DAN AP presents our monthly precis of serious incident calls to DAN AP – and most importantly – what we can learn from them. Sadly, DAN AP was also advised of two fatalities.
Solomon Islands: Diver suffered vertigo and severe vomiting whilst on a dive boat and was evacuated to Honiara for treatment. The diver underwent three recompression treatments with full resolution of symptoms. The diver flew home 3-days later and reported experiencing dizziness post flight. She was referred to the local chamber, but no further treatment was required. It was recommended that the diver undergo testing for a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) or very small hole in the heart. Read more about PFO.
Indonesia (Manado): A diver, who conducted two dives earlier in the day, experienced an itchy blotchy rash on the abdomen and arms and an ache in his thighs, but otherwise felt ‘well’. Oxygen was not readily available and the chamber was closed. He was admitted to a hospital for oxygen administration overnight. When checked by a neurologist the next day all symptoms had gone. He waited three days before flying home and had no recurrence of symptoms
Sadly, DAN AP was also advised of two fatalities in Indonesia.
Komodo Island, Indonesia: 76-year-old female tourist who was diving in a group of five when she disappeared. The sea conditions were described as ‘big waves’ suggesting challenging conditions. The diver’s body was found four days later. No further information is available at this stage.
South Sulawesi, Pulau Kambing Island: 31-year-old male tourist who was diving in a group of three when they were hit by very strong downcurrent. The diver’s body was found later that day. No further information is available at this time.
Read DAN’s article: Beware of Dangerous Downcurrents.
DAN Insider 
I heard about a diving death in Bali. All appropriate first aid by the dive leaders, but no further action taken on arrival at the hospital. Obviously not all operators report all diving incidents to DAN.
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I was on the site at the same time as the boat that had the incident in Komodo. The site was Mawan a popular manta dive site and the conditions were not severe at all, actually quite mild for what the site can be. It is very unfortuneate a diver was lost, but more importantly the boat tending the divers did not send out calls over the radio. We had 2 instructs and 2 rescue divers capeable of assisting had a call gone out but we left the scene and found out later that day. Very frustrating that the incident was kept quiet rather then enlisting the other boats in the area as there were a few on site at that time. Komodo is a growing destination for divers with more and more ow divers attepting to dive here every month. Safety concerns need to be addressed and pressure put on poor opperators and the local government. This is at least the 2nd death in the park of 2017.
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