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1999-10-19 Incident
Rescue Or Recovery Or Near Miss: Recovery
Todays Date: October 19, 1999
Time Of Accident: 1300
Date Of Accident: October 17, 1999
County / State / Country: Madison, Fl 32024
a _ Name Of Accident Site————————
Madison Blue Springs State Rd 6
Date Recovery Started: October 18, 1999
Time Recovery Started: 1600
Age Of Victim: ???
Sex Of Victim: Male
Victims Highest Cert Level: Full Cave
Cert Agency: NSSCDS
Date Of Training: March 1990
Yrs Experience Diving: 9
Total Number Of Dives: ???
Number Of Dives This Year: ???
Trained In Cave Diving: Yes
Cave Diving Training Agency: NSSCDS
Date Of Cave Diving Training: March 1990
Years Experience Cave Diving: 9
Total Number Of Cave Dives: ???
Number Of Cave Dives In Last Year: ???
Number Of Dives At This Location: ???
Dates Of Dives At This Location: ????
Maximum Depth At Location: 130′
Dive Partners: 1 [also a fatality]
Dive Partners Address————————
Breezy Pt, Ny
Dive Partners Experience————————
NSSCDS cave 1995
Original Dive Plan————————
We assume main line
Maximum Known Depth: 78′
Water Temp: 68F
Depth Body Found: 68′
Distance To Nearest Exit: 850′ to spring basin
Description Of Silt In Area: minimal
Normal Viz Distance: 50′
Viz During Recovery: 50′ and less
Weather Conditions At Time Of Accident————————
clear and sunny
Entry Conditions At Site————————
normal
Wet Or Dry Suit: wet suits both
Full Or Shorty: full both
Condition Of Suit: good both
Hood: yes both
Gloves: no
Booties: yes booth
Weight Belt: no
Pounds Kilos Of Weight: no
Buoyancy Compensator: Halcyon
B C Type: Wings
Degree Of B C Inflation: medium
Mask: ??
Location Of Mask: on face – both
Contents Of Mask: none – blood at surface both
Fins: plastic
Type Of Fins: open heel
Taped Fins: ??
Snorkel: no
Knife: Victim #1 one; Victim #2 none
Location Of Knife: wet suit pocket
Number Of Tanks: doubles
Size Of Tanks: 112’s Victim #1. 95’s Victim #2
Tank Material: steel
Tank Position: Victim #1 – back mount; Victim #2 backmount, removed
Fill Pressure At Start Of Dive: ???
Pressure At Recovery: Victim #1 500 – Victim #2 zero
Tank Valve Configuration: isolation manifold/ DIN
Position Of Isolation Valve: open
Number Of Regulators: two each
Brand Of Regulators: Poseidon/Beuchat/Mares
Octopus:
Long Hose: Victim #1 wrapped but deployed, Victim #2 tanks off back
Regs Functional At Scene: yes
General Condition Of Regulators: good
Status Of Valve Opening: Victim #1 left valve short hose off
Pressure Gauge: brass 5000psi
P S I Reading On Gauge: KL 100 psi, RS 500psi
Number Of Lights: 3 each
Type Of Lights: primary, 2 backups
Lights Operational: primarys burned out, backups ok
Location Of Lights: primarys on waist, backups on harness
Number Of Reels: 3 saftey/gap reels
Type Of Reels: above
Reels Deployed: 2 deployed, one off not deployed
Location Of Reels: upstream of Half Hitch
Distance From Guideline: entangled in exit line
Guideline Condition: broken
Depth Gauge Type: Nitek computers
Victims Depth Gauge Reading: 68′
Slate: no
Tables: no
Number Of Computers: Nitek 3 – one each
Type Of Computers: above
Computer Data————————
78′ max 135 minutes of activity 29 hr and 50 minutes until surface
Addtional Description Of Equipment————————
Victim #2 had taken his tanks off. probably to exit through the half hithc in low visiblity thinking it had collapsed again
Equipment Loaned: owned
Loaned From Who:
Overall Condition Of Equipment: good
Body State————————
The bodies were veritical against the ceiling, Victim #1 had deployed long hose for Victim #2. They were wrapped in the main line. They had the exit side of the line. It appears reels were deployed on the upstream side to search for the line. There were no safety reels going through the half hitch.
Report Prepared By: Lamar Hires
Preparers Address————————
Rt 9 Box 2122
Lake City, Fl 32024
Recovery Team Members————————
Dell Motes, Mike Bruic
Officer In Charge————————
Captain Madison Cty Sheriff Depart