Missing divers found

 

11 November 2012 - 16:10
By Sapa and JacarandaFM News

Nine divers "jovial" after surviving ordeal

Nine scuba divers who went missing off Shelly Beach on Sunday have been found safe floating in the ocean, the National Sea Rescue Institute said.

"A medical triage centre has been set up at the NSRI Shelly Beach rescue base in order for medical personnel to triage for casualties, but NSRI can confirm that all nine divers are safe," spokesman Craig Lambinon said in a statement.

They had been missing for about three hours and were found shortly after noon.

"It appears that the skipper followed the dive marker flotation buoy while not knowing that it had been separated from the divers while the divers were under water scuba diving. Initial indications are that the rope attaching the divers to their dive marker flotation buoy may have snapped from unknown causes. The 9 divers report that they had simply tried to stay together, and were successful, after surfacing from a dive and having no sight of the dive charter boat in the big swell. They drifted South and claim that they kept their spirits high", the NSRI said in a statement.

A charter boat, from which the nine had been diving, lost sight of the group in rough seas on Sunday morning. Three NSRI rescue craft, two helicopters, the police, and owners of private boats took part in the search.

 

Picture courtesy of garyengbergoutdoors.com