Incident Report

DIVERS: Vikki (Tec 40 CCR Instructor, 1,000-plus dives), Abe (Tec 40 CCR Diver, 500-plus dives), Pierre (Tec 60 CCR Diver, 500-plus dives), Andrea (Tec 60 CCR Diver, 600-plus dives)

SITE: Boat dive, Florida Keys, max depth 100 feet

CONDITIONS: 78˚F water; visibility 150 feet; calm, overcast and humid.

At the stern, Vikki and Abe were completing final checks for a planned closed-circuit rebreather no-stop dive. Forward, Andrea and Pierre donned their rebreathers and masks. Pierre stood, breathing from his unit, and walked aft, standing behind Vikki and Abe until they entered. Andrea stayed seated and completed her unit’s predive check and pre-breathe. Still standing and waiting for Vikki and Abe to enter, Pierre suddenly staggered, grabbed the rail to steady himself, and sat on the bench.

“You OK?” asked Vikki. He signaled “OK” weakly, then tumbled to the deck.

“He’s blue ... and not breathing,” said Abe. Still in his own gear, Abe kneeled, removed Pierre’s mask, and pulled the mouthpiece from Pierre’s mouth. With surprising strength, he rolled Pierre face-up, supported his head, and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Jumping down from the flybridge, the divemaster helped support the unconscious diver. Pierre began breathing independently after four or five breaths. Arriving quickly with oxygen, the captain put a free-flow mask on Pierre to speed recovery. Meanwhile, the divers stripped clear Pierre’s gear so he could lie on the deck unsupported.

“Wha ... what happened?” asked Pierre. The others sighed with relief. After a precautionary medical check, Pierre resumed diving the next day.

What They Did Wrong

It turned out that Pierre didn’t follow the manufacturer’s checklist for CCR assembly, accidentally leaving an oxygen line unconnected. He skipped the predive check, and he pre-breathed the rebreather while standing. Andrea followed the required procedures but didn’t question Pierre when he failed to do the same.

What They Did Right

The divers reacted properly. The boat crew had oxygen available quickly and deployed it effectively.

Five Tips from This Incident

1. Follow your training before, during and after a dive. Much of what you learn offsets and prevents errors.

2. Use, assemble and care for all equipment — but especially rebreathers — as specified by the manufacturer. Sit in a safe place when prebreathing a rebreather.

3. Take the PADI Rescue Diver course for practice assisting an unresponsive diver.

4. Divers help influence behaviors. Politely question a buddy who seems to be disregarding safety protocols.

5. If you’re interested in diving with rebreathers, see your PADI Dive Center or Instructor about the TecRec course series, or visit padi.com for more information.

WANT TO READ MORE LEARN FROM THIS STORIES? VISIT THE TRAINING SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE.