lost divers off Placencia

[DiveMaven]

You'll love this...one of the people lost at sea lives in my area and they had a feature on the news about her nightmare and how she was being circled in the water by some creature with teeth. She stated she knew there were sharks below her, but she couldn't see them, then talked about some kind of fish with teeth coming near her. **good grief**

 

[peterbj7]

There is indeed some info on this on www.belizeforum.com, but quite a lot more on www.ambergriscaye.com. I only know what's appeared in the press, on boards such as these, and on local Belize television, but overall it does seem there is a strong prime facii case that effective action should be taken against the operator. What puzzles many people is that this doesn't seem to have happened.

 

[Doc]

You'll love this...one of the people lost at sea lives in my area and they had a feature on the news about her nightmare and how she was being circled in the water by some creature with teeth. She stated she knew there were sharks below her, but she couldn't see them, then talked about some kind of fish with teeth coming near her. **good grief**

Nurse Sharks have teeth, too.

Kind of.

.

 

[Dive_Girl PNW]

You'll love this...one of the people lost at sea lives in my area and they had a feature on the news about her nightmare and how she was being circled in the water by some creature with teeth. She stated she knew there were sharks below her, but she couldn't see them, then talked about some kind of fish with teeth coming near her. **good grief**

Yep DiveMe, Channel 8 (Portland) broke the story, then I saw it picked up on other channels, and then on the front page of the Oregonian yesterday. Before the story broke, the Channel 8 reporter called me to ask if I knew the Portland woman (I was not her instructor and I do not know her) and I answered some basic scuba questions. I have to say I was very glad to hear the Portland woman was alive, thankful to hear it wasn't some of my recent divers I sent down, and very sorry to hear about the 4th diver (my thoughts go out to her family & friends).

The ocean is deceptive and should never be underestimated.

 

[DiveMaven]

Yeah, it was pretty awful to hear about the whole incident, but I have to admit that I was pretty disgusted with the spin that the local media put on it. They were looking for any angle they could to make it like the movie "Open Water", and bring sharks into the picture, and The Oregonian made the lady look like a totally incompetent diver. I haven't a clue what her experience level is, and I don't know her, but thought the spin on the story was strange.

 

[pakman]

Is this the same incident that was reported in the Seattle times last week?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2002587704_webdivers27.html
Not knowing all the details, I'm scratching my head why they would try to swim it to the island. Rather take my chances on a drifting boat (as long as it wasn't sinking...) And did I read that correct that the deceased diver didn't have a wetsuit or any thermal protection...

 

[DandyDon]

This has been extensively discussed with several news links referenced on the Accidents froum: Belize Tragedy http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=116853

 

[hopefulist]

Latest I've read on this tragedy:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051104/NEWS01/511040550

 

[DandyDon]

Latest I've read on this tragedy:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051104/NEWS01/511040550

This excerpt from that article could give a lot of support to a negligent homicide charge...

Neither Cabral nor Tucker had valid tour operator licenses, investigators said.
Officials said Cabral's license was suspended earlier this year after an accident in which he flipped his boat and plunged 10 divers into the sea. It was unclear when Tucker's license was revoked.

Little good a lifetime ban would do on someone who had been operating without a license anyway.