I believe they're much better than they used to be. They haven't abandoned any divers in the ocean in over three years now.
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Southern District of Florida
99 N.E. 4 Street
Miami, FL 33132
(305) 961-9413
March 7, 2000
NEWS RELEASE
FLORIDA KEYS DIVE BOAT COMPANY PLEADS GUILTY TO NEGLIGENT OPERATIONS FOR ABANDONING TWO DIVERS FIVE MILES OFF KEY LARGO
Guy A. Lewis, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Rear Admiral Thad Allen, Commander of the Seventh Coast Guard District, announced that Aqua-Nut Divers pled guilty and was sentenced for grossly negligent operation of the dive boat AQUA NUT DIVERS II that endangered human life.
On February 22, 2000, the dive boat AQUA NUT DIVERS II abandoned two recreational divers in the open ocean, five miles from shore, following a series of daytime dives. Michael and Linda Evans, experienced divers from California, rented some equipment from Aqua-Nuts and paid for transportation to a popular dive site off shore of Key Largo and near Elbow Reef. After surfacing from their first dive the Evans discovered that AQUA NUT DIVERS II abandoned them and moved on to a second dive site. The Evans managed to swim to Elbow Reef Light and climbed the steel tower, sustaining minor injuries. They waited for 26 hours before being noticed by a passing pleasure craft, and were rescued soon thereafter by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officer.
In the meantime, AQUA NUT DIVERS II completed its second dive without noticing the missing couple and the vessel returned to Key Largo. Despite finding the Evans’ dive bags on board the vessel, and discovering that the equipment rented by the Evans was missing, Aqua-Nut Divers made no efforts to determine if the couple was left behind nor did they return to the dive sites.
Full text
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Marc