4 diveres went missing - Malpelo, Colombia

[KeithG]

For what it's worth, all of the private boats I dive on, including my own, require an SMB and audible signaling device.

I personally dive with an SMB, whistle, DiveAlert and PLB. It's not just being separated from the boat, there's a number of other concerns. Many of us have dove or seen wrecks... Most of these boats didn't end up on the bottom of the ocean on purpose.

We do dive with a safety sausage (which I now think is too short), a whistle, a mirror and a flash light (which has a low power long-ish life strobe).

I do not think any of these would have been of immediate help in this situation?

 

[CuzzA]

IME, surfacing a 1/4 mile a way from our boat once, 25 miles offshore and drifting for 20 minutes; yelling, a whistle and a 4 ft. SMB was useless. Fortunately I also carry an 8 ft. SMB and 5 minutes after deploying the 8 footer the boat finally spotted me. Seas were 3-4 ft and I too was accompanied by bull sharks which added stress to the situation as I had fish on me.

After that incident I added the DiveAlert, which is deafeningly loud (put your head under water before use). Whether that could have made a difference in this case I do not know. If each diver had a PLB it most certainly would have.

 

[Juan Ojeda]

Thanks for sharing, important lessons learned here for everyone, next year I will visit my beautiful Malpelo again, this time more prepared than ever, that's for sure.

 

[KevinNM]

I am interested in feedback on what would be considered the minimal set of safety gear each diver should be packing for "more adventurous" dives. I am also interested in feedback on what boat procedures would be necessary for this type of dive.

I'm thinking of a PLB and an aircraft band radio in a dive container. Maybe also a Marine VHF with DSC, or a Nautilus Lifeline. Along with a 6 ft SMB and a strobe that I have already.

 

[CuzzA]

I'm thinking of a PLB and an aircraft band radio in a dive container. Maybe also a Marine VHF with DSC, or a Nautilus Lifeline. Along with a 6 ft SMB and a strobe that I have already.

If you buy the ACR ResQLink+ it already comes with an integrated strobe. You'll want the plus model because it's buoyant. It would suck to deploy your PLB and you accidentally drop it and it sinks to the abyss. They cost $245 and currently have a $50 mail in rebate. ACR 2881 ResQLink+ PLB Personal Locator Beacon The GPS Store

I bought a CustomDivers canister for the PLB. They are sold out of the U.K., but with the favorable exchange rate right now with the dollar I believe you can get one for ~$65 plus another ~$30 to ship. http://www.customdivers.com/canisters---plbs-120-c.asp

The stowing size between the 6 and 8 ft. SMB is minimal. I would just go with an 8. Piranha Dive Mfg. (A ScubaBoard sponsor) sells a very nice 8 ft. DSMB at a great price, ~$33 8-Foot-High-Viz-Orange-SMB-Ocean-Model-. I highly recommend the DiveAlert too, ~$50. DiveAlert-DA-1-for-Above-Water-Use

 

[Dan]

This forum is about learning from incidents. So what can we learn from this? As a warm water vacation diver, I believe this type of dive is way beyond anything that I would consider (read: be capable of). But maybe I could be tricked by sly marketing...

I have never been on a day boat that required any type of special (safety) gear. I have been on liveaboards that required a safety sausage or a signal flag. Some of these LOBs operated very far from any type of emergency services, but they operated in very benign high visibility almost zero current conditions. Any kind of current or really bad viz meant the the boat went to a different dive site.

I am interested in feedback on what would be considered the minimal set of safety gear each diver should be packing for "more adventurous" dives. I am also interested in feedback on what boat procedures would be necessary for this type of dive.

The most extreme rescue operation I have witnessed is a LOB firing up the "dinghy of shame" to go retrieve a few divers that were working on their rescue class. I hope they failed the class...

On page 7 I wrote this:

This unfortunate situation made me think what if it happens to me. So, for my next liveaboard, I'll have the following items attached to my BCD or in BCD pockets:
1. Whistle
2. 6' SMB
3. Mirror
4. Flashlight
5. Dive Alert air horn
6. Nautilus Lifeline (for 1st 24hr)
7. Ocean Signal RescueME PLB1 (for 2nd 24hr)

Also will add 500ml water bottle.

I think it is critical to be rescued in the 1st 48 hours. Nautilus & PLB1 each has only 24 hour power to send out SOS, strobe & GPS location anyway. Personally, I really doubt myself to be found alive beyond 48 hours floating in the sea.

 

[KeithG]

I'm thinking of a PLB and an aircraft band radio in a dive container. Maybe also a Marine VHF with DSC, or a Nautilus Lifeline. Along with a 6 ft SMB and a strobe that I have already.

I agree that a PLB is a minimum. I claim I lernd about them from Dandy Don.

But I currently think about a PLB as a "next day" device. Calmly sitting in my den I claim I would be a little hesitant to trigger it if I could still see my boat.

But maybe a PLB should be your first line of defense? Kind of like dropping your weight belt...I paid for the damn thing, I am going to use it!

 

[KeithG]

I agree that a PLB is a minimum. I claim I lernd about them from Dandy Don.

But I currently think about a PLB as a "next day" device. Calmly sitting in my den I claim I would be a little hesitant to trigger it if I could still see my boat.

But maybe a PLB should be your first line of defense? Kind of like dropping your weight belt...I paid for the damn thing, I am going to use it!

I think I am getting to the place that I would trigger a PLB immediately...

 

[Dan]

While we are talking about PLB, I recently posted this: Ocean Signal RescueME PLB1

What do you guys think?

 

[Dan]

IME, surfacing a 1/4 mile a way from our boat once, 25 miles offshore and drifting for 20 minutes; yelling, a whistle and a 4 ft. SMB was useless. Fortunately I also carry an 8 ft. SMB and 5 minutes after deploying the 8 footer the boat finally spotted me. Seas were 3-4 ft and I too was accompanied by bull sharks which added stress to the situation as I had fish on me.

After that incident I added the DiveAlert, which is deafeningly loud (put your head under water before use). Whether that could have made a difference in this case I do not know. If each diver had a PLB it most certainly would have.

Did you donate the fish to the bull sharks?