Every year international headlines report cases of scuba divers who have been lost at sea.Some of these incidents end happily as in the case of the divers who were rescued from a remote Indonesian desert island in 2008. Sometimes, as in the case of Eileen and Tom Lonergan who were diving on the Great Barrier Reef the divers are "lost presumed dead".
In response to this the team at http://www.thediveflag.com have invented a new dive flag that will enable divers to quickly indicate their position to boats at distances up to 3 kilometres.
Manufacturers of the H.E.L.P. (Handheld Emergency Location Pinpointer) have taken advantage of the findings of various official studies into emergency diver signaling devices and come up with a safety device that can be seen up to 3 kilometers away.
Utilizing a yellow flag on top of a telescopic pole the H.E.L.P. is one of the most effective means of making divers visible to their dive-boat and other potential rescue vessels. Though it has the capability to extend to as much as 1.5 meters when required it can collapse down to a mere 20cm and fit into a buoyancy jacket pocket. The neat little device is equipped with a non-slip handle and weighs only 150g. Being so compact means that it can be taken on every dive as standard equipment yet is immediately available to use in an emergency situation.
In the past divers tended to rely upon safety sausages to act as a signal of their position. The British Health and Safety Executive discovered that, though useful, safety sausages have a number of disadvantages in that they are not always easy to use and are nowhere near as visible as the yellow emergency flag . Divers on the surface in rough conditions, caught in a current or experiencing any kind of difficulty need to be collected by their boats quickly. The H.E.L.P. is one of the most effective means of being spotted fast and thus being picked up in the minimum amount of time.
The Egyptian Red Sea is a popular destination for European scuba divers yet it can have surprising surface currents and conditions that, at times, can present a real challenge to divers of all certification levels. Divers separated from their boat by such surface currents can quickly find that they are in a perilous situation where there only hope of rescue is gain the attention of any boat that they can see. Of course, it is easier for a diver to see a boat than it is for the boat crew to spot a diver in the water. That`s where emergency dive flags really make a difference. A diver equipped with an extendable dive flag can be seen up to 3 kilometers away whereas a diver without a suitable emergency flag can only be see 200 - 700 meters away in ideal conditions.
This would have been the case when Vladislav Lukyanchenko went diving near Elphinstone Reef in the Red Sea. He was the only survivor of a group of divers who surfaced within sight of their boat but caught in a current, soon drifted out of sight. Their dive-boat knew that they were missing and called in other boats to look for them. Mr. Lukyanchenko told authorities that their group was able to see the boats searching for them but, without an emergency flag to signal with, they could not make their presence known. Mr. Lukyanchenko was the only survivor. The bodies of the other four divers in his group have never been found.
In order for a diver to be rescued he/she has first to be seen. The H.E.L.P. is the perfect safety companion for divers wishing to minimize their risk of being left at the mercy of the open sea. It has been developed by divers with over 20 years experience in the industry and is a real world solution to a problem that can have fatal consequences. Constructed from composite carbon fibre it is incredibly robust so will stand up to the repeated rigors that all scuba equipment is exposed to. Despite this it is surprisingly affordable retailing at just $49.95 and is available internationally direct from the manufacturers website at http://www.thediveflag.com
Emergency Dive Flag
5/11/09
Why You Need a Emergency Signaling Device
Even if you are diving on the clearest of days and the calmest of sea it is possible to rise to the surface and discover that you can not see your boat. Even though this would be a situation that could have been avoided it happens and actually a lot more often than people think that it happens. During these situations it is advisable to have an surface signaling device with you or you may not be in a good position to be seen.
A few years ago I was employed by a dive school in the Egyptian Red Sea region and it was my task to take out groups of divers on a RIB to get access to some of the stunning dive sites that are in the area. There are some evil surface currents in that area and I had a well oiled routine for getting my divers off the RIB and into the water. Everyone would get onto the RIB and the Dive Boat would take us to the area we wanted to dive where on a pre arranged signal all the divers would roll off the RIB into the sea. I had a lot of experience in these waters and for this very reason I always had a surface signaling device with me.
You know that once below the waves and you go into that trance that you leave the normal day to day world behind you. All attention moves to the wildlife below in the crystal blue waters as a thousand different species look on with probably the same wonder we look at them. As all divers are aware time just evaporates when you are in that watery deep and in no time at all it is always time to rise above and meet the RIB so we can get back to the Dive boat.
On one occasion we surfaced a short distance behind the RIB as the driver was intently looking in the other direction for us. The surface current was running surprisingly fast and even as we called out and whistled to gain the drivers attention we began to drift away. It was typical November Red Sea weather and the strong wind added speed to our drift whilst whipping up the surface into small cresting waves. Even so I fully expected that when Ahmo eventually turned in our direction he would spot us. Suffice to say he didn’t. I couldn’t believe it. He briefly cast a glance around a full three hundred and sixty degrees before going back to intently concentrating his gaze on the spot where he expected us to surface.
By now I realized that we could soon be in serious trouble. I had three French and two Swedish divers and was responsible for their safety. Fortunately I had got into the habit of carrying a surface signaling device with me for just such situations. Once it was hoisted well above our heads, the yellow flag fluttering loudly in the wind, it was just a matter of waiting. The boat grew smaller and smaller as we drifted further and further away. I began to wonder if we would lose sight of the RIB but then I heard the engine revving and it turned towards us at speed. It turns out that Ahmo couldn’t see our heads above the choppy surface but my dive flag was immediately noticeable. Actually even if you lose sight of an inflatable, if you have something like a telescopic flag (preferably a yellow flag) you can be seen up to 3 kilometers away. So they can see you even if you cant see them.
It was some time ago that this actually happened and the surface signaling device I had with me that day was a homemade attempt that consisted of a plastic tubing and some bungee cord. I have to say that it was very primitive and always fell off my tank, but at the time there was no alternative.
Having the appropriate safety equipment can be crucial when things start to go wrong. As a result of the repeated instances of divers going missing, some never to be found, a dive flag is now a compulsory bit of kit for every scuba diver using the Red Sea Maine Reserve.
About the Author:
There is a new revolutionary dive flag available that has been advised by the writer of this article PADI Dive Master Will Kerfoot.
Don’t be at risk get the right kit
A few years ago I was employed by a dive school in the Egyptian Red Sea region and it was my task to take out groups of divers on a RIB to get access to some of the stunning dive sites that are in the area. There are some evil surface currents in that area and I had a well oiled routine for getting my divers off the RIB and into the water. Everyone would get onto the RIB and the Dive Boat would take us to the area we wanted to dive where on a pre arranged signal all the divers would roll off the RIB into the sea. I had a lot of experience in these waters and for this very reason I always had a surface signaling device with me.
You know that once below the waves and you go into that trance that you leave the normal day to day world behind you. All attention moves to the wildlife below in the crystal blue waters as a thousand different species look on with probably the same wonder we look at them. As all divers are aware time just evaporates when you are in that watery deep and in no time at all it is always time to rise above and meet the RIB so we can get back to the Dive boat.
On one occasion we surfaced a short distance behind the RIB as the driver was intently looking in the other direction for us. The surface current was running surprisingly fast and even as we called out and whistled to gain the drivers attention we began to drift away. It was typical November Red Sea weather and the strong wind added speed to our drift whilst whipping up the surface into small cresting waves. Even so I fully expected that when Ahmo eventually turned in our direction he would spot us. Suffice to say he didn’t. I couldn’t believe it. He briefly cast a glance around a full three hundred and sixty degrees before going back to intently concentrating his gaze on the spot where he expected us to surface.
By now I realized that we could soon be in serious trouble. I had three French and two Swedish divers and was responsible for their safety. Fortunately I had got into the habit of carrying a surface signaling device with me for just such situations. Once it was hoisted well above our heads, the yellow flag fluttering loudly in the wind, it was just a matter of waiting. The boat grew smaller and smaller as we drifted further and further away. I began to wonder if we would lose sight of the RIB but then I heard the engine revving and it turned towards us at speed. It turns out that Ahmo couldn’t see our heads above the choppy surface but my dive flag was immediately noticeable. Actually even if you lose sight of an inflatable, if you have something like a telescopic flag (preferably a yellow flag) you can be seen up to 3 kilometers away. So they can see you even if you cant see them.
It was some time ago that this actually happened and the surface signaling device I had with me that day was a homemade attempt that consisted of a plastic tubing and some bungee cord. I have to say that it was very primitive and always fell off my tank, but at the time there was no alternative.
Having the appropriate safety equipment can be crucial when things start to go wrong. As a result of the repeated instances of divers going missing, some never to be found, a dive flag is now a compulsory bit of kit for every scuba diver using the Red Sea Maine Reserve.
About the Author:
There is a new revolutionary dive flag available that has been advised by the writer of this article PADI Dive Master Will Kerfoot.
Don’t be at risk get the right kit
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