7 divers missing off Indonesian island

[Mike]

I wasn't saying it wasn't worth it, only wondering about its effectiveness. But thinking again, I think it would probably effective because they do send search teams when there are news of lost divers and in that case it wouldn't be a "mysterious" signal somewhere in the water, people would also know that divers were missing.

Read this and learn exactly how to save your life http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/co...rsonal-locator-beacon-how-never-lost-sea.html

 

[zivva]

I feel physically sick. This incident so far reads like a carbon copy of an incident from August 2012 involving my daughter, which was discussed on this board at the time: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accidents-incidents/425935-divers-missing-bali-2.html .

It is actually very similar to the incident involving your daughter.

In both case, we have a VERY wrong dive planning (diving at high tide a full moon & stormy day *) + no quick communication to the local water sports organizations once the divers are considered missing. There is 30+ big boats & dozen of professionals available for search on the island + dedicated marine radio channel. Nobody got a call before 6PM (already dark at this time as the sunset starts @ 5PM).

In both scenario, responsibilities goes from the DC manager (you should not be just able to buy a boat & some equipment to be DC manager here ...) for not properly training his crew (dive guides + boat captains), dive crew for a freaking bad dive planning (full moon, storm + Crystal Bay / full moon, high tide, storm + Mangrove don't go together however you look at them !) & lastly the boat captain ... looking for missing divers by yourself on a small speed boat with bad sea conditions is just impossible.

It's sad but unless Bali authorities & the main certification agencies set minimum rules in order to open a dive center in Bali, this kind of incident will happen again.

* from what I've heard, divers got lost @ Mangrove. Prior to dive Mangrove, they got to Crystal Bay. Diving Crystal Bay in such conditions = already looking for troubles.

 

[pilz]

True Zivva.

But as you already indicate this will never happen in Bali, since the diving industry (i.e. the direct, short-term benefits) is just too important for local economy (yes I know, reason enough to enforce proper procedures, but hey this is Indonesia).

For now the only thing people can do is choose a well-known dive center, with proper boats, staff, procedures, small ratios, etc. There are only a handful of those dive centers in Bali/Lembongan so it should definitely be very easy to choose.

 

[dIvefi]

AFP.com I find it pretty amazing that they found them alive! But great, hope they can find the rest too. Did they survive by drinking rain water? Four days floating without a drink would kill you for sure.. Also, do you think it can be accurate that they found them 300m from Nusa Penida? I've been diving there and I'd think in four days the crazy currents would take you closer to Australia that Nusa Penida. Maybe the officials just want to make it sound like it's not such a big deal "you don't even float that far here if you get lost, so don't worry and come dive with us"?

 

[Griffo]

AFP.com I find it pretty amazing that they found them alive! But great, hope they can find the rest too. Did they survive by drinking rain water? Four days floating without a drink would kill you for sure.. Also, do you think it can be accurate that they found them 300m from Nusa Penida? I've been diving there and I'd think in four days the crazy currents would take you closer to Australia that Nusa Penida. Maybe the officials just want to make it sound like it's not such a big deal "you don't even float that far here if you get lost, so don't worry and come dive with us"?

From what I have read, they have only found 4 of the 7.

Four Japanese divers found alive 3 days after going missing near Indonesian resort island of Bali - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[DandyDon]

Found four of them alive: Four Japanese divers found alive after going missing off Bali | South China Morning Post

So they didn't fail to surface, but one way or another - the captain lost them. I am happy that four of them are alive, but I have to wonder how. Did the group lose track of the others on the dive, after surfacing, or - when? It's generally best to stay together I think, but - not if some died perhaps.

 

[dIvefi]

From what I have read, they have only found 4 of the 7. Four Japanese divers found alive 3 days after going missing near Indonesian resort island of Bali - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Yes, sorry I meant some of them were found and hope they can find the rest of them too..

 

[DandyDon]

Found 300 meters from a populated island? If I was less than a quarter mile from land after 3 days, I'd be on land soon - but maybe they were headed for it when the fishermen found them.

This story has been all over the news so maybe we will learn more soon.

 

[Golo]

According to NHK News they were found "on some rocks".

Report: 4 of 7 missing Japanese divers found
Emergency officials in Indonesia are heading for an island where 4 women who are believed to be Japanese divers unaccounted for since Friday have been found.

The officials say residents of Penida Island found the women on some rocks on Monday and notified authorities. No further details are available.

Rescue workers have been searching for 5 tourists and 2 local instructors who went missing while scuba diving off Lembongan Island, southeast of Bali.

Penida Island is about 20 kilometers southeast of Lembongan.

The Japanese Consulate-General in Bali is trying to confirm the reports of the women's discovery.

Feb. 17, 2014 - Updated 09:55 UTC

 

[gekodivebali]

So relieved to hear that 4 of the divers were found. I was seriously thinking that we were going to hear a less happy story. Let's hope the last divers are also alive somewhere close...

As always, it would be better for everyone not to speculate too much. The "I would have" and the "They should have" do not help much. Very little is KNOWN so far. I live here and have heard very different stories from so-called authority sources...