8 Divers missing Taiwan

[shellbackdiver1]

8 divers (2 female and 6 males) were supposed to surface around 11AM to 11:30 AM this morning at "Seven Stars" dive site. It is now 5PM and they have not been found. This is an open water pinnicle site with ripping current. Considering the moon phase the site would almost be un-divable at this time. There was a total of 12 missing but 4were found.

6 years ago the same shop/boat lost 5 divers at the same site. 2 died and 3 were found few days later alive.

2 weeks ago I went out to site but the boat captain cancelled the dive due to high waves. Last year I did the site and the current was strong. However our boat captain is excellent, our group stayed together and the boat stayed right above us the entire time.

Lets hope for the best.

 

[shellbackdiver1]

Its 22:20....8 divers still missing in Taiwan after 12 hours of being in the water. Dive site was "Seven Stars".

 

[Diver Dennis]

Let's hope they find them... alive.

Are you in contact with searchers?

 

[drbill]

Sure hope the divers are found safe. Looks like a dive site I won't attempt.

 

[mjbTaiwan]

I haven't heard anything further, and a night recovery is out of the question. I've been out there 3times. The third time I was unfortunate enough to be separated from my group, if only for a short while. As the dive site sits 16km offshore and is rarely dived upon, bobbing around out there alone for even 20minutes was enough to scare the living hell out of me. Fortunately I have the biggest safety sausage I can carry, and even with the light 3 foot swells I wasn't spotted until the boat was only 100meters away or so.

You'd think a group of 8 wouldn't be too easy to lose...Until you see this place.

The water is around 28c, and they have a large group...If they stick together, and don't panic, they should be carried eastward and bump into the Kurushio current Providing this happens, they'll be carried northward around the tip of O-luan-pi and up the East coast of Taiwan. As the most powerful oceanic current in the world outside the Gulf stream, it's movements are predictable. Once in it, the chance of rescue should be reasonable.

Lets hope they find them soon.

 

[Underbluewaters]

Wow! thats a scary story!! I would love to keep posted about this one..... My prayers are out there for them!!

 

[Rickg]

I have my fingers crossed that they find everyone of them. I know a Malaysian diver that was lost at sea for about 48 hours before he was found. His story is quite hair raising.

 

[Arizona]

I hope they are found soon!

"6 years ago the same shop/boat lost 5 divers at the same site. 2 died and 3 were found few days later alive. " So how do they determine when to call the dive? Forgive my ignorance, but would the Taiwanese government make that call?

Thanks for keeping us updated,

AZ

 

[Melicertes]

May they be rescued and taken home soon. Our thoughts are with them and their families/friends.

 

[james croft]

Hard to imagine 8 lost at one time. Does not sound good at all.