Whether it's for sport or research reasons, cave diving is an extremely dangerous activity. Shelby also noted that Ben had seen the impact Paul's death had had on his parents. Three tanks believed to belong to Ben were recovered. What happened next is enshrined in mystery. National Library of Medicine The cave steadily narrows, reaching a makeshift rebar gate with a chain and padlock, at a point almost 300 feet (91m) from the entrance. 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. Diving instruction is offered for all levels; experienced divers come for the underwater wildlife and the cavern, which begins 58 feet (18m) below the surface. [2], Ben was 6feet 1inch (185cm) tall and weighed 210 pounds (95kg), one inch (2.5cm) taller and 20 pounds (9.1kg) heavier than Sorenson. Ben was last seen by two Vortex Spring (VS) employees at the gate blocking untrained and non-certified divers from entering the most dangerous parts of the cave. Deputies were alerted Wednesday afternoon after one . [1], Some other events reported to have occurred on the day Ben disappeared supported that theory. Epub 2012 Jul 18. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. [3], McDaniel had been living at his parents' beach house on the Emerald Coast during a sabbatical in the wake of a divorce, a business failure, and the death of his younger brother two years earlier. "I simply see no reasonable evidence that he is NOT in the cave," the Commercial Appeal quoted her as writing in an email. Shortly after, the group of teens saw one of the divers floating face down and when they checked on him, received no response. On his nights out with Greer, he told her of plans to eventually start a diving-related business. THERES NOTHING WORTH DYING FOR it ominously reads. When tested, the tanks were found to contain normal air, not the specialized gas mix required for diving at depth. Discovery Company. Rescue efforts were due to get underway on June 24 with local British diver Vern Unsworth going alone. "Ben was brave," his father later said. There are millions of possible ways to die, some less pleasant than others. While underwa. Scuba diving is a safe sport. [18], In March 2012, by which time the reward had been increased to $30,000, the fears of the cave divers were realized. Only one returns. Two days later, it was noticed that Ben's car was still in the . 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. 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. Two tanks known to belong to McDaniel were found near the entrance to the cave. Replies 62 Views . The . June 23, 2022, 4:27 PM PDT. princeandprincessofwales. About a week later concrete was poured into the main opening of the cave, sealing John inside forever. Taran, who said he had let Ben into the cave despite knowing he lacked certification to dive in it, passed a lie detector test of his account. 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. However, not only did skilled and experienced divers . reopened in 2003 amid pressure from the National Association for Cave Divers and the National Speleological Society Cave Diving . Some theorise that something more sinister happened to Ben: that he was murdered. John's brother Josh was the first to find him, and tried pulling at his calves but was unsuccessful. The employees of the dive shop were familiar with Ben McDaniel, and knew his reason for being on the premises was to dive the spring. Despite his woes, Ben had started to turn his life around. Very interesting. 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. A memorial plaque to John stands near the entrance to Nutty Putty Cave, 12 years since the tragedy took place. The father-of-one's tragic mistake was thinking he could squeeze into the same spaces as a six-foot man than he did when he was a lot younger and smaller. [2], McDaniel's dives at the site were regular enough that the dive shop employees and other frequent visitors came to know him. One rescuer was able to get close enough to pronounce him dead of cardiac arrest. March 31, 2016 / 5:35 PM / AP. [2], In March 2012, the McDaniels arranged for cadaver dogs to search the area of the springs again, but with no results. This was the last time Ben was ever seen. 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. New posts Search forums. Stemberga V, Petaros A, Rasic V, Azman J, Sosa I, Coklo M, Uhac I, Bosnar A. J Travel Med. Others, including Cronin and Kelly, suggested he had staged his own disappearance to start his life over under another identity and escape his past troubles. Ben went into Vortex Spring on August 18th, 2010 and was never seen or heard from again. Lie detector test are easily beatable if you know how. On the 18th of August, 2010, Ben McDaniel dived into an underwater cave at Vortex Springs in Florida, never to be seen again. The body of a cave diver still remains trapped upside-down after his ghastly death. Deputies were alerted Wednesday afternoon after one of three teenagers who were spending the day at the Buford Springs Cave called 911, the sheriffs office said. Normally you had to have a buddy system before you was allowed to get the group I never knew them to allow a single diver go on their own. 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