Witnesses Describe Scene at Fatal Tough Mudder Jump

Two people who watched the incident that led to the death of a 28-year-old Ellicott City man said safety precautions at the "Walk the Plank" obstacle on the Tough Mudder course on Saturday in West Virginia were minimal.

Avishenk Sengupta, 28, died after he jumped 15 feet into a pool of muddy, cold water, according to reports about the incident. Sengupta's death was the first at a Tough Mudder course since it began three years ago, according to a statement from the organization.

Tough Mudder is a company that operates the approximately 10-mile team obstacle courses at different locations across the world. 

The Medical Examiner in Manassas, VA, determined Sengupta had accidentally drowned, according to a Baltimore Sun report.

Tough Mudder spokesperson Ashley Pinakiewicz said Wednesday that the company cannot comment on what happened at the obstacle on Saturday due to an active police investigation, but she said, "safety is our absolute top priority" and that the event was staffed with more than 75 emergency personnel.

She also said that the company is cooperating fully with police. In addition, Tough Mudder is doing an internal review of safety protocols, according to Pinakiewicz.

But two witnesses who were at the obstacle when Sengupta jumped into the water said in phone interviews with Patch that safety workers were slow to respond and that little was done to maintain order at the obstacle.

"I want to see there is an appropriate investigation into this," said Nicholas Sayers, a 33-year-old Rockville man who was at the obstacle as his sister was preparing to jump before Sengupta jumped. "I feel like it's very easy for people to say this is a really tough event and this is their first death, which I think is a good track record... but that doesn't mean this death couldn't have been prevented."

Sayers said it seemed like almost five minutes passed before a rescue diver began a search for Sengupta. He said he was told to clear the area by staff members before Sengupta was pulled from the water.

"Only one diver was in the water searching for the body when I left," said Sayers.

Antoinette DiVittorio, a 35-year-old Alexandria woman, said she was also at the event watching her boyfriend compete. She said she was watching the Walk the Plank obstacle when Sengupta jumped.

"I was waiting on the side where the water was, watching people jump in," said DiVittorio. "His teammates were waiting on the side of the water when one guy said to a staff member 'my teammate jumped into the water and didn't come out yet.'"

She said the staff member didn't take action for a few minutes after being told Sengupta was still in the water. It wasn't until one of Sengupta's teammates and herself asked the staff member, "Why aren't you doing anything?", that the staff member took action, she said.

"At that point in time they made everyone stop jumping," said DiVittorio. She said one staff member in a wetsuit began searching the top of the water. She said he did that for a couple of minutes when another staff member ran down to the site, asked what was going on, and once he found out, he ordered the other staff member to put on a scuba tank and goggles to search underwater.

"It seemed like an extensive period of time went by before anyone went under," said DiVittorio. "Within one minute of trolling the bottom, they pulled him out."

DiVittorio estimated that an ambulance didn't arrive until about 30 minutes after Sengupta was pulled from the water, despite her seeing multiple ambulances located across the course. During that time, she said rescuers attempted to resuscitate Sengupta.

Sengupta died the next day from his injuries, at a Virginia hospital.

The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating Sengupta's death as an accident, according to the Baltimore Sun. 

Witnesses Say Limited Precautions at the Walk the Plank Obstacle

The Walk the Plank obstacle is described on Tough Mudder's website as a 15-plus foot jump into freezing water. It appears to be a platform over a hole dug in the ground, covered with a tarp, then filled with water, according to pictures posted on the website.

Both Sayers and DiVittorio said before Sengupta jumped, participants were allowed to jump as they pleased. They said it was hard to tell if the water was clear of competitors before others jumped.

Sayers said occasionally a staff member would blow a whistle to stop people from jumping.

"There was 20 people on top of this tower," said Sayers. "[The competitors] were trying to be considerate, but the only time people stopped jumping was when they blew the whistle."

Sayers said there were two staff members in wetsuits at the obstacle. One was in the water wearing a wetsuit, the other was on the outside. Occasionally they would throw flotation devices to competitors who struggled to swim in the cold water, according to Sayers.

In a recent blog post titled "Where Tough Mudder Failed," former Coast Guard rescue swimmer and expert on drowning Mario Vittone wrote that injury or death at an event like Tough Mudder is not surprising.

"Tough Mudder is one of those pay-to-play obstacle challenges that allow anyone with an entry fee and the willingness to sign a waiver the chance to do things usually reserved for elite military combat professionals," wrote Vittone.

The cost of the event ranges from $85 to $180 depending on when a competitor registers.

Vittone wrote that elite military recruits go through a series of tests and challenges before doing any high-risk training, but events like Tough Mudder do nothing to assess a participant's physical abilities.

While the course does warn contestants they must be able to swim, and allows them to skip obstacles if they'd like to, Vittone posited that "perhaps their obstacles should exclude deep muddy pits of water where drowning is a not-so-unlikely hazard."

Alex Suterlowe, a co-worker of Sengupta's at Columbia's Earth Treks climbing facility, said that Sengupta had worked as a climbing instructor at the gym for seven to eight years. 

Vittone wrote that despite what physical shape Sengupta was in, jumping from the tower was "a high-risk move of the elite combat variety without the check and controls in place during actual military training... The number of unaccounted-for variables were staggering."

While noting the dangers, some commenters on Patch's original article said accidents can't always be prevented.

"I really do feel bad for what happened," wrote Josh. "But to stay away from everything with potential harm isn't the way to live life." 

Tough Mudder Statement and Family Reaction

In a statement, Tough Mudder extended its sympathies to Sengupta's family, while pointing out this is the first death in more than 50 events in which 750,000 people competed.

"At Tough Mudder, safety is our top priority," said the organization, which noted it had 75 rescue workers on site.

Pinakiewicz, the Tough Mudder spokesperson, said Wednesday the organization does not have any plans to cancel future events or remove the Walk the Plank obstacle from future courses.

Patch attempted to contact the Sengupta family for a statement, but calls placed to listed numbers in Ellicott City were not answered on Wednesday morning. The Sun reported that the family does not wish to speak to media at this time as they prepare for his funeral this week.

Sengupta's funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Donaldson Funeral Home in Odenton, according to his obituary.

He was described as "Cheerful and kind," a man who was devoted to his family and friends, who "loved to travel, experience the world, and climb to great heights both physically and spiritually," in his obituary.

Other Injuries

The Baltimore Sun reported about 14,000 people participated in Saturday's event in Gerrardstown WV, which featured 20 obstacles over an approximately 10-mile course.

A total of 20 people were sent to nearby City Hospital from injuries suffered during the event, including 10 people with hypothermia, orthopedic or head injuries as well as two people treated for drowning, including Sengupta, the Sun reported.

Related:

- Howard County Man Dies after Accident on Tough Mudder Course