A man between 40 and 45 years of age died of asphyxia by drowning when he was taking clam diving, 4 kilometers west of the beach La Choya.
It's who in life by the name of Alfredo Bueno Sánchez, from the state of Sinaloa, it ceased to exist around 12:50 hours on 8 this month, when he was being transferred to the clinic San Jose, Puerto Peñasco.
The events took place when the victim was taking clam diving company the name Jorge García Estrada (rider), 29-year-old Omar Garcia Estrada Abraham and another person named Faust, aboard the boat called Hernán 2.
At three miles west of the beach known as La Choya The now deceased was submerged for about an hour and a half, noting the name his partner Jorge was not breathing signs that chose to upload using a rope that the deceased was tied to his body, but this did not come with the rope , leaving a few feet from the boat.
The victim was taken immediately to this city, being staffed by Red Cross, who took him to the clinic in San Jose where he lifeless.
attested to the facts on Agent Common Law Public Prosecutor, who ordered the lifting and transporting the body to conduct the proceedings of law.
Joe I have seen what they call a Hookah it is a sad set up indeed. basically a Harbor Freight compressor (you would use for construction) some long air line and a dive belt. When you ask hos long the stay down some will say 6 hrs at 50' they have no instruction or dive tables that they follow they surface just long enough for a drink and some lunch and then go back down. I am AMAZED there aren't more accidents reported.
Joe I have seen what they call a Hookah it is a sad set up indeed. basically a Harbor Freight compressor (you would use for construction) some long air line and a dive belt. When you ask hos long the stay down some will say 6 hrs at 50' they have no instruction or dive tables that they follow they surface just long enough for a drink and some lunch and then go back down. I am AMAZED there aren't more accidents reported.
Besides the normal problems...they probably have carbon monoxide poisoning from inhaling the fumes from the gas motor....
When you talk to some of thes guys they know that they are doing bad but they think it is just a joke. They are proud of how long they stay down and how deep they go. I question if it is lack of knowledge or something else!
I feel so sorry for those who dive for a living and either get the bends and survive or dye. My sympathy to all of the divers who just try to make a living and give their lives.
So thats what the compressor is for in the middle of those pangas?
Yep, the very best in high tech equipment... Compared to sponge divers and the depth they go with lousy equipment, I'd guess these guy's are a lot safer.
That is crazy, why wouldn't someone let these guys know this is wrong and will kill you? I double check myself every dive and would never ever conceder doing something like this.
So sad.
Tell you what my little fish amigo, They don't listen and think they can go down without decompression, well i'm sad to report that another diver also died this week,
that make two that i am aware of. If you want to the story posted i will can do that for you.
Why would the harbor master not have a safety course for these guys?
Even if he gets someone who is a certified diver, they can donate their time and at least tell these guys whats wrong with their technique and they will die sooner then later.
If you can save 1 life its worth it. I dont get it now 2 dead?
Real sad.
That would be a tough crime to charge, unless it was a child the person was forcing to go under. These guys sound like they know the risks, it's not like a tourist having para-sailing accident caused by faulty equipment or something.
Once again seafarers pay tribute to the waters, this time was a young diver 22 years of age, according to the official report, dies of decompression, this clam to be taking Catarina, in the banks that are in the northwest this port, the death took place on Friday July 15, the report was received at 13:30 hours.
According to the report by some municipal preventive agents, at approximately 13:30 accoutrements that were received in the fall pangas, Bahia La Choya, requesting the presence of an ambulance to transport a fisherman who had been unconscious aboard the panga called Pinacate dunes, whose enrollment is 26012540-6, reaching the pangas down in the ambulance Red Cross 698 number led by Neftali Ruiz paramedic, who immediately made an assessment of the patient, minutes after a diver reported that the boy had no vital signs of what was reported to Mr. Mario Alberto Diaz Alcantar, head of the ministerial agency based in this city, an official at the scene accompanied by the Secretary of licensed agreements Rene Ortega, Mauricio Lopez and the expert, who testified to the facts and took the preliminary data.
Jose de Jesus Lopez, head of the panga reported that diver named Saul Martinez Edgar Reyes, 22 years old, was born in Hermosillo, where he had recently arrived, and his address in this city was in Ignacio Comonfort and Henriette de Tena, in the colony East, that day had come to 5 in the morning, heading northwest for clams Catarina, mollusk is removed a callus, which is highly priced in the international market, mainly in the U.S., this mollusk has already been overexploited in much of the Gulf California, lowering its production dramatically over the banks that were discovered in Baja California Sur, recently, the use of this product in our port was increasing, to the extent that companies from other parts of the state have come to this port for the extraction and marketing of shellfish appreciated.
So we learned unofficially that some maritime workers, noting that work is scarce in other areas, are "hooked" on the many light vessels engaged in the extraction of the mollusk they do this without having taken any action to warn them of the danger they are exposed to various coals dive deep, too, so we were told unofficially that the deceased had fallen about 13 coals (approximately 20 meters) and did a continuous and sustained, this without taking proper precautions, even though his teammates were warned, and he replied that nothing happened, "I feel good, and I'm still not tired" after several dives, some of extended them, said he was a little dizzy and then lost consciousness, so immediately put forward to this port, entering Bahia La Choya, the results described above.
Ooooh wait, he was 22, from Hermosillo and desperate for a job. "...they do this without having taken any action to warn them of the danger they are exposed to various coals dive deep, too, so we were told unofficially..." So sad.
A couple of weeks ago, the mexican navy conducted some sort of classes for the panga divers, I hope it helps them understand the dive tables and the dangers that go with it
WHAT IS KILLING THE DIVER IS uncontrolled ascent to the surface: Daniel Guemes Professional Diver
August 8, 2011
By: Ivan Bravo
PTO. Penasco, SON.
Lack of time for decompression diving in commercial fishing is the main cause of deaths in the municipality of Puerto Peñasco, because the times are not respected in the ascent to the surface of the sea, said Daniel Güemes.
The professional diving instructor recognized that the uncontrolled ascent is what is "killing" the divers in Puerto Penasco, because in most cases have problems down the water and climb fast.
This time he said, that they burst a lung, and it will bubble into the bloodstream and that is what the "kill", "Divers do not recognize right now that is a relief and a stroke, and mistake the symptoms, all want to be treated as decompression," he said in an interview the professional diver.
He said, "do not respect the time of decompression depths and not even know that there are some tables to keep track of decompression, and bring evil decompression that all divers suffer, so we see that crooked walk bubbles begin to gather, but what is killing right now is the rise unchecked, have a problem under the water and climb quickly, "he said.
He warned that the vast majority of divers are not certified and do not have adequate knowledge to carry out this activity, since all you have are ideas that are passed from one diver to another in spoken form, without theoretical or something to back them up. Therefore staff harbormaster has initiated courses on the diving with professional and expert on the subject, said Daniel Guemes, but unfortunately some fishermen and divers have taken a negative, "some have taken it well, but others say you are going to teach me if I have done this for years! but they are two groups, and go ask a lot and do not want to have the knowledge we give them, "he said. The harbormaster has a free four courses to put a halt to fishing mortality incident maritime trade of some products in Puerto Penasco, which taught by staff with professional and expert on the subject.
Sadder even yet; the harbormaster offering instruction on safety and dive times to these guys and they cop a macho "You can't tell me, I've been doing this for years!" attitude? Good grief, more are bound to die.
because in most cases have problems down the water and climb fast.
The above quote might have well of said that old inadequate equipment is killing most of these divers when they have to make a run to the surface after their air supply is cut off because of a malfunction of some type. No amount of training is going stop that!
an easy way to look at it is if you took two bottles of beer and shook them both up... you will see small bubbles, these bubbles represent the nitrogen in your blood system that seperates from your blood while you are down under pressure... if you open one bottle immeadiately after shaking it you know what will happen... (it explodes) this is the equivellent of what happens to divers when they surface too rapidily without a recompression stop....
if you let the other bottle sit undisturbed for awhile the gas bubbles will disapate and when you open the beer it will not foam over... this is the equivellence of recompression stop on your way up from the bottom...
if they could leave a dive tank with a regulator hanging from the boat at around 15 to 20 feet this would work as a safety stop for the diver... when they are surfacing they would automatically stop open the tank valve and use the regulator and recompress for 15 to 20 minutes before surfacing all the way... simple trick that would save lives...
The above quote might have well of said that old inadequate equipment is killing most of these divers when they have to make a run to the surface after their air supply is cut off because of a malfunction of some type. No amount of training is going stop that!
That’s not necessarily true. I have learned and trained for emergency assents from depth. You can ascend from recreational depths 130’ or less with little or no air and reduce the chances (nothing is 100%) of Pulmonary Over-inflation Syndrome. Lung expansion injuries can be the most dramatic and life-threatening emergencies in scuba diving. The other issue is Decompression Illness. Through training you learn that if you go beyond the recreational time at depth limits by using charts, dive computer, etc. there is a mandatory decompression stop. Not only do you learn what those times are and at what depth you learn what equipment is needed for backup. I will give an example. A diver diving to 60’ and staying for 4 hours would have a mandatory Deco stop at 20’ for 2 min. and 10’ for 79 min. This allows time for the nitrogen build up in your system to equalize and reduce the chances of DI. So if I were to dive this plan I would have enough air to stay at depth for the 4 hours and enough air to do the deco stops and I would also have a redundant air source (back-up) so that if for whatever reason the primary air source failed I would have enough redundant air to do my mandatory deco stop. Normally it would be in a bottle hanging on the anchor line at depth or staged at the bottom of the line in case the line separated. The cost of a used tank and regulators +/- $400. If you violate the deco stop you have a greater chance of getting DI and becoming disabled or dyeing. Of course time is money and hanging on a line you don’t earn anything and backup equipment is expensive. If they learn the rules, what to do and know the risk then maybe lives will not be lost through the lack of knowledge.
Dan...I agree....training will definitely help...but they have to be willing to use what they've learned....non of this "macho" stuff...or "I've been diving for years" attitude.
It's MANY years since I took my scuba class....but one of the things drilled into you was ascending at a controlled rate if you ran out of air or had an equipment malfunction.....that was one of the "test" items for certification back then.....from 60 ft. where I took my class. And it was drilled so that you didn't get overcome by panic...which is probably the cause of most accidental injuries in many things we may do.
My main point was that we have a lot of emergency's because of crappy equipment. Way more than you would find if there was some oversight on it. Yes if you have the proper training, don't panic and do everything just right you just might be OK. My point was, and is, that no amount of training is going to put better equipment on the boat, and deaths no matter how much training will continue to happen because of it.
We learn as divers (by teaching us) that I am responsible for me. Once you are trained there is no requirement to maintain your gear. You learn what happens if you don’t, you can die. You control your depth, time and repetitive dives, it’s on you. You could look at it like Drivers Ed class; it teaches you what can happen if you are irresponsible. Failures happen even on new equipment so having new equipment is not a 100% guarantee there will be no problems. Training teaches you not to panic, to maintain control and do what you need to do survive and you practice it. Some will get it and some will not because of, money, time, excitement or machismo, whatever. The color of the skin makes no difference there are those types of people in all races. Just like in scuba diving there are some that get it and some that don’t. I choose not to dive with people that go beyond their training because I don’t want to have to risk my life saving someone who is irresponsible. Education and training will help most and will save lives.
I agree. But that is the way it is everywhere. I remember many things we did 20 - 30 years ago that today seem pretty stupid. My kids could not believe that when they were born they rode home in the front seat in my wife’s arms. I like a lot of people use to pour many gallons of engine oil on weeds in the alley, how about seat belts, I remember my dad when seat belts first came on cars saying he was not wearing one, but in his later years he wore one every time because he learned; I could go on and on. Why did we do those things because it seems pretty stupid today? It was because we didn't know any better. We thought there was no problem either but we learned what would happen if we continued.
Money talks and when people need to feed there families they will take all kinds risks. I watched workers on the tenth story of the Sonoran Sky wing walking on a 4x4 to set up floor shoring, with no fall protection.
All I can say is thank God for OSHA in the states. If it wasn't for them there is no doubt that I would either be dead, or maimed. Most of the rules they enforce had to be put in place not because of ignorance, but because it was cheaper to say "no problem" for the company's. It was all about the $$, and the hell with the workers until the Government stepped in. I really don't want to hear about what laws that they enforce that are stupid, I know more than a few myself. Overall the guidelines they set are needed because of the greed factor, not ignorance or stupidity.
This is a edit.... OK, ignorance and stupidity too..LOL
Yesterday at 6pm, 24 year old Humberto Cordova Delgadillo drowned while diving for clams in Cholla Bay. Originally from Apatzingan, Michoacan, Humberto was a resident of Puerto Penasco. Bomberos responded to the emergency call, but they were unable to resucitate the victim.
Yesterday at 6pm, 24 year old Humberto Cordova Delgadillo drowned while diving for clams in Cholla Bay. Originally from Apatzingan, Michoacan, Humberto was a resident of Puerto Penasco. Bomberos responded to the emergency call, but they were unable to resucitate the victim.
Desperate people will risk it all to provide food for the family. I have seen many of these panga boats with the "Harbor Freight" gas powered compressor and home built tanks made from beer kegs. I am sure by the ones I have talked to over by JJ's they aren't going more than 60' deep so coming up from that depth even after being down for 2-3 hours wouldn't kill the diver if they didn't try to hold the last breath on the way up. This is a training issue for sure but I have talked to 2 diffrent divers in the last 6 months who both complained of headaches. This would lead me to bet that it is a carbon monoxide problem and not a diving problem. I would like to see a blood gas composition from one of these divers to find out what the oxygen level compared to carbon monoxide is. This could answer alot of questions. Has anyone thought to instruct them to add 6 foot piece of pvc pipe to the intake of the compressor to only pump "fresh" air and not exhaust? I would be more than willing to bring the diagrams and help install one. Not rocket science but more to the point of bad air in = very bad air out.
Tyler Tools has some great deals on refurbished Hitachi and Makita compressors,,,hmmm time to get the old 20 ft. Werner ladder out and start smuggling them into mexico over that dumbass wall
Jerry a good a-frame ladder would help support a fresh air intake for the compressor 6' a-frame ladder + 6' 2" dia pvc plastic pipe + wire ties and duct tape
= no carbon monoxide in clam divers. Then start teaching tables.. On a side note there seems to be atleast 3 people on a boat why aren't they sharing time under water? Seems odd 1 person is taking the risk and the other 2 are helping unload the catch. 3 2 hour shifts would be safer than 1 6 hour shift?
Just read today's (Aug 7th) Numero Uno and they were reporting a 24 year old man who died while diving - is this a new death or are they reporting on the previous one? Seemed like they were reporting another death.
I think it's been 4 divers drown: 17 year old from Penasco, 24 year old from Michoacan, 22 year old from Hermosillo, and a 40-45 year old from Sinaloa. Very sad, and 4 divers too many. I don't remember hearing about this type of accident in years past.
Think I'll take my cookie cutter and spear some rays next time and make some jumbo scallops to do my part to save the divers and the scallops.The muscle fibers in a real scallop will be different than those in a ray or shark. When you eat a scallop, you are eating the adductor muscle which is striated. This is the muscle used to control the shells and it is very powerful. The fibers in this muscle always run lengthwise. If you take a fork (or fingers) you can easily pull apart this muscle. It should seperate like string cheese, leaving chunks that have split cleanly down the long axis. The ray and shark meat won't behave this way with the same manipulation.
Every story has it that these divers are clammers. Almeja... clam.
An oyster is an "ostion" so we know that it is not oyster diving.
A scallop is a very different bivalve, it actuallly can swim. Scallops use their muscle and shell as it opens and closes (walking like a scalloping drunk). A scallop in spanish it is called a "vieira". Not once have I heard a Rocky point local call what they are diving for a vieira.
gracias, ......... so are the divers after callos or almejas?
Right now both, callo de hacha brings 200.00 pesos per kilo in town right now and the clam they dive for now is called La Chocolata a brown colored clam.
Mono, gracias for the explanation. $ is in callos.... 7.50 pound for the bay scallops... so about $7,500 a trip, retail ~ $2,500 a day wholesale in merchandise, $700 - 1,000 expenses,.... easy 1,500 $ per panga... per day.
Thats probably close. I think most of the catch goes to Asia. In San Felipe my neighbor buys fish and shellfish, during the day and has a driver run the load to Ensenada during the night, for shipment to Japan. I am sure most of the catch from RP goes there also. There are several houses in Rp that have been equipped to process the chocolatas for export. Also alot of boats are going out for the big sea snails, there is a piece of land near my house that is completely covered in snail shells probably 4 or 5 feet deep, this just happened.
URGENT MEETING OF AUTHORITIES FOR MODERATE TO DIVERS IN ROCKY POINT
The community of the United States begins to spread the word that does not buy the clam and snail Peñasco because people are dying out
By: Ivan Bravo
PTO. Penasco, SON.
Given the alarming deaths of divers engaged in clam capture flying and fishing in Puerto Peñasco, municipal authorities, Sector Naval divers and the health sector specialists, carried out an urgent meeting with the purpose of regulating and develop fishing regulations which will work only to certified divers.
They revealed that in this year of 2011 have recorded a total of 10 divers who have decompression when performing the gear of the 4 have died not knowing the minimum standards Security to develop the exploitation of the activity, such as: uncontrolled promotion, lack of attention to the international diving boards and equipment inadequate and in disrepair.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Erika Güemes Reyna, certified divers and experts in the field , spoke about the needs that exist and the lack of awareness on the exploitation of this activity, while advancing the training of health sector to cope with this problem.
"There are many things that are conjugate between the lack of preparation, equipment could be added if we do not solve the medical personnel matter at the time with or misdiagnosed, it can give, we are not free, we must minimize the impact each person doing their job, "said Erika Reyna.
He added that the Fishing is regulated product, which you can fish and which is in close season, but the law of fishing is not regulated as it is extracted, is the problem, "as regulated as it is not removed, hence the problem, there is no authority you diving certification requires an angler so you can do there this disparity and is causing us much trouble. "
He said the nurse also, already in the community of the United States begins to spread the word that no purchase clam and snail Peñasco because people are dying out, globally we have a death rate in divers is -. 06 percent, and Cliff are above average, "explained
the other hand, Fernando Sosa Diaz, commander of the Naval Sector Rocky Point, said that already implemented in the community of Cholla inspection and surveillance operations in the pangas and equipment used by the fishermen is in optimal conditions, so in recent days refused access to the sea more than 5 boats and rescued 7 people on the coasts of this port.
We have had meetings with the riverine fishermen cooperatives, with the divers, and has emphasized the application of the procedures ensure the safety of life at sea by applying the rule that is inscribed in the law, and we also have a search and rescue station that has saved many people in the week we had 7 people rescued, "he said.
On hand, the various authorities present proposed the creation of a council to raise awareness of divers and dedicated to the arts of fishing, so agreed to meet next Wednesday August 31 at 11:00 am H. facilities City Council.
Finally, the city clerk agreed to submit to council regulations for regulating the exploitation of this fishery to avoid safeguard human life and to continue to generate such problems
From 6:00 am on September 7 for shore fishermen, and same time of September 20, for deep-sea fishermen, will begin the catch of shrimp season 2011 in the Sonoran coast, said Fernando Miranda Blanco.
The Delegate of SAGARPA in Sonora, announced the dates established by the federal fisheries in the National Committee meeting held in Veda Mexico City, with the assistance of the deputy representative of Fisheries, José Luis Moreno Gomez and representatives of Pacific coast fisheries.
He said, based on the results of the studies presented by the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA) to the General Directorate of Fisheries Conapesca and industry leaders to lift the ban was agreed on dates close to last season as the analysis of structure, size and reproduction of the species reveals that the crustacean is in optimum condition for exploitation.
"There are references that production comes with good volumes, a good job of inspection and surveillance population ensures good this season and favorable market conditions exist. The feast of shrimp will have it in about two weeks, when asked on the coastal sea, "said Fernando Miranda Blanco.
He also noted that during the closed season was implemented in 2011 Sonora Strategic Action Program Inspection and Monitoring with a federal investment of 8.9 billion pesos in 7 camps terrestrial and marine camps 9 divided into three areas, to conserve, protect and maintain populations of different species of major commercial importance.
Miranda White also highlighted actions that SAGARPA, through CONAPESCA, conducted this year to train and sensitize fishermen offshore in the proper use of turtle excluder devices (TED's), with the delivery of workshops.
participated in these workshops, representatives of the fisheries offshore of Guaymas, Huatabampo and Puerto Peñasco, with the assistance of more than 50 boat captains, crew, netters and shipowners themselves.
In order to avoid sanctions from the U.S. authorities and maintain certification of shrimp in height to one of its main buyers, the period 2010 -2011 National Fisheries Commission carried out inspections at 906 thousand boats and up 7 minutes, while in the 2009 to 2010 753 vessels were inspected and rose 65 minutes.
That is crazy, why wouldn't someone let these guys know this is wrong and will kill you? I double check myself every dive and would never ever conceder doing something like this.
So sad.
They know the risks- they all hear about it when another guy croaks. I agree with playaperro - it's all a big "macho man" thing.
Sometimes Sanity is an even more scarce resource than Gold.
Dog, this is another perfect example of the "victimless" volunteer I was referring to...
Sometimes, you can look a man in the eye, tell him about carbon monoxide, and tell him about the bends, and you can try to make him see how hard his death would be on the family he leaves behind; but he might still tell you that he can handle it, and that he's "been doing this for 20 years" and down he goes... At that point you have to respect his right to choose, even if you think his choice is completely stupid.
It's like the guys that fish for crab on Deadliest Catch.... Seriously, when the waves are bigger than your 120 foot boat, that is Mother Nature trying to tell you that the price of crab is NOT WORTH IT....
They take the risk, they suffer the consequences, all just so me and Jerry can end up in another argument about personal freedoms ;-)
I'm sure diving is amazing, but this is why I snorkel. I once tried to free-kick down about 20 feet while snorkelling and I popped my left eardrum... hurt like a mo-fo.
So instead, I sit on the boat with rod and reel and try to bring the undersea life to me... :p
There are a few flaws with this story. If his weights were on the bottom bringing him up would not be an issue. need the weight to stay down. Secondly once you surface there is almost no way to de-compress without a hyperbaric chamber. Third you can stay down as long as you want being he was on surface supplied air you just have to plan accordingly and do all of your safety stops along the way. Sounds to me more like he suffered from a Pulmonary barotrauma from to rapid of an ascent or holding breath while ascending.