Fatal accident in Maldives

On the Baani explorer

http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s080605a.html

I don't believe anything CDNN writes. We need real news sources...

Bad air fills.. Yes lets see what else comes out.

Not good if it's true.

I was on a live aboard in Maldives when it happened - The boat's diver master told us about the accident, and changed the filters on the compressors

Link to a local article:

http://www.minivannews.com/news/news.php?id=4508

Hi all,

This story was doing the rounds when I was there a couple of weeks ago-but was still very much a "story" with little known fact or detail.

It is very sad

Adam

It almost certainly happened as described. You can find lots of references online. They dont all come out and say 'bad air', but it seems pretty likely. Here's one from Sydney Harald News, who apparently called a Maldives government leader.

http://news.smh.com.au/world/aussie-hurt-d...80524-2hto.html

It was discussed at great length on scubaboard under the accident heading. There was a post by someone who was on the boat at the time.

I have no idea what the CDNN article says because I won't click to it.

The early thought processes was poor filtration. Although they changed the filter on at least one compressor, the compressor was running on th Dhoni while sitting there with engines running. The filters were the wrong type for the compressor and didn't filter out any CO.

Edit:

I believe there were some other issues, like an empty O2 bottle and no crew unaffected who could administer the O2 (both guides were badly injured).

Just to add some science to the mix...

Below is info from a Material Safety Data sheet on carbon monoxide.

The article states people were exposed to 80 ppm CO.

"The fatal concentration of CO depends on the length of the exposure, air turnover, exertion etc. Levels above 300 ppm for more than 1-2 hours can lead to death, and exposure to 800 ppm (0.08%) can be fatal after an hour.

Symptoms are usually not noticeable until the carboxyhemoglobin level reaches 10%. At 10-40%, symptoms may include increasingly severe headache, dyspnea on exertion, decreased manual dexterity, impaired judgement and memory, irritability, emotional instability, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, and impaired vision and hearing. With continuing exposure, there is a progressive worsening of all symptoms. At 40-60%, anginal pain, incoordination, hallucinations, lethargy, syncope and collapse, and increased respiration and pulse may occur. At 60-80% there may be decreased respiration, blood pressure and pulse, and deepening coma with intermittent convulsions and incontinence of urine and feces. Rarely, there may be a pink or red skin discoloration, but cyanosis or pallor is more common. Other reported signs and symptoms include increased temperature, dilated pupils, perspiration, muscle spasms, hyperreflexia, aching limbs, and retinal hemorrhage or venous engorgement. Above 70-80%, rapid death from respiratory or cardiac arrest usually occurs. Death may also be caused by myocardial or cerebral infarction. Cerebral edema may also occur. In non-fatal cases or when death is not immediate, primary or secondary effects of tissue hypoxia and some atypical reactions may develop."

In the US:

The PEL (personal exposure limit) for OSHA is 50 ppm for 8 hours.

If many people were exposed to 80 ppm for many hours, it would seem that some symptoms would show up in some of them pior to being fatal. Any it would take MANY MANY hours of exposure at 80 ppm, so it seems.

For what its worth...

dave

"The fatal concentration of CO depends on the length of the exposure, air turnover, exertion etc. Levels above 300 ppm for more than 1-2 hours can lead to death, and exposure to 800 ppm (0.08%) can be fatal after an hour."

 

"If many people were exposed to 80 ppm for many hours, it would seem that some symptoms would show up in some of them pior to being fatal. Any it would take MANY MANY hours of exposure at 80 ppm, so it seems."

Here is some information from someone on the boat

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accidents...may-2008-a.html

Looks like it may have built up over a couple of days and then breathing at depth would make things worse

Those values are mostly for CO at surface pressure, it is a different story if you breath it at depth.

80ppm is:

240ppm at 66ft/20m (3atm)

320ppm at 99ft/30m (4atm). (Dalton's law of partial pressures)

It's common to dive to those depths for over an hour in warm water.

Compressor maintenance* _and_ keeping the compressor's air intake well away from combustion engine exhaust is the only prevention.

Take Care,

ChrisS

*to prevent lubricating oil flashing in compressor's cylinders

80ppm is:

240ppm at 66ft/20m (3atm)

320ppm at 99ft/30m (4atm). (Dalton's law of partial pressures)

 

It's common to dive to those depths for over an hour in warm water.

 

Compressor maintenance* _and_ keeping the compressor's air intake well away from combustion engine exhaust is the only prevention.

 

Take Care,

ChrisS

 

*to prevent lubricating oil flashing in compressor's cylinders

Thanks for the correction based on depth. It does appear these events took place over time.

It was good to read the information posted by one of the passengers. I had always dreamed of diving the Maldives but after reading of the poor safety situation with no O2, no one apparently knowing CPR, I am generating different dreams.

Perhaps it would make sense to have the crew demonstrate their O2 system workings (such as..PROVE IT WORKS, and we have plenty of O2), CPR capabilities, etc prior to leaving dock on a live-aboard. I would not have considered it before and have never done a liveaboard yet but hope to someday. So I am interested in the opinion of those with experience.

What do others think about in this area? Should some safety equipment proof be a normal protocal?

What would be a reasonable expectation for passengers?

We have O2 analyzers for our nitrox, do we need to have CO/CO2 monitors on our live-aboards?

Perhaps it would make sense to have the crew demonstrate their O2 system workings (such as..PROVE IT WORKS, and we have plenty of O2), CPR capabilities, etc prior to leaving dock on a live-aboard. I would not have considered it before and have never done a liveaboard yet but hope to someday. So I am interested in the opinion of those with experience.

 

What do others think about in this area? Should some safety equipment proof be a normal protocal?

What would be a reasonable expectation for passengers?

Working O2 (and a REMO2 depending on where the boat is and how much O2 they carry) together with an AED, a well rounded first aid kit and crew trained in CPR and general first aid is a start. It is worthwhile asking questions ahead of time and if you want to check the equipment (Batteries functioning on AED, Pads up to date etc. ) and where it is located it probably is not a bad idea.

As to the air, I was having a conversation the other night with someone who mentioned there was a report about an operator who was a little casual about Nitrox and Air tank marking and filling. Imagine grabbing an air tank when it is in fact a Nitrox mix. There was mention in the thread detailing the incident about a CO/C02 tester but it seems it is not available anymore, though I would guess people running compressors should have access to some kind of tester.