Situation with a happy ending

[EastEndDiver]

Wonder how this happened,Luckily a GOOD ending.



cayCompass.com :: Divers rescued


The Joint Marine Unit rescued two cruise ship visitors and their dive instructor after the divers became separated from their dive boat and were found struggling in rough waters outside the reef Tuesday.
Police said that at about 11.40am Tuesday, they were informed that two divers from a cruise ship and an instructor from a company called “Living the Dream” were missing.

The group had been diving in the North Sound area near Stingray City when the two men and one woman became separated from their dive boat.

Dive boat staff raised the alarm when they realised three divers were missing.

The Joint Marine Unit immediately deployed Niven D, captained by Senior Police Constable Hugh Bush.

Within minutes, the Marine Unit crew spotted the missing divers approximately 200 yards outside the reef in extremely rough water, about a quarter of a mile from their dive boat.

Officers brought the divers – a 32-year-old man, his 22-year-old wife both from Arizona and a 33-year-old dive instructor - aboard the Niven D and transported them back to shore where they were checked out by paramedics.

“Thankfully, none of the divers were injured,” said Inspector Bennard Ebanks, the officer in charge of the Joint Marine Unit. “They were all understandably very tired; the sea was rough and the swells were about 5-6 feet in height; fighting those kind of waves would sap anyone’s strength.

“The dive company did exactly the right thing by raising the alarm as soon as they realised that something may be wrong. Their quick thinking combined with the fact that we were able to deploy so quickly most likely saved the lives of the divers today.”

The couple had been visiting the island on a day trip from a cruise ship. “They were both left extremely traumatised by the ordeal but are very grateful to everyone involved in their rescue,” Inspector Ebanks said.

The Joint Marine Unit comprises officers from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Customs Department and Immigration Department.

 

[dive ladder]

How does a dive instructor get lost at Stingray City. As I recall it's only 15 feet deep.

 

[EastEndDiver]

Dive Ladder ,I have no idea .There were small craft advisories posted for the area.The police report said there were 5-6 foot swells.

I am on island so I know the report is accurate.

 

[deeper thoughts]

I didnt think the seas could get that big at SC

 

[Alex777]

They would have been outside the reef at a dive site 'near' StingRay City, on or near the N Wall.

 

[CJ's]

The boat and the dive was at Stingray City. When the seas get rough outside the reef they push water over the reef which creates what can be a very strong current that runs along the inside of the reef and then out through the channel next to Stingray city.
It is possible to get caught in this current and be pulled outside the reef by it. Apart from being insanely "geographically challenged" this would seem to be the logical explanation.

 

[Alex777]

Yes, if they were actually diving StingRay City, that is the only explanation that makes sense.

 

[Maladryne]

When the seas get rough outside the reef they push water over the reef which creates what can be a very strong current that runs along the inside of the reef and then out through the channel next to Stingray city.

I had to rescue a diver in exactly this scenario some years ago at Stingray City. She and her buddy got separated; he surfaced, but she didn't until she was already in the channel. I went after her while rest of the divers were being recalled; the current going out was far too strong for her to swim against. I dragged her back in with the "knife in the sand", but there's no way I could have done that with two exhausted divers instead of one.
As soon as I read the story, I figured this was likely almost exactly the same deal.

 

[dixiedan]

Just goes to show that the only rescue you can really rely on is self rescue. Good thing the police turned up when they did.