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Comment by epx | Hacker News Reader

It was a near tragedy, a man died in the process, but someway it is comforting to see everybody concentrated on a problem like this, trying to help fellow people, than waging war etc.

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"Near" tragedy? A man died.

I suggest reading the book "Shadow Divers" for a look at some of the professional diving culture. It's super interesting. This death is definitely horrible. However, reading Shadow Divers also made me think that any cave divers take on high risk every time they swim, and that this death - while tragic - is a risk this person confronted long before the incident.

Just wanted to point out that diving culture as described in 'Shadow Divers' is pretty much as far from professional as it gets. What the book does describe is east coast deep wreck diving community of the early 1990s. In which I suspect it does a good job at. And how they pushed the limits before mixed gas diving / non-open circuit scuba equipment was well understood or widely available outside military and possibly some commercial outfits.

That said, the book is great read. Especially if you're into diving. It's just that it should not be read as a role model for anything but reckless regard of ones life.

Not to drift completely off-topic, here is a link to a long thread about Thailand cave rescue from the cave diving forums[1].

[1] http://www.cavediver.net/forum/showthread.php/35242-Football...

It could have been so much worse, is what he's saying. Nobody is downplaying the death of the rescuer.

but not for nothing - he was instrumental in saving 13 lives

just this. It's trite to say it, and I'm sure it's cold comfort to his family, but we all die, and this person went out saving lives, young lives with lots of years to save, and in service to others. His death is somber and sad, but not tragic.

Not only did he die saving lives, he died doing (apparently) what he loved, being a frogman. I imagine he didn't hesitate to show up and get in the water fully knowing his life was at as much risk as theirs, those guys are a different breed altogether.

With all due respect lets all be wary of the 'cult of sacrifice' which often takes hold when someone dies to save someone else. Any time someone dies to save someone else, I suggest the appropriate reaction is that we should simply regret among ourselves that we didn't develop a technological solution to the problem before the problem presented itself, not engage in hero worship (please don't read this as diminishing what this person did, it was a sacrifice, and those kids owe it to him to live good lives now).

Very much agreed. Similarly, the risk is something I was aware of when I signed up as a firefighter (and magnified even more now as an officer who makes decisions about going inside on structure fires, etc). But it's very much a matter of calculated risk.

https://www.everyonegoeshome.com/16-initiatives/

This is related to firefighting, but it's interesting to see what some of the things we are trying to fix are in terms of saving lives, and little is around technology, and much in the way of culture, safety.

It is tragic. Tragic for him, his familly, his friends and collegues. Tragic for saved boys too, actually, I am sure they would be happier if no one died.

His dead is bad news not good news. Everybody would be better off if this man survived. Him dying while trying to save others does not make it less tragic.

Let's not minimize his death by saying (as sibling comment did) that his dead somehow matters less or is less important because he was rescuer and thus different. His life had same value.

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