GILBOA, Ohio (7 May 2007) -- A diver has been hospitalized and is being treated in a hyperbaric chamber after another scuba diving accident at Gilboa Quarry. Graham Dart, from Ontario, was airlifted to Lima Memorial Hospital and is being treated in a recompression chamber after he surfaced from a dive with decompression sickness (the bends). According to rescuers, Dart was conscious and breathing at the scene of the accident. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office dive team, Gilboa Fire Department, and Pandora and Ottawa Emergency Medical Services rushed to the quarry after receiving a 911 call at 12:23pm. On April 21, just three weeks after the facility opened, two people died and another was injured after a scuba diving accident at the quarry. Authorities blamed diver error, extremely cold water and equipment failure for the deaths of Sherry Eads, 43, and Daniel Frendenberg, 21. Jason Balsbough, 21, survived the accident after being hospitalized in fair condition. Owners of the dive park told authorities that all divers sign waiver releases, a dive industry standard in which people are required to acknowledge that scuba diving is dangerous and waive their rights to sue scuba diving companies for death and injury. Despite the risks, dive industry promoters say that scuba diving is a relatively safe sport and cite statistics showing that more people die every year from snake bites, bee stings, lightning and automobile accidents. | | Despite two fatalities and a serious injury just three weeks after the Gilboa Quarry scuba diving park opened to the public, its owners claim they "run a tight ship" apparently referring to the liability waivers that all divers are required to sign prior to diving at the facility. Daniel Nord of Divers Alert Network (DAN), a company that sells diving insurance and sports apparel, and promotes diving within its North America marketing and sales region, argues that scuba diving is a "relatively safe sport" citing company statistics related to scuba diving accidents within Canada and the U.S. But dive safety experts and industry critics blast Nord and Divers Alert Network for deliberately concealing the full extent of scuba diving risks and the steady increase of scuba-related accidents worldwide. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORKSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba ForumCDNN Related NewsOHIO - Two scuba divers dead after Gilboa Quarry dive park accident |
