Story on Herbert's NLT dive

Wow, poor guy. Here's hoping the recovery is continuous and swift.

Pretty crazy. I can't wait until the March issue becomes available online to read the full article.

It's amazing that he actually blacked out due to being narced. Also how he suffered multiple strokes. I didn't really know either were possible.

We really have to thank his training and team for ensuring that he is still with us at all. Hopefully he'll be able to recover much further.

For German speakers: "Ich hätte es besser nicht machen sollen" - No-Limit-Weltrekord - derStandard.at

If I'm overly motivated I'll provide a translation later. Anyways, it's good to know what happened and that he is still with us. Let's hope that he can make a full recovery.

That sounds like a really close call.... Life is ever changing.... I hope for a good further recovery and a good life for Herbert, together with his family... Hope he will be able to enjoy freediving recreationally again... I'm sure he will some day... He's a pioneer and explorer, and luckily he's still alive...

Baiyoke, according to the link I posted he has already been freediving again. He will continue to do underwater-photography and video and additionally he wants to build a submarine.

Another German interview... Krone

I hope not to offend real English-Deutsch speaker...

Nitsch, the extreme diver, fights back to life

The news went around the world: on June 6th 2012 the Vienna extreme athlete, Herbert Nitsch involved in a record attempt, which will accompany him throughout his entire life. The world's most successful freediver would descend with a single breath to 244 meters. The incredible happened. During the ascent misfortune took its course. In the intoxication of the deep, he lost consciousness and couldn't take the usual safety stop: nitrogen in the blood expanded. This resulted in symptoms such as after a stroke, that for the austrian athlete performed like in an accumulated form.

Nitsch was able to came to the appointment for this interview for Krone walking by his own and this, by a medical point of view, is to be considered already a miracle. Parts of his brain are affected since the accident! The forecasts of the doctors were more than bleak. Survive? Possible. An independent life? With many question marks. Full recovery? Almost impossible.
And yet, against this forecast, Herbert Nitsch walks long steps along the Danube, on the Vienna's Kaisermühlendamm. Although this he is not completly recovered - his right half of the body is still drawn from the multiple strokes. At first he shake your hand with strength but after several minutes you'll perceive that the speech center is concerned. The recovery will take years.

"The memories are vague"
"I'm fine," he said at the beginning, but immediately the second question arises: What is left of the dramatic moments in the deep? "The memories are vague. Reality mixes with the images from the camera and the numerous reconstructions." But the fact is: He was there exactly 249.5 meters below the surface of the Hellenic Mediterranean. "Of the ten depth gauges that he had all played but a few, the rest of them show consistently this same depth." Nitsch for this was the 33rd World record in the field of freediving - even though he was not officially recognized.

"Hindsight is always wiser"
Time Warp: Nearly nine months ago in the idyllic shores of Santorini (Greece), the former AUA pilot was pushed to the depth on a sled specially constructed for him. With just one breath down to the planned 244 meters (800 feet). The Krone was then on board and reported the dramatic moments of the bailout and the anxious hours in an Athens Military Hospital.

"Hindsight is always wiser. I never thought that the accident would have such an impact on my life." Was it too risky? The limit was exceeded? "I was just overwhelmed, I had ahead almost everything myself. The boat, the sled, burocracy discussion with authorities, all the planning, organizing the rescue chain in case anything would happen"

Commitment to environmental protection
Although due to poor weather conditions at the last moment even the location was moved for the dive - he allowed himself to be no longer deterred from his plan. "We were there, the media were there and I put all my money into the project."
Nitsch, days before now came back from a relaxing holiday in the South Seas. He swam with sharks. He will continue with Freediving: "The record attempt is only a tiny part of the sport." Soon also a film about the 43-year-old is broadcast and a book is planned. And he wants to return something to the item that has given him so much, the water, therefore Nitsch is committed to protect the oceans.

Translation of the link that I posted above:

"I better shouldn't have done it"

On the 6th of June 2012 Herbert Nitsch went down to close to 250 meters to improve his own world record in freediving. This nearly cost his life. After nine months he finally resurfaced.

After a dive to 214 meters Herbert Nitsch was already world record holder in freediving. But the 42 year old man from Vienna wanted more. So using a sled he went down to close to the unimaginable depth of 250 meters. On the way back the drama started to unfold. Philip Bauer spoke with the "deepest man on earth" about this disastrous day and its consequences.

derStandard.at: The most important question in the beginning: How are you nine month after your accident?

Nitsch: It could be better, my right side is quite inhibited. I can walk worse, not run, have problems with balance, writing and as you can hear also with speaking.

derStandard.at: I can understand you well.

Nitsch: If I speak faster I splutter. But it's getting better, slowly, very slowly. The rehabilitation is intense, 24/7. But there is hope for full recovery.

derStandard.at: How bad was the situation directly after the dive?

Nitsch: Very serious.

derStandard.at: Life threatening?

Nitsch: Briefly yes. I was put into an artificial coma.

derStandard.at: Afterwards, you vanished.

Nitsch: First I was in Meidling [Part of Vienna] for rehabilitation. Afterwards I was commuting between Meidling, the doctors and my home. And I refused to talk to the media.

derStandard.at: How was that time for you from a psychological point of view?

Nitsch: At first it was hard, I was very impatient, desperate. And I was afraid. It was difficult to accept to not be in control of everything. But now the worst has been overcome.

derStandard.at: Do you remember the 6th of June 2012?

Nitsch: Not really. The reality is merged with the videos that I have seen. My memory has been badly hit. But parts of it are coming back, often it's just a certain link that is missing.

derStandard.at: How can one imagine this?

Nitsch: The consequences are similar to multiple strokes. The files are still here but you don't know where to find them.

derStandard.at: But it seems as if the system would be working again.

Nitsch: Yes. At first I began to sputter in the middle of a sentence. I also couldn't remember very simple words, "tree" for example. I knew what a tree was but I couldn't name it.

derStandard.at: Can you remember that we were talking before your record attempt?

Nitsch: (laughs) No. When was that?

derStandard.at: One day before. You were very busy.

Nitsch: In this time everything came at once and I had to organize a lot of things myself. I was under pressure

derStandard.at: Maybe too much pressure?

Nitsch: Yes the pressure was huge. Not just financially also from the media. I didn't want to disappoint my sponsors and helpers. Additionally, I invested 100.000 or more Euro into it and I didn't think that it would go wrong.

derStandard.at: Which worst-case-scenario did you anticipate?

Nitsch: That I won't make it, i.e. not reach the depth. Or that my eardrums will implode. That might hurt a lot, but normally heals within weeks without leaving a trace behind.

derStandard.at: Did you underestimate the risks and ignored the warnings from the doctors?

Nitsch: They went into another direction. I have eliminated the known dangers through precautions. Previously people from the scene were laughing at me because I was so focused at safety. But this time something happened which has never before happened in freediving.

derStandard.at: And that is?

Nitsch: I lost my consciousness due to rapture of the deep which normally happens due to lack of oxygen. That also looks horrendous but would have been harmless. We would have laughed about it.

derStandard.at: When did you loose you consciousness?

Nitsch: Around 100 meters below the surface during ascent. Then the sled pulled me to a depth of 15 meters and my safety divers brought me to the surface.

derStandard.at: Was the rescue chain organized optimally?

Nitsch: Yes, we did everything that was possible for us. A compression chamber on the dive site would have been ideal. I was investigating that at the time but safety is always a matter of money.

derStandard.at: Does the human body reach its limit at this depth and we have to accept that?

Nitsch: With increasing depth it simply becomes more dangerous. And at some stage you have to weight the risks and goals. I thought that at this depth the risk would be acceptable for me.

derStandard.at: In hindsight was it worth the risk?

Nitsch: (without hesitating) No. I shouldn't have done it.

derStandard.at: Some critics will now think that you have come to reason.

Nitsch: I have subjected myself to a risk. But one should not judge about it without seriously studying the subject. Just saying that it is dangerous is something that I consider fatuous.

derStandard.at: Your project has polarized our community. Some saw the pioneer, others the daredevil.

Nitsch: Where would we be without the Wright brothers? In the eyes of some is this hunt for records just an unnecessary ego-trip.

derStandard.at: And for you?

Nitsch: For a long time it was just a hobby. I was in envy for the people at the sea and wanted to get to know both my limits and my body. If I could beat a record by doing that, that was a nice side-effect.

derStandard.at: The danger of an accident has never put you off?

Nitsch: The fatal accident of my colleague ... I have problems with names ... (Loic Leferme). Yes, that really made me think. But should you lock yourself at home? People die daily in traffic.

derStandard.at: But these people do not actively search for the danger.

Nitsch: Freediving is not just danger, but in the first place it's fun and passion.

derStandard.at: Do you still have this passion or have you stopped freediving?

Nitsch: Recently during snorkelling in the south-sea I have been freediving again. The hunt for records has already previously been only a small percentage of my activity. I will continue to film underwater and take pictures. And I want to construct a submarine.

derStandard.at: How did your comeback in the water feel?

Nitsch: It was like returning to my element. It was not very easy to keep the orientation. The advantage in the water: You can't fall, it doesn't hurt. For a holiday it was sufficient.

derStandard.at: And further?

Nitsch: It is not very good if, during filming, your right hand is shaking.

derStandard.at: Do you already have plans for your future career?

Nitsch: I have recently met Jean-Michel Cousteau. He is engaged in the protection of the oceans and this is the route that I want to follow. The protection of our environment is something that has become more and more important for me over the last couple of years.

derStandard.at: But you will stop hunting for records completely?

Nitsch: I will not say anything. But definitely not right away.

derStandard.at: And what about your profession as pilot?

Nitsch: (laughs) I wouldn't go on board if I were the pilot. I will definitely not return to this profession.

derStandard.at: Is it actually important for you if your dive to 249.5 meters will be an official world record?

Nitsch: It doesn't matter. I was at that depth. And in any case I'm the world-record-holder. So it's twice sausage [meaning it really doesn't matter]. Other things are more important now.

Thanks Azrael!

His first tv interview is on CBS 60 minutes. Does anyone know if the whole show will be available online?

Herbert Nitsch - Episode 3 Preview | Showtime Sports

Bill McIntyre said:

I'm glad he survived, but that isn't freediving. Its a stunt. I can't imagine how No Limits is sanctioned by any responsible organization.

Is there some group that sanctions jumping the Grand Canyon on a motorcycle, and sets rules and keeps records?

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We've been saying that for years...

Best of luck to Herbert in his recovery. I hope to see him in the water again, for fun or competition. I hope he can recover as well as Carlos after his NLT accident.

here is an interesting take on the article i read from Grant Graves

"Herbert may need to investigate the idea that this may not be bends. That he had a predive packing injury that caused the problem on ascent due to lung expansion injury prior to the dive. That gas escaped his lungs before the dive from packing too aggressively and that air entered his brain via the blood supply leaving his lungs. This would explain the signs and symptoms on ascent and also the hemipelgia which is far more likely with lung expansion air escape than decompression sickness.

It is very unlikely the mechanism of injury is what is being described here. "

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