SCAPA FLOW, Orkney, Scotland — A BSAC diver who was scuba diving at Scapa Flow off the Triton dive boat suffered fatal injuries. Authorities told CDNN that Timothy Slocombe, 61, of Welshpool, Powys, died while exploring a wreck at Scapa Flow. Witnesses said the scuba diving accident victim was found unconscious at the surface. After the crew of the Triton called for help at about 10:00 am, two Coastguard lifeboats responded and brought Slocombe to shore. Medical officers met the boats on the Orkney coast and pronounced the diver dead. Slocombe was a member of the Frogsborn Diving Centre, a BSAC diver training facility. "Frogsborn Diving Centre are deeply saddened that their friend and fellow diver Timothy Robin Slocombe died after surfacing unconscious following a dive on a diving holiday in Scapa Flow, Orkney," said Jim Watson, BSAC's Safety and Development Manager. "Tim was an active and enthusiastic diver who dived regularly with his club and on diving holidays and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him," Watson added. "Frogsborn Diving Centre and BSAC wish to extend their sincere condolences to Tim's family at this difficult time," Watson concluded. In August, Watson issued a similar statement after the death of BSAC diver, Colin (Malcolm) Bell. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and fellow branch member Colin Bell," Watson said. "Colin was an experienced diver and an active and enthusiastic member of the branch and will be sadly missed by all who knew him," Watson added. "(BSAC) wishes to extend their sincere condolences to Colin's family at this difficult time," Watson concluded. Watson, whose job description apparently encompasses promoting the benefits of BSAC membership and growing the dive industry, is frequently quoted in UK media reports urging the public not to be concerned about scuba diving fatalities thanks to BSAC's triple Cs: "collate" and "cluster" and "coincidence". After the 2006 death of BSAC scuba instructor Lesley Clark, who died after being swept away in a tidal current at St. Mary's Lighthouse, Whitley Bay, Watson urged the public not to be concerned because BSAC "collates information on incidents throughout the UK". Last August, after a spate of fatal scuba diving accidents involving BSAC divers, Watson again dismissed safety concerns describing the diver deaths as "clustering" and "coincidence". "There is a well- known phenomena called clustering," Watson said. "Because of the small number of incidents you can often get a cluster happening in a particular area for no apparent reason." "When you get a cluster a lot of questions do arise...but in my experience there is nothing specific that has changed--it is just coincidental that a number of accidents have happened in the same area," Watson concluded. Decompression sickness (the bends) Well over half of scuba divers afflicted with decompression illness report symptoms within 1 hour of surfacing from the dive, some 95% of victims show symptoms within six hours and almost all show symptoms within 24-48 hours. Nitrogen bubbles released while resurfacing cause damage by mechanically obstructing blood flow and can also cause a local chemical disruption of the vascular beds. Any scuba diving accident victim with signs or symptoms of decompression illness, which can cause death or permanent paralysis, should IMMEDIATELY SEEK EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT. Specific symptoms include: Mild to severe joint pains involving the arms or legs.Itching of the skin, which can progress to other symptoms of decompression illness.Rashes that can be accompanied by itching.Swollen and painful lymph nodes.Pain in the head, neck, or torso, which is often indicative of a severe DSC hit.Nervous system complaints, such as weakness on one side of the body, numbness, pains shooting down an arm or leg, inability to urinate or defecate, or other strokelike symptoms. "Chokes" including burning chest pain, cough, and shortness of breath."Staggers" (indicating an inner ear problem) including a spinning sensation, deafness, ringing in the ears, or vomiting. | 
