Okay, after reading all this, I have a few thoughts. (yes, I've had my coffee and am somewhat lucid).
I see the thread of dive instructors not having safety gear---why..... You know, did they bring their own gear(in which case every diver should have their own safety sausage, that is a pre-requisite for our dive boats), if they rented gear- as most long range travellers do- that should have been part of the rental gear.
Okay, the dive boat waited 3 hours? DMs should list their buddy pairs as they take their first dive, check them in afterwards, then recheck them on each subsequent dive in and out of the water. It sounds like this was not done, and when the couple surfaced so far from the boat, without signal gear, the boat seems to have not noticed that they were missing a pair of divers.
Now for the "Australians don't sem to go missing" statement. An Australian in Australia would likely have their own gear, and all their kits, which holiday only divers usually don't and they rent the minimum most often. Also, I would expect a local to know the waters and understand local currents, and conditions. They also would tend to use smaller locals dive boats. So I guess they wouldn't get separated from the boat as often.
I can only speak for my own dive shop and boats in this regard, so here goes:
DMs must:
1. Check that ALL divers have safety gear in two forms.
2. give a boat briefing at the marina
3. Give a comlpete site briefing at the divesite. Set maximum dive time.
4. Call roll at marina, record buddy teams and check that the team is a capable experienced team that knows the site, or one of the DMs will lead that group.
5. Check each team upon return from each dive.
I travel extensively, and I always ask about the boat and their procedures. If they don't have the right answers and procedure list, I dive elsewhere. I also take responsibility for myself. I make sure that I have all of my safety gear. I Always a divelight(it also has a strobe on the option), sausage, air horn, and reflector. I don't depend on anyone else to take care of me in these regards. That's my job and no one should skip them. Heck, even my 10 yr old daughter refuses to get in the water unless she checks for Her safety gear and demands that her buddy have their own.
So what I'm saying is, I think things like this could be avoided from two sides. The dive boat sounds negligent and the divers should have taken personal responsibility for their own safety equipment and check of the dive group's emergency procedure they were going to dive with. This could have been tragic in it's ending.
OK soapbax now back under the bed.
Dee
