6 divers went missing off Tioman island

[jh_MacLeod]

There is one simple thing to learn from this event...Take responsibility for your welfare and get a PLB.

I'm going to take issue with you on this one. I think there are other lessons which could be learned from this incident. Your equipment solution is nice but it ignores the fact that the divers made errors in judgement which could have prevented them being swept away. The main lessons I took from the incident are: know your dive site (or let someone who knows it lead), and plan your extraction point.

Judging from the second-hand reports, the currents underwater were not a problem. Surface currents, often moderately strong, at this site are normal. The typical scenario at this site goes something like this: the boat ties into one of the mooring lines (in a somewhat sheltered location) long enough to drop the divers, then moves off and away in the direction which the divers plan to travel. The divers drop down to get out of the surface currents and begin to circle the island. The direction of the currents determines where the boat drops the divers and which direction they circle (clockwise or counter-clockwise). The island itself is a big pile of large boulders; the closer you get, the more shelter it provides you from the flow. Since all the other divers were recovered without issue, I think it's pretty obvious that this group of divers made two mistakes. With their extra gas, they continued to circle all the way around to the north side of the island (out of sight of the boat which was busy retrieving its other divers, probably on the sheltered east side); and when they surfaced, they surfaced too far away from the rocks to get in protection from the surface currents. I have no personal knowledge of anyone involved (but I do know the site), and my guess is that by the time boats started circling the island looking for them, they had already been pulled too far out to sea to be spotted (with everyone searching focused inward). If they had known the site well, and with their extra gas, they could have planned their pickup for one of the shallow, sheltered coves near the rock walls on the north end of the island.

And it's the South China Sea, not the Gulf of Thailand

 

[jkaterenchuk]

A PLB does not care if your an expert, made a mistake or were the unfortunate result of the boat crew making a mistake or an act of god.

It is simply a smart decision to carry one so that you control proactively your rescue if ever needed and the PADI recommend items fail to secure a rescue.

 

[lv2dive]

And what happens when that equipment solution fails?

I am not saying that this situation doesn't have me looking (even harder) at PLB's, especially for my next trip to the other side of the world... but to say that is the "one simple thing" to learn is taking it a bit too far to that extreme for me. I appreciate the points being made about knowing the dives sites, planning extraction points, and I like would like to get people's perspective on what could have been done differently from a dive planning and execution perspective - I think there is more to learn than, "get a PLB."

 

[DandyDon]

This story mentions a flashing red light - excerpting from : http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120626-355362.html

The tugboat captain had spotted a red flashing light from afar, according to Mr Peter Loo, manager of the Malaysian firm Lunar Shipping that owns the tugboat.

 

[yuhtnav]

When I heard this news, I was instantly reminded of the movie Open Water!
Thank God they were not hit by boats at night or visited by ocean whitetip sharks, if there were any in these waters.

 

[DandyDon]

When I heard this news, I was instantly reminded of the movie Open Water!
Thank God they were not hit by boats at night or visited by ocean whitetip sharks, if there were any in these waters.

The best thing they did was stay together. Even predator sharks would be discouraged by a close group.

 

[jkaterenchuk]

And what happens when that equipment solution fails?

I am not saying that this situation doesn't have me looking (even harder) at PLB's, especially for my next trip to the other side of the world... but to say that is the "one simple thing" to learn is taking it a bit too far to that extreme for me. I appreciate the points being made about knowing the dives sites, planning extraction points, and I like would like to get people's perspective on what could have been done differently from a dive planning and execution perspective - I think there is more to learn than, "get a PLB."

Your asking the wrong question. It should have been what happens when the other things fail. Maybe I am assuming that no one in their right mind would surface from a dive, seeing the boat and instead of using a whistle or SMB decide to only trigger the PLB. It would seem to not need to be said that the PLB is a last effort to ensure you have control over notifying a monitored rescue center that you need help and your location. If the PLB does not work then your no worst off then before but if the PLB works you stand to be rescued much sooner when the alternative might very well be never being rescued.

Since you have been looking at PLB's then what gives you concern that the PLB might fail?

By the way I did not say that diver should not carry or do the other things to prevent and effect a simple rescue.

Just as a side note. Since the PLB being triggered alerts the Monitoring Center it then becomes simple for the dive boat you were on (if you told them you have a PLB) to contact the Monitoring Center and get the GPS coordinates for your distress signal and head directly to your location and pick you up. I would think that is certainly a much faster, less expensive and least disruptive way to get back on the dive boat.

 

[Divejones]

i have used PLBs big to tiny ones with and without two way com system , rescued people who activated PLBs (as pilot and in charge operations), it picks up the signal always. (though 121.5 Mhz and 243 Mhz signals are no longer picked up cospas sarsat and other loe meo satellites since i guess feb 2009)

it is worth an investment, especially when you know there is underwater current (If you did not, that is irresponsible diving, not knowing the local conditions which is known to have been frequented by the divers) my 2c bit

PS
the boatman in any case deserves a coin on each of his eyes

 

[Zippsy]

PS
the boatman in any case deserves a coin on each of his eyes

there is no way this incident happened without errors from the boatman AND the divers. Maybe they can each share the coins.

 

[SangP]

All I want to know is who's the dive operator and boat crew?