lost divers off Placencia

[Hank49]

Just heard of an incident that occurred starting Saturday. Four tourists were diving south of Glovers and the boat they were on had a fuel problem. Against the captain's advice they jumped in, with no bcd or life jackets and tried to swim for it. The wind was blowing from the NW out to sea due to Wilma passing to the north. The captain also bailed out that night and made it to Glovers. Today a plane found 3 of the 4 about 25 miles out at sea.
No one can figure out why they left a floating boat. Especially with no life vest or even a bcd. Only snorkeling gear. I guess the lesson is: NEVER leave the boat. You can't tell where the currents are with no reference. A boat is much easier for the search teams to see. ..which was found floating....What a way for a vacation to end. Too sad.....

 

[Kaiser442]

Yep. To take it a step further, Dad always said the only way to get off of a sinking boat onto a liferaft or dinghy is to step UP into it.

Apparently bigger boats are found half sunk (but still half floating) all the time where people bailed out for a much less safe rescue raft. Don't bail until there is NO QUESTION that the boat is going all the way down.

 

[Cudabait]

Did they find the boat?

Regards,

 

[hopefulist]

Predictably, the story is more complicated than this. The owner/guide has a long history of safety and equipment issues with other serious accidents in the past. Check out the scuba thread on the Belize Forum:

http://www.belizeforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=14

 

[Doc]

Predictably, the story is more complicated than this. The owner/guide has a long history of safety and equipment issues with other serious accidents in the past. Check out the scuba thread on the Belize Forum:
http://www.belizeforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=14

Predictably, as you say, the story is more complicated than this.

True enough, this operator has some bad history, but this "Belize Forum" is populated by non-divers or dive-operations related people with axes to grind... and then statements being made by a Tourist Board (what's their motivation?)

As I caution with any such incident- wait for the details and facts to come out from the parties involved. There you will gain a grain of truth.

Disregarding the obvious: Do NOT leave a boat unless she's on the bottom!

Better topic: How would you prepare yourself for surface rescue or for spending the night at sea?

 

[Hank49]

Predictably, as you say, the story is more complicated than this.

As I caution with any such incident- wait for the details and facts to come out from the parties involved. There you will gain a grain of truth.

Disregarding the obvious: Do NOT leave a boat unless she's on the bottom!

Better topic: How would you prepare yourself for surface rescue or for spending the night at sea?

You're correct about spreading unfounded facts. I have heard three variations so far but leaving the boat is unanimous.
Regarding prep for being stranded at sea... I always have three days of drinking water on board. A cell phone....radio...fishing gear to catch some food....It's really strange. They did find the boat. Maybe if they'd stayed on board they'd have wound up in Roatan.

 

[Hank49]

Predictably, the story is more complicated than this. The owner/guide has a long history of safety and equipment issues with other serious accidents in the past. Check out the scuba thread on the Belize Forum:

http://www.belizeforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=14

I read through this thread about Belize. I remember that incident. This boat didn't capsize Saturday and there weren't 12 people on board. But, it was the same operator. Lot's of nasty things said about Belize on that thread. Man. I guess I'll have to move to a safer place......or not.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Wow, insane leaving the boat, anyone ever caught in a current would agree to that, and then trying that in off-shore winds?. 25 miles out to sea, lucky they didn't become lunch........well, one person is still doing backstroke right? Hope they find him/her.

 

[WaterWayne]

Regarding prep for being stranded at sea... I always have three days of drinking water on board. A cell phone....radio...fishing gear to catch some food...

Interesting start of a new thread, maybe. I can envision some mono fishing line and a hook. Those even come in the hollow handle of a good survival knife, along with a fire source (matches, lighter). But on a dive boat -- not one's own boat -- what else would you take?

The water would be too much, eh?

Regarding a radio, although we should all have a battery-operated or hand-cranked one here on land, would it be that useful while stranded on a reef, or worse, floating?

Regarding a cell phone, my Nextel service would be way out of reach in most dive locations. What other two-way device would be handy, small, and reliable?

 

[Hank49]

Interesting start of a new thread, maybe. I can envision some mono fishing line and a hook. Those even come in the hollow handle of a good survival knife, along with a fire source (matches, lighter). But on a dive boat -- not one's own boat -- what else would you take?

The water would be too much, eh?

Regarding a radio, although we should all have a battery-operated or hand-cranked one here on land, would it be that useful while stranded on a reef, or worse, floating?

Regarding a cell phone, my Nextel service would be way out of reach in most dive locations. What other two-way device would be handy, small, and reliable?

Water is the most important I would think. One can live about three days or so without it? Even for a 12 person dive boat, 50-60 gallons isn't that much weight and would go a long way if rationed properly.
A radio could contact any passing boat standing by on Marine 16. Or hourly "mayday" calls could pick up boats out of sight. The range for small boat antennas is about 10 miles I think. My cell phone is good for about 10 miles out from Placencia and that's it.
A gps gives coordinates to relay to anyone you contact out of site.
A deck of cards to pass the time.....