Cave Diving Fatality

[Vtach]

Here is more information from a post on TDS:

Originally Posted by Shelly Orlowski on CDF
I am posting this report with great sadness and trepidation. I ask everyone to remember please that the family and friends of the victim have not yet had time to grieve nor have all of the facts become evident. As with any accident, there are conflicting reports of events. This accident is no exception. I will do my best to report the facts. If it seems that some things have been omitted it is because the eyewitness reports were conflicting or it is not known at this time.

Three people entered Peacock III to do a dive to Henley’s Castle. The victim’s certification level was that of Cavern diver. His gear configuration was consistent with an Intro to Cave level diver (single tank PST E8130 with H-valve); he was also carrying a stage bottle. The three divers were exiting the castle when the victim indicated that he was out of air. One of the buddy’s (Buddy #1) gave him a full stage bottle and they continued out. Buddy # 2 subsequently had a problem and Buddy #1 stopped to help. That was the last time either buddy saw the victim. The victim reportedly swam past his stage bottle and continued to exit the cave.
They continued out of the cave expecting to find him on deco. When he was not there, Buddy #2 went for help and reported a missing diver. Buddy #1 went back into the cave to look for him.
The two recovery divers got in the water as Buddy #1 surfaced and reported that he had found him and told the recovery divers where to look. The victim was found approx. 1300 feet from the entrance.
After exiting Henley’s Castle heading outbound the victim had taken the first jump to the left (no reel deployed). He was located about 300 feet down that tunnel facing outbound completely out of gas.

I understand that there are still several unanswered questions at this time and that this report may cause some new ones. I ask that we be patient and I am confident they will be answered in the near future.
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It has also been verified that either Buddy #1 OR Buddy #2 was a certified PADI and NSS-CDS instructor.

I gathered this information from this link on TDS: