Unknown Taiwanese woman drops camera, goes missing - Palau

[DandyDon]

Taiwanese tourist diver missing after Sunday dive in Palau - Island Times

KOROR, Palau - A search is underway for a 46-year-old Taiwanese tourist who went missing after a dive expedition on Sunday, April 7, 2024. The woman,

islandtimes.org

KOROR, Palau – A search is underway for a 46-year-old Taiwanese tourist who went missing after a dive expedition on Sunday, April 7, 2024.

The woman, identified as Wang Yi Wen, was part of a 14-person group that went diving early Sunday morning at Ongingiang, a dive site outside the reef of Ulong rock island. According to Bureau of Public Safety Public Information Officer Chief Ngiramengior, the divers surfaced and were returning to the boat when the woman dropped her camera and went back underwater to retrieve it.

“By the time the dive guide re-entered the water, the diver could not be located,” Chief Ngiramengior said.

Authorities were immediately notified, and a search began with all four search boats from Marine Law and Fish & Wildlife, along with assistance from private boat operators. An aerial search is also ongoing with support from Smile Air and PMA Air.

Weather conditions were good at the time of the incident, but Chief Ngiramengior said currents in the area could be a factor.

Palau’s search regulations mandate a five-day official search effort, after which it may be called off. Yesterday was the last day for the official search. However, private search parties can continue their efforts beyond that timeframe.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I guess this is a reminder to clip your camera outfit to your BCD.

 

[xan]

I guess this is a reminder to clip your camera outfit to your BCD.

There are always going to be moments where it has to be unclipped, e.g., when passing it back to the boat crew.

A (buoyantly) neutral/slightly-negative rig, even if dropped, at least won't sink very fast. Getting some kind of floats (appropriate for the set-up) should help.

 

[scubadada]

My Canon G7X in a Nauticam housing would drop like a rock. The only time it is not hooked to me is when I am passing it up to the RIB on a liveaboard. I am extremely careful. So far, so good.

 

[lowwall]

I guess this is a reminder to clip your camera outfit to your BCD.

And a reminder to not go blindly chasing stuff into the depths.

 

[DandyDon]

I guess this is a reminder to clip your camera outfit to your BCD.

Yeah, or I use a wrist strap until I am ready to pass it to a boat hand. I am not much of a photographer, but I've carried a camera on most of 500 dives and never dropped one. If I did, it'd float hanging from the float strap so I'd save it or lose it there on the surface.

 

[Tracy]

My Canon G7X in a Nauticam housing would drop like a rock. The only time it is not hooked to me is when I am passing it up to the RIB on a liveaboard. I am extremely careful. So far, so good.

Have you tried float arms?
I switched out my webbed arms to floats and it is so much nicer to use a perfectly neutral rig.

 

[scubadada]

Have you tried float arms?
I switched out my webbed arms to floats and it is so much nicer to use a perfectly neutral rig.

Thanks, I shoot ambient light, no strobes, no arms, no tray, just the camera in the housing.