The story doesn't really give enough information as to the risk profile of the dive of the person in question. Recreational dives are fairly safe since you can

The story doesn't really give enough information as to the risk profile of the dive of the person in question. Recreational dives are fairly safe since you can do a emergency fast ascent, and PROBABLY be OK though its still discouraged. It all depends on how long and deep you are and for most recreational dives, its not usually a huge issue. There is no info on what the dive plan for this dude was, so can't know the risks. Normally you should have a dive buddy who will help bail you out if something goes wrong, and the article doesn't mention if a dive buddy was there. Really the big problem is that Scuba gear is super reliable if you maintain and inspect them properly, which is something many recreational divers dont do, since they tend to be reliable. And without practice, gear failure leads to panic which leads to death. Many people panic badly because they don't keep their training up to date