Severely injured scuba diver airlifted to hospital
Powered by CDNN - CYBER DIVER News Network by LUTHER MONROE - CDNN Safety News Editor
BOSTON, Massachusetts (17 June 2008) — A scuba diver who was having trouble breathing after ascending too rapidly was airlifted to hospital for hyperbaric medical treatment.
Authorities have not yet identified the 48-year-old male scuba diving accident victim who was taken to Addison Gilbert Hospital and then transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital for hyperbaric medical treatment in a chamber.
Fire Department officials said the man was scuba diving off the coast at a depth of about 30 meters (100 feet) when he ran out of air and was forced to make an emergency ascent.
Apparently the victim's ascent to the surface was controlled to a depth of about 10 meters. From there he accelerated to the surface possibly due to expanding air in his buoyancy compensator jacket or drysuit.
Hospital officials have not yet released the status of the injured diver.
A helicopter took the severely injured scuba diver to a hospital equipped with a hyperbaric chamber.
