Title: Divers lucky to be found
DirkPitt - September 18, 2005 12:51 PM (GMT)
The following story could easily have been a repeat of events that inspired the movie, Open Water ;
TWO British tourists who survived nearly six hours in the water after disappearing from a dive trip in north Queensland were "freakishly lucky" to have been found, one of their rescuers says.
Louise Woodger, 29, and Gordon Pratley, 31, spent hours clinging to emergency flotation devices after becoming separated from the dive boat Sea-Esta on the Great Barrier Reef about 10am yesterday.
The pair, suffering exhausting and mild hypothermia, were found about 3.50pm, nearly 10km from where they first entered the water at Wheeler Reef about 90km east-northeast of Townsville.
The ordeal revived memories of the disappearance of American couple Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who were left behind on a dive trip in Cairns in 1998.
Coast Guard skipper Jon Colless (Jon Colless) said the Britons were at risk from the "very large sharks" known to frequent Wheeler Reef.
They would have also been in greater danger if they weren't found before sunset.
"They were freakishly lucky that search was called early in the day, that the weather was going down, it had been a bit lumpy, and the skipper of the dive boat was right on the ball, did everything right," Mr Colless said today.
"Wheeler (Reef) Kay ... is known for having some very large sharks working its seaboard side and the risks increase at night because that's when a lot of your predators are out."
Mr Colless said the area the pair went missing was between two reefs and a high tide "caused a much stronger current between the reefs than I think anybody realised".
The skipper of the dive boat immediately raised the alarm after a routine head count, sparking a widespread air and sea hunt.
Dive Queensland spokesman Col McKenzie said the successful rescue was a result of new safety procedures put in place following the disappearance of the Lonergans.
"When the Lonergans were there, there was only a requirement for one person to do the head count and unfortunately in that case the person got it wrong," he told ABC Radio today.
"Now the head count is actually done by two people, so two staff members have to count everybody on board."
Police said there was no suggestion of any negligence by the crew.
link
OPEN WATER
TWO British tourists who survived nearly six hours in the water after disappearing from a dive trip in north Queensland were "freakishly lucky" to have been found, one of their rescuers says.
Louise Woodger, 29, and Gordon Pratley, 31, spent hours clinging to emergency flotation devices after becoming separated from the dive boat Sea-Esta on the Great Barrier Reef about 10am yesterday.
The pair, suffering exhausting and mild hypothermia, were found about 3.50pm, nearly 10km from where they first entered the water at Wheeler Reef about 90km east-northeast of Townsville.
The ordeal revived memories of the disappearance of American couple Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who were left behind on a dive trip in Cairns in 1998.
Coast Guard skipper Jon Colless (Jon Colless) said the Britons were at risk from the "very large sharks" known to frequent Wheeler Reef.
They would have also been in greater danger if they weren't found before sunset.
"They were freakishly lucky that search was called early in the day, that the weather was going down, it had been a bit lumpy, and the skipper of the dive boat was right on the ball, did everything right," Mr Colless said today.
"Wheeler (Reef) Kay ... is known for having some very large sharks working its seaboard side and the risks increase at night because that's when a lot of your predators are out."
Mr Colless said the area the pair went missing was between two reefs and a high tide "caused a much stronger current between the reefs than I think anybody realised".
The skipper of the dive boat immediately raised the alarm after a routine head count, sparking a widespread air and sea hunt.
Dive Queensland spokesman Col McKenzie said the successful rescue was a result of new safety procedures put in place following the disappearance of the Lonergans.
"When the Lonergans were there, there was only a requirement for one person to do the head count and unfortunately in that case the person got it wrong," he told ABC Radio today.
"Now the head count is actually done by two people, so two staff members have to count everybody on board."
Police said there was no suggestion of any negligence by the crew.
link
OPEN WATER
Kellym - September 18, 2005 04:45 PM (GMT)
Thank goodness the skipper reacted straight away th: th:
loren1 - September 24, 2005 01:29 PM (GMT)
They were so lucky to have been found so fast. I don't think I would want to dive without saftey lines. You may not be able to go to far but you won't be swept away with the current from the boat.