Two divers missing Whitsunday Islands

[Teamcasa]

Here is a good thread on Search and Rescue – Interesting perspective.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/general-scuba-equipment-discussions/211950-best-signalling-equipment-searchers-point-view.html

 

[almitywife]

its gonna get ugly...

Divers sell story for $1.1m as the blame game begins - National - theage.com.au
A PASSENGER on the dive boat from which a couple went missing for 19 hours off the Queensland coast has hit out at reports that the dive company was to blame for the potentially disastrous incident.

Meantime the couple has reportedly been paid $A1.1 million by the Sunday Mirror for their story.

American Alison Dalton and Briton Dick Neely clung to each other in darkness and high seas in shark-infested waters near Hayman Island, after they drifted away from the dive boat Pacific Star on Friday afternoon.

They were rescued on Saturday morning after they were spotted by a plane, floating 7.8 nautical miles from where they were last seen. Both were flown to Townsville Hospital and were released on Saturday night.

Attention has now turned to the dive company, with police and the Office of Workplace Health and Safety announcing they will conduct a routine investigation into how the dive trip almost ended in tragedy.

But a British tourist who was on the boat has described Mr Neely, 38, and Ms Dalton, 40, as "their own worst enemies" and defended the boat operators against claims they waited too long before alerting authorities to the couple's disappearance.

Matt Cawkwell, 28, said Mr Neely and Ms Dalton were told not to move out of the lagoon in which the dive boat was moored, but did so anyway.

"They took it upon themselves to venture further afield and that's how they ended up being caught in the current and that's how they ended up being lost," he told The Age last night.

"Everybody else got back. Less experienced divers who were doing the same thing realised what was happening and managed to make it back, these people didn't."

Mr Cawkwell said claims by the couple that they surfaced 200 metres from the dive boat but were unable to attract the attention of the 18 people on board were unlikely to be true.

"They say they came up 200 metres away, but it's just wrong," he said. "We don't know exactly where they came up, but there were enough eyes on that boat to have seen anyone within 1000 metres — easily."

Mr Cawkwell took exception to claims that the boat operators waited three hours before contacting the emergency services.

"That's not correct, it was a much shorter time than that," he said. "They went at 2pm and they weren't due back 'til 3pm, and there is no way it was phoned in after 6pm — that's just totally inaccurate.

"It just seems that everyone's saying the company were responsible, when I think the responsibility lies with the two people who took it … (upon) themselves to do literally what they wanted and disregarded everything else.

"They couldn't wait to get back in the water, even though they should have waited longer."

 

[Scared Silly]

NBC here in the states is already showing highlights of "divers left in shark infested waters"

 

[leapfrog]

Then they'll sell the movie rights for another $5,000,000. Angelina and Brad as the couple in shark infested waters? The rescue crew are the guys who should get the money. These two individuals should be happy to be alive.

 

[JB]

It's a sad reflection on our society, that the emergency first response is to secure a lawyer! We are extremely averse to making people accountable for their own actions. In the current culture, the individual is never at fault, it is always a system failure or someone else's fault when something bad happens.
Perhaps we can start a movement, to once again hold individuals accountable, who then suffer the consequences of their actions without a near fatal attack of "compensitis". My sympathies lie with the dive operator, who will now be subjected to a witch hunt-- moreso us divers, who will probably be subjected to even more restrictive legislation (the 21st century bandaid "when something bad happens, pass another law").
A lot of conclusions have been jumped to so far and I look forward to the official report. I believe the basic error is with the divers who while being super qualified, and experienced failed in their part of the contract ie. to listen to, follow the briefing and return to the boat, (seems like everyone else did), the subsequent events are subject to conjecture at this point, I suspect before passing judgment we will need the facts from the enquiry.
Congratulations to the rescue services, something we can be proud of. I suspect that a donation of the entire procedes of the media frenzie to the rescue services, should go some of the way to expressing gratitude for being saved.
By the way is this a new species of aggressive sea snake? Definitely movie material the stuff nightmares are made of snakes and sharks, receding boats and hellicopters, all we're missing is a salty or 2.
Nevertheless pleased there was such a "good" outcome.



"the dollar is god, and the cigarette is the devil" - Gattinoni

 

[Saltwater Junky]

Before long we'l be seeing more of the divers....they'll be making the morning news/talk show circuit promoting their book/movie. It is going to get lively.

 

[almitywife]

for whatever reasons... there has been a very negative response to these 2 divers and selling their story so quickly. maybe they upset the aussie media for selling to the UK media first ??

the article title is misleading though because if you read the report.... "They are covered by insurance so it will cover the cost of the rescue and they will be happy to make any donation necessary," Mr Markson told Fairfax"

I noticed it didnt take them long to hook up with Max Markson - a PR ***** of the worst of them... I hope they werent making phone calls to him before this all started or they will be crucified






anyways, Divers to donate to rescuers | The Daily Telegraph

A COUPLE who spent 19 hours drifting at sea off Queensland and sold their survival story for up to a reported $1.1 million have agreed to help cover the cost of the rescue.

Richard Neely, 38, from the UK, and his American partner Allyson Dalton, 40, were diving on the Great Barrier Reef on Friday when they surfaced too far from their chartered boat for those aboard to see them or hear their cries for help.

They were rescued on Saturday morning after a plane spotted them floating 7.8 nautical miles from where they were last seen.

Melbourne's The Age newspaper has reported the couple sold their story for $1.1 million to the UK's Sunday Mirror.

But the couriermail.com.au has said the figure is less than $10,000, but the couple is negotiating interviews with other overseas media that could fetch $250,000.

Dive investigators from Queensland's Office of Workplace Health and Safety are now investigating the dive company, which reportedly took three hours to raise the alarm after realising the couple was missing.

Police have finished their investigation, and have confirmed no charges will be laid.

Debate has now started over whether the dive company or the couple should pick up the bill for the rescue, which involved seven helicopters, three planes and six boats.

Premier Anna Bligh yesterday joined calls for the couple to contribute to the "extraordinary" effort.

"If they are going to profit from their story I don't think a contribution back would go astray," Ms Bligh said in Ingham, in the state's north.

"It would be a very welcome gesture.

Celebrity agent Max Markson, who has taken on the couple as clients, said today the cost of the rescue would be met by their insurance.

"They are covered by insurance so it will cover the cost of the rescue and they will be happy to make any donation necessary," Mr Markson told Fairfax.

Some industry figures are also calling for better safety on board dive boats.

CQ Rescue Helicopter general manager Phillip Dowler said the industry should consider using more emergency position-indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs).

"I would just like to ask, especially probably the charter dive companies, whether it is practical ... to have further EPIRBS for people, or some sort of locating device on the mothership that they're on, to track the people in the water," Mr Dowler told ABC radio.

 

[augk]

I saw this video on my news link tonight lucky pair


If the link doesn't launch the video, copy and paste the link into your browser's address bar and hit "enter."

http://www.comcast.net/providers/fan/popup.html?v=752999789

 

[Diver Dennis]

More from the BBC...


UK diver 'should pay for rescue'


The divers were rescued after an 18-hour search
Australian authorities have suggested a UK diver and his girlfriend rescued after 18 hours in the sea should pay towards the cost of saving them.
Richard Neely, 38, and American Allison Dalton, 40, got separated from a diving expedition on the Great Barrier Reef.
The rescue operation off the coast of Queensland involved seven helicopters, three planes and six boats.
State premier Anna Bligh suggested Mr Neely foot some of the bill after he sold his story to a UK Sunday tabloid.
At one stage a venomous snake reared in Ms Dalton's face, and they feared they would be attacked by sharks.
After the rescue, the couple were flown to hospital where they were in good spirits despite suffering mild hypothermia.
The divers had become lost on Friday when they resurfaced 200 metres from their dive boat after a reef dive.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | UK diver 'should pay for rescue'

 

[almitywife]

personally, providing they are innocent victims, they shouldnt have to pay a single cent

i think its becasue they stitched up media deals so quickly that it has caused the general public and media to turn against them

but im guessing they had alot of time to talk about selling their story while they were floating out there for 18hrs

cheers