Free Diver missing - Botany Bay, Australia

[DandyDon]

Currently 1:10pm Monday in Sydney...

Free diver missing in rough conditions - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Police fear a man missing in Sydney's Botany Bay was pulled underwater yesterday morning by strong currents.
A search has resumed for the 27-year-old who went missing while free diving with friends near Bare Island at La Perouse.
They went looking for the man but could only find his buoy and spear gun.
Inspector Elizabeth Hatfield says conditions were rough.
"Yesterday obviously we had the storms but there were also some very extremely powerful undercurrents within the water at that time of day," she said.
"At this time we're still unable to speculate whether the strong undercurrents may have had some part to play in this male's disappearance.
"He had approximately two years' free diving experience and was a very confident swimmer."
Yesterday an air and sea search failed to find the man.
Water police and divers resumed the search at first light.

Search for missing diver off La Perouse - Emergency Services - News - Southern Courier

Police will resume a search of Botany Bay this morning after a diver failed to return to shore yesterday.
About 8am, (Sunday 18 November 2012), three men went diving near Bare Island at La Perouse.
About 8.45am the group decided to return, however, only two of the three made it to shore.
The pair waited a short while, but when their friend failed to show they swam back to where they had been diving.
They found equipment belonging to the 27-year-old man, but there was no sign of him.
The pair returned to shore and notified emergency services.
Police initiated a search involving officers from Eastern Beaches Local Area Command, the Marine Area Command, POLAIR and Police Diving Unit, with the assistance of Surf Life Saving Australia.
The search was suspended about 5pm, with water police and divers resuming the search at first light today (Monday 19 November 2012).

 

[clownfishsydney]

A spearo apparently. No such thing as "powerful undercurrents" at this location (I have dived there 354 times). Seems like it will probably be a simple breath-holding death. Once again Police have failed to consult people who know the site or know about diving/spearing.

 

[ajduplessis]

Shallow water blackout???

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I have to agree with ClownfishSydney I have well over 300 bottom hours at sites in the immediate area and I have never encountered Strong currents or undercurrents never mind "very extremely powerful undercurrents". What a load of rubbish! Blackout would be my guess as well but so far I haven't heard of the body being found!

 

[scubadivesydney]

I'm not sure that this is actually a diving accident. Call it coincidence, but there was a lot of shark activity in the area in the few days prior. Also no sign of the diver still and its been over a week. My best guess is that the spear fisher probably had some catch on him and... well..... unfortunately I think putting 2 and 2 together gives you the idea...
Here is a link to the article about the sharks feeding in the area in the 2 to 3 days prior.
Sharks devour dead baby whale off Cape Solander | St George & Sutherland Shire Leader

 

[greatness]

You don't know what might happen, if people change so does the weather and "underwater" specifics atleast a bit.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Body found across the channel.

 

[clownfishsydney]

The body was found about 28 November, approximately 1.5 km from where he disappeared.