Tourist lost - Cozumel

[DandyDon]

Marina talk has mentioned Cedral / beginning of Santa Rosa from the Aqua Diver, rumored dive op being one of the larger ones.

Navy search continues for missing Cozumel dive tourist - Riviera Maya News

Cozumel, Q.R. -- A tourist diving off the southern end of the island of Cozumel remains missing after failing to resurface Monday afternoon.

riviera-maya-news.com

Navy search continues for missing Cozumel dive tourist​

BY RIVIERA MAYA NEWS ON JANUARY 17, 2023 |
COZUMEL NEWS

Cozumel, Q.R. — A tourist diving off the southern end of the island of Cozumel remains missing. On Monday afternoon, personnel from the Naval Search, Rescue and Maritime Surveillance Station began to look for the missing diver after he failed to resurface.
He was part of a group of tourists who went on an escorted dive Monday at the Santa Rosa Reef. When he failed to resurface with the others around 3:00 p.m., authorities were called in.

Navy personnel began a search for the missing diver after being notified of his failure to resurface and the crew’s failure in locating him underwater. There is a possibility that the man was dragged by the strong sea currents. A search alert has been extended to local fishermen in Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
Authorities have not identified the man, however, according to preliminary information, he is reported to be a North American tourist.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

Hope he is found ok, but odds seem slim at this point. This is why I bought air horns for my wife and I, and I think we will get Nautilus rescue beacons as well. We had a hairy encounter with a ripping current at Punta Tunich wall last year and it caused me to consider the possibility we could be separated on a dive.

 

[DandyDon]

I bought air horns for my wife and I

Do y'all carry signal mirrors? I wear one hung from my neck inside my jumpsuit. Can be seen a lot further than a horn can be heard, which I also carry.

 

[Curious_George]

Those all work great if you surface. SMB helps too. I carry a nautilus.

Coming back we saw multiple times an isolated diver(s) on the surface without a SMB and lots of congested boat traffic.

I was diving just south of Santa Rosa yesterday at 1pm (La Francesa) and the DM indicated current was quite strong. Hope they are found.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

I do have an SMB, and so does my wife. I do have signal mirror, but don't always carry it (though I should). My USAF SERE training proved the merits of the mirror. We tend to forget that as safe as diving is, there is always the possibility something can go wrong.

 

[DandyDon]

Those all work great if you surface.

Yes, that's the first requirement. Drop the weights if you must. Even if injured in a rapid ascent, survival chances are much greater than sinking.

Coming back we saw multiple times an isolated diver(s) on the surface without a SMB and lots of congested boat traffic.

That's the first extra equipment I bought over 20 years ago. Still works, altho I avoid inflating it if I am close to the DM's and it seems that the skipper has me spotted.

I do have an SMB, and so does my wife. I do have signal mirror, but don't always carry it (though I should). My USAF SERE training proved the merits of the mirror. We tend to forget that as safe as diving is, there is always the possibility something can go wrong.

I remember the day that a boat full of divers broke up and sunk after not registering their channel crossing with the port master (illegal boat). They got off one phone call that went thru or no search would have started for hours. It still took hours to find them all. Mirrors are so easy to wear.

 

[Johnoly]

.. than a horn can be heard...

Speaking of 'low-tech'. I shoved a ' Hyper Whistle ' in the bottom of one of my weight pouches. This TINY thing will burst an ear drum it's so loud. But the best is, zero moving parts, zero maintenance, you can leave it in the pouch for 10 yrs - never look at it - and it will still work perfectly. OHH and it definitely is heard by almost any boat 1/4 mile with no wind. Cheap too at $15 on A-zon but not allowed to link it here.

 

[divezonescuba]

Having actually been rescued by using a signal mirror, I can say that is it extremely important to practice in advance. Successful use is significantly more difficult than blowing a whistle.

 

[Kimela]

When I first joined DAN they were giving out these nifty name tags that are also signal mirrors. I've worn it ever since. I carry an SMB, and I learned how to whistle about as loud as most of the regular whistles - but that one that @Johnoly posted looks good.

I hope things turn out well for this diver. I'd really like more details to help me determine what I can do better to avoid this happening. That said, sometimes things happen you simply can't prepare for - and 'you don't know what you don't know'.

 

[DandyDon]

Speaking of 'low-tech'. I shoved a ' Hyper Whistle ' in the bottom of one of my weight pouches. This TINY thing will burst an ear drum it's so loud.

Bottom of a weight pouch? I guess you mean in a pocket.

Cheap too at $15 on A-zon but not allowed to link it here.

I have to wonder why A-zon is blocked here.

I have a Storm whistle hung with my DAN tag on an upper clip. The Storm whistle inventor made a video about those...