Tourist dies scuba diving in Phi Phi

[rooster59]

Tourist dies scuba diving in Phi Phi

Kongleaphy Keam

PHUKET: A tour company, a boat operator and a British dive professional are all in hot water after a tourist died in their care while scuba diving off Phi Phi yesterday.

Chinese national Minghua Jiang, 62, was recovered unconscious at about noon while scuba diving for the first time near Koh Poda (Koh Yawasam) in Phi Phi national park.

Mr Jiang, who was on a scuba diving tour with Scuba Addict, was one of two divers accompanied by British dive instructor Geoff Branigan, explained Lt Col Anurak Parinyasathiragul of the Krabi Marine Police.

“Mr Branigan left Mr Jiang underwater alone when he accompanied another diver to the surface, who was suffering ear pain due to issues with equalizing at depth,” said Col Anurak.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Tourist-dies-scuba-diving-Phi-Phi/63140?desktopversion#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-01-13

[cornishcarlos]

Sad....

If it really was his 1st time diving then there is no excuse for leaving him alone underwater ! Negligence totally..

[NamKangMan]

I'm not a diver, but I would have thought it a standard operating procedure that both divers surface, with the instructor, once the minor medical emergency was reported by one of the divers.

Edited February 13, 2016 by NamKangMan

[LivinginKata]

It's long past time that these tour or dive companies really looked after their customers. 62 year old Chinese tourist on first scuba dive ... recipe for disaster ....

[Pdaz]

How did a 62 yo Chinaman pass a PADI diver medical ? Or was this just a one off resort dive with minimal training and health checks ? Can believe the instructor would leave a novice behind and surface while surfacing with another.

[terryp]

it looks like the TAT is going to flip out with the 2016 tourist death rate, there has been approx 9 in Krabi province alone in the past 2 weeks!!!!, I will never set foot in this place again it is manic the worst holuday i've ever had in thailand, the roads/speed are insane, not to mention the sea with all the HUNDREDS of speedboat tours blasting around at full speed (it is like all the thais here are on a death wish)

sad for the familys of all the Deceased but i will just says something ....THIALAND IS NOT SAFE, whatever you are told by tour agents (or what many on here believe)

[Briggsy]

It is a death-a-day in Thailand's diving industry.

This one is a bit unusual. They have actually pinned it on somebody. 'Cos he is a farang.

I will wait for tomorrow's death. I predict it will be 'unexplained' with the dive instructors, captain and tour company all surreptitiously pointing the finger at each other. I also predict the deceased will be Chinese.

Doesn't seem to deter the tourists, neither does it stir the authorities into action. Seems to have become normalised.

[stevenl]

How did a 62 yo Chinaman pass a PADI diver medical ? Or was this just a one off resort dive with minimal training and health checks ? Can believe the instructor would leave a novice behind and surface while surfacing with another.

Medical requirements for discover scuba diving and multi day courses are the same.

Where did you find it was a PADI course by the way?

A bit off topic, but it looks like the reporting from PG is accurate and complete this time.

Edited February 13, 2016 by stevenl

[limbos]

How did a 62 yo Chinaman pass a PADI diver medical ? Or was this just a one off resort dive with minimal training and health checks ? Can believe the instructor would leave a novice behind and surface while surfacing with another.

The shop in questions sells both SSI and PADI courses, how do you know that this was a PADI course?

[limbos]

It is a death-a-day in Thailand's diving industry.

This one is a bit unusual. They have actually pinned it on somebody. 'Cos he is a farang.

I will wait for tomorrow's death. I predict it will be 'unexplained' with the dive instructors, captain and tour company all surreptitiously pointing the finger at each other. I also predict the deceased will be Chinese.

Doesn't seem to deter the tourists, neither does it stir the authorities into action. Seems to have become normalised.

A death a day? Can you back that up and proof it?

[stevenl]

How did a 62 yo Chinaman pass a PADI diver medical ? Or was this just a one off resort dive with minimal training and health checks ? Can believe the instructor would leave a novice behind and surface while surfacing with another.

The shop in questions sells both SSI and PADI courses, how do you know that this was a PADI course?

I asked the same question also. The answer would make no difference to the medical though.

[canopus1969]

Do people think a 62 year old cannot pass a medical for SCUBA diving

[NamKangMan]

Do people think a 62 year old cannot pass a medical for SCUBA diving

What medical????

[klauskunkel]

Chinese national Minghua Jiang, 62, was recovered unconscious at about noon while scuba diving for the first time .

Shouldn't the first scuba dive be a practice dive in swimming pool?

[tomyumchai]

looks like the chinese are drowning faster than white dudes can fall off balconies

......i wonder who will get the top score by the end of the year?

[spidermike007]

So much could be done to improve safety standards here. Here is a post I wrote, which I will not repeat, as the moderators don't seem to approve of that.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894667-tourists-in-thailand-dont-know-theyre-riding-killer-elephants/?p=10417873

[Guest]

There are three basic rules to safe diving.

Stay with your buddy.
Stay with your buddy.
Stay with your buddy.

This is very sad ... and inexcusable negligence.

I would think any 62 year old on his first dive was a pretty cool dude .. what a horrid and unnecessary death.

[NCC1701A]

RIP.

It took six weeks of professional instruction in the USA to pass my scuba certification. Class room theory, swimming pool orientation of gear and practice in 8 feet of water.

a extremely difficult beach dive walking with full gear through large breaking waves, cold water, limited visibly, kelp and a strong surge.

we had to swim out until we were in 30 feet of water, descend to the bottom, flood our masks and demonstrate we could clear ours masks by breathing in with our regulators and exhale with our noses to clear the mask. then we had to remove our BC and tanks completely to demonstrate we could take off our gear in a emergency.

the next day was a boat dive at Anacapa island to 50 feet, then ascend without your regulator to demonstrate proper emergency ascent.

the instructor were ex Marines, I was 22 years old and it was really hard doing the mask clear test.

the buddy system was in place from the moment we were in any water.

Edited February 13, 2016 by NCC1701A

[chickenslegs]

Leaving the diver alone. No work permit. Diving in a no-diving zone. I would not like to be standing in Mr Branigan's flippers right now.

[MaeJoMTB]

I'm not a diver, but I would have thought it a standard operating procedure that both divers surface, with the instructor, once the minor medical emergency was reported by one of the divers.

That would be the end of the dive, cos they can't go back down.

Someone would be asking for a refund ...... can't have that.

[kiwikeith]

It is a death-a-day in Thailand's diving industry.

This one is a bit unusual. They have actually pinned it on somebody. 'Cos he is a farang.

I will wait for tomorrow's death. I predict it will be 'unexplained' with the dive instructors, captain and tour company all surreptitiously pointing the finger at each other. I also predict the deceased will be Chinese.

Doesn't seem to deter the tourists, neither does it stir the authorities into action. Seems to have become normalised.

Could it be that the authorities are to scarred to act, must be the reason also why the B2 are still locked up.

[MaeJoMTB]

How did a 62 yo Chinaman pass a PADI diver medical ? Or was this just a one off resort dive with minimal training and health checks ? Can believe the instructor would leave a novice behind and surface while surfacing with another.

There is no PADI medical.

You sign a waiver declaring you are healthy and know of no medical condition that would prevent you from diving.

[NamKangMan]

I'm not a diver, but I would have thought it a standard operating procedure that both divers surface, with the instructor, once the minor medical emergency was reported by one of the divers.

That would be the end of the dive, cos they can't go back down.

Someone would be asking for a refund ...... can't have that.

Sounds like it was an open water 10 meter dive.

Surely, no need to end the dive, due to resurfacing, at that depth.

However, there is some truth to what you say, baht over life is the Phuket way.

[Gandtee]

I was refused a diving course by a British instructor because I was 65

[pacovl46]

Chinese national Minghua Jiang, 62, was recovered unconscious at about noon while scuba diving for the first time .

Shouldn't the first scuba dive be a practice dive in swimming pool?

[Taffyfromflint]

How did a 62 yo Chinaman pass a PADI diver medical ? Or was this just a one off resort dive with minimal training and health checks ? Can believe the instructor would leave a novice behind and surface while surfacing with another.

Definition of a diving professional, someone who has been diving more than once methinks. Pity the Thais don't adopt and enforce the Australian Scuba Diving Code of Practice, which was brought in a few years ago following a spate of similar incidents. Over 50 then medical certificate for first time divers should be the norm, sorry that would interfere with revenue.

[SOTIRIOS]

...it has been suggested several times in the past that there is 'skimping' on supplies.....

...I hope they investigate.....

[phitsanulokjohn]

The Divemaster to diver ratio is set far too high,especially when he's accompanying novice divers,but this ratio is Padi approved.Imho it should always be a 121 event.As you can see in this incident 2 divers were in trouble at the sametime.The poor divemaster obviously cannot be in 2 places at 1 time,but now the blames on him.Totally unfair upon the Divemaster.

RIP Underwater lady.

[brownknees]

There is no age limit for diving .A medical would be prudent !The british sub aqua club will teach you for nothing(buy your own gear!)However as its taught by volunteer instructors you may only get one session per week so it takes time before you actually see real water other than a pool.Get certified by PADI(stands for Put Another Dollar In)and you have a licence to print money ,almost.Try a dive in deep water after a session in a pool ?Not good see what happens?

(ex Instructor)

[Stoker58]

I'm speechless. You don't leave a first time diver alone under water. I've been diving for years and it still gives me the willies if I look around and find that I'm alone.