Two divers have been found unharmed after drifting 3.6 kilometres off Tasmania's east coast for several hours on Saturday.
The 24-year-old woman and 25-year-old man were diving at Alligator Rock, about 250 metres offshore from Bicheno, as part of a long-weekend event for local dive clubs, when they were swept off course.
Tasmania Police Inspector Colin Riley said the divers entered the water at about 10:15am but failed to return as planned at 11am.
The alarm was raised just before midday.
Inspector Riley said a mix of emergency services, police helicopters, Surf Live Saving Tasmania crews, and civilian vessels and divers searched the area for four hours.
The divers were eventually found by a local civilian vessel which was assisting with the search.
"The search coordinator established a drift pattern, and once that pattern was searched, the two divers were located two nautical miles, or 3.6 kilometres, offshore," Inspector Riley said.
"Both the divers were taken back; they were checked by paramedics and they're in good health and good spirit."
Inspector Riley said a coordinate response from search crews and a level-headed response from the lost divers was crucial.
"In this particular case, they stayed together, they kept their spirits up, and they just focused on remaining above water," he said.
"This is one of those [maritime accidents] where we've actually got a really positive outcome and everyone's very fortunate — not only marine service rescue personnel [and] all the civilians, but importantly those two divers.
"This could have been a lot different."
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a marine wind warning at 10am for gales in the upper east coast forecast district.
Local bakery owner Ian Cunliffe said winds in the area were "really strong".
"Horrendous, I'm not sure why they would be out there," he said.
"Forty-knot winds, so it's pretty rough out there.
"Get in closer [and] it might have been OK, but I know I wouldn't be going out."
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