Divers overdue - Taurus first on scene.

[Andy the Coastie]

This afternoon , a local club that dives out of Dover from a RhiB called Dover Coastguard on channel 16 to report that his divers were over due and not seen them surface. The boat handler was calm and very clear on the radio.

I was only 10 minutes away from the position given on my way back to Dover with fisherman.

As the swells were high, i offered the RhiB my assistance if needed , which was quickliy accepted by the coastguard. I was on the dive site starting my zig zag down tide search, when the coastguard called the Rhib stating that

• Dive vessel Taurus, was on scene.
• Dover Lifeboat was launching.
• Echo November was scrambled ( Coastguard Ident aircraft )
• Anglian Monanch ( Coastguard Tug ) was tasked , which was only a mile away.

Within minutes the divers were found by the tug, which had launched it's crash boat. The crash boat was going to transfer the divers to the lifeboat, but club Rhib got there first, Dover lifeboat was then retasked to another incident.

Both divers found safe and well...

[Martin Burnard]

Nice to hear good news.
All aboard, wonderful.

[Spacehopper]

Nice one Andy, well done.

The post by Humber Coastguard refers to the same incident I think. The last paragraph of the link ( http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-dops_pr_newsroom-press-releases-release.htm?mcga_news_id=3029&month=7&year=2005 ) attached to their post says ;

"Coastguard search planning techniques enabled units to be directed to a position predicted to be the location of the divers. Weather conditions are worsening in the Straits of Dover which could have made the situation perilous. Divers are encouraged to use location aids that help search units to locate them when they become separated from their tenders".

In your opinion as a skipper what would be the best location aid to carry for this sort of situation?

[Twinset & Wing]

as a boater I would say

2 red parrachute flairs but that just isn't practical so a 406.5 MHz EPIRB although those are expensive so a !"!.5MHz EPIRB which is not as precise but cheper.

but having just had a though a VHF radio on a lanyard round your neck in your drysuit (bout as little as 80 quid. you can call coastguard boats your own skipper

[Paul Oliver]

There is a link to surface aid trials that were done at Scapa on here somewhere, i think Dive Biatch was involved and she posted the link.

Personally i carry:-

1. Flag (yellow)
2. DSMB (Orange)
3. OOA DSMB (Yellow)
4. Strobe (for surface use only)
5. 3 Torches.
6. Whistle.
7. Radar reflectors on suit (Don't have them on the Devil Hood though )

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by Twinset & Wing

as a boater I would say

2 red parrachute flairs but that just isn't practical so a 406.5 MHz EPIRB although those are expensive so a !"!.5MHz EPIRB which is not as precise but cheper.

but having just had a though a VHF radio on a lanyard round your neck in your drysuit (bout as little as 80 quid. you can call coastguard boats your own skipper

I take it thats a 121.5MHz

[Brian of Aquanauts]

Andy,

As a fellow skipper nice one mate. Why oh why do i see how good you are so often??? What happened to understated excellence. But if ever i'm dowm your way i'll be giving you a call.

B

[Paul Oliver]

Originally Posted by Brian of Aquanauts

Andy,

As a fellow skipper nice one mate. Why oh why do i see how good you are so often??? What happened to understated excellence. But if ever i'm dowm your way i'll be giving you a call.

B

Beware he makes a cr*p brew

[Andy the Coastie]

In today incident taking in the factors of Overcast ,fine drizzle and swells at 10 feet at times ....

i'll put them in order of my choice.

1). A ' JANOS FLAG'. Bright yellow and stands very high.
2). A BLACK flag on a long pole.
3). Orange smoke flare.
4). Bright torch.


Having chatted to the thier DSMB was no use at all, as they were passed by a couple of yachts....... I couldn't see any signs of surface aids and i had 2 people using bino's.

The divers were on the surface and covered 4 miles...... I'll see if i can upload a chart later, is quiet intresting.

[Andy the Coastie]

Originally Posted by Paul Oliver

Beware he makes a cr*p brew

At least i make one ,,,, i don't sneak about with my home brew in my s/s mug