Viviendo a Pesar de la Crisis: Andrea Doria, El "Monte Everest" del Buceo en Pecios

Muy buenas,
Me acabo de enterar de ésto ya que un tribunal de EEUU ha absuelto a la organización de la inmersión del último fallecido:
http://www.thediveforum.com/closed-circuit-rebreather-general-information/5196-dewolf-v-kohler-case-won-death-terry-dewolf-2008-a.html

DeWolf v Kohler (Case Won) - Death of Terry DeWolf in 2008:

Its been a long running case (since 2008), glad to the right outcome.

Background info on the sad death, can be found here:
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/1956-shipwreck-claims-life-of-Houston-diver-1784391.php

Many congratulations to Richie Kohler and David Concannon in their successful defence in DeWolf v Kohler: a wrongful death claim resulting from a diver tragically losing his life while diving the Andrea Doria. The Houston Jury took only one hour to return a unanimous decision in Richie's favour after a 6 day trial.
Terry DeWolf was diving an Optima rebreather.
The following was posted by David Concannon who was leading Richie's defence team:

A few points about the case:

1. The diver lost consciousness after suffering a cardiac arrhythmia underwater and drowned.

2. The diver's widow sued the trip organizer, his training agency, the manufacturer of the diver's scuba equipment, the diver's instructor and his dive shop, the dive boat and a television network, alleging seven different claims.

3. The instructor and dive shop settled, the dive boat and network were dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, and we fought the case on behalf of the remaining defendants.

4. We won dismissals for the certification agency and scuba equipment manufacturer. We also won dismissals of all but one wrongful death claim against the trip organizer. This last claim went to trial.

5. After a six day trial, the jury unanimously exonerated the trip organizer and specifically found that the diver assumed the risk of his injuries.
The case sends a strong message that, if you are going to engage in risky activities, you are responsible for your own safety.

Info sobre el pecio (Andrea Doria, known as "The Mt. Everest of Shipwreck Diving"):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Andrea_Doria#Diving_on_the_wreck_site

Due to the luxurious appointments and initially good condition of the wreck, with the top of the wreck lying initially in 160 feet (50 m) of water, Andrea Doria has been a frequent target of treasure divers. It is commonly referred to as the "Mount Everest of scuba diving". The comparison to Mt. Everest originated after a July 1983 dive on the Doria by Capt. Alvin Golden during a CBS News televised interview of the divers following their return from a dive expedition to the wreck aboard the R/V Wahoo. The depth, water temperature and currents combine to put the wreck beyond the scope of recreational diving. The skills and equipment required to successfully execute this dive, such as use of mixed gases and staged decompression, put it in the realm of only the most experienced technical divers.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/TN_Andrea_Doria#Los_restos_hoy_en_d.C3.ADa

Características generales:

Desplazamiento: 29100 t
Eslora: 212 m
Manga: 27 m
Calado: 9,5 m
Cubiertas: 10
Propulsión:
• 4 turbinas a vapor
• 2 hélices gemelas
Velocidad:
• 23 nudos crucero
• 26 nudos máximo
Tripulación: 500
Capacidad: 1200 pasajeros
• 218 en primera clase
• 320 en los camarotes
• 703 en tercera clase

El SS Andrea Doria reposa a 90 m de profundidad sobre un banco liso de arena; está recostado en un ángulo de 90° sobre estribor, ocultando el agujero hecho por el Stockholm. Durante años, este pecio ha sido una presa codiciada por su hermosura aún en su tumba, ha sido visitado por buzos profesionales tales como Jacques Cousteau y Robert Ballard entre otros, y se mantuvo en bastante buen estado hasta unos años atrás, en que la superestructura de la obra muerta se empezó a desmoronar sobre sí misma, proceso que continúa inexorablemente hasta hoy. En 2012, ya solo queda el casco el cual ya comienza a achaflanarse sobre sí mismo.