Operator, association fear closure will taint image | The Jakarta Post
As of Friday evening, the police had yet to reopen Crystal Bay, a favorite diving spot, to the public, creating concern among dive operators and the water sports association that a prolonged closure may taint the sites image, as well as inflict financial loss on the operators.
The police have closed the bay for any diving following the deaths of two foreigners in diving accidents early this week.
On Tuesday, the lifeless body of a Danish businessman and former diving instructor Hendrik Kent Jensen, 43, floated to the surface more than one hour after he entered the water with two fellow scuba divers.
Previously on Monday evening, rescue divers spotted the lifeless body of a Japanese diver, Ai Tanaka, 34, at a depth of 43 meters. The woman had never resurfaced after entering the water at Sunday noon.
Officers from Nusa Penida Police had cordoned off Crystal Bay Beach with a police line and urged the local dive operators to temporarily stop taking divers into the bay until the official investigation was
completed.
The closure may create an image that the beaches in Bali are in a terrible condition, Surya Dive Center director I Wayan Sudana said, adding that the police should have coordinated with the diving operators first before announcing the closure of the area.
Crystal Bay Beach is very popular among foreign visitors and its closure will disappoint foreign divers who fly from their home countries to Bali specifically to dive in that area.
Association of Water Sports Operators (Gahawisri) chairman Yos WK Amerta pointed out that a prolonged closure would hurt the revenue of the local dive operators, especially since the period from August to September is traditionally known as Crystal Bays busiest time with a large number of divers flocking to the site to get a glimpse of the Mola Mola sunfish.
The local diving operators generally sell Nusa Penida diving packages, which include Crystal Bay and another popular diving site, for around US$150.
From a legal perspective, I cannot give any comment on the polices authority and decision to close the beach. They probably did that to enable them to collect evidence from the site.
Nusa Penida police chief Comr. I Wayan Sarjana said that the ongoing police investigation was more than just an effort to determine the cause of the diving accidents. It would also try to determine whether Crystal Bay was a safe diving site.
Two deaths are a very serious matter. Thats why we need to enforce a serious measure, such as the closure of the beach. We couldnt afford to have a third fatal accident, he said, adding that the police would bring in a team of experts to assess the natural condition of the site and to determine whether the site was safe for water sports.
Sarjana pointed out that the order to close the beach was issued by Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Gunawan.
We will open the beach once we receive the order to open it from the Bali Police chief.
As of Friday evening, the police had yet to reopen Crystal Bay, a favorite diving spot, to the public, creating concern among dive operators and the water sports association that a prolonged closure may taint the sites image, as well as inflict financial loss on the operators.
The police have closed the bay for any diving following the deaths of two foreigners in diving accidents early this week.
On Tuesday, the lifeless body of a Danish businessman and former diving instructor Hendrik Kent Jensen, 43, floated to the surface more than one hour after he entered the water with two fellow scuba divers.
Previously on Monday evening, rescue divers spotted the lifeless body of a Japanese diver, Ai Tanaka, 34, at a depth of 43 meters. The woman had never resurfaced after entering the water at Sunday noon.
Officers from Nusa Penida Police had cordoned off Crystal Bay Beach with a police line and urged the local dive operators to temporarily stop taking divers into the bay until the official investigation was
completed.
The closure may create an image that the beaches in Bali are in a terrible condition, Surya Dive Center director I Wayan Sudana said, adding that the police should have coordinated with the diving operators first before announcing the closure of the area.
Crystal Bay Beach is very popular among foreign visitors and its closure will disappoint foreign divers who fly from their home countries to Bali specifically to dive in that area.
Association of Water Sports Operators (Gahawisri) chairman Yos WK Amerta pointed out that a prolonged closure would hurt the revenue of the local dive operators, especially since the period from August to September is traditionally known as Crystal Bays busiest time with a large number of divers flocking to the site to get a glimpse of the Mola Mola sunfish.
The local diving operators generally sell Nusa Penida diving packages, which include Crystal Bay and another popular diving site, for around US$150.
From a legal perspective, I cannot give any comment on the polices authority and decision to close the beach. They probably did that to enable them to collect evidence from the site.
Nusa Penida police chief Comr. I Wayan Sarjana said that the ongoing police investigation was more than just an effort to determine the cause of the diving accidents. It would also try to determine whether Crystal Bay was a safe diving site.
Two deaths are a very serious matter. Thats why we need to enforce a serious measure, such as the closure of the beach. We couldnt afford to have a third fatal accident, he said, adding that the police would bring in a team of experts to assess the natural condition of the site and to determine whether the site was safe for water sports.
Sarjana pointed out that the order to close the beach was issued by Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Gunawan.
We will open the beach once we receive the order to open it from the Bali Police chief.
