vladimir
The Voice of Reason
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I guess they use a gps location on the surface and inertial navigation beneath.
The OP has been edited to remove the mention of safety as a consideration. As has been pointed out, the analogy to avalanche pingers is invalid from a safety perspective because avalanche victims can survive for extended periods of time under the snow, as opposed to divers with limited gas supplies. You could imagine a scenario where a rebreather diver was sucked to the depths by a downcurrent and subsequently entangled, I guess, but that's beyond far-fetched.
If there are baggage constraints, or constraints on how much gear a diver can safely carry, the recovery device being discussed would be displacing gear that might actually help keep the diver alive, rather than just aid in the body recovery. A personal locator beacon is an obvious example, but a half liter of water or a signal mirror is equally valid. But if the only concern is body recovery, then a well-lubricated weightbelt buckle will probably serve as well as anything.
If safety is in fact a concern, adequate signaling devices, a larger tank, and a little fresh water would be my short list of solutions.
