New Zealand: Divers swim for three hours after boat sinks

[Geoff_H]

I noticed on the link to the Sea Marshall 325' EPIRB, that it needs to be turned on at the point you need it. This presumes that you have the time, ability and presence of mind to turn it on in an emergency, so it could be a potential weakness. Do they all have to be turned on only when emergency help is needed or can any of them keep track all the time, perhaps with a distress call button as well?

I'm sure they all need to be turned on. Otherwise, how would anyone know which divers needed rescuing if they were floating all the time broadcasting an emergency signal?

I don't think switching them on is a big deal. If I'm lost at sea then I'm going to have plenty of time and motivation to flip a switch and extend the antenna. When it was demonstrated to me the process took all of five seconds.

 

[Ayisha]

That is true if nothing else happened before you became lost at sea. I was thinking of it not just to find lost "able" divers, but perhaps someone who becomes unconscious at the surface or for body recovery. I guess you would expect that the buddy could activate the EPIRB in that case, but we all know the buddy is not there way too often in tragedies. Also if someone has been gone significantly past their expected time, maybe someone on the boat or shore could activate it to locate them. I have no idea how these things work, I'm just wondering if it could also be useful when someone is incapacitated before they have a chance to activate it.

 

[DandyDon]

Let's all get satellite tracking micro chips embedded in our skulls.

 

[Ayisha]

let's all get satellite tracking micro chips embedded in our skulls.

No!!!
Resist!!!