VANISHED!

Just got done watching a show on ABC called vanished. It's the story of the American couple from Louisiana whom went diving in Australia only to be left on the reef by the dive boat... then the real story starts.

For those of you that caught it... or know the story: What's your opinion?

Mario,

This seems to be quite a common occurence on these boats as many have not the common sense to have a record of the names and numbers of divers going overboard and returning. From the reports I've seen in the UK diving press and on the Web, it seems to be experienced buddy pairs that this happens to. What usually happens is that the pair elect not to do the guided dive and go off to explore on their own. They remain under after the main group have ascended and reboarded, only to surface and find the boat disappearing over the horizon.

I obviously didn't get to see the program but was this the case with this couple?

I remember that when it happened and I wanted to watch the abc thing but was busy. What happened with abc?

I know when I lived in the keys, a capt left someone out at the site and didn't relize till they were back at the doc, I mean cmon a lil thing call roll call is a handy tool. That capt I know was fired, but the whole dive staff on the boat should have been canned too, and the DIVERS on the boat should have some guilt for not watching out for one of thier own.

well here in australia it was big news, for quite a while. The impression i got (through the media here), was that the couple intended to vanish reporting that there dive gear was found on a beach (asking the question why did they take it off). Although my memory is a little hazey on the subject im pretty sure that the captain of the boat and the charter operators where found guilty at their hearing (not sure about the punishment.....).i have to saythough this sort of thing is not typical in Australia and every boat Ive dived on has had a roll call and/or head count.

whats odd is this happened a couple of years ago and NOW the media talks about it while most of scuba realm knew about it and forgot about it

Though I don't dismiss the need for the crew and members of the dive to do the right thing and be held accountable, I have a few words to say.

I saw the show and I thought it was a nice "hype" for ABC to get people to watch the show. I thought the whole thing was freaky. Though I don't profess to be a survivalist in the ocean by any means, there are too many reasons on how they could have survived and to many unanswered questions.

How did their different pieces of gear (shown on TV perfectly intact BC's, fins, hoods, tanks) end up on shore in the same spot, and more importantly, with out them in it?

Why would they have removed the main piece of equipment that would keep their head above water, their BC's?

Why weren't they able to get to a high point on the reef?

Why weren't they able to contact one of the other boats?

I fell asleep watching this one, must have been the thought of the peacefulness of diving. But. . . my Hubby watched all of it, and he said that everyone involved was cleared of any wrong doing in the courts. The Captain/Owner did lose his business.

The last reported information, was that a dive eraser board was found with their "last" message stating that they had been in the water, on top of the reef for more then 17 hrs.

Personally, if that was what really happened which is in question since there was a report of no damage to their equipment (ie a shark attack) and another dive op. was PLUS people the next day when they did a head count, I would have kept my dive skin and BC on, allowing maximum protection form the elements and a way to keep my head above water if I passed out.

Well, this particular couple decided to take journals to their vacation... which they did quite frequently... not that there is anything wrong with any of that. But the fact that it conveniently pointed to a suicidal husband whos wife was aware of his tendencies and her non worrying attitude towards it sounds fishy to me.

The gear was found 70 something miles from the reef on a deserted beach... hmmm odd that the gear with different bouyancy characteristics would wind up bunched together in perfect shape heh.

There were other boats on the reef, the reef was flat and calm as can be, further eyewitnesses say that there were no sounds that could have drowned out the sounds of divers calling for help... if there were any.

Why would you remove your gear? Especially the BC's, and fins. Wouldn't you need the stuff?

Isn't it odd that just a few years ago, a member of their church also disappeared without a trace? Coninscidence?

I'm not saying there was foul play involved, infact I'm not saying a thing, because I wasn't there. The boats DM was obviously an idiot, based on his interview responce. The only thing that was straight-forward about the entire ordeal was that the Captain of the charter boat accepted responsibility for the incident.

Things that make you go hmmmmm

Mario,

Like you I say hmmmmmmm.

I watched the program last night and found it very odd that things turned up in decent shape in the same general location. Reports had it that they left passports and other personal items behind at the hostile they were staying at, I say, so what. It only helps them to disguise what their intentions were. On the other hand, the other person from their church tried to disappear from a ferry but they actually located him, a fruitless attempt.

Where is Boomer's Beach Mario?

I dive off Catalina and Laguna Beach a lot.

Socaldiver

Hi Mario

The talk in here in Australia is that the crew just plain forgot that they were down there and left without them.

Very sad but it does happen.

regards

Hocky