Missing Divers Found Safe & Sound

[tedwhiteva]

Missing Divers Found Safe & Sound
UPPER KEYS (CBS4) ― The search for two missing divers in the Upper Keys ended early Sunday morning when both were found safe and sound on land at mile marker 72.

44-year old John Ritowski and 33-year old Shelly Brown were reported missing Saturday after the failed to surface from a dive on the Tennessee Reef off south of Lower Matecumbe Key.

The Coast Guard immediately began searching the area where the divers went missing using Coast Guard Station Islamorada, a Coast Guard rescue helicopter from Miami, and a Coast Guard rescue helicopter based out of Detroit. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are also assisting in the search.

Sunday morning the Monroe County Sheriff's Office contacted the Coast Guard to say that both Ritowski and Brown were safe. The pair told deputies they swam back to shore after they had surfaced from a dive too far from their dive boat. Both divers were reported to be in good condition and were taken home by family members.

WONDER WHAT BOAT THEY HAD BEEN ON?

 

[DandyDon]

Nice to see good news from a bad situation here. I suspect they did not carry a sausage, mirror, or dive alert?

 

[idivetrain]

If they were diving with a dive charter why didnt they bother to contact them later that day to let them know that they were ok? Think of the time that was spent searching for them at they relaxed in the Keys. I cant believe they didnt think to contact them and call the search off. Almost all dive boats go over the roll call and the importance of that. They had to have known that their presence was missed!

 

[Gombessa]

If they were diving with a dive charter why didnt they bother to contact them later that day to let them know that they were ok?

Where does it say they were relaxing on the beach for a day? It sounds like they made it to shore and were heading back towards civilization when the police picked them up.

 

[DandyDon]

Still, there is a serious problem in this statement: Almost all dive boats go over the roll call and the importance of that.

 

[farsidefan1]

What the heck??? Lots of unanswered questions here. Be nice to know the name of the dive company involved. Blame should probably be split between the divers andthe boat crew. If they were that close to shore they shoul have been spotted by the boat crew who (one would like to assume) were frantically looking for them. Shore would have been one of the places to look, again assuming that the divers were missed immediately and not after the boat returned to base.

 

[idivetrain]

Where does it say they were relaxing on the beach for a day? It sounds like they made it to shore and were heading back towards civilization when the police picked them up.

He said they were lost on Saturday but not found until Sunday. That is long enough to notify the boat. Not that I know for a fact that they were relaxing on the beach, but while authorities were searching for them they didnt feel the need to notify anyone they were ok.

 

[plumbcrazy]

I don't usually get in the middle of these things, but I think I see something was missed. The top few lines that is.

Missing Divers Found Safe & Sound
UPPER KEYS (CBS4) ― The search for two missing divers in the Upper Keys ended early Sunday morning when both were found safe and sound on land at mile marker 72.

I don't mean any harm just trying to help.

I agree Dandy Don they may not have been with a sausage, mirror, or dive alert. But I do have a question about that. How far are these things good for and is there anything other than these that could help in a situation like this? That is if you found your self in that position. I know this could start a whole different debate but I am asking a true question for the knowledge of safety only. I do carry these things but I always wonder if something were to happen would it be enough.

 

[DandyDon]

I agree Dandy Don they may not have been with a sausage, mirror, or dive alert. But I do have a question about that. How far are these things good for and is there anything other than these that could help in a situation like this? That is if you found your self in that position. I know this could start a whole different debate but I am asking a true question for the knowledge of safety only. I do carry these things but I always wonder if something were to happen would it be enough.

Even the cheapest sausage can be seen from afar, much better than a diver's head in choppy water, or laid down on the water when a search plane is heard. There are bigger ones than I carry.

A signal mirror can be seen at great distances, depending on conditions, available sun and light behind it, and I also carry a LED dive light on every dive along with a camera and strobe on most. The strobe can be fired even if the camera battery is dead.

The Dive Alert is the most costly, but I won't go to sea without it. Have you ever fired yours without holding your head underwater? I did once. :11:

How far can each be seen or heard will vary, but all good ideas. Most vacation divers I've noticed carry none of these.

 

[Gombessa]

He said they were lost on Saturday but not found until Sunday. That is long enough to notify the boat. Not that I know for a fact that they were relaxing on the beach, but while authorities were searching for them they didnt feel the need to notify anyone they were ok.

Yeah, but look at the account. They were found early Sunday morning in the middle of some long stretch of road by the police. Afterwards, they were taken home by their families. I think it's very safe to say they were alone, wandering and still looking for help at that point, not ignoring a pay phone while drinking beer in some pub.

If it was so easy to contact the dive shop, don't you think they would have called their families to tell them they were OK, or at least called a cab to get them off the highway?