(I see there are many more posts since I was typing this, so forgive me if someone has made the same comments as mine below)
After reading the last few pages here, I thought I would jump in with a little geography and some other facts about the Villa Blanca Wall dive area.
(Disclaimer-----I have approx 6000 dives almost all in CZM in the 20 years I lived there---no longer live there, so I have been voraciously reading all these threads just like the rest of you and am NOT one of the "silent" who knows anything at all except what I have read here and on other forums)....but the most recent postings are making my head spin.
1) When you dive the VBW, you can easily travel as far as, if not a bit past, the Hotel Cozumel to the north of the Scuba Mau dive shop. There are boats quite often sitting waiting for afternoon dives at HC.
2) Please note how very many folks from SB and other forums have bragged about actually SWIMMING out to do "a shore dive" to the wall. (and how many have reminded them to please take some kind of flag or SMB, etc.......(I believe you have commented many times on this, Dandy Don).
3) The channel in this area is full of traffic returning to either downtown piers, the northern marina, or to hotels south of the downtown and exactly in front of any VBW dive.
4) The car ferry runs twice a day I believe or close to that and so the likelihood of it leaving or arriving mid day might be a moot point..........whatever the schedule, it isn't hourly.
5) The cruise ship piers are quite a bit farther south...........or north but not in this path.......so little danger there, with SMB's up...and most are already moored, I'd guess.
6) If the divers on a boat are not familiar with or briefed about the signals to FORCE them to ascend IMMEDIATELY, it doesn't matter because the DM's surely know and since they are the ones leading the dive they would (or should) immediately obey the captain's orders since HE is the one in charge, not the DM.
7) The marine radio channel for emergencies would have inspired so many to come and help from so close by......( I was once diving in the north---no drama, no craziness, no problems---except that my captain had an engine issue and couldn't get to us.......he radioed and we had ten boats coming to help in less than five minutes......some took us back to town, some towed the poor boat.......someone could have been at VBW even faster.
8) I assume (and would hope) that the PORT CAPTAIN would be aware of any distress calls and had the power to detain any car ferry IF necessary.
So there are a few facts........but as far as "opinions", those "other divers" and their scenario remain a mystery (to me at least), but I would have left them there to go to shore IMMEDIATELY.........knowing that they were with a DM and could actually kick to shore if they had to with a SMB and all of them together.....and knowing that another boat would be there (with 02 hopefully) in minutes in case of another emergency.
This is beyond tragic and like everybody, my prayers are with them all........especially Gabi who saved a life and the poor captain, who I am sure, will never be the same.
That's my two cents..........back to lurking.