Indonesian Skipper Jailed for Japanese Diver Deaths

[zivva]

We do, as stated in the original post dealing with this incident :

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...ing-off-indonesian-island-16.html#post7042823

Apparently some do (did?) not.

At the end it's still operators responsability to train their staff / set up plans / hire properly trained charter boat captains.

 

[matts1w]

At the end it's still operators responsability to train their staff / set up plans / hire properly trained charter boat captains.

Absolutely, but in this case the captain made horrible decision after horrible decision. I refuse to believe it was because he didn't know better. Running out a of fuel is embarrassing, but it generally does not lead to loss of life. He was concerned about saving his job and/or saving face. Consequently he made a series of selfish choices that led to a fatality, injuries, thousands of dollars in rescue costs...the list goes on and on. If that isn't negligence I don't know what is.

 

[gee13]

Why cant the industry move forward a make captains have a license that has them signing off on role and responsibilities. Then again this is Indonesia and common sense doesnt always apply. Until someone else gets hurt and another captain is jailed.

 

[Hintermann]

IMO, 3 years is certainly justified. The captain of a boat has the huge responsibility of the safety of his/her passengers and crew and good ones exercise that very well. I have been on 17 liveaboard cruises and most skippers were excellent. For example, during my trip to Fiji last year, Joji, the captain of MV Island Dancer, put the safety issues on top of everything and checked on all of us after every dive. When the weather turned dodgy on a couple of scheduled dives, he did not hesitate to move to a different site despite pressure from some of us to have a go where we were.

I know that even the most experienced captains are human and cannot battle the elements but in the case above, the fact that 5 of the 7 divers survived off their own backs proves that the captain could have been more pro-active in trying to locating them after they got lost.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Hintermann comparing an LOB captain to a guy that can drive a boat is not the way to view this, IMO. The man who drove the boat from Sanur carrying the Japanese divers more likely more closely compares to the boat boys that drive the tenders off of an LOB.

 

[gee13]

Hintermann comparing an LOB captain to a guy that can drive a boat is not the way to view this, IMO. The man who drove the boat from Sanur carrying the Japanese divers more likely more closely compares to the boat boys that drive the tenders off of an LOB.

I agree with Chilly. And my point is made in context that irrespective of the sentence whether 3 years or10 years what has really happened to ensure such an incident wont occur again..

 

[acidrush]

Seriously, whether you jail the speed boat driver (that's what he is not a captain) 3 years or 10 years. Does anyone really think it would change anything?? This is Asia.. LOL!

 

[Centrals]

I wonder how many "captain" in SE Asia diving trade have proper licence?

 

[Indah]

Indeed Centrals. And then again, what did they have to do to get the license? Comparable with a driver license, I am afraid.
But the same question I often ask myself, seeing "qualified" divers in the water. How did they and their instructor get his or her licenses?

 

[pelan-pelan]

Have arrived late to this thread. No matter where they are diving, divers should have learned even from basic OW PADI, you do not dive if things aren't right. What things? Equipment, support staff eg boat captain and dive guides, weather, other divers on the boat, yourself not being well. The best dive you will ever have is the one you called off.

What happened was tragic. The boat "captain" was unlikely to have been in a position to say "No", he needed the job. But divers can, and should, refuse to go in the water.