Missing Divers - Komodo National Park

[Antarctic-Adventurer]

Yes, but doesn't anyone else agree that as the area is well known to have treacherous and unpredictable currents, AND the dive was led by a guide employed by the dive company, that SHE should have carried such a device and the BOAT should have had appropriate listening equipment (no use having an electronic signalling device unless someone is listening out for it).

I still think this dive was severely mismanaged and the company should explain itself. If I had been on that dive I would now be considering legal action against them.

Your point is valid about carrying suitable communication equipment actually on the dive but I don't know if you have been to Indonesia; in all my time there across many of the islands I have never ever seen any operator equipped with such gear. Boat radio's yes, but in water comms? No. It just isn't standard procedure. Would it be a good idea? Sure.

 

[DandyDon]

I lived in Labuhanbajo, Flores where this operator is based for nearly a year so I know most people there from all the diving operations. It's where I became a DM. The dive operator in question here is probably the best of the bunch. Very safety conscious and very environmentally aware as well. I have also dived with most of the operations here as a tourist so have first hand experience of how they all operate. The safety briefings and care shown by this operator is far better than most others that I have encountered around the world so I would say that this gossip is just that.

Thanks! Your words mean a lot more than the gossip I heard. And you can hear anything...

 

[Tomeck]

I just hate it when I survive being washed out to sea, only to have to fight dragons once back on land.

Divers battled Komodo dragon before rescue - CNN.com

I guess I will add Komodo Dragon repellant to the emergency list

Better than Hollywood.

 

[Saltwater Junky]

Interesting article. From one danger to another. They can now add survival and dinosaur fighting certifications to their lists. Glad they were found virtually unscathed.

 

[Doubler]

Your point is valid about carrying suitable communication equipment actually on the dive but I don't know if you have been to Indonesia; in all my time there across many of the islands I have never ever seen any operator equipped with such gear. Boat radio's yes, but in water comms? No. It just isn't standard procedure. Would it be a good idea? Sure.

The radio I mentioned in my earlier post has a 20 mile range. All ships are required to monitor channel 16. Even if they didn't have the GPS receive capability, the GPS on the radio gives you your position which could be passed over the radio. And you are right in water communication isn't common. But I tell you what, when I go anywhere with current, this kit will go with me. An EPIRB is fine but much more expensive you don't know if they have located you and you still need the dive canister. I like the comfort of a human voice on the other end. I think it should be a requirement for all DM's at the least to carry a kit. In the past couple of month we have had 10 Tawainese, Two in Austrailia, one in Florida and now Five in Indonesia come up missing. The cost of these Search and Rescue missions is enormous. Fuel became an issue in this search and trust me it will elsewhere. WOW, here is a chance for Put Another Dollar In (PADI) to start a new specialty course- In water Rescue Communication... and I want the naming rights.

 

[Noboundaries]

I guess if you really want GPS just add a handheld unit to your otterbox as well.
The only issue would be not getting the radio wet when you tried to use it..

Just add a GPS unit, yep. Got a water resistant one I use for hiking the Sierras and mounting in my motorcycle. The cool thing would be to have one integrated into the marine, handheld VHF unit.

Not getting the radio wet? Not a problem. Get one that is JIS7 rated. You can't take it diving without putting it in a waterproof container that can survive the depth you'll be diving, but on the surface getting it wet won't be a problem. They are rated to withstand water intrusion for at least 30 minutes when held 1 meter underwater. Will probably last longer, or indefinitely on the surface just getting splashed.

 

[limbo]

Thanks! Your words mean a lot more than the gossip I heard. And you can hear anything...

Why do you post such gossip to start with, what good does it do? All these threads would be a lot better off if all the gossip was left out.

 

[DandyDon]

Why do you post such gossip to start with, what good does it do? All these threads would be a lot better off if all the gossip was left out.

Valid question. My original post was along the lines of we never get much info here anyway so we try to learn from what we can get. Mostly it was just casual discussion and noted at the time to be only gossip.

TY

 

[jkaterenchuk]

been following this and very glad it worked out. divemasters with EPRB really sounds like a good idea in remote places like this

You might want to do a bit more research to determine the area of coverage for such a device. We are talking about a third world country not the USA. You cannot assume anything.

John

 

[Noboundaries]

I was wondering.. How would the conversation with the boat go?
Hi, I can't see you. Where are you?
I'm here, where are you?
With a land reference I can see it being helpful, but without one, other than letting someone know you are still within range and still alive, how does it help?
Granted if you could see the boat, you could tell them if they were pointed the right way. It seems a reasonable price to be able to communicate. Does anyone know if a VHF radio has ever assisted with a rescue?
If it did have GPS that would be ideal.

Thanks

First, the smart diver with more than an SMB would leave a list of his/her personal survival equipment inventory with the dive boat, dive op, hotel, and anyone back on the beach.

Second, figure timing into this. You're supposed to be down an hour. You come up in an hour and the dive boat is no where in sight. Chances are excellent you are well within five miles or less of their location, and probably well less than a couple thousand yards.

Third, you would immediately pull out your radio and begin broadcasting. ANY liveaboard would be able to hear you and either find you with the VHF direction finding capability of their radio/nav gear (best case) or get someone on scene that could find you with such equipment. Best of all they know you're alive and not a drowning victim. That eases everyone's mind and builds a sense of urgency to rescue you before conditions deteriorate.

Fourth, even if they didn't hear you, imagine how much better your state of mind would be knowing that as soon as someone knows you are missing, they'd reference the gear inventory you left with the dive world and know you have communication gear on your person.

But just for entertainment sake let's say you were diving from a non-radio equipped Panga that beat feet to get assistance because the crew freaked as soon as you didn't surface where they expected you to appear. You'd still broadcast immediately as soon as you realized you can't see the boat. I imagine the conversation would go like this:

"Mayday Mayday Mayday, two divers abandoned by dive boat. Mayday Mayday Mayday."

Boat, airplane, or anyone with a marine VHF radio within 5-14 miles -"Diver, this is the the sailing vessel Spit into the Wind, we hear you. Do you know your position?"

Diver - "Negative, we were diving Donovan's Reef on the dive boat Shark Bait. When we surfaced at 1430 hours (or 2:30 PM) the boat was no where in sight. Spit, do you have VHF direction finding capability?"

Boat - "Diver, negative. We're five miles from Donovan's reef. We'll head that direction and we'll try to raise Shark Bait and the Coast Guard (or local military) to get more assistance."

Diver - "Great! Here's a list of our survival gear. (List what you have on your person). We'll maintain radio contact and shout out when we have a visual on any vessel or airplane. Once we are in visual and radio contact, we'll deploy our (have a plan what equipment you'll use)." Also have a plan how you intend to save battery power. Stick to that plan until you have communication with someone and let them know your battery state during conversations.

Yes, GPS would be great because you could give exact latitude and longitude and keep anyone listening updated on your location. The Standard Horizon HX850s for $250 appears to be the only handheld VHF with GPS. I'm sure others will follow. Standard HX850s Handheld VHF w/ GPS - VHF Marine Equipment, Accessories & Equipment, Watercraft & Marine Equipment - nuLime.com

But if you didn't have it and could talk to someone, anyone, you'd get found one heck of a lot quicker than just floating and praying like a spec on the ocean. Imagine what talking to anyone would do to your spirits compared to just floating and wondering. Plus, ANY boat within listening range that can help will help. The divers lost for 60 hours and the divers lost for 19 hours both reported seeing search helicopters/planes but they themselves were not visible in the water.

What to buy first; VHF water resistant radio and submersible container, or personal locator beacon and submersible container? Personally, I'd have both, but first I'd buy the radio. That's only a subjective personal decision based upon the experience of a friend left floating at night on a lobster dive in the Channel Islands for almost eight hours. His uncle lost him while manning a pleasure-type power boat. He was picked up the next morning by a commercial dive boat that had been notified by the Coast Guard of the missing diver. A VHF handheld radio would have had him onboard his own VHF radio-equipped pleasure boat in probably less than 15 minutes.

Bottom line is that the sooner someone knows you are missing, has notified the local authorities, and KNOWS you have communication equipment, the sooner you'll be found.