ginnie Springs reported the event to the IUCRR at 2130 hours yesterday. They also reported a degradation of visibility within the system making recreational diving unsafe. A preliminary inspection dive revealed that the visibility issue was caused by the attempted exploration and at that time the diver discovered a fatality at about 3300 or more feet in the system.

AT 0900 today an IUCRR recovery team extricated the body and later teams removed the individuals gear and paraphernalia used. Reports of the divers identity are being withheld at this time. The IUCRR extends condolences to the family. I would like to thanks Rose and Mark Meadows for their assistance, Lamar Hires the IUCRR Training Director and Jerry Murphy for their assistance in returning the body to the surface. The effort was enhanced by many others who gave surface support and diving assistance in this recovery.

As per IUCRR policy, a full report is being prepared for the Gilchrist County authorities for their evaluation and review. Once their review is concluded it will be released it to the cave diving community.

[Splitlip]

Crap. That's too bad.

Sorry for him and the family.

[Chad]

Here is a little more info on the all volunteer IUCRR group. These people do really great work. The whole time risking their lives to recover victims.

International Underwater Cave Rescue and Recovery

[texdiveguy]

The sad side of our sport.

[Scubastud16]

Wait, they guy was on CCR AND a sidemount rig?

Wow. Sad that he died. My thoughts are with him and his family.

[Crimediver]

I wonder how this death will be attributed. A lot of people will want to point at the rebreather as they have had their share of fatalities associated with them lately. Or was it something else ? Hopefully it can be determined and we can learn from this unfortunate event. Hats off to the team that made the recovery.

[ianr33]

Originally Posted by Scubastud16

Wait, they guy was on CCR AND a sidemount rig?

My guess is the rebreather was to get him to a tight passage he was going to explore on sidemount.

Obviously a very advanced dive and a very accomplished diver.

Very sad.

[rox@ucf11]

Very sad my thoughts and prairs go out to family and friends

[scubasamurai]

go easy bro

[aprilgoddess1987]

thats horrible, my prays go to the family