BBC World Service. John left behind his wife Emily and their baby daughter Lizzie. "It's a really tight spot, but we've been able to get around him. In 1987, a woman attempting to break into a home was shot dead. After struggling to breathe for several hours, John became unresponsive shortly before midnight. He was descending down towards the cave which starts 300 feet from the cavern. Without a body, closure is impossible. A true story of death and survival in the world's most dangerous sport, cave diving. government site. Two men died while diving at Eagle's Nest sinkhole in Florida, Oct. 16, 2016. In 2008, the McDaniel family suffered a tragedy when their youngest son, Paul, died from a stroke. "It's very narrow, very awkward, and it's difficult to get rescuers down there," rescuer Shawn Roundy told media at the time. Ben was murdered and his body disposed of.4. His wallet, with almost $1,100 in cash, and cell phone were in the cab of his truck; dive logs showed that he had explored the cave and a map he made was also found. Ben must have gone deeper than anyone expected. After resurfacing he filled his tanks at the dive shop, a transaction recorded on security cameras (it is not known what he filled those tanks with). For more information, please see our Two friends plunge 900 ft deep into the water of the Komali Springs in South Africa, to raise the body of a diver who had perished there a decade before. Three tanks believed to belong to Ben were recovered. advertisement. Rescuers began a different approach, using air-powered tools to chip away at some of the rock surrounding John. Others theorise he faked his own death. He wriggled through minuscule crevices that Ben (who stood at 61) would have been much too large to fit through but he was determined to search every single inch of the cave system. MeSH That's practically a death sentence when you're scuba diving, so always be careful. There was no sign of a struggle at his car and his belongings were untouched, including $1,000 in cash. It contains a warning to divers of the consequences of diving past that point: PREVENT YOUR DEATH. . GO NO FARTHER. On November 24, the group ventured into the Nutty Putty Cave, a popular spelunking spot known for its tight twists . Epub 2012 Jul 18. They did see the truck the next morning. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. [1], Shelby does not believe Ben had any intention of abandoning his life. [1][2] The state of Florida issued his family a death certificate in 2013. There were no marks on the limestone where a divers helmet or tank would have scraped the cave ceiling. Ben's brother who supposedly died from a stroke, actually died from a drug overdose; according to one pathologist there wasn't the slightest sign of a stroke. "I know what I'm doing and I barely made it through," he told the Commercial Appeal. About a week later concrete was poured into the main opening of the cave, sealing John inside forever. He was on a yacht in the Bahamas, leading an expedition. The sheriffs office said the investigation into the deaths is ongoing. Afterwards, she and her husband Robert McClellan, both certified cave divers and documentary filmmakers, went to Vortex Spring to make a short video. The worst thing that you can do when you realize something is going wrong is to panic. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The . Cave diving is for the most adventurous of scuba divers. On the weekend of August 1415, he returned to Florida, leaving behind a letter thanking his parents for the sabbatical and promising to look after them as they grew older. That's right, the second most dangerous extreme sports by death rate statistics, cave diving. [2], They did, however, find some of his equipment. March 31, 2016 / 5:35 PM / AP. Maltese soldier dies in diving incident off Marr ix-Xini. Some of the worst scuba accidents occur because of inexperienced divers making small mistakes. Ed Sorenson, an experienced diver who owns a dive shop, searched the spring scrupulously. Belgian Ben Reymenants runs a dive shop in Phuket. Her identity Would love your thoughts, please comment. Discovery Company. October 23, 2022 7:16 pm. An experienced California diver who was helping with the exploration of the narrow underwater passageways that radiate from a well-known swimming hole in eastern New . [2], Cronin and fellow employee Eduardo Taran, on their way back from a dive themselves something they often did on Wednesdays after the shop closed saw Ben as he began descending, with his lights on and wearing a helmet, suggesting he was venturing into the cave. "[1], In mid-August, four months into his Florida sojourn, Ben returned to Tennessee for a week. John Edward Jones, 26, was a medical student and experienced spelunker (someone who explores caves as a hobby) who went cave diving with a group of friends while visiting family in Utah for Thanksgiving in 2009. They were eventually able to partially free him using a rope-pulley system. May 26, 2022. According to RAID, a top scuba training agency, the number one cause of serious injury or death in cave diving is not gear failure, getting lost, becoming trapped, or running out of air. John Edward Jones, 26, was a medical student and experienced spelunker who went cave diving with a group of friends while visiting family in Utah for Thanksgiving in 2009. Emergency medical services responded to a call and he was admitted to a hospital in Pensacola. They either succumbed to disease and hunger, or were murdered in gas chambers or were shot and killed. We know our son to know he wouldnt put us through that again, said Patty, Bens mother. An avid diver since his teens, he had been a regular at the spring, where he had apparently been covertly exploring the cave despite lacking the required certification. They were eventually able to partially free him using a rope-pulley system. A memorial plaque to John stands near the entrance to Nutty Putty Cave. [5] (Ben's father elaborated the following year that the family was told to rescind the reward while in the Vortex Spring area for exactly this reason. "He just got himself in a pinch and couldn't find his way back out", said one of the divers who recovered the body. Move on to the next theory. He was wearing a dive mask, fins, and a wet suit. Training status, safety rules violated, relevancy of the violations, and root causes leading to death were determined. [10] At the entrance is a sign depicting the Grim Reaper which warns divers of the dangers of continuing onwards. Two days later, it was noticed that Ben's car was still in the . Unquenchable heroism and complex human relationships amid the perils of extreme sport. Seig Lu. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the When authorities arrived, the diver was deceased, according to the sheriffs office. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/when-a-diver-goes-missing-a-deep-cave-is-scene-of-a-deeper-mystery/1163972. As the sun faded on the 19 th of August, 2010, Ben walked down the narrow dock and slipped in the clear, warm, water of Vortex Spring. Despite his woes, Ben had started to turn his life around. As the sun faded on the 19th of August, 2010, Ben walked down the narrow dock and slipped in the clear, warm, water of Vortex Spring. While underwa. "The last place I searched was pristine, without a mark that a diver had been there. Mr Budd was right as among the horrific cave diving stories since 1973, is that of 26-year-old medical student John Edward Jones who became stuck in Utah in 2009. He had a failed marriage and financial trouble. 2012;58:57-79. doi: 10.1159/000338582. DandyDon; May 18, 2022; 5 6 7. The body of a cave diver still remains trapped upside-down after his ghastly death. Join us for a scary storytime covering the true story of Dave Shaw. 1 This location was perfect for Ben, who was an avid diver. When their football practice ended on Saturday 23 June, 2018, the 12 members of Wild Boars decided to go cave exploring with assistant coach Ekkaphon . 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Was it an accident? Stanton and Volanthen have worked together on . He was given an IV drip and some food and water, and was even able to speak to his wife over a police radio. The man escaped, and prosecutors later charged Kelly with assault and kidnapping in the incident. BBC World Service. While investigating, she found some unsavoury characters associated with the Vortex Spring. This was the last time Ben was ever seen. [1], At the Santa Rosa Beach house officers found his dog, hungry from having been unfed for two days. They didnt want to risk their lives, understandably. "Ben was brave," his father later said. Rescuers began a different approach, using air-powered tools to chip away at some of the rock surrounding John. By Johnny Diaz. Josh had no choice but to leave his brother and work his way out of the cave where he called for help. When the footage was reviewed, his team realized that Dave had captured his last moments underwater attempting to free Deon Dreyer from the depths of the cave. THERES NOTHING WORTH DYING FOR it ominously reads. Replies 62 Views . "[1], The McDaniels did what they could to help the search. [4] A reward they offered was rescinded in 2012 after the death of another diver who may have been trying to collect it, vindicating the criticism of the divers who had warned of that possibility and resented the McDaniels' insinuation that those who had searched for their son at great personal risk had not been "brave" enough.[5]. He was wearing a dive mask, fins, and a wet suit. While he was initially believed to have drowned on that dive, and his parents still strongly believe his body is in an inaccessible reach of the extensive cave system, no trace of him has ever been found. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal Cadaver dogs picked up a scent along the bank of the spring as well as one in the water but when county health departments sampled the water, they found no indication of a spike in bacteria consistent with decomposition. Ben Haddon-Cave, 27, whose sister Jessie Cave played Ron Weasley's girlfriend Lavender Brown in the films, had been out drinking with 26-year-old Paddy Bolster who also died in the tragedy. "He was found near a shovel left near a restriction so small that no one could get through it," said Sorenson, who had pulled Higginbotham's body back through four tight restrictions. A Warner Bros. Richard and fellow diver John Volanthen were the first divers to reach the stranded group in an underground network in Chiang Rai province ahead of their successful rescue. DAN Divers Alert Network; Deaths; epidemiology; recreational diving; root cause analysis; technical diving. Volunteer searches continued afterwards at the spring through November, often with the McDaniels and Greer in attendance. A spelunker is somebody who explores caves as a hobby. Forums. Ben Died and his body was removed as to not cause too much bad press for the spring.3. There are millions of possible ways to die, some less pleasant than others. The former owner, Lowell Kelly, was charged with driving an ex-employee into the woods and accused him of stealing money before beating him viciously with a baseball bat. Deon Dreyer was a South African recreational scuba diver who died in Bushman's Hole, or also known as Boesmansgat cave, in South Africa's Northern Cape. "If he's in there, I don't know where he'd be," he said later. [2], On August 18, the Wednesday after he returned to the Santa Rosa Beach house, he went up to Vortex Spring again. "He's not in great shape physically, there's a lot of pressure on his upper body and back but he's been amazingly resilient and he has incredibly high spirits under the circumstances," Sgt Spencer Cannon said at the time. "Due to the circumstances with his body being held the way it was and being wedged, it was most likely difficult to get a full deep breath," Sgt Cannon said. A few years ago there was a famous cave diving death, the disappearance of Ben McDaniel in Vortex Springs. On Saturday, June 23, 2018, 12 members of a local Thai football team, who were between the ages of 11 and 16, and their 25-year-old assistant coach, entered the Tham Luang Nang Non cave for a day . "He's not in great shape physically, there's a lot of pressure on his upper body and back but he's been amazingly resilient and he has incredibly high spirits under the circumstances," Sgt Spencer Cannon said at the time. Other divers, and an official with International Underwater Cave Rescue and Recovery, told him it was too dangerous to search any deeper into the cave. In fact, he owed the IRS $48, 861. Consequently he was fined, and sentenced to seven years of probation. According to the . The authorities said it was too dangerous to retrieve their bodies, but four . [1] But on the night of the 18th, they instead went back to Taran's house for coffee. [5], The following month, amid increasing criticism, the McDaniels rescinded the reward offer. "I simply see no reasonable evidence that he is NOT in the cave," the Commercial Appeal quoted her as writing in an email. By that point John had been hanging upside down for more than eight hours. and our Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Ben did not have the certification required . However, not only did skilled and experienced divers . He had left his dog in Santa Rosa Beach and had not given Greer any indication of such plans. Epub 2013 Jan 31. The state barred entrance to the sinkhole in 1999, reported the Tampa Bay Times, and it was later reopened in 2003 amid pressure from the National Association for Cave Divers and the National . A well planned hoax? There were no signs of activity from aquatic scavengers like one would assume if there were a deceased body down there. Careers. A segment of Investigation Discovery's Disappeared has been devoted to the case, as well as Ben's Vortex, a documentary co-directed by diver Jill Heinerth. "Once John had been declared dead, there were discussions about 'How do we get him out?' Eduardo Taran, however, was an experienced diver as well as an employee at Vortex Spring. On November 24, the group ventured into the Nutty Putty Cave, a popular spelunking spot known for its tight twists, turns and crawls. Accessibility Two cave divers . [15], By Sunday, August 22, no other signs of Ben had been found. if Ben wanted to end his life this way, then why would he go back to his parents and leave a note thanking them for giving him a chance, because he could have just dealt himself a fatal blow in the city where he lived before, my theory is that Ben wanted to end his life with- because of debts or problems at work, as he wanted to become a diver and get consent to penetrate the same narrow passages as professional divers. Assisted by helicopters, they searched the swamps along the spring's outflow into Blue Creek and Sandy Creek to the Choctawhatchee River. New posts Search forums. For those who are willing to push boundaries to the absolute limits. Ben was not cave-trained, he had absolutely no business being inside a cave. Two other tanks, lacking regulators, were attached to the "talk box" in the outer cavern area, (Piano Room) where the talk box was located at the time. In 1991, an experienced cave diver named Parker Turner and his diving partner Bill Gavin were mapping caves in Indian Springs, a cavernous fresh water spring in the Florida Panhandle. The McDaniels devoted their family's extensive financial resources to the search, at one point guaranteeing the replacement cost of a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV). Edd Sorenson (born October 17, 1959) is a technical cave diver known for numerous rescues of lost or trapped divers in the underwater caves of Florida particularly in Vortex Springs and Blue Springs Recreational Park. Despite nearly nonstop dives by more than 16 recovery divers over a 36 day period, no traces of Ben were ever found.This video is the main reason why I started this channel. Paul was not being prescribed opiates. On a hot August night, Ben McDaniel attempted the adventure of a lifetime. The ex-employee managed to escape into the woods but was left so shaken that he moved his family out of town and swore he would never return. By that point John had been hanging upside down for more than eight hours. The Pair Have Been Involved in Other Rescues. John left behind his wife Emily and their baby daughter Lizzie. . Four died in the hole ( . This site needs JavaScript to work properly. That being said, cave diving comes with heightened risk. Sheriff's deputies were called about 12:20 p.m. Wednesday to what . Rescuers from the Utah County Sheriff's Office arrived and began a complicated extraction attempt, made worse by the fact that John was in "absolutely the worst spot in the cave". "There is just as much reason to look above the water for Ben's body as there was to look below it in the cave," she told the Commercial Appeal. 7. His family said the diver wasn't looking for Ben McDaniel, but cave divers are skeptical.The family steadily increased a reward to $30,000, which incensed the cave diving community because they thought it was recklessly encouraging inexperienced divers to . Two tanks known to belong to McDaniel were found near the entrance to the cave. A 10-year estimate of the incidence of decompression illness in a discrete group of recreational cave divers in Australia. Despite living on the coast during his sabbatical, he preferred to dive in fresh water, becoming a frequent visitor to Vortex Spring, located inland a short distance north of Ponce de Leon. 4. In the 1990s, 13 divers perished in the cave. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Two days later, it was noticed that Bens car was still in the parking lot where it had remained for the past two days. All divers are required to present proof of open-water certification and sign a release of liability. It was risky work, and one diver said they had nearly died during the search. On August 18th 2010, Ben McDaniel, a 30 year old scuba diver, vanished 115ft underwater in the cave at Vortex Spring, in Ponce De Leon, FL. If Edd Sorenson says Bens not in the cave, hes not there. Whatever the final cause of death, whichever of the million things a real cave diver knows can go wrong and kill you, which an open water diver has no idea . "It would have affected his ability to breathe adequately.". Prevent your death!' said sign at Florida underwater cave. [22], By 2011, it seemed unlikely that Ben's body would be found in the cave. Richard William Stanton (R) speaks to John Volanthen (L back to camera) at the Tham Luang cave area. The McDaniels began considering the possibility that he had died as a result of foul play, and that his diving disappearance was staged to cover up a crime. John Edward Jones, 26, was a medical student and experienced spelunker who went cave diving with a group of friends while visiting family in Utah for Thanksgiving in 2009. . His parents and girlfriend, Emily Greer, said he seemed optimistic. Unanswered Questions", "Mississippi Man Killed in Cave Diving Accident", "Questions remain about Lowell Kelly's death", "Parents of lost diver pin hopes for closure on team of dogs", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disappearance_of_Ben_McDaniel&oldid=1104006595, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 12 August 2022, at 01:54. The cave diving death of Dave Shaw is a multilayered tragedy. "Ben was fearless. Ben McDaniel was the oldest of three brothers born to Shelby and Patty McDaniel. you'd be dead a long time ago," diver Ben Reymenants, who was part of the rescue mission, says. MIAMI The former owners of a Florida Keys dive shop whose boat was in such poor condition that it capsized and sank, killing a tourist, pleaded guilty last week . Edd Sorenson says Bens not in the 1990s, 13 divers perished in the diving. To John stands near the entrance to the Choctawhatchee River tanks known to belong to McDaniel were found near entrance... The Vortex spring about a week later concrete was poured into the deaths is ongoing `` I know I... Through, '' he told the Commercial Appeal does not believe Ben had intention... ) at the Santa Rosa Beach house officers found his dog, hungry having. Or.mil call and he was fined, and sentenced to seven years of probation violations, and to... Month, amid increasing criticism, the group ventured into the main of. Seven years of probation surrounding John they could to help the search '' his father later.. Perished in the world & # x27 ; s car was still in the world & x27. 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