Near Drowning-Devil's Throat, Cozumel MX

[TexanDiver]

I posted this on Scubaboard Forums upon our return from Cozumel last November. My intent on posting was merely to pass along our experience from a dive in Cozumel and hopefully provide some information which might help someone else avoid what happened to my wife. By and large, the feedback I received was, as I expected, positive with most being appreciative. On the other hand, there were a few who felt it necessary to rip both me and my wife for being unprepared and generally bad divers.

In retrospect, I do wish the accident had not happened (I guess that’s why they are called accidents!) but it did, and I’m extremely grateful to God, the dive op, dive master and the medical community in Cozumel for saving my wife’s life. That being said, here’s the story, if you would like to read the feed back, you can find it on:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread...vil%27s+throat

Devils Throat TAKE LIGHT

Just returned from Coz Wed 11-16 and Dove Devil's Throat Sun 11-12. DM said light not needed. DM also said when going thru the pitch black swim thru DO NOT go to the light coming from above and look for opening in bottom. I followed DM into the "black hole" with wife behind me (she wanted me to lead way!!) I found opening in bottom and dropped down to 125ft. Got into little vestibule facing 2 7ft openings. Didn't see DM and thot I took a wrong turn. Found out later DM was waiting at drop down (fortunately) for other divers. According to dive graph, I waited for a little over 2 minutes until my wife and DM came out. Didn’t know what happened until DM gave emergency ascend sign. My wife had become disoriented and went up instead of down. She got stuck in up shaft and DM pulled her out by her fins. While pulling her out her reg hose got caught on coral and came out. She took in a little water then but ended up putting the reg in her mouth upside down (old reg). When she did that she began breathing a lot of water and a little air.

Wife was unconscious and we began the ascent from 120ft. DM was pushing air into my wife’s lungs on the way up as she hung unmoving horizontally. I thot she had died. DM got her on the boat and advised us not to get on boat. I thought the reason was he didn’t want me to see her dead. I found out later it was so the DM and boat captain (also a DM) could administer CPR (they saved her life). Another boat in the area came along side and DM told us to get into other boat. I didn’t want to leave my wife. After what seemed like hours DM said OK to get in boat. I knew that was a good sign. Upon getting in the boat I found my wife on the deck gasping for air. (It’s not like on TV when they drag someone onto the beach and bang their back until they throw up water and are good to go). It took another 20-25 min while we made it for Playa Palancar before she began verbally responding.

Got to beach and waited for ambulance. Ambulance arrived and we hauled A to San Miguel Medica Clinic (exceptional and as good as any in the states!). They gave her an IV on the way. Upon arrival we were met by Dr. Pascual Piccolo (excellent dive accident doctor). He took xrays (right lung full of water, left lung quarter full and intestines full). He began treating her with lasix (sp) , diuretics and antibiotics. We stayed in hospital 30 hrs. She was released with lungs almost totally clear. She is OK today.

Morals of the story? Take a light into the Devils Throat, dive with a trained dive op, go to San Miguel Clinic if you need med attention, request Dr. Piccolo for dive related issues, have DAN coverage, ENJOY EVERY MOMENT YOU HAVE, LIFE IS FRAGILE!!! BE GRATEFUL!!!

[PW1664]

Pleased everything turned out ok. Brave to post, thanks for sharing......

[MAKING BUBBLES]

wow!! glad your wife is ok.....

[GLOC]

Thanks Texan for sharing that. I hope never to be in that situation.

[pies]

Texandiver,

Thanks for sharing........glad all turned out OK....only way to learn without having a duplicate experience is to share.....read some of the posts.......have only experienced good operators and dive practices out there...think your learns are spot on....more learns for the dive operator and their risk assessments than for you methinks.

I know this risks starting the personal vs dive operator responsibility debate....would rather people share and we all take our personal learns out of this, whatever they may be.

Pies

[Sparky750]

Frightening read but glad your both ok thanks for posting

[B]

Thank you for sharing.. you are both healthy and well.. accidents happen and thankfully you are ok, well done to the dm and captain..

B x

[Darren A]

Thanks for the post. Scary! Credit goes to the DM who saved your Mrs. Well done that man