When diving incidents occur they can be difficult to report because they are often shrouded in secrecy – sometimes because they are regarded as detrimental to commercial interests.
Dorset Diving Services (DDS) is a long-established PADI 5* dive-centre based in Poole, and when one of its club divers got into difficulties and needed the help of the emergency services this week, both the centre and the diver set a welcome example by opening up about the incident.
On 9 June Luke White, an experienced member of the centre's dive-club, had problems under water during a wreck-dive that resulted in him having to make a rapid ascent from depth.
The skipper and crew of Uber Scuba's Rocket dive catamaran, along with the other divers onboard, were said by DDS to have responded very efficiently to retrieve White from the water. The diver was already showing signs of decompression illness (DCI).
Oxygen was administered and the emergency services called. Poole Coastguard responded and White was airlifted to a waiting South Western ambulance that took him to the nearest recompression chamber, the Diver Clinic in Poole, for assessment and treatment. According to DDS, the overall response to the incident was “seamless”.
Six hours in pot
White was discharged late that same evening, having by then received oxygen treatment for almost 10 hours and spending six hours in the recompression chamber.
“We, as divers, are all in love with an undeniably dangerous sport,” stated the centre. “We can take precautions but inevitably, sometimes, things can go wrong. What’s really important is recognising a problem and reacting to it quickly without denial or the fear of being judged.”
The Coastguard clearly appreciated the sense of engagement too. “Most of the time we don’t really receive any information or update on the individual or casualties once we are stood down from the incident,” it noted. “But today the individual, who is now on the road to recovery, has given us permission to post an insight and update.
“All the team at Poole and also members of the Southbourne Coastguard team that we requested to assist us at the helicopter landing site at Whitecliff wish Luke all the best and, after a bit of time out of the water, hope he returns to his scuba diving.”
Sore and tired
In thanking the Coastguard and everyone else involved in his rescue and treatment, White said that he would be happy to share his experience if it helped people understand the dangers and effects of DCI.
“Although sore and tired, I am well and have received the best treatment and support,” he said. “I am truly grateful and thankful that I dive with the most professional of teams and that we have the best medical support on hand when needed.”
White said that he would be following medical advice and would not be back diving for at least a month.
Also on Divernet: SEARCH FOR DIVER OFF DORSET STOOD DOWN, FRESH FROM THE POT, PLYMOUTH RNLI RESCUE DIVER, ‘THE DIVE THAT TURNED INTO MY FIGHT FOR LIFE’, DIVER DIES OFF PORTLAND
