No injured cavers recorded.
On Thursday, July 30, Mark Kellum (18) was scuba diving with his father near San Miguel Island off the coast of California near Santa Barbara. After entering an underwater cave "his equipment apparently snagged on a ledge." When he failed to appear, other divers took fresh tanks of oxygen and conducted a search. This was hindered by murky water and by the time Kellum was found it was too late.
Anaylsis: Scuba divers who enter underwater caves on the spur-of-the-moment are not likely to be adqequately prepared. Cave diving can be relatively safe if one has proper training preparation, equipment and technique.
Scuba diver decided to enter underwater cave unprepared. He unfortunately passed away due to equipment malfunction causing him to be unable to leave the cave.