Teenage diver search called off

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Which makes it even more bizarre. Surface separation should never happen. You surface together, you stay together and if theres a current you hold onto each other. It really does look like they didn't have a VHF radio onboard from seeing the local news on TV here.

 

[sporket]

Any updates. Very scary to think about. So many blanks on what could have been done to prevent this tragedy.

 

[Lonefox]

At present it's difficult to tell what's taken place, can't tell if he's holed his BC and sunk without dropping weights, been struck by surface traffic, taken by current, or whether there's another factor that for whatever reason, currently remains undisclosed.

With regard to surface separation, it can happen suprisingly fast, I lost my buddy on a night dive due to surface separation in Egypt 2 years ago, in the time it took for me to be helped onto the rib in slightly choppy conditions, my buddy was taken. Fortunately we had strobes, and he had the sense to turn his on, which made locating him easy. I hate to think what could have happened had that not been the case. Shouting for him was futile as with the combined noise of the wind and the boat engines, I couldn't have heard him shouting back.
Needless to say this year we're both taking glowsticks, whistles, SMB's and strobes. No price is too high, after experiencing the heart sinking despair of a missing buddy. I can say first hand, when I was sitting on the boat, in the few minutes before his strobe came on, my thoughts were beginning to drift towards what I could say to his family, feelings of guilt that I allowed myself to be pulled onto the boat first, it was quite possisbly the worst I have ever felt, and I only had to endure it for 2 minutes.
Succinct to say, my buddy was perfectly calm, and relaxed, and was already considering swimming to the livaboard after seeing our rib begin to turn back, but then he could see us, and already knew what his action plan was.

 

[String]

News only reporting search called off. Looking highly likely like he sunk or would have been found by now.

Very little detail as to what exactly happened but that no doubt will only be released during the coroners inquest so some time next year at a guess.

Surface separation should never ever happen. You surface, you stay close, you hold on.
Nobody knows if they had DSMBs or not or if they had torches or exactly what surface cover was present. You really should NEVER leave your buddy alone on the surface though.

 

[ScubaSteve]

News only reporting search called off. Looking highly likely like he sunk or would have been found by now......

Terrible news. As unlikely as it is, I am sure we all still hope he is found alive. At this point, found at all would be better as I can only imagine how the family must feel not knowing. Right now maybe that equals hope, but eventually it would feel like an empty void with a door that cannot be closed. Just terrible.

 

[Lonefox]

Many things should never happen, but they do, and generally at times when they shouldn't. My own experience was due to a number of factors.
1) Sea conditions borderline for the night dive we were taken on. (Acknowledged by guide after, that sea conditions had worstened rapidly just after entry)
2) Zodiac returned to Livaboard, Buddy encountered equalisation issues at beginning of night drift.
3) Buddy and I surface on edge of reef with progressively larger swell, and drifting further from livaboard with currents, not particularly strong, but surf not helping.
4) Signal for assistance with torch, zodiac launches.
5) Am pulled onto zodiac, single egyptian in boat, torn between task of retreiving me from water and ensuring zodiac not washed up onto reef.
6) Buddy previously holding onto Rib while I boarded found it difficult to retain grip on pitching zodiac, and releases grip.
7) Buddy is not visible at this stage, wind and engine are all I can hear, I stand to look expecting buddy to be holding onto zodiac ropes, but no sign, realise that it's pitch black and sea surface making it difficult to see anything.
8) Zodiac driver turns to move away from reef, and return flapping diver (me, yelling for my mate) to liveaboard.
9) Engine starts, and my buddy remembers shoulder strobe and turns it on, we recover him.

This whole situation took place very quickly, I have no doubt that the guides knowing the currents were confident that there was no major problem.
My buddy was unflustered and quite calm, as he could see I was safe, could see where the boat was, and was quite happy that he could make it back to the liveaboard if necessary.

I on the other hand was flustered, couldn't see my buddy, had no understanding of the preparedness of the boat crew, or or their knowledge of the currents in the area, or expectations that my buddy would remember his strobe, had I been in my buddy's position I would probably have similarly been unphased.

It does happen, it didn't happen for long (couple of minutes) but enough to panic me (remaining calm when you feel that you will never see your best mate again does not come naturally).

We did learn from this, and will now not attempt a night dive without each carrying 2 x Glowsticks, a Strobe, SMB, Whistle and Torch. If nothing else we're well equipped to go to a Rave party afterwards.

 

[seco divemaster17]

I hope the boy is alive, and i hope they find him

 

[String]

I hope the boy is alive, and i hope they find him

Realistically there's no hope of that at all now. Far to long to survive in water of that temperature especially given the horrific weather conditions this week.

Also if he was on the surface he would have been found by the initial SAR. It was very close to shore and the prediction software they use is excellent.

 

[limbo]

It seems that no news is not good news in this case.

Very sad, my thoughts are with the family of the boy.

 

[String]

Slight update:- Looks like police divers are still searching and they've just been offered some sidescan/proton mag kit to help look for the body:

Proton Magnetometer and Side-scan Sonar - YD Scuba Diving Forums