So let’s say this happens to you. You start a dive as per the dive plan. The dive went well in the first 30 minutes. You have seen beautiful corals, schools of amazing fish and perhaps a group of Manta Rays passing by. It’s a nice dive. What could go wrong?
But then a strong, unexpected current suddenly came and pushed you away a bit further from your group.
Alas, that strong current swept across the sea floor, brought the sediment up and ruined the visibility.
This bad visibility isolated you from anything further than 2 feet.
You are quite experienced, this has happened before, so you don’t panic.
You kept your head calm and pulled out your pointer and stuck it to a dead coral at the bottom to hold yourself from any upcoming currents.
You waited.
Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes have passed.
At this point, your air tank says there’s only 30 bar left.
That is way past the safety stop standard procedure.
So you either pop up here:
Or here:
Then you realise, no one is around. Not a boat, not a single entity in sight but some birds in the sky.
This is a nightmare. This story, though rare, has happened multiple times all around the world. Question is, why do divers get left behind?
Read Also: Diving and The Dunning Kruger Effect
Why do divers get left behind?
Not following safety procedures
The number one thing that this person has done wrong is not following standard safety procedures.
No matter what your certifying agency, the number one thing that is taught if you become separated from the group or your dive buddy is this; Search for your group or dive buddy for 1 minute.
If you can not find them, skip the safety stop, deploy your SMB and return to the surface.
Even if you pop up to the surface at a location completely different to what is on your dive plan due to the current, the tender operators on the surface will spot you and pick you up.
Remember it always feels like the current is taking you further underwater than when you surface and realise you have not actually drifted that far.
The tender operators may take a little longer than normal to notice you in the water at this location, or in extreme cases need signalling (we will get into this later).
But If you are underwater for an additional 25 minutes, the chances of the boat leaving before you surface must also align with the chance that the dive guide doesn’t notice that you are missing, but the later can not happen without the former!
Poor Visibility
You might start a dive on a dive site with good visibility, hoping that you could see a lot of stuff in your dive.
But the visibility of a dive site itself varies depending on the time & weather condition.
There is a good chance a diver gets separated from the group due to being unable to see where they are.
Currents & Tides
Underestimating the strength of currents can lead to divers being swept away from the planned dive site.
Furthermore, changing tides can alter the underwater landscape and currents, making it harder for divers to return to the boat.
Panicking & Getting Disoriented
Panic attacks or becoming disoriented underwater can lead to poor decision-making and separation from the group.
Physical exhaustion can also slow a diver down, making it difficult to keep up with the group or return to the boat.
Absent mindedness
Don’t go chasing proverbial butterflies underwater.
Easily distracted or absent minded divers can be caught off guard by following a beautiful fish or going off to explore an intriguing looking overhang.
Keep a present mind in where your group and buddy are at all times, make sure you know when the group is moving and don’t lag behind past visibility.
There will always be another dive to see something cool so make sure your safety is the priority over following wildlife underwater.
How Operators Prevent This from Happening
Well trained divemasters or instructors should have this case in their book.
Professional guides will try to calm down and use relevant information such as: where was the last time the missing diver was last seen?
Or how much air did they have left when such a case happens to their diving group. However, to prevent it from happening, diving operators usually have their own measures to stop their divers from getting left behind.
Here are the general methods usually being used.
Visual verification & head counter
To find out if all divers in the group are there, guides usually verify numbers by visual checks (recognising all the divers).
An easier method is a head count, comparing the number of divers in the group from the beginning of the dive vs when it ends.
This is done at the safety stop, although they are constantly doing it throughout the dive everytime they turn back to look at the group as well, and when they do their regular welfare checks during a dive.
Small divers vs guide ratio
This actually depends on the dive operator you are going with.
A good ratio is one guide for four to five divers.
Some operators however, may give only one for 10 divers! The more drivers a guide has to watch, the more difficult it is to make sure all of them return safe and sound.
That’s just basic logic. Unfortunately, this happens with quite a lot of diving operators.
What about La Galigo?
At La Galigo liveaboard, we take safety matters as our number one priority.
We keep our guide to customer ratio small. For one guide, we limit the maximum number of divers to just four or five maximum.
We can also offer one on one dive guiding services for guests that request it.
Furthermore, the maximum space in our boat is only fourteen divers.
This is a small number if you compare it to other liveaboards.
The small number ensures that the divers who get on to our boat get a high quality service.
In other words, we prioritise quality rather than quantity.
We also keep our dive guides with the same small group over multi day trips between 6 and 12 days.
Your dive guide is going to know you very well and will definitely notice if you are not there!
This also means the guides will quickly recognise the skill levels and personality types of everyone in their groups and give special attention to the ones who need it.All our divemasters and instructors that guide our groups have done tens of thousands of dives in Komodo and Raja Ampat.
Not only do they know the sites like the back of their hands, but they know how to read the local currents and the divers in their groups too.
Read Also: What Causes Post-Dive Headaches?
How you can prevent it from happening to yourself
Maintain regular communication
Do more than just keeping a close distance with your dive buddy or dive group: maintain regular communication with them.
Asking for remaining air left or just generally if you are ok could be annoying sometimes, but sometimes it’s done not just for the obvious reasons.
It’s to really tell the dive guide and buddy that you are there, and you are just fine.
Don’t chase cheap, chase safety instead
Choosing a reputable dive operator is crucial.
Which dive operator you choose will really play a part in your safety. Here’s why:
It Could Determine The Equipment Quality
Reputable dive operators invest in high-quality equipment and ensure it is regularly maintained and serviced.
Cheap operators might cut costs by neglecting maintenance, leading to equipment failures.
Experienced and Qualified Staff
Quality dive operators employ experienced, certified instructors and dive masters who are trained to handle emergencies and ensure diver safety.
They also maintain a small instructor-to-diver ratio, which ensures each diver gets adequate attention and supervision.
Go EXTRA Prepared
Being well prepared does not hurt.
Bringing extra equipment with you will really play a big part in getting you back safely in those moments you are left behind.
Take a look at this list of additional equipment, based on their functionality:
Increased Visibility Tool
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB): An SMB can be deployed to signal your location to the boat or other divers, making it easier to spot you from a distance. La Galigo liveaboard provides all customers with a free of charge SMB to use throughout your trip as an extra safety precaution.
- Signal Mirror: Reflective mirrors can catch the sunlight and signal for help over long distances.
- Whistle or Dive Alert: These can produce loud sounds that can be heard over the noise of the sea, attracting attention to the diver’s location. Many BCD’s will come with these as a standard feature or can be attached if it isn’t already on there.
Extended Survival Time
- Extra Air Supply: A redundant air source, like a pony bottle, can provide additional breathing gas, extending the time you can stay underwater safely.
- Exposure Protection: Extra thermal protection (like a thicker wetsuit or drysuit) can help prevent hypothermia, increasing your survival time in cold water.
Navigation Aids
- Compass: A compass can help you maintain a sense of direction and navigate back to the boat or shore.
Communication Tools
- Dive Light or Strobe: A dive light or strobe can be used to signal for help, especially in low visibility conditions or at night.
- Personal Locator Beacon (PLB): A PLB can send a distress signal with the diver’s GPS coordinates to rescue services.
Improvised Solutions
- Multi-tool: A multi-tool or dive knife can help in various situations, such as cutting entanglements or repairing equipment.
- Reel and Line: A reel with line can be used to mark a path back to a safe location or to connect to another diver or object.
Read Also: The Importance of The Medical Questionnaire When Diving
What to do if it happens to you
Do not panic
Number 1 rule is try not to panic and waste your remaining air. Calm down.
Carefully get to the surface while watching for any passing boats.
On the surface, inflate your Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD) and conserve energy.
Use your safety equipments
The equipment mentioned earlier can make a significant difference in ensuring your safety and increasing the chances of a successful rescue in emergency situations.
Conserve your energy
Should you find no one around even when you have tried everything, be patient, conserve your energy.
This applies not only when you are already on the surface, but also when you are still underwater, battling that strong current.
There are a couple of reasons why you should conserve your energy in these situations. They are:
Reduced Risk of Hypothermia
Staying as still as possible conserves body heat.
Excessive movement increases heat loss, especially in cold water, which can lead to hypothermia.
Mental Clarity & Stress Reduction
Physical exertion can lead to exhaustion, which can impair your ability to think clearly and make a sound decision.
Conserving energy helps maintain mental clarity, which is crucial for assessing your situation and taking appropriate actions.
Furthermore, remaining calm and conserving energy reduces stress levels, which can help you manage the psychological challenges of the situation.
