Maltese court convicts dive buddy

[Wibble]

...What if one of us had suddenly lost buoyancy control in those few seconds? She would have had no idea where we were, and I cannot begin to believe it would have been her fault.

That is roughly what happened in this case. The guy looked away for a few seconds, and the victim had an uncontrolled ascent. He did manage to see her go up, but it was too late for him to do anything.

This sort of thing can happen on any dive.

(Great example)

Pretty much every diver on here will thoroughly agree with that.

The big question is why are Maltese non-divers making up such nonsense rules? Not a good look Malta.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

The big question is why are Maltese non-divers making up such nonsense rules? Not a good look Malta.

In the general category of nonsense rules for things related to underwater activities, Malta is not alone.

 

[SlugLife]

If someone needs a buddy, find one. Don't rely on me. Especially for insta-buddy. I make it perfectly clear that I'm the world's worst buddy and they should find someone else.

You sound like my kind of dive-buddy. Lets solo-dive together!

I'd say, off with his fins!!!

I call dibs on their rack of scuba-tanks!

I was diving with my grandson and his mother, and we were in a delta formation with me in front. We were on a typical south Florida reef. When it came time to end the dive, I turned to them and gave the signal. They were side by side, about 5 feet apart. When I signaled, my grandson rose about 5-6 feet as he prepared for the ascent, then looked back for his mother. At the same time, his mother reached for her console and took a look at it. She put it back and then looked around. There was no one to be seen. Her son had been there a few seconds ago, and then he was gone! She was in immediate terror. I know that because her son and I were both only a few feet away, about 5-6 feet higher than her in the water column. She did violent turns looking for us, and I dropped down so she could see me. We had a good laugh about it later.

What if one of us had suddenly lost buoyancy control in those few seconds? She would have had no idea where we were, and I cannot begin to believe it would have been her fault.

That is roughly what happened in this case. The guy looked away for a few seconds, and the victim had an uncontrolled ascent. He did manage to see her go up, but it was too late for him to do anything.

This sort of thing can happen on any dive.

With how scuba-masks, refraction, and equipment restricts vision (plus horizontal trim and other factors) it's all too easy to lose track of someone right next to you.

If someone asks to buddy-dive, and I remember, I'll grab a curved-mirror from my save-a-dive kit. It's one of those stick-on-wide-angle mirrors used for cars, with some bungie through it to make a wrist-band. It helps a little, mostly being able to look without breaking trim or twisting around. But it's not standard-equipment and doesn't help with low-vis.

 

[Celt]

And how many non-commercial dives? Ones for fun, looking at pretty fish, etc..

Most weekends with my brother or friends. If conditions were poor and there was a danger of separation we dived one in the water on a line and the other in the boat or solo.

 

[L13]

That's exactly what I'm claiming, I have never in 50 years and thousands of dives lost a buddy.

That is not what you said originally:

Buddy separation is a mistake by one or more divers. The entire buddy or standby system depends on being able to monitor the diver 100% of the time. If that doesn't happen the system has failed.

So again: Have you ever not monitored your buddy 100% of the time?

So far (knock on wood) I have never lost a buddy either, but any diver who is honest will not claim to have monitored their buddy 100% of the time!

 

[Celt]

That is not what you said originally:

So again: Have you ever not monitored your buddy 100% of the time?

So far (knock on wood) I have never lost a buddy either, but any diver who is honest will not claim to have monitored their budy 100% of the time!

I have.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

If someone asks to buddy-dive, and I remember, I'll grab a curved-mirror from my save-a-dive kit. It's one of those stick-on-wide-angle mirrors used for cars, with some bungie through it to make a wrist-band. It helps a little, mostly being able to look without breaking trim or twisting around. But it's not standard-equipment and doesn't help with low-vis.

This is what I use. I highly recommend it. It does work with low viz as you just need to see their light. If you can't see their light, then bag the dive.

 

[BoltSnap]

Not in a lifetime would I abandon a diver in the water and I'd expect the exact same from them.

I'd abandon you on the surface, never to see me again until the boat is on its way back to shore. I would NOT abandon my buddy but I am not going to just watch him 100% of my time u/w. If he needed that much attention and I don't trust him that much, I am abandoning him on the surface before we get off the boat into the water.

In your excitement and zeal to show that you are a good buddy, you are grossly exaggerating to the opposite end where it is not practical or even proper.

 

[Celt]

I'd abandon you on the surface, never to see me again until the boat is on its way back to shore. I would NOT abandon my buddy but I am not going to just watch him 100% of my time u/w. If he needed that much attention and I don't trust him that much, I am abandoning him on the surface before we get off the boat into the water.

In your excitement and zeal to show that you are a good buddy, you are grossly exaggerating to the opposite end where it is not practical or even proper.

That's how I trained, the standby monitored the diver in the water 100% of the time and I never seen any reason to monitor them less than 100% of the time. That's why it works 100% of the time,

 

[L13]

I have.

You are admitting on this public forum that you did at least once fail to monitor your buddy 100% of the time.

I ask the Jury, Guilty of attempted manslaughter? Shall He be prosecuted to the full extent of the (mumble, mumble)?

(Revealing my inner Perry Mason)