2015-01-17 Incident

[IUCRR note: The information below was compiled using various sources, primarily from the recovery team divers. None of the information is edited in any way, except for the removal of the victim’s name. Any mistakes can be attributed to either the original author, or to the OCR necessary to extract the data from PDF files provided to the IUCRR.]

– – – – – – – – – – – – –Location: Sweet Surprise Tunnel, Devils Eye, Ginnie Springs
Date of Incident: January 17, 2015
Time of Incident:

Victim: male

Age: 55

Type of Activity: Cave diving
Outcome: Deceased

Lamar Hires

Mission:

I put together 3 teams

Team 1 – to film the body and take notes on conditions of site and equipment. Pull the victim to the exit to be handed off to Team 3 to bring him to the surface.

Team 2 – To bring out all the dive gear left behind

Team 3 – To pull the victim’s decompression bottle and bring the victim to the surface while Team 1 completed decompression.

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Coordinator

Lamar Hires

Team 1- extract body

Jon Bernot

Rebreather, 2 stages 80, O2 bottle 40

Jerry Murphy

Sidemount 95’s, 2 Stages 80, o2bottle 40

Time in: 5:43 pm

Body out: 6:56pm

Time out: 7:12pm

Team 2- extract gear

Back mount 125’s, 80Stage, O2 40

Doug Mudry

Back mount 104’s, 80Stage, O2 40

Max Kuznetsov

Sidemount 121’s

Time in: 6:00pm

Time out: 7:23pm

Team 3 – assist bring body and gear to surface once back to basin.

Back mount 108’s

Peter McCumber

Back mount 95’s

Shannon Collins

Back mount 130’s

Time in: 6:30pm

Time out: 6:56pm

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Victim’s Equipment List:

Side mount gear configuration. All personally owned

Date: January 17, 2015
Location: Ginnie Springs Devils Cave System

Jacket style BC (fully inflated due to recovery)

Semi dry suit with hood gloves (fingers cut out) and boots all in good condition

Fins: Scuba Pro Jet with spring straps. In place and clean

Mask: Split lens black in place on the face, clear of liquids

Cylinders: #1 Attached on Left Side Steel 108 with H-Valve. Top port primary with short hose and SPG with 0PSI (empty) Lower port 7’ hose purge cover missing

#2 Attached on Right side Steel 108 with standard valve short hose

SPG 1700psi 30% O2

#3 Attached Aluminum 80 with standard valve, short hose and SPG 0PSI (empty)

Start pressure 3900 on both 108s

Regulators: All Scuba Pro good working condition.

Reels: 2 secured on rear attached to d-ring not deployed

Knives: 2 secured 1 on shoulder 1 on waist

Lights: 7 total. 2-Big Blue located in leg pockets, 1- primary Salvo, 1- Back-up located on mask

1-located in pouch and 2- video lights mounted on DPV All operational

Computers: 2 total 1-Sheawater Predator, 1 Sunto

UDT Cumber heater band

Pouch chest mounted

Additional equipment not attached to the diver but placed in the cave by him.

Stage Bottle Al 80

Deco Bottle 40 CF 100% o2

DPV

List compiled on January 19, 2015 to the best of my ability

Rose Meadows

Ginnie Springs Outdoors LLC

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Diver statement: Jonathan Bernot

Date: January 17, 2015
Location: Ginnie Springs Devils Cave System

Time in: 1730 Time out: 1900
Planned penetration: 2300 ft

Gear Configuration: Sidemount Rebreather
Date: January 17, 2015
Additional Gear: UV-40 DPV, 2 ALSO stages and AL40 Oxygen
Dive Buddies: Jerry Murphy
Mission: Body Extraction

Dive Plan and role: Jerry Murphy and I scootered to 2200 feet and dropped scooters and
stages. I set a safety reel for us and future teams to the Sweet Surprise main tunnel. Around
100 feet into the passage I sighted the victim. I deployed the GoPro to video the scene and
shot approximately 2 minutes of video. 2 of his 3 bottles had gauges which read 0 PSI and
his second sidemount bottle read aroundl 700PSI. The victim was laying across the tunnel
on top of scooter which was clipped to his crotch strap. All 3 regulators were deployed and
in order to move the victim I clipped/handled all 3 second stages clipping 2 to his chest D
ring. His HID light was deployed laying off his hand. All ffghts were not burning. The victim
had his stage regulator in his mouth, the stage gauge reading 0 and I physically removed the
second stage from his mouth in order to remove the bottle and facilitate extraction. Jerry
took note of pressures and made notes on the scene. We attached a tow strap to the victims
chest and began to move the body to the main passage. We met the equipment extraction
team in the main passage. Jerry and I exited with the diver still wearing his primary
sidemount bottles. We left the stages he had set at stage bottle rock, the one he had on at
time of death and his DPV with video lights attached for the equipment extraction team to
remove. I scootered in front while Jerry steered behind the diver. We passed off the body at
30 feet to support divers and completed decompression.

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Diver statement: Gerald Murphy

Location: Devil’s Eye Cave System Date: January 17, 2015
Time in: 1738 Time out: 1906
Planned penetration: -2,300; -50 ft into Sweet Surprise (off of main line)

Gear Configuration: Doubles/ Side-mount/ Rebreather: Side-mount st 95 ft3 cylinders
Additional Gear: Stages/ DPV /Other: (2) al 80 ft3 stages/(1) al 40 ft3 Oxygen/DPV
Dive Buddies: Jon Bernot
Mission: Body Extraction/ Equipment Extraction (List Equipment Extracted)
First contact; document state of body and equipment; extract body to cavern zone of Devil’s Eye Spring Dive

Dive Plan and role: Jon Bernot and I scootered back to the Sweet Surprise jump; we noted
(2) staged cylinders at -1800 ft on the line – we dropped scooters and I dropped my
stages, as well – Jon set a reel across the gap from the main to the jump lines – Jon led in
to document the body with the camera, I followed and took written notes for back up and
clarification – We disconnect the victim’s stage cylinder from him and set it aside for later
recovery, prepared the victim for transport (we left the victims side-mounted cylinders
attached to aid in buoyancy control during exit), and exited the cave with the victim – Jon
Bernot towed the victim and 1 controlled buoyancy of the victim – we were met at-35 ft in
the Devil’s Eye cavern by Peter Mccumber and Jesse Folker, who took control of the victim
for the final ascent while Jon Bernot and I completed our decompression obligation.
Observations: Upon our arrival the victim was observed to be floating with his arms
hanging loosely over the line and his scooter. The scooter was on the bottom and pointed
out; his body was perpendicular to the line. The victim was found with his stage regulator
in his mouth and both second stages from his side-mounted cylinders were deployed and
tangled in front of the victim. The victim’s mask was in place. There was no sign of struggle.
The victim’s primary light was not burning and the light head was laying on the bottom next
to the scooter. The stage cylinder SPG read that the cylinder was empty; the right side
cylinder was also empty. The left side cylinder SPG read 1800 psi.

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[IUCRR note: Data in this section OCR’d]

Diver statement: Peter W. McCumber

Locdtion: Devil’s Eye Cave System Date: January 17, 2015
Time in: HBO Time out: 1856
Planned penetration: 150′ Linear; 60′ Deep

Ge<1 r Configuration: Doubles / Sidemount / Rebreather
Additional Gear: Stages/ DPV /Other – Back Mounted Double LP95’s

Dive Buddies: Jesse Folker, Shannon Collins

Mission: Body Extraction/ Equipment Extrac tion ( List Equipment Extracted)
Victim was diving side mounted steel bottles and ( 2) Aluminum 80 stage bottles.
Victim also had a bottle for decompression gas, presuma bly 100% Oxgyen, but I did
not personally confirm the contents of any bottle. Victim was removed from the cave
and transported to steps without removing prima1·y gear. See below:

Dive Plan and role:
Our team consisted of Jesse Folker, Shannon Collins and Peter Mccumber. It was our
mission to help Team 1 and Team 2 get the victim and all his dive gear to the surface.
Teams 1 & 2 had a small decompression obligation after getting the diving victim and
gear from 2000’+ in the cave. At approximately 1 hour after Team 1 and Team 2
started their descent we began our role. Shannon Collins would provide
communication back and between the teams and topside crew. We descended into
the Eye of Ginnie Springs and swam to the gallery to see if either team had arrived yet.
We surfaced to communicate this to topside support and to inquire about the size and
identifying markings of the victim’s decompression bottle. We then descended and
waited approximately 5 minutes before we started seeing the lights of Team 1. The
victim was in tow. Shannon Collins relayed this information to the support people on
the surface. At 30′ Jon Bernot handed off the Victim to me. I pulled the body from the
restriction and Jesse Folker and I grabbed each side of the victim by the arm and
maneuvered him to the surface. He still had his primary gear attached, such as his
side mounted bottles, regulators, diving harness, primary light, etc.
Once Jesse Folker and I had surfaced with the body we started removing his gear.
First his left steel bottle, then his right. His mask and fins were still in place, as was
his primary light, wing and harness. Once his tanks were removed the surface
support and J carried the victim up the stairs to the top of the platform where Sheriffs
Deputies and medical personnel were waiting.

1essc Folker, Shannon Collins and I again descended several more times to grab the
remaining gear. We brought back to the surface a Silent Submersion UV26 DPV with
Video Lights/Camera. We brought back two Aluminum 80 stage bottles and a
decompression bottle. Once we had all of the victims gear at the surface, we made a
final sweep to check on the other recovery divers and to ensure no gear was left in the
cave. That is the extent of Team 3’s role in the recovery of the victim & gear at Ginnie
Sp1·ings Outdoors on January 17, 2015

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Diver statement: Maxim Kuznetsov

Location: Devil’s Eye Cave System Date: January 17, 2015

Time in: 6.00 pm Time out: 7.23 pm

Planned penetration: 2100, to Sweet Surprise jump.

Gear Configuration: Doubles / Sidemount / Rebreather – Sidemount

Additional Gear: Stages / DPV / Other _______DPV, O2 40___________________

Dive Buddies: Dan Patterson, Doug Mudry

Mission: Body Extraction / Equipment Extraction (List Equipment Extracted)

SS UV-DPV 26, 2 Light Monkey video lights (20 amp canisters with 50w ? video heads) attached to scooter, Al 80 Stage bottle.

Dive Plan and role: Part of team 2. The plan – follow team 1 and extract deceased’s gear.

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Diver statement: Jesse Folker

Location: Devil’s Eye Cave System Date: January 17, 2015

Time in: 6:30 pm Time out: 6:56

Planned penetration: 150’ penetration & 60’ of depth

Gear Configuration: Doubles / Sidemount / Rebreather

Additional Gear: Stages / DPV / Other – Back Mounted Dbls. LP104’s

Dive Buddies: Peter Mccumber & Shannon Collins

Mission: Body Extraction / Equipment Extraction (List Equipment Extracted)

SS UV-26 DPV with Video/Lighting, (2) AL80 Stage Bottles, (1) Deco Bottle, Body was retrieved with primary gear attached – See below.

Dive Plan and role:

The dive plan was to meet Team 1 at or around 30’ to take possession of the body. Diver Shannon Collins would be relaying information back and forth to surface support and our team. The body still contained primary breathing/diving system. The victim was utilizing steel sidemounted bottles (still attached). His mask and fins were still in place. The primary light was attached to sidemount rig on victim’s body. Peter McCumber and I took possession of the body at 30’ from Team 1 and brought it to retrieval team at the surface. Peter McCumber and I removed the victim’s sidemounted tanks. All gear was handed to surface team. Peter McCumber assisted the surface team in carrying victim up the stairs.

Our team, Peter, Shannon and I, then proceeded back into the cave to retrieve stage bottles, deco bottle and DPV from Team 2. We presented these bottles and DPV to the surface team. We descended back into the cave one more time to ensure nothing had been forgotten or left behind and to check on the remaining team in cave.

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Diver statement: Daniel Patterson

Location: Devil’s Eye Cave System Date: January 17, 2015
Time in: 1800 Time out: 1920

Planned penetration: Approximately 2300 ft.
Gear Configuration: Doubles
Additional Gear: Stages (1 AL80, 1AL40/ DPV) Other __________________________
Dive Buddies:
Doug Mudry, Max Kuznetsov
Equipment Extraction Team (Team 2)
Equipment Extracted
2 AL 80 Stages left by Team 1 at extraction point (approximately 2200 ft.)
1 AL 80 Stage at 1800’ (Stage Bottle Rock) left my victim’s buddy
1 AA 46 Oxygen cylinder 30 ft upstream from the warning sign (victim’s)
Dive Plan and role:
As part of the second team, we were tasked with removing as much of the equipment left inside
the cave by the victim, his buddy, and potentially team one, as possible.
The plan was to first make our way to approximately 1800’, while breathing from our AL 80
stages, on our DPVs. Once there we would switch to backgas, leaving our AL 80 stages with the
AL 80 stages left by the victim and his buddy. Next, we would then make our way to
approximately 2100 ft., on the DPVs, remaining on the main line, wait for team one and the
victim, surmise whether or not they needed assistance, and begin to collect equipment for the exit.
All went to plan, with the exception of some confusion in locating the victims DPV. Regardless,
we located it, and began the exit. We agreed that Doug and I would collect tanks, and Max would
collect the DPV. I retrieved the listed tanks above, in addition to my own, and exited.

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[IUCRR note: only interview questions that were answered are shown below]

Buddy statement
Date time of interview: January 17, 2015, approx 1800 hrs at Devil’s Eye parking lot

How long has the diver been lost/overdue?

Buddy out at 1500, left the scene at 1430

Where was the diver last seen or known to be?

Sweet Surprise tunnel

How much gas did the diver have at the time s/he became lost/overdue?

two sidemount 108’s and 80 al stage and DPV

How many minutes into the dive did the diver become lost/overdue?

Sweet Surprise line and go 300′ past the mainland jump

What did the buddy(s) do after the diver became lost/overdue?

Victim kept telling me to go, he would not respond to Ok signal, I stayed with him another 5 minutes.

Is the diver familiar with the cave?

Yes

Was s/he running a reel at the point of being lost/overdue?

No, on the Sweet Surprise line

What do you think might have happened that s/he got lost/overdue?

Medical – age 63

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[END]