The Zacatón Sinkhole Accident | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror

[@myragroenewegen5426]

Have to hand it to this guy. Even when he was panicked and confused, he was grounded enough to realize this would be the end for him and make his rescue easier by entangling himself in that line. These are the kind of focused, calm people who should be emergency room doctors and paramedics and other emergency-related things like that. They have good insticts at the worst of times.

[@battlejess85]

Not just easier, but people have died in attempts to retrieve the bodies of divers; he also made it much safer. His legacy even in death.

[@davidbond8139]

I agree, he would make a good emergency room doctor... but he was off cave diving...I'm not sure about his instincts, especially when he's seen his own brother die as a result of a diving accident

[@moteroargentino7944]

@davidbond8139 It's not that HE should've been a doctor, but that people like him make up for good ones. And his instincts were ok, if you go diving you're assuming that you might die. He took a conscious decision, and within that decision his instincts were on point.

[@katiekane5247]

​@@davidbond8139not enough adrenaline for them. Battlefield surgeon maybe 🤔

[@Whocares158]

Humans will always panic it's that stupid animal instinct I despise.

[@rickb1973]

Its really quite remarkable how many people follow this same story arc: "It was that year that Such-n-such took his first cave dive and was immediately hooked. He then dedicated all his time to gaining knowledge, honing his skills, and planning his own eventual horrifying watery demise".

[@ericvaca9058]

It's interesting... It's horrifying yet... We only have one life to live, and everyone will hit that barrier at some point or another... The only choice left is how we decide to meet it, with our hands on the wheel, or relaxing in the back seat.

[@SkunkApe407]

As a Sailor and SCUBA diver, I've already accepted that my soul belongs to Neptune. If he decides to collect while I'm in his domain, so be it. Personally, I'd much rather go out that way, than as an immobile husk of the man I was, bedridden and unable to wipe my own backside. Send me home to Old Davey Jones, instead.

[@rachelhansen2417]

Sort of… except this wasn’t cave diving.

[@BOG0690]

I agree with you. These people go through some sort of wierd death-defying addiction and eventual its gets them. Dying in a dark watery cave is how I wanna go - said nobody, ever.

[@SkunkApe407]

@@BOG0690 I literally kinda said just that not but two comments above yours. The irony is kinda funny.😂

[@Rosecoloredstitches]

I’m a scuba diver and just the thought of cave diving is enough to trigger my claustrophobia, terrifying.

[@Canalcoholic]

Ditto. Never went below 40m and never did more than stick my head inside a wreck.

[@lisadolan689]

Same. 15 mtrs is my deepest dive and that was just fine! I have no desire to go any further. I get all adrenaline I’ll ever need at that depth. It’s amazing and good enough ☺️

[@cyberleaderandy1]

I used to dive myself and even shallow easy access wreck dives make me nervous. Cave diving just seemed insane to me and still does.

[@cyberleaderandy1]

​@@lisadolan689deepest i did wsa 28 metres and that only once. Too dark and too deep for my liking 😊

[@biggseye]

I stay above 30 meters. My fascination with deep wrecks in the great lakes does not override my knowledge of my own limits. Going inside wrecks is just like caving, neither one is something I have never done and have no wish to do.

[@TheDankCat127]

Sheck was not just important to cave diving, but diving as a whole. In a time when information was not readily accessible, he developed many of the safety rules we use today through accident analysis. If there’s a rule you’re taught to follow in diving, there’s a good chance it’s because someone died from not following that rule.

[@CuteCuteJames]

OSHA standards are written in blood.

[@jenniferbrewer5370]

Dive safety rules are written in blood.

[@davesmith5656]

Stay out of the water. As long as you follow that rule, you wont: a) drown in a dark cave b) get stung by jellyfish c) get eaten by a shark d) get swept out to sea in a rip tide and chopped to pieces by an oil tanker's propeller because they didn't hear you scream for help. Staying on land all you have to worry about is getting buried alive in a box. ("Stop it!" -- Bob Newhart.)

[@XYZ-kb3mm]

@@davesmith5656life is about taking risks! :D

[@moteroargentino7944]

@davesmith5656 Yeah, but on land you don't get to experience diving. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@icytux3484]

This man even in death made sure it was as safe and straightforward as possible to recover him. A man who truly cared about others.

[@davesmith5656]

And cared about the technicalities of his sport. There must be better ways to say that, but I think you can get the idea.

[@XYZ-kb3mm]

i too thought that was really sweet in a sad way.

[@actingvoiceover4882]

ya sure haha

[@YC-bf6pi]

Wish he cared the same about his little brother. Pretty much got him killed by daring him to dive with no equipment.

[@David19553]

Live long and prosper.🖖😇

[@classicmicroscopy9398]

Cave diving makes even something as dangerous as high altitude mountaineering look sane.

[@blyxx7450]

Right, I'm certified but have no desire what so ever to go into a cave.

[@cdasteez]

Really? I feel the opposite but I love the water probably too much

[@blyxx7450]

@@cdasteez To each their own. Stay safe.

[@jiks270]

I used to do solo winter mountaineering which is not the safest way to pass the time but I would never go anywhere near cave diving. Not only so dangerous but the ways it finds to kill you seem especially horrific.

[@michaelholt8590]

To me it's the same. I could never have enough faith in my equipment.

[@TheUncleRuckus]

The saddest part of this whole story for me is when Shek's wife heard something had gone wrong, her and Jim's wife immediately suited up to dive down to check. They ended up diving past the point where Jim was forced to turn around and they waited there for several hours before finally they realized Shek wasn't coming back. Then during the 12+ hours of decompression Jim's wife held her during the entire ascent while Shek's wife cried.

[@hrmanager97]

Crying while underwater at that depth sounds hella dumb...

[@stormisuedonym4599]

@@derklavierspieler7491 Very good! You have the biggest stupid brain in the class! Now put that brain to work and figure out how your overly literal interpretation and assumptions are wrong.

[@RoundSeal]

@@derklavierspieler7491 Imagine that your spouse, or another person that you love, is below you, just out of arm's reach. Just out of sight. They might not be dead yet, but you can't descend any further to help yet. Put yourself in her shoes. How would you feel? How would it be like for you, having to stop and wait at certain times during ascension to decompress, knowing that you're in the same water, floating just above your dead loved one?

[@nomoretwitterhandles]

Some of these replies have tiny itty bitty baby acorn penises, it's crazy how much they brag about how utterly microscopic their penises are! Like, yes, believe it or not, people grieve! It is a real and human thing. But I suppose the replies with MINISCULE PENISES couldn't comprehend the wide spectrum of human emotions!

[@_Jay_Maker_]

@@hrmanager97 Look up the definition of "empathy."

[@MrSaemichlaus]

What always blows me away about diving is that it takes you waaaaaaay longer to ascend than to descend. When you hike out into the desert and time is halfway to sunset, you know you can safely make it back before nightfall, but in diving, you're basically screwed as soon as you went out the door and realise you aren't correctly prepared. The effects of every decision you make can have a fatal effect hours ahead.

[@madhippy3]

I cannot even wrap my head around needing 9 hours to ascend. I would be so bored or even terrified of breathing knowing I am running out of breathable air and I just have to wait or else suffer crippling pain or even death from the bends.

[@MeadowFarmer]

It's sort of a crude thing to say, but the guy is pretty lucky he lived as long as he did. He was an extreme risk taker. Hundreds of cave dives, pushing the limit free diving with his brother, deep diving with pressurized air. He pushed the limit with is last dive. A lot of people have died climbing Mount Everest too.

[@mattskustomkreations]

Agreed. Humans are designed to breathe air, open air at certain mixtures and altitudes.

[@miapdx503]

Yes, after seeing so many of these videos, I'm convinced that deep down, they have a death wish, putting themselves in danger, over and over until finally, they get their wish. 😔

[@mattskustomkreations]

@@miapdx503 What irks me is when they put others’ lives at risk to rescue or retrieve, and I’m really angered when they have children or spouses and do risky “hobbies” for selfish reasons.

[@marhawkman303]

@@mattskustomkreations See, that's part of why this story is interesting, it wasn't him doing something stupid. It was more bad luck. It's a testament to his skill that he'd not had this happen sooner.

[@stormisuedonym4599]

... You say about someone famous in the diving community for his devising and pushing safety rules.

[@jacktobin7854]

Something about him using his last moments to make his body easier for the support team to retrieve really gets to me

[@Stevo_YouTube]

Some people won't even go to the effort of carrying an empty wrapper to the nearest trash can.

[@Cinerary]

@@Stevo_KZbinthose ppl are called blacks

[@krapincorporated]

Stories like this make me glad my hobbies are writing and drawing, sometimes in my backyard if I'm feeling really daring.

[@lambentlamprey]

Ohhh, I don't like the sound of that. I live in a subtropical area, the bing insects love me. Indoor reading/gaming for me lol.

[@elennapointer701]

Cave diving and BASE jumping are so similar in one key way: you can plan everything minutely, be an expert in the sport, get everything right and still die because there is absolutely no margin for extrernal factors. That BASE jumper who died recently did so because his pilot chute got snagged on his harness and in the six seconds or so that it took him to reach the ground, he couldn't free it. He was highly experienced with thousands of jumps - normal and BASE - under his belt, and one little fluke accident killed him. Extreme sports seem to be tailored to people who are tired of life.

[@thurayya8905]

I am so glad my passion is for diamond painting. Always enough oxygen, no need for further decompression, and the worst catastrophe is spilling a tray of drills onto the floor.

[@Mrsjam96]

😂

[@ChristelVinot]

my passions for playing cello and composing music weren't enough to fill that excitement void... so I started whitewater kayaking lol

[@mitsukosukino]

Diamond painting rulez❤

[@johannalappi]

Madame Pompadour kaiversi jalokiviä, onko sama asia 😮

[@citizennancy]

Or getting colors mixed together!

[@BloodoperaBlackvomit]

The first rule of cave diving is.... don't go cave diving...

[@fionanatalieholden5965]

I agree, what with Fascinating Horror....Mr. Ballen and Waterline Stories....heed what they say and Mr. Ballen was a Navy Seal! I was offered a trip just normal caving, I turned it down and good job I did as the team almost lead to a death!!!

[@ecm84ee]

Exactly.

[@drosselvonflugel4886]

But what about wreck diving?

[@fionanatalieholden5965]

@@drosselvonflugel4886 Just as dangerous. Scapa Flow comes to mind also a couple of Wrecks on the Isles Of Scilly are a little sketchy. That is why I don't do anything. Though a cut on the finger by a scalpel when I'm modelling is pretty nasty😹

[@Hukkavei]

@@drosselvonflugel4886 Only if the wreck is within reasonable diving distance where light can reach the wreck, and even so, diving into the wreck is ill advised.

[@Black-Swan-007]

Cave exploring: Yes! Diving in open water: Yes! Cave Diving: HELL NO!

[@Loralanthalas]

I don't do cave exploring, but once theyre a park and have guided tours then I go!

[@SkunkApe407]

As a certified diver who absolutely loves cave diving, I can't say I blame you. Much like sky diving or SCUBA in general, not everyone is cut out for it. No judgment. Knowing your own limits and not pushing your boundaries too far is what keeps our entire species from going extinct. We adrenaline junkies may have more fun, but we probably won't live as long as you more intelligent, cautious folk. We're here to do the nonsense y'all are too smart to do. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Sometimes things go sideways, and that's when it gets real interesting. Just remember to bring popcorn and a towel.

[@rachelhansen2417]

Slight correction: this wasn’t a cave, so it wasn’t cave diving.

[@ChristelVinot]

@@Loralanthalas hmm.. kinda like the Titan tour of Titanic? have fun!

[@eywine.7762]

For me, Hell no to all three.

[@zachhaywood1564]

This gives me serious Nutty Putty flashbacks. My interest in caving of any kind has now gone from 0% to -1%

[@QT5656]

My breathing rate was certainly unusually high listening to this episode. Poor guy.

[@lifewuzonceezr]

I actively checked mine..good friends dad died cave diving in BZ

[@IrishMcScottish]

I'd say it was a natural cause of death but there's no natural reason to be doing something so dangerous and stupid for recreation, especially when you've got children.

[@XYZ-kb3mm]

⁠@@IrishMcScottish his wife married him knowing he was a cave diver, no? cave diving made his life worth living. he loved it so much he died for it. not like he endangered others either. give him a break yeah?? the man is dead

[@IrishMcScottish]

​​@@XYZ-kb3mm "My dad/husband loved cave diving more than he loved me" You don't think it's selfish to NOT drop your dangerous hobbies when you get married and ESPECIALLY when you have children? You had dependants, and now they have trauma.

[@shroudofmartin5052]

​@@IrishMcScottishThis man could have realistically died of anything, and it still would have imparted trauma to his loved ones... So I have to ask, what does it matter? He died doing what he loved, and after years of establishing diving safety standards and etiquette, I have no doubt that his wife was proud and supportive of the work that he had done. He surely lived a more fulfilling life than most of us ever will, and I'll choose to celebrate that over your pessimism and holier-than-thou-esque stance.

[@alanbear6505]

This is why I hate “world’s records”. This video showed us several people dying in pursuit of records. How many people die every year trying to get that little bit of fame that most people aren’t even aware of? And a new record just encourages others to try to break it so a person probably won’t stay on top for long.

[@AArdW01f]

Don't conflate this man's drive to push his own limits and therefore the limits of all diving with trite contemporary social media attention seeking nonsense. There was no fame for this. This man was an explorer. 3 decades later its nice to see the online community take note. But he did this because some people must boldly go where no man has gone before. Sheks contributions to dive safety has saved so many lives and allowed so much to be possible that otherwise wasn't.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

We all die. Most of us just don't pursue fame while doing so.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

​@@AArdW01fhe'd be an "influencer" if he were alive today. Bet on it.

[@Derekzparty]

He died doing what he loved no matter how provingly risky and deadly it was.

[@XYZ-kb3mm]

@@ThatOpalGuy this is such an out of pocket comment. like you don’t even know what he was like lol and from all descriptions he seemed very down to earth… but you’re so different and you just KNOW he’s a narcissist because he got famous for being really good at something. how dare he

[@NatureLover-62]

As a diver there are so many potentially factors that can hamper resulting in a disaster. Bu it’s due to men like Sheck whose priority in promoting the safety of diving that shall be a remembered. Thank you Sheck for your life of service to the diving community and beyond.

[@camerastooge]

I got to meet Jim Bowden not long before this tragedy. He was speaking on my university campus to a group of divers (he did mention the planning that was going into this trip). Talked to him briefly one-on-one afterward. Such a cool, down to earth dude. Made us all want to become cave (and wreck) divers.

[@seandelap8587]

Anything thats called a sinkhole is enough to deter me to ever go diving in one

[@RHR-221b]

Would that 'sinking feeling' be clockwise or anticlockwise - hence his brave attempt at _The Entanglement Dance_ for the sake of Humanity? Rhetorical ... Stay free, s. Rab ☠ 🕊

[@RatPfink66]

especially if it's one thousand feet deep...😮

[@squeaksquawk4255]

Shek sounds like a fing legend. Good diver, good teacher, dedicated to both enjoying life and making it safer. He saw people die while diving, and his reaction was to try and stop other people dying like that too. Then even in his final moments, he was making it safer and easier for the recovery crew. Cave diving is risky, and he new that. He accepted the risks, and ultimately he was unlucky one day. He died doing what he loved. RIP.

[@sheilagravely5621]

Are they sure it wasn't suicide? Very strange, either way RIP Shek.❤

[@Real_g.s.]

I have to tell you, I've been subbed for awhile now and absolutely love this channel. I love your voice, I love your narration style and respectful treatment of the subject matter, and I love the stories you choose. No specific comments on this video, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy this channel. I would be so depressed to find out this is an AI voice.

[@Arkylie]

I don't think it's at all likely that this is an AI voice -- however, if indeed it were, the fact that the voice generated was good enough to make me not even consider it (when I routinely stop videos that sound like AI, and tell KZbin not to recommend more from such channels) would mean it's a cream of the crop technologically, and I don't think I'd mind so much as I would were it more obvious.

[@Real_g.s.]

@@Arkylie AI is actually pretty easy to spot. Many, many mispronuciations, and I'm like you, once I figure it's AI, I turn it off and block the channel. I believe most AI's come from foreign channels whose creators are not confident enough in their English to narrate themselves, or they are just slapping videos together for the clicks, and monetization. They won't get it from me.

[@aperturius]

It's not AI...I've been following since his channel was very small. He's the real deal.

[@ewarrior9776]

His English regional accent (South England, moderate received pronunciation) is not replicable by AI at this time. The U.K. has over 40 regional accents.

[@lolcatz88]

Some people can just speak really well. Plus, he also pronounces sixth as sicth 😅

[@QT5656]

This is my preferred background music for this channel.

[@ForgivenMan-jl7bp]

YES!

[@fionanatalieholden5965]

Wasn't it used years ago for a lot of creepy photos? That funny enough is how I found this channel. I was actually trying to find the photos to show a friend one.

[@QT5656]

@@fionanatalieholden5965 That sounds familiar but was probably a different channel. It's the sort of thing that Top5s or Lazy Masquerade have made videos about but they tend to use different background music.

[@zydeco2024]

It reminds me of the Mass Effect galaxy map music lol

[@KooLCat34]

As a diver thank you for being so accurate and respectful in this. Tons of people usually miss facts and try to make people fearful, I am grateful how you reported this.

[@Unownshipper]

“…it was an attempt from which, unfortunately, only one of them would return alive.” Very nice job building a sense of foreboding and intrigue (your storytelling ability is often a main draw of this series). Still, when the first half of the video is devoted to memorializing just one of the participants, it’s not hard to guess who. In all seriousness, excellent video. May he rest in peace.

[@theterribleclaw4285]

I gotta hand it to you you tell these stories like no one else on KZbin every time you tell one of these I get goosebumps.

[@vustvaleo8068]

poor Sheck experienced death around him including the death of his brother before losing his own later in life, he still a respectable person being a teacher loved by his students and responsible for making cave diving safer, RIP him and the divers who lost their lives.

[@rightsarentpolitical]

As a mom, thinking about having two kids die from this extremely dangerous hobby gutted me.

[@IrishMcScottish]

​@@rightsarentpolitical Yea, almost as if when his brother died from the same thing he was doing (diving/drowning) he should've thought about something other than himself and found another safer way to spend his free time.

[@RightsForZombies]

I’ve heard Sheck’s story many times but nobody ever went into so much detail about his teaching career, which I appreciate greatly.

[@neyciguti4724]

I never intended to do cave diving. But "a slight change in breathing can result in a fatal depletion of a divers oxygen" really squashed any small chance of me ever doing it

[@RockyMountains0721]

I once remember reading that approximately 9 out of 10 fatalities in cave diving have been in situations where the person who died was not properly certified to dive in those conditions. If that's true, then that's a very sobering statistic. Know your limits! Don't ever dive in conditions or in places you are not properly trained to dive into!

[@ferretyluv]

Except in this case it was the 1 in 10. He was extremely experienced and more than certified. He literally wrote the book on cave diving. Something happened and we still don’t know what exactly it was.

[@evangelicalsnever-lie9792]

Who provides such "certification?"

[@ferretyluv]

@@evangelicalsnever-lie9792 PADI.

[@CottonCandySharks]

I love how respectful this was, and how you spoke of how hes known and remembered, so that those of us just learning his story will know of him as a whole and not just his death.

[@moraizzera]

I love this channel. You present all the facts with such detail, covering not only the disaster itself, but the moments before and the aftermath, and it adds a lot to the video. A suggestion: could you cover the joelma building fire in the future? Here in brazil is still a huge tragic event, even decades later.

[@kanivea]

My biggest fear is getting stuck in a cave underwater and/or on land. Gives me the chills just writing this lol

[@TrailRat2000]

Cave diving, scuba diving and parachuting all terrify me. I might go snorkelling but I'm very happy with my feet on the ground. But if that is what you enjoy, hats off to you!

[@BrianJNelson]

I'm not jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, thanks.

[@Spearca]

Scuba diving is pretty safe for the first 10 meters down.

[@mcrfan343]

I would only go cave diving and parachuting if I had a limited time to live, scuba diving looks safe though.

[@TrailRat2000]

@@BrianJNelson I'm not going to jump out of any plane, if I can help it! If I'm going down, I'm going down with the plane!

[@markcarpenter6020]

When I was much younger I was interested in stuff like that. But I'm old now and I'm pretty sure that between my teenage years and my time in the military I have used up all the luck allotted to me in this life. I've survived car accidents, motorcycle accidents, a guy pulling a gun in a bar brawl. And all that was in highschool before I even joined the Marines.

[@queenvalentina]

both children lost to diving. what a tragedy for their parents.

[@rachaelbultman241]

The thing about listening to these videos is that now i'm overthinking everything. I was just sitting in the bottom part of a parking garage before work like i always do, but now I'm wondering if the ramp is up to code and i imagined the roof falling on me, dying instantly. Tragic.

[@scottbyrd4416]

I love the short to the point stories with the personal touch

[@sophiaisabelle027]

We appreciate how well you articulate your insights. You'll always have our support.

[@gk4204]

Another excellently done short documentary. Thank you for the great video.

[@archstanton2818]

When i joined this channel it had 1760 followers. Glad he took off !!

[@brentu777]

Man, I LOVE your videos. Thank you for the great content!!!

[@colormeyellow]

thank you for always including subtitles as soon as you release your videos. I love your voice but it helps so much

[@edwardjohnson6744]

I heard the opening music very softly when I pressed play, almost inaudibly... I thought the volume was way down. I went to turn it up and it was on MUTE. The music was in my head!

[@gg79139]

Whoooaaa! Spooky

[@GrislyAtoms12]

FH is living rent-free there.

[@yellowscout2467]

Stampede Horrors please... Love your channel, Fascinating Horror. - 2006 Wowowee Ultra Stampede (Philippines) - 2022 Seoul Halloween Stampede (South Korea)

[@alexb7092]

Seoul wasn't a stampede, not sure about the other one, it was a crowd crush, stampede is different from crowd crush, it's very disturbing to see :(

[@ellenbryn]

If you think about it, the Chicxulub asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs is STILL causing casualties. Mexico's cenotes, its large sinkholes, form in an arc around the outer edge of the impact zone, tracing the ring fault where the continental crust was fractured.

[@GrislyAtoms12]

cool story!

[@declamatory]

You've been reading some fiction, I take it.

[@reddwarfer999]

@@declamatory Nope, it's true. Go look it up.

[@declamatory]

​@@reddwarfer999- From where did this asteroid emanate? Who saw it?

[@reddwarfer999]

@@declamatory There is a wealth of geological evidence that it happened.

[@standoughope]

Cave diving is insane, seriously. What's to be gained really by these divers? New caverns? Usually the deeper parts are exactly like the safer parts... water and soot. There's no hidden treasure so wtf?

[@TrailRat2000]

I know some cave divers do it because the caves might have anthropological or paleontological interest. Even some geological interests. Also some divers train to cave dive in case there's a need in the event of a crime or an emergency situation.

[@biggifront]

Underwater caves are all unique and extremely beautiful. If you love diving, have trained with a specialized cave diving organisation, use the proper equipment and are a very careful person with the right attitude, it is much safer than driving a car to the dive spot. If you are fully aware that you can die in there and are ok with it, it is very relaxing and rewarding. You need to be able to listen to your intuition and step away from a cave dive if it feels wrong, the conditions are not as they should be or if you and your partner have the tiniest of equipment worries. Even if it means to go back home and try another day. Not many people are able to step away in this way. It is better to dive alone in caves than have a partner who is not on the same wavelength.

[@adde9506]

It's like people who run for fun and exercise. Same drive, different sport.

[@slyjester3315]

Can we all agree Sheck Exley is just an awesome name?

[@twillszz]

💯

[@coleman6131]

No, it's asinine.

[@TheRantyRider]

A couple of points on this one: Cave diving is technical diving but not all technical diving is cave diving. "Technical" is a bit of a catch-all term for any dive where a gas other than compressed air is used or deco stops undertaken. The 'tank of oxygen' statement in the part about Sheck's brother's accident is incorrect in the context. Pure oxygen is not used in open circuit [big tank on the back] diving as at 6 metres depth it would become toxic with unpredicable consequences up to and including death. It may be that an O2 tank was to be used on the surface with a facemask to treat the victim in the event of near drowning*. Pure O2 is sometimes used as a deco gas but most divers in the time period would use 80% oxygen to reduce the risks of "ox-tox"**. Cave diving can be dangerous if proper techniques and disciplines aren't followed [I don't mean DIR*** but the usual sensible ones] but wreck penetration presents hazards in the fact that a wreck may collapse at any time and caves have been there for years. Before a motorbike accident which put an end to my diving I preferred diving wrecks but also did some basic cave diving [less than 100 m penetration]****. Is cave diving worth it? In some circumstances yes as you can see things that few others will, one of my most memorable ones is a halocline, another memorable one was a new cave penetration where the exit to the tunnel was the size of a letter box and we had to backtrack in reverse about 75 m before we could turn around. To all the 'nay-sayers' everyone dies - but not everyone dies of boredom. * If someone says they drowned they are wrong, drowning means you is ded, near drowned means you ain't. ** Oxygen Toxicity, in whole body or CNS varients, the CNS one is the worst as you is ded. ***Do It Right, a very regimented diving technique which I didn't follow as with thought and planning you can be as safe but have more than one option to consider if it all goes a bit wonky. **** I was also instructor, trimix and rebreather qualified and wrote an online manual on SCR trimix diving with Steve Sprague.

[@Old-ded-memes]

I would like to point out that even the guy who pioneered and revolutionized safety in cave diving died while cave diving.

[@ds7900]

You cover the most interesting stories with such great detail and professionalism.

[@GregBrownsWorldORacing]

While it still ends up at a tombstone, this is as close to a happy ending as you have ever given us

[@annieeames2282]

So basically this guy was a real life super hero, both for what he did for safety, and also his natural abilities. Brilliant video once again 👏

[@HistoryintheDark]

As soon as I heard "cave diving" I knew exactly where this horror show was going...

[@peckishpagan]

I haven’t even had my coffee yet, but I hit play with lightning speed!🖤

[@xhcgamerx7602]

Oh hell naw you're a savage! I need my coffee before I do anything

[@justgill_xoxo2361]

I am so grateful that this channel covers the topics it does. And as always it was, from what I saw, well researched and delivered in a calm and compassionate way. But this is one video I didn't finish watching. It was so atmospheric, and im terrified of the thought of being trapped under water that I couldn't watch the whole thing. ❤

[@anthonylangley8717]

I’m going to start a new sport called “free falling.” It’s where you jump out of an airplane just to see how far you can fall without wearing a parachute. Any takers?

[@Lorkdemper]

The fact that he probably tangled himself in his line intentionally, to help the recovery effort, honestly makes me tear up a little.

[@BitterBetty76]

Well.... this is right up there with the Putty Cave story.....😅 I'll gladly skip doing both of those things lol.

[@alastairward2774]

Great, all my worst fears in a single incident, diving accidents in a cave system.

[@xhcgamerx7602]

That's going to be your fate then

[@alastairward2774]

@@xhcgamerx7602 I'll spend that long carefully backing away from them I'll fall down an open manhole into a flooded sewer I didn't notice.

[@xhcgamerx7602]

@alastairward2774 haha I would hate to be in a sewer. These drivers were pro or average divers ? When he said it would be about a 9 hour journey to get back safely I was like ain't no way I'm giving myself less than ideal air for the way backs haha

[@anonemous1046]

He was a really good, conscientious person. I am glad he met his end the way he lived.

[@declamatory]

While drowning?

[@anonemous1046]

@@declamatory That is too literal meaning from my post. He did not die mountain climbing. He did not in his sleep, etc, etc. He lived for cave diving. He died the same way. Get it?

[@IrishMcScottish]

​@@anonemous1046 I bet his wife and children take comfort in the fact that he loved cave diving more than he loved them.

[@anonemous1046]

@@IrishMcScottish Not sure how you would know that. Were you a friend of his?

[@GenXfrom75]

Just thinking of being in a cave underwater makes me feel suffocatingly claustrophobic… and I’m not generally claustrophobic… 😵😮‍💨

[@TheSelf_8]

Not to mention having to take 9 hours to ascend....

[@peggyl2849]

@@TheSelf_8 Yes, that's the part that gets me - if you did get in trouble and want or need to get topside fast, that would be harmful too.

[@1992marigold]

First as a nearby resident, thank you for pronouncing Wakulla Springs correctly. I applaud the man for doing his best to improve safety, but cave divers are dying all the time just in Florida alone. One died last year and there is one whose body was never found.

[@ripvanwinkle2002]

i cant imagine losing a sibling to doing stupid shit, then carrying on doing stupid shit as a lifestyle.. i really dont feel sorry for anyone but the 16 year old brother in this story.. im certain he wouldnt have died without his older brother egging him on.

[@thejudgmentalcat]

I get shortness of breath just listening to these stories

[@wargamerwilly8756]

Always love these videos! Thank you for the constant content! It's always so damn interesting! Very captivating story telling

[@collectorguy3919]

One common story is a diver somehow misses another diver underwater, confusion follows, and then someone dies. Dive with a buddy within arms reach. Problems escalate in seconds. 30m (98 feet) underwater is nearly insane. 300m is beyond words.

[@GeminiTwinsofLove]

Cave diving is nightmare fuel. So many phobias combine with this activity. Cave divers are insane, but in respectable, understandable way.

[@JK35280]

I'm a diver. I've been inside caves, inside wrecks and in sinkholes and the thought of being that far down and knowing there is no way out is chilling. Also, as soon as I saw the name Zacaton in the title I knew this was going to be about Sheck Exley. Exley is one of my heroes in the sport of scuba diving.

[@werdna1969]

8:24 His last act on Earth was to make things easier for his fellow divers. That's class.

[@Scorpioncactusflower]

Not just easier. Safer, too. Retrieval divers have been killed trying to find/retrieve divers' bodies from caves. He made it so they didn't have to risk their lives to bring him home. He was prioritizing the safety of other divers, even to the end.

[@eliz_scubavn]

I’m an aspiring cave diver and admire Sheck Exley deeply as one of the true pioneers of the entire field.

[@E4RLIES]

Glad to see you popping up on the algorithm again dude! Your content is always impeccably presented❤👌🏼

[@dewdrop5552]

The deepest breath on Netflix is a great and sas documentary about free diving. A big recommendation!

[@theBeastcub]

People have died trying to retrieve the bodies of cave divers, and it sounds like he was very safety driven and that is why he tangled himself in the ropes, it wasn't just to make it easier to retrieve his remains or to be sure hevwas found, it was to make sure that nobody died because of him, and It's haunting to know that that was his last thoughts

[@Scorpioncactusflower]

Trying to protect his fellow divers to the last. Good man.

[@alonealien1474]

Sheck was born the same year as my dad. My dad lived for another 25 years after Sheck's passing and even then I felt he was gone too soon! Can't imagine what his family must have gone through!

[@joeheid2776]

Man died doing what he loved. RIP 🙏

[@ThatOpalGuy]

I, also, will die doing what I love: living.

[@MaiAolei]

To me, this phrase, so often quoted regarding stories like this one, just isn't any comfort at all. I am quite certain that none of the cave divers and wing-suiters out there that died doing what they loved ever thought in their last moments, "I am happy drowning in pitch darkness/splaying myself over a rock face". I also often see that many people seem to think that the only alternative to this "really having lived" is to eat junk food on a sofa, watching TV (that's at least what it's often compared to).

[@declamatory]

He loved drowning?

[@IrishMcScottish]

"I'm glad my wife/kids/family can watch KZbin clips from my go-pro of me drowning/falling/splatting to my doom, too!"

[@ArchTeryx00]

Cave diving is something I'd call an extreme pastime: It requires a large number of different skillsets, there is *very* little room for error, and multitudes of things can go wrong in a cave dive that can kill you even if your planning is perfect. Exley did have one earlier incidence of HPNS, so it is a likely suspect but not a smoking gun. The type of dive they were doing, furthermore, had absolutely zero margin for error - even less than normal cave dives. They'd practiced and gone through their calculations multiple times and Sheck Exley literally wrote the book on cave diving safety. NONE of that mattered. Something small went wrong. Jim Bowden managed to catch it early enough to make it to the surface. Exley. however, was descending at a MUCH faster rate than originally planned, and that proved to be fatal. Whatever went wrong it went wrong at a depth there was no recovery from.

[@danielzapata1257]

This sinkhole is actually just a couple of hours from where I live, and I remember on elementary school a teacher telling us about this. I have never gone there but people who have tell me it is an amazing (and scary) thing.

[@anniemarie4120]

Thank you for such a wonderful descriptive recount of the incident!!!!

[@hushingsilence]

An as an artist, my greatest tragedy is trying to sharpen a pencil with broken lead throughout the pencil. That's child's play in comparison to this. Damn. RIP Sheck.

[@MartyTate76]

I live not far from Wakulla Springs and heard about his brother's drowning. About 20 years ago I nearly drowned in the Springs after stepping off an unmarked ledge going from a 5' depth to 8'. That area can be very risky.

[@Aerolandaircraft]

I'm a roller coaster addict. The one time I skied was terrifying, yet amazing. But I would never, ever go into an underwater cave.

[@pickles3128]

More comprehensive retellings mention how Sheck had experienced Helium side effects (basically uncontrollable muscle jerking) and that he didn't seem to take seriously enough the fact that he was 'past his prime.' He even had a Helium-reated scare a week or so prior to the dive. Not much is known about Helium's effect on the body as so few have dived that deep.

[@loneprimate]

Here's to you, Sheck. I'm sorry it happened, but at least you went doing what you truly loved.

[@jessl1934]

How do you know he was into asphyxiation tho?

[@jaydahome-teillarddeyry6200]

I gave difficulty just snorkeling. Having my head under water scares me so much. Suffocating is terrifying.

[@suzannef138]

I have a lot of respect for those who safely dive, with my anxiety I could not do it.

[@damieg82]

Can't help but think the universe was giving this guy multiple signs to quit with the overly dangerous diving and yet he persisted to the point of demise. Sad.

[@Loralanthalas]

All stories are like that unless it's a Disney story where ABSOLUTELY no challenges and nothing happens other then "happy endding"! Just because there are challenges, especially in a new and unknown environment (this is even before trimix: meaning at this time humans are still even LEARNING how to do longer and deeper dives and what wven to breathe. Sidewinder also have not been invented yet. These guys are BARELY more advanced then a guy with a helmet and a hose.

[@GTAJunky91]

Thanks!

[@FascinatingHorror]

And thank you for watching!

[@MrJayrock620]

Given he had enough wherewithal to tangle himself in the drive line, he likely realized he didn’t have enough air to surface at some point and made it as far back up as he could before he knew he’d succumb regardless of his efforts

[@Straswa]

RIP Sheck and condolences to his family. Well narrated FH.

[@LG-jb9zs]

Imagine knowing you're dying, stuck hundreds of feet underwater, alone in the dark... and purposefully tangling yourself so that it would be easier to retrieve your body.

[@robsquared2]

I just watched The Descent, but even empty caves are terrifying.

[@annegrey3780]

can you cover the Vaal Reefs mining disaster where over 100 people died in an elevator after it was hit by a locomotive in 1995? It's the worst elevator disaster in history and I've never seen a video on it from anyone.

[@Scorpioncactusflower]

Oooh, yes. This sounds very interesting! Like, how tf was a MINING ELEVATOR hit by a TRAIN?

[@catprog]

@@Scorpioncactusflower Kind of reminds of the barge that got hit by a train. (Barge was in the river and the train was on the tracks. The river was not in flood)

[@annegrey3780]

@@Scorpioncactusflower I am also confused by exactly what happened. So, I will say it was an open pit gold mine, and a locomotive for moving ore, not a passenger train...near as I can tell, there was a "run away train" situation where the train derailed and then slid along into the pit. It's super tragic and unlucky...though, not going to lie, it is one of those events that makes me wonder if death really does just go after people some times like in Final Destination.

[@annegrey3780]

@@catprog wait, what? how?

[@catprog]

@@annegrey3780 My understanding was the weather was bad so the barge captain decided to beach the barge. He missed the exclamation mark on his electronic map about errosion and the front of the barge slid up to just over the railway tracks. As the weather was bad he did not have a lookout in front. Before the lookout could get to the front the train came around the corner and the barge could not get out of the way in time.

[@myragroenewegen5426]

It would be beneficial to study gifted cave divers like Sheck and his brother today. What strange genetic fluke makes some people so darn good at something humans just aren't built for? What other uses might such a genetic advantage allow? What could possibly explain such genetics - or can they really just be accidental?

[@catlovermarty]

I'm SO GLAD I have an inordinate fear of deep water and small spaces. I got nervous watching this.

[@Vicus_of_Utrecht]

Not a new story for me, a rarity of this channel. I know just about every single death in a cave; dry or inundated, including near deaths. It's such a horrifying thing and it addicts me.

[@sig9girl]

Cave diving is probably the craziest sport ever.

[@GrislyAtoms12]

IMO it's skyscraper parkour that's craziest.

[@lofthouse23]

You know it's going to be bad when experienced people have a misfortune.

[@dansweda712]

I've been on a couple deep dives back in the 80's, back then it could get pretty hairy down there, not so much now, they've cleared up the excess debris, so not to get tangled in. On one dive I found a uncharted cavern, just below the main cavern, it was an honor to be the one to not only discover it, but to name it " The Chocolate Star Fish " the name just seemed fitting .

[@matthewpaul6904]

Exploring caverns and deep diving are two very risky activities. I can't imagine the cajobnes someone needed to do both at the same time.