A well planned hoax? He had allegedly taken a temporary employee who he said owed him thousands of dollars out into an isolated wooded area and attempted to beat him with a baseball bat to make him pay up. Things hadnt been going so well for Ben recently and he needed some time to clear his head. Only one returns. 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. I did a search for it but didn't find anything posted..the fact of not knowing if he ever came out of the cave or not is what I find most compelling. [4] A reward they offered was rescinded in 2012 after the death of another diver who may have been trying to collect it, vindicating the criticism of the divers who had warned of that possibility and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]. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}304617N 855653W / 30.77149N 85.94812W / 30.77149; -85.94812, On August 20, 2010, Ben McDaniel (born April 15, 1980), of Memphis, Tennessee, United States, was reported missing after employees in the dive shop at Vortex Spring, north of Ponce de Leon, Florida, noticed that his pickup truck had remained in the shop's parking lot for the previous two days. He was wearing a dive mask, fins, and a wet suit. This article is about the scuba diver who went missing in 2010. But within minutes he realised he was stuck, with no room to turn around or even go backwards. THERES NOTHING WORTH DYING FOR it ominously reads. In addition, he incurred a hefty tax debt (est. [1], She and McClellan turned their private video short into a feature-length documentary, Ben's Vortex, released in 2012. 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. Seig Lu. The following is a list of the 136 identified recorded fatalities associated with recreational caving in the UK. An inquest has heard how a cave-diver in Cumbria drowned close to the surface early last year, after a problem was thought to have occurred with his rebreather, a unit under development. Cadaver dogs alerted on the water surface, further supporting that theory. [15], By Sunday, August 22, no other signs of Ben had been found. The authorities said it was too dangerous to retrieve their bodies, but four . He found nothing no body, and no evidence of one such as increased activity by carnivorous aquatic scavengers, nor any evidence that Ben had gotten into those sections, such as marks on the cave walls or disturbed silt. The sheriffs office said the investigation into the deaths is ongoing. Thirty separate tests of the water over the next several months showed no sign of an increase in the bacteria that would indicate the presence of a decomposing human body. Perhaps his body had been secretly removed from the cave before searching began and disposed of on land or it had washed out through the spring's outlet. "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. 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. His parents and girlfriend say the move was proving beneficial, as Ben was beginning to think and talk about moving on from his recent personal setbacks. The incident was reported on Divernet, although at . An official website of the United States government. The body of a cave diver still remains trapped upside-down after his ghastly death. They hoped to show it to the McDaniel family in the hopes of giving them a better understanding of the risks associated with cave diving, and "closure", as Heinerth put it. Undersea Hyperb Med. Experience is the primary key to staying alive while cave diving, with the death rate increasing to 1/1003 for inexperienced divers. Daily Star's newsletter brings you the biggest and best stories sign up today. Seeing a massive great white shark ambushing Ben and dragging him off mid-sentence makes for a terrifying jolt, but the subsequent grey blur could hardly be called chilling. Stemberga V, Petaros A, Rasic V, Azman J, Sosa I, Coklo M, Uhac I, Bosnar A. J Travel Med. In fact, he owed the IRS $48, 861. An experienced California diver who was helping with the exploration of the narrow underwater passageways that radiate from a well-known swimming hole . There were some rather distasteful discussions as well, things that nobody really wanted to do," Sgt Cannon said. [2], The day had been hot, with temperatures around 90F (32C), and as evening came Ben began preparing for another dive. Two tanks known to belong to McDaniel were found near the entrance to the cave. On the 18th of August, 2010, Ben McDaniel dived into an underwater cave at Vortex Springs in Florida, never to be seen again. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Two cave divers died in a possible drowning in Florida, authorities said Thursday. Nevertheless, police refused to treat it as a homicide, much to the dismay of Lynn-Marie Carty. Unsworth said the water was too murky to see and on June 25, Thai Navy SEALs tried the same . Multiple divers searched through the weekend, but did not find Ben. [12] He spent much of the rest of the afternoon by himself alongside the spring, witnesses said, testing equipment and making notes in his dive log. But this discovery struck some searchers as inconsistent with Ben's supposed intent to explore the cave he was technically not permitted to enter. It was "discovered" by Jim Bowden and Ann Kristovich on a reconnaissance trip made at the end of two weeks of exploration and surveying in the Nacimiento Santa Clara, a cave system at the . Police assigned divers searched for Ben for days. May 26, 2022. 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. Ben had found Paul unconscious in the family home and tried to revive him; he later became active in raising money for the foundation his parents established to support research into prevention and treatment of strokes. Ben did not have the certification required . By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. [1], Some other events reported to have occurred on the day Ben disappeared supported that theory. "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. The McDaniels have vehemently rejected that theory, pointing to the dog and girlfriend he left behind as well as doubting that he would have knowingly subjected them to that level of grief after seeing how his brother's death had affected them. 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. The death toll for all forms of diving decreased . Four died in the hole ( . Accessibility 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. About a week later concrete was poured into the main opening of the cave, sealing John inside forever. Very interesting. [5], The following month, amid increasing criticism, the McDaniels rescinded the reward offer. Investigative documents detailing the events surrounding a diver's death at Roaring River State Park show that multiple factors likely contributed to the drowning deep inside a cave . While police had already searched the spring, there were certain passages that they refused to search because it was much too dangerous and they werent experienced enough. Cave diving is for the most adventurous of scuba divers. and our 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. A private investigator they hired believes that his body may have been removed before any authorities were contacted, or that he may even have been murdered on land and the narrative of his disappearance fabricated as a cover story. Although the McDaniels continue to believe Ben's body is in an area of the cave beyond the reach of current search capabilities, they have also entertained the possibility that his death was not an accident but the result of foul play. [2], On some nights when they had seen Ben dive late, the two had stayed at the spring after resurfacing until they saw bubbles on the surface, indicating that he was beginning to decompress in order to safely resurface. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the Shelby also noted that Ben had seen the impact Paul's death had had on his parents. Volunteer searches continued afterwards at the spring through November, often with the McDaniels and Greer in attendance. . Privacy Policy. His only option was to keep moving forward, and exhaled the air from his chest so he could fit through the "L-shaped pinpoint" which was just 10 inches across and 18 inches high. Afterwards, she and her husband Robert McClellan, both certified cave divers and documentary filmmakers, went to Vortex Spring to make a short video. Or, perhaps he had been found dead by the dive shop staff, who feared the consequences of that discovery. 2012;58:57-79. doi: 10.1159/000338582. 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. 2 Coincidentally, Lowell died under suspicious circumstances two years after Ben disappeared. Ben Reymenants, a Belgian cave diver who operates a dive shop in Thailand, was part of the group that first found the boys on Monday, after more than a week of searching. 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 . [14] The talk box, originally located in the Piano Room of the cave, was moved to the basin area of Vortex Springs and is now at a depth of only 21 feet (6.4m). 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. "After what we went through with Paul, we know our son well enough to know he wouldn't put us through that again," his mother told the Commercial Appeal.[1]. They were eventually able to partially free him using a rope-pulley system. I also break down the different theories that are circulating around Ben's disappearance.The top 4 theories are:1. The entrance to Nutty Putty Cave was boarded up and declared a public health hazard. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. Even experienced ones have died there. We were able to hold his hand at some point.". June 27, 2022 2:41pm. No one is known to have seen him since. However, you might think that when 2 workers left for coffee without waiting for Ben, he couldRead more . Rescuers began a different approach, using air-powered tools to chip away at some of the rock surrounding John. Terrifyingly John then slid even further down into the passage and was trapped with his arms pinned under his chest. 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 . )[20], McDaniel was not the only person associated with Vortex Spring at the time facing serious legal issues. He accepted the offer and moved into the house in April 2010. Epub 2013 Jan 31. John decided to try and find the formation known as the Birth Canal, an incredibly narrow vertical passage. #cave #cavediving #cavestory #disappearance #disappeared #diving #accidentOn August 18th, 2010, 30-year-old open water diver, Ben McDaniel, was last seen div. "It would have affected his ability to breathe adequately.". 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. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! 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 . "Ultimately the decision was made that it was too much risk for the rescuers to remain there in an effort to get him out and the decision was made to leave him in place.". [2], Ben's truck was still in the parking lot the next morning, but with many summer visitors coming to enjoy the site's many water-based recreational opportunities and picnic grounds in addition to diving, the employees said they were too busy to notice. The authorities said it was too dangerous to retrieve their bodies, but four . 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. [2], In March 2012, the McDaniels arranged for cadaver dogs to search the area of the springs again, but with no results. If Edd Sorenson says Bens not in the cave, hes not there. But after more than 24 hours trapped upside down, the pressure and stress on his body became too much. Over the forthcoming years, experienced divers continued to search the spring for any sign of Ben at the request of his parents who had offered a reward. The Pair Have Been Involved in Other Rescues. 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. DAN Annual Diving Report 2019 Edition: A report on 2017 diving fatalities, injuries, and incidents [Internet]. 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. Last month, Larry Higginbotham, 43, of Biloxi, Miss., drowned inside the cave at Vortex. To me, the disappearance of Ben McDaniel is cave diving's greatest mystery. His diving career started back in 1995 in the Pacific Northwest that sparked a new passion for the world beneath the water's surface. The .gov means its official. The main causes of death have been drowning when cave diving, drowning as the result of flooding or negotiating deep water, injuries incurred from falling from a height, and injuries incurred as the result of rock falls.In ten cases the bodies have not been recovered. Absolutely. All Rights Reserved. Many divers are adamant that Ben isnt inside the cave. Diving Hyperb Med. He died despite a last-ditch . By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 2015 Sep;45(3):147-53. Larsa Pippen Is 'In Love' With Marcus Jordan And Swears Dad Michael Is Cool With Their Relationship! We and our partners use cookies on this site to improve our service, perform analytics, personalize advertising, measure advertising performance, and remember website preferences. [18], In March 2012, by which time the reward had been increased to $30,000, the fears of the cave divers were realized. [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. On August 20, 2010, a call went out to cave divers in the region surrounding Vortex Spring, Florida that a diver was missing, and in all likelihood, a body needed to be recovered from . The Holmes County sheriff's office, which had also been the lead agency investigating the McDaniel disappearance, implied that it had not gotten the full story of what had occurred the night of Kelly's injury and that it had some questions it wanted answered. On November 24, the group ventured into the Nutty Putty Cave, a popular spelunking spot known for its tight twists, turns and crawls. 4. )[16] In total, 16 divers spent 36 straight days looking for Ben's body in the cave with no results. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal The grim mystery of where Ben is haunts the McDaniels family. Warning: the attached video shows Shaw's personal camera footage from the moments leading up to his death, and they are unpleasant. John left behind his wife Emily and their baby daughter Lizzie. Ben McDaniel was the oldest of three brothers born to Shelby and Patty McDaniel. What happened in between those two events has completely turned their life upside down. Witnesses came forward to say they had encountered Ben on the evening of the 18th of August. Trained cave divers who died in the most recent time period were older but little else differed. Richard William Stanton (R) speaks to John Volanthen (L back to camera) at the Tham Luang cave area. [4] (Due to technical issues, it was unable to go any farther than the human divers had ventured. 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". Man, 50, who sold guns to gangsters across Britain jailed for 19 years, Police accused of spending just ONE day a week fighting crime, Parole DENIED for Robert F. 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