Two divers missing Whitsunday Islands

[almitywife]

personally i still feel that both sides stuffed up in some way, meaning that i dont believe both sides are 100% innocent of their actions and as a result the situation got out of hand and far more serious than it needed too. even if a set up, a night out in open water is not pleasant and i couldnt imagine how bad it must have been at its darkest and coldest

i still dont understand how if the 2 in the water were using their whistles and waving their smb's around how both the crew and the passengers didnt see them and i guess thats why these 2 got such a hard time over this

i also still dont begrudge them one cent made although i wish their choice of PR mouth (max markson) was a better choice because i guess (as a local) thats where some of the ill feeling towards them came from also

on the plus side - havent seen them on my tv for a while and thats a good thing

 

[Damselfish]

Haha, thanks. I did find some sites that offered similar deals. Just could not get interested in $63/100 ct package plus 23# freight.

When Halloween is close, maybe go for one of the orange ones printed like a jack-o-lantern. umpkin:

 

[DandyDon]

personally i still feel that both sides stuffed up in some way, meaning that i dont believe both sides are 100% innocent of their actions and as a result the situation got out of hand and far more serious than it needed too. even if a set up, a night out in open water is not pleasant and i couldnt imagine how bad it must have been at its darkest and coldest

i still dont understand how if the 2 in the water were using their whistles and waving their smb's around how both the crew and the passengers didnt see them and i guess thats why these 2 got such a hard time over this

i also still dont begrudge them one cent made although i wish their choice of PR mouth (max markson) was a better choice because i guess (as a local) thats where some of the ill feeling towards them came from also

on the plus side - havent seen them on my tv for a while and thats a good thing

Not enough money exists for me to knowingly staged this accident and intentionally spend the night floating at sea in hopes they'd find me the next day. I don't know their sanity levels, so - I'll await the report from those better trained and more privy than anyone on this board.

When Halloween is close, maybe go for one of the orange ones printed like a jack-o-lantern. umpkin:

Didn't I see Hawoleen stuff out already? I have to stop by WMart tomorrow so I'll check.

 

[String]

i still dont understand how if the 2 in the water were using their whistles and waving their smb's around how both the crew and the passengers didnt see them and i guess thats why these 2 got such a hard time over this

Most likely explanation for this is they didnt surface where they claimed to have. In other words they came up outside the lagoon.

 

[Kern]

I think I'll trust the investigators report

Last I heard, that's last night, the official investigation is not complete & therefore has not been released. Does anyone have any 1st hand information that says otherwise. Like a copy of the Qld. OH & S report. Or is your info as good as mine. In other words, just crap via a media outlet.

 

[DandyDon]

Last I heard, that's last night, the official investigation is not complete & therefore has not been released. Does anyone have any 1st hand information that says otherwise. Like a copy of the Qld. OH & S report. Or is your info as good as mine. In other words, just crap via a media outlet.

How many posts did you read?

Start with this one, ok....?

*** UPDATE from todays news wire ***


Dive couple Richard Neely and Allyson Dalton told truth | NEWS.com.au

Dive couple Richard Neely and Allyson Dalton told truthBy Peter Michael

Dive couple's story of how they went missing disputed
Investigators now find they were telling the truth
They find the mishap was due to 'operator error'

MIRACLE dive couple Richard Neely and Allyson Dalton told the truth about their 19-hour ordeal at sea, a top-level investigation has found.

Investigators, in a soon-to-be-released report, have backed the version of events by the British scuba instructor, 38, and his American girlfriend, 40.

The experienced divers - with 2000-plus underwater dives each - survived being lost at sea during a dive expedition on the Great Barrier Reef, off Airlie Beach, two months ago.

They sold their story in a media bidding war rumoured to be worth up to $250,000 - but faced scathing criticism as doubts surfaced amid claims they staged their disappearance.

In a ringing endorsement for the couple, the Queensland Workplace Health and Safety report, near completion, is set to find the mishap was due to "operator error", sources have confirmed.

In turn, senior WHS investigators are expected to recommend charges against both dive company OzSail, which operated the dive boat, and former dive trip director Kylie Irwin, 31.

Rescuers found Mr Neely and Ms Dalton clinging together for warmth after spending the night in the shark-infested waters on May 26.

The couple survived being swept 15km out to sea as a strong current dragged them away from their dive boat, the Pacific Star. They said they were unable to attract the attention of crew and other passengers.

But OzSail issued a stinging rebuke in the days after the rescue, accusing the couple of leaving the agreed dive area and not following safety instructions.

Both Mr Neely and Ms Dalton were unable to be contacted for comment overseas.

OzSail operations manager Ross Peters said his company had not yet seen a final copy of the report. He declined to comment on the likelihood of them facing charges.

Mr Irwin, who did not return calls yesterday, was sacked by OzSail and is understood to have left Airlie Beach to find work in Perth.

 

[Geoff_H]

Most likely explanation for this is they didnt surface where they claimed to have. In other words they came up outside the lagoon.

I think that is not disputed?

Without wishing to read the whole thread again, I thought it was fairly well accepted they surfaced outside the lagoon, or at least 200m away from the boat? It is a point of contention whether this was agreed in advance with the dive crew on the boat or not but that they surfaced a good distance away is accepted by all.

However it is a long leap for me to conclude they then concocted the whole situation to sell their stories for money. Who hasn't got lost in navigation at one point in their diving? Even if someone has never got lost, not everyone is as perfect a diver as you claim to be...

 

[Kern]

How many posts did you read?

Start with this one, ok....?

That's a media release Don. It even says the report has not been released "Investigators, in a soon-to-be-released report".

Last night in OZ another media outlet quoted Qld. OH & S as saying that the investigation was not complete & as yet no findings have been made.

Which one should I believe. As the media are in busyness to sell ladies hygiene products & prophylactics & will say almost anything to do so they are very low on my list of reliable information.

As I have no 1st hand facts, I have no opinion about the event. As I'v heard 2 people say 1 thing & at least half a dozen say somthing else, I just can't know the truth.

 

[String]

Odd how every single other diver on that boat heard the part about not going outside yet these claimed not to. Most likely they just ignored the advice or got lost. Now its rampant profiteering from their own screwup.

Also surely a H&S report will investigate purely as to whether the commercial outfit broke any guidelines and wont/cant touch on the individuals that actually did the dive as that isnt its mandate.

 

[almitywife]

......Now its rampant profiteering from their own screwup.

oh i wouldnt be so harsh... its the stupid media that pulled out their cheque books that caused the frenzy.

if you were bopping around in the ocean at 3am in the morning, wouldnt you be thinking 'if we survive this im selling my story for a **** load of money and going on a holiday!'

i know i would