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There is an accident report in the lateest issue of the NACD Journal.

>
>From: "Mark Silverstein" <tabcourt@wa*.ne*>
>Subject: Re: madison blue fatalities
>Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 19:08:24 -0400
>
>2 NY divers were killed in the cave on a dive undertaken Sunday. The
>cause
>is still under investigation. The victims were Richard Siaba and Kevin
>Lymn.
>They were cave certified and trimix certified divers who were also
>veteran
>Northeast deep wreck divers.
>
>From: "Dell Motes" <dell@di*.co*>
>Subject: Re: madison blue fatalities
>Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 15:08:39 -0400
>
>A double fatality occurred Sunday 17th at Madison Blue Springs, Madison
>County, Florida. Both divers were Cave certified.
>Madison Blue staff found the vehicle undisturbed Monday morning and
>called
>authorities and recovery divers.
>Lamar Hires, Mike Bruic and myself found the divers just downstream of
>the
>half hitch restriction (approx 800+ feet).One diver had his tanks
>/harness
>removed, the other was still in his gear. Both divers were on the
>ceiling,
>in vertical positions, facing each other with arms outstretched to each
>other. The removed set of gear was on the floor below them. The entire
>group
>of gear and divers was entangled in the permanent line, which had been
>severed. Upon Lamar untangling the line, Mike took it and proceeded to
>go
>through the half hitch. It would not reach, so he tied in a reel and
>went
>through. Upon clearing the restriction, which was intact, he came upon
>the
>broken end of the upstream line. Two reels had been deployed off of
>this
>line, and a third was laying on the floor in stowed position. All these
>reels were in a few feet of each other. He left them undisturbed, and
>returned to the accident scene. The removed tanks were empty, the other
>diver still had 500 psi. All gear was in good working order.
>After interviews of other divers, it appears this team were the only
>ones to
>this area on Sunday. The most likely scenario, AT THIS TIME, is
>for whatever reason they returned to the restriction for their exit,
>only to
>find the line broken, and visibility greatly reduced. A line search in
>this
>small area, for an extended period of time, most likely reduced the
>visibility to zero. They eventually cleared the restriction, but
>without a
>reel or line, so it appears sheer luck they got through. They obviously
>found the downstream line, but became severely entangled in it and the
>removed gear. Both divers were in classic type gear, backplates and
>wings,
>belt mounted lights, backups on shoulder straps etc.
>Upon downloading their Nitek computers, it appears they expired approx
>135
>minutes after they began the dive. This being the point where no
>variance in
>depth was recorded. The computers also show a max depth of approx. 78
>feet,
>which indicates a drop into the area of the Zumgood/rotorooter , which
>most
>likely was the farthest point of penetration.
>Dell Motes
>Dive Rite
>117 W.Washington St.
>Lake City, Florida 32055
>www.dive-rite.com
>
>
>

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