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From: "Dell Motes" <dell@di*.co*>
To: <Jbdvr@ao*.co*>, <techdiver@aquanaut.com>
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

-----Original Message-----
From: Jbdvr@ao*.co* <Jbdvr@ao*.co*>
To: techdiver@aquanaut.com <techdiver@aquanaut.com>
Date: Wednesday, October 20, 1999 12:26 PM
Subject: madison blue fatalities


>does anyone have any info on the fatalities of two cave divers at madison
>blue yesterday?
>--
>Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
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