You asked four questions a bit earlier, and here are my responses.
First, we have heard both that the DM was hired to work with multiple people, and that she was hired specifically to buddy with Mrs. Wood. Can you clarify this at all?
No. I don't know what the arrangement was. There were, as you point out below, three individuals traveling/diving together: Mr and Mrs Wood and their friend from San Francisco.
Second, we have heard that Mr. Wood was diving with a friend as his buddy. This hasn't been refuted thus far. We have also heard that the dive split up with Mrs. Wood and her DM buddy, as well as one other couple, lagging behind and separated from the dive leader and your group. Can you confirm that Mr. Wood and his buddy were with you and the dive leader during this incident?
Once again, I don't know how this group and the DM were paired up. I did not see Mr Wood with the lead DM while we were diving. There was no sign to abort the dive and resurface, which I believe would have occurred if the DM's knew there was a buddy separation/missing diver event. I am also using the term DM, but I do not know the certification levels for the leader and "sweep."
After making sure my "insta-buddy" was on the reference line for his 3 minute stop, I descended back to the reef and to check out some corals for a future photo dive. There were several divers exploring the area below the boat. I surfaced with the last divers, and by that time Mr Wood had already boarded, removed his gear, re-entered the water, and was a hundred yards or so from the boat. Their friend was on board, so my impression was that they surfaced before the main group of divers, but I don't know this to be factually correct.
Third, there has been discussion about the circumstances of the hiring of the private DM. Do you have knowledge of whether the DM was hired by choice, or required by the dive shop? In either case, did you learn what the reason was for the private DM to be hired?
No knowledge of the DM arrangement.
Finally, was Mrs. Wood 50-ish or 68? We've heard both and 68 seems more likely bsed upon the retirement, but I don't believe this was ever settled.
Mrs Wood was 68. As I mentioned in an earlier post, she appeared quite fit, was not over-weight, and if I had to guess her age I would have been at least ten years too young.