Frequent Flyer
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 93
|
 Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:07 pm Post subject: Scuba diving deaths |
| |
I saw this on the news headlines (cool new feature!)..........Then checked and saw ANOTHER diver fatality at Little Cayman Beach Resort in the same week! I put them both in here together. What's up with that? I always thought the Caymans had the safest diving record. Are these just flukes? Or maybe connected somehow? Does anyone know who the dive companies are? The east one must be OF or Morrits, no? Is Activity Guide still recommending Little Cayman Beach Resort?
Woman dies while scuba diving
Published on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Email To Friend Print Version
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) have begun an investigation after the death of a 47-year-old female scuba diver on Saturday, 19 January.
At around 10:40 am, the 911 Emergency Communications Centre received a call from a member of the public reporting that a woman aboard a dive boat was unconscious and being brought back to shore at West Bay public beach.
Medics and police were deployed to the scene while CPR was administered aboard the boat. The woman was taken to hospital but unfortunately passed away. It would appear she had been diving with a group of others when she passed out returning to the surface.
The woman had been vacationing in Cayman and was from England.
A police investigation is underway and a post mortem will be carried out.
This the first diving death reported in 2008.
In 2007, five divers died during the first four months of the year.
The first fatality occurred on 24 January 2007 and involved a 54-year-old man scuba diving near Sunset House.
On 11 February, a 43-year-old woman disappeared while diving on Bloody Bay Wall during a trip from Little Cayman Beach Resort.
On 4 March 2007, a 71-year-old man died while scuba diving off East End and just a week later, on 11 March, a 57-year-old man from Texas died while on a dive off Smith?s Cove on South Church Street.
Then, on Sunday, 15 April, another visitor to Little Cayman, this time a 59-year-old man who was an experienced diver, failed to return from a dive on Bloody Bay Wall.
At the time, Hon Charles Clifford, Minister for Tourism, said the Cayman Islands had a much better safety record than other destinations in the region. His comments were backed up by the fact that there were no further serious incidents reported during the rest of 2007.
A source within the dive industry said they felt that it was unfair to single out specific activities. ?We should be looking at the overall picture and the causes of these deaths,? they said, adding that the majority of the deaths seemed to be due to pre-existing conditions rather than the activity itself.
However, it may be some time before an official verdict is given on any of these incidents. All the deaths must be the subject of an inquest but, as there is no on-island Coroner, delays of up to two years can occur before the cause of death is finally decided.
In 2007, concern was expressed that this delay makes it very difficult to implement measures, which might prevent future fatal incidents involving divers.
Second diver missing on Bloody Bay Wall
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Hon Charles Clifford
Minister of Tourism
A 59-year-old man is missing, presumed dead, after failing to return from a dive on Bloody Bay Wall off Little Cayman.
At around 10:15 am on Sunday, 15 April, staff from Reef Divers notified police that the American visitor, who was an experienced diver, had failed to return to the dive boat.
According to a statement issued by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS), it would appear that, at around 20 feet underwater, the man indicated to his buddy that he was having pain in his ear and would re-surface to join the boat, rather than continue with the dive.
When the rest of the group returned to the boat some time later, he was not there and a search commenced.
A sea, air and land search was conducted with a number of local boats assisting, as well as Cayman Airways, but the man was not located.
He had been vacationing at the Little Cayman Beach Resort with his wife. At the time the statement was released, police and staff at the resort were currently looking after her.
The RCIPS say that an investigation is underway, but at this time there are no obvious indications of suspicious circumstances or negligence on the part of the divers who were with him.
The police also say they would like to commend the Reef Divers staff and other local boat operators for their professionalism and actions in assisting with the search.
In an earlier incident, on 11 February, 43-year-old Heidi Theresa Carson disappeared while diving on Bloody Bay Wall during a trip from Little Cayman Beach Resort.
An extensive search also failed to find any trace of her. Police say that their investigations have now been concluded and that they have found nothing to indicate foul play or negligence was involved in Heidi?s disappearance and the case was being passed to the coroner.
In other incidents this year, three scuba divers, all over the age of 50, died in Cayman waters in just over two months.
On Sunday, 11 March a 57-year-old man from Texas died while on a dive off Smith?s Cove on South Church Street, Grand Cayman.
The week before the incident, on 4 March, a 71-year-old man died while scuba diving off East End.
The first reported diving fatality of 2007 occurred on 24 January and involved a 54-year-old man scuba diving near Sunset House.
In 2006, ten people died in watersports incidents, seven while swimming or snorkelling and three while scuba diving. The majority of the victims were over 50-years-old.
In January, reviewing last year?s fatalities, dive operators said they were generally satisfied with the safety standards in the Islands.
At the time, Hon Charles Clifford, Minister for Tourism, said the Cayman Islands had a much better safety record than other destinations in the region.
After the previous fatality, one source within the dive industry said they felt that it was unfair to single out specific activities. ?We should be looking at the overall picture and the causes of these deaths,? they said, adding that the majority of the deaths seemed to be due to pre-existing conditions rather than the activity itself.
However, it may be some time before an official verdict is given on the incidents. All the deaths must be the subject of an inquest but, as there is no on-island Coroner, delays of up to two years can occur before the cause of death is finally decided. |
|
|
FAQ
