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A woman tourist diver suffered of lung decompression while she was on a trip with Sea Saba dive centre on Monday morning. The diver reportedly ascended too rapidly to the surface, which had led to lung decompression and related symptoms.
Once at Fort Bay harbour the Sea Saba boat was met by ambulance and medical staff, who transported the patient to A.M. Edwards Medical Centre in The Bottom. Local glasswork artiste Jo Bean Chambers, who was among the divers on the boat, said Sea Saba crew had taken all precautions and that in her view this was not a serious incident. Dr. Gijs Koot confirmed that the case did not require medical evacuation. “Everything went as smoothly as it can in terms of following the rescue scenario,” said Sea Saba owner Lynn Costenaro, who was at the harbour and accompanied the diver to the medical centre.
“From all accounts she panicked and bolted to the surface,” said Costenaro, who said the diver’s condition was stable after all regular procedures had been followed at the medical centre to identify if a lung overexpansion injury had occurred. She said it concerned an experienced diver, who had followed a rescue course in the previous two weeks.
“It reminds us all of the need to get Saba’s Hyperbaric Chamber back in order, because in these sort of incidents the chamber’s availability can made the difference between life or death, and treatment would be quicker than is presently possible,” Costenaro said.
Source: “The Daily Herald” 2012-09-26
From the content of the article, I am confused where the headline comes from: Tourist Diver Suffers of Lung Decompression? I have never heard of such a thing…the diver was taken to the hospital to ascertain whether she suffered a lung over expansion injury or was suffering from decompression sickness. After examination and an xray it was determined she suffered from neither and was only treated for salt water aspiration syndrome. She was released from the hospital yesterday and plans to go snorkeling during the rest of her stay.
Almost sounds like a weather reporter covering their butt. Like when they say Sunny with a chance of rain and clouds followed by scattered darkness later on tonight.
We all may be happy that nothing worse happened. But do we really need a dead person before the Saba Conservation Foundation takes it responsibility by re-installing the hyperbaric chamber? Actually I prefer to take measures now to enforce the board and the management to take measures before the end of the year. Not only the SCF is responsible for doing that, but actually also all dive shops, all inhabitants and especially also the Island Government – or better the Lt. Governor – who made promises but did not do anything as usual.
No matter how good a diver is, the potential for accident does not change…. having visited Saba 5 times to date, we would ask the powers that be to please get that chamber working…. it really does affect our decision on where to go on a dive vacation !
Whomever wrote this must be delirious. To put such content before any facts were known is again sensationalism. But this one really has the potential to hurt the island. How about stating the facts and then asking where is an update on the chamber rather then simply pointing fingers. I read this again as someone’s agenda, not the news. I would prefer to read what an outstanding job was done by the Saba Health Care Foundation and the Dive Team for such a quick response to make sure this diver was ok. But no. Good work you guys, you know who you are!
Thanks Lynn!
I’m in total agreement, I have an “O” level in biology (a basic understanding of human physiology) and I must confess I was truly flummoxed by the clouded terminology in the “report”, all I managed to glean from the detrimental artificial was that the lady in question was not “bent” and did not require decompression treatment. (and such is my curse that I had to read between the lines, like any Navaho that had the self respect to dwell his entire life in the private sector) .
I dearly hope said lady survives her personal trauma without any long lasting effects and takes great memories of snorkeling around this isle. Comes back and brings her family and friends.
When will Saba have a good reporter? When will failed ex-civil servants looking for medals and admonishment for an entire life of indifference seek reverence upon a different shore… or, what the hell, just shut up?
This was, once again, a disgraceful and flagrant act of misinformation. Which is damaging a great product on Saba in very difficult times,
Why would any lay person who has no knowledge of DCI, DCS, Lung injuries or scuba diving for that matter write an article without researching or fact finding first?
What makes a good reporter? A good researcher!
Herewith I repeat: “We all may be happy that nothing worse happened. But do we really need a dead person before the Saba Conservation Foundation takes it responsibility by re-installing the hyperbaric chamber? Actually I prefer to take measures now to enforce the board and the management to take measures before the end of the year. Not only the SCF is responsible for doing that, but actually also all dive shops, all inhabitants and especially also the Island Government – or better the Lt. Governor – who made promises but did not do anything as usual.”
It may be true that the message in the newspaper was premature and partly wrong. The most important aspect remains: the worry about a hyperbaric chamber that is not functioning. People who are denying that can be taken (partly) responsible for a next victim.
I don’t understand something. There was a meeting where the Saba Conservation Foundation relinquished responsibilities, and the dive shops were part of this meeting, right? And the decision was to form a new group who would administer the chamber, right? And government is aware of this, awaiting the formation of a new Hyperbaric chamber administration group, right? So then why do people feel the need to repetitively blame the SCF? It’s not their problem. Another issue of inadequate research in “reporting” it seems.
Why ask the question if you believe you know all the answers? The answer could also be: because they put us all in this situation in the first place. Some say, lets get over it, yeah right. Could mean too: stop looking what we did with your money and what we did to the chamber to pressure you all. Of course they want to get of the hook, I get that. In the meeting some people ask several times the board (by the way: who has ever elected them in the first place?) to step down and that there was no trust in their financial management (for a good reason). Silence to that one. So don’t blame it all on others before you don’t know all the facts and the history, the intentions and the politics. I’m also for moving forward, and there are initiatives going on, but as many things on Saba, it needs time.
Apparently almost nobody was aware of the legal aspects of making publicity stating that Saba was a safe place to dive thanks to the hyperbaric chamber while this was not true anymore. If the “Reclame Code Commissie” would have been aware of this false statement by not only the SCF but also other organisations, the fine that the SCF would have to be paid would have been a considerable amount of euros and apart from that the touristic and diving reputation of Saba would have been damaged in an enormeous way. Thank you Saban government for having taken action. But be also aware of the fact that at the airport and on many other places the flyer of the SCF is still making this statement of safe diving thanks to the hyperbaric chamber which is – since a couple of years – a false statement and open for legally and financialy very negative consequences. So either force the SCF to remove all folders or – better – repair the hyperbaric chamber a.s.a.p. and find a new construction for managing this chamber.