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2001-03-09 Incident #2
Note: this was a double fatality; both the victim and his dive partner were recovered; refer to March 9, 2001 #1 report for details on the other diver.
Rescue Or Recovery Or Near Miss: Recovery
Date of Report: 3-9-01
Time Of Accident: 1700
Date Of Accident: 2-18-01
County / State / Country: Suwannee County, FL USA
Name Of Accident Site————————
Royal Springs,
located in Hollingsworth Park, Suwannee County, FL.
Date Recovery Started: 2-19-01
Time Recovery Started: 0800
Age Of Victim: 19
Sex Of Victim: Male
Victims Highest Cert Level: open water
Cert Agency: PADI
Date Of Training: 2-17-01
Yrs Experience Diving: 0
Total Number Of Dives: just certified
Number Of Dives This Year: 0
Trained In Cave Diving: No
Cave Diving Training Agency:
Date Of Cave Diving Training:
Years Experience Cave Diving:
Total Number Of Cave Dives:
Number Of Cave Dives In Last Year:
Number Of Dives At This Location: 0
Dates Of Dives At This Location:
Maximum Depth At Location: 60′
Dive Partners: 1
Dive Partners Address————————
Kingsland, GA 31548-6931
Dive Partners Experience————————
apprx. 1 year
Original Dive Plan————————
Plan was for the team to dive the basin at Royal Springs and retrieve a concrete “pig”, just inside the cavern zone.
Maximum Known Depth: 60′
Water Temp: 72 F
Depth Body Found: 31′
Distance To Nearest Exit: apprx. 500′
Description Of Silt In Area: very low area, very silty
Normal Viz Distance: 20′
Viz During Recovery: 0
Weather Conditions At Time Of Accident————————
sunny day
Entry Conditions At Site————————
easy entry, steps down to entry point.
Wet Or Dry Suit: wetsuit, Henderson
Full Or Shorty: full
Condition Of Suit: good
Hood: no
Gloves: no
Booties: yes, black
Weight Belt: yes, on body, soft weight pack belt
Pounds Kilos Of Weight: 20′
Buoyancy Compensator: Oceanic BC
B C Type:
Degree Of B C Inflation: partial
Mask: Amico
Location Of Mask: on victim
Contents Of Mask: blood
Fins: US Diver
Type Of Fins: O/W
Taped Fins: no
Snorkel: yes, ONE found 100′ before victim, could have been Dive Partners.
Knife: no
Location Of Knife:
Number Of Tanks: 1
Size Of Tanks: 80
Tank Material: Aluminum
Tank Position: back
Fill Pressure At Start Of Dive: 2700 psi
Pressure At Recovery: 0
Tank Valve Configuration: yolk
Position Of Isolation Valve:
Number Of Regulators: 1
Brand Of Regulators: Aqualung
Octopus: yes, Aqualung
Long Hose: no
Regs Functional At Scene: yes
General Condition Of Regulators: good
Status Of Valve Opening: fully open
Pressure Gauge: Aqualung
P S I Reading On Gauge: 0
Number Of Lights: 1 (One light for team)
Type Of Lights: hand held light, still in cave, unable to get with pulling victims through small tunnel.
Lights Operational: burned out
Location Of Lights: found 50′ before victim floating on the ceiling
Number Of Reels: 0
Type Of Reels:
Reels Deployed:
Location Of Reels:
Distance From Guideline: no permanent guideline
Guideline Condition:
Depth Gauge Type: Aqualung
Victims Depth Gauge Reading: 57′ max depth
Slate: no
Tables: no
Number Of Computers: no
Type Of Computers:
Computer Data————————
Addtional Description Of Equipment————————
Equipment Loaned: rented
Loaned From Who: ?
Overall Condition Of Equipment: good
Body State————————
victim was found apprx. 500′ from the entrance of the cave. He was laying at a 45 degree angle, upside down, facing out of the cave. His mask on, regulator out of his mouth, blood in and around his mask.
Report Prepared By: Larry Green
Preparers Address————————
PO Box 330
High Springs, Fl 32655
Recovery Team Members————————
Larry Green 904-497-3494
lgreen@atlantic.net
William Rennaker 904-776-2299
rennaker@sidemount.com
John Faircloth 912-732-2076
jfaircloth@alltel.net
Officer In Charge————————
Sgt. Sam St. John
Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office
Florida