Boat captain abandons novice US divers in middle of the ocean in Thailand

[KIWIBATCH]

....So...what is the name of the company (the boat/Captains company name).....so others can be warned.....

Where did this happen......?????

[techboy]

Thailand - You pays your money, You takes your chances.

Sort of like paying your money to use the internet. I pays my money and end up reading your vacuous cliché.

Edited November 16, 2013 by techboy

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[Torrens54]

Judas xxxxxxx Priest!...

where do I start?...

As a Rescue Diver who has spent more time "down on something dodgy" than Paris Hilton's current beau I must say first... THAT'S NOT ON!

that is so wrong on so many levels that I am actually gobsmacked... I just watched http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Water_(film) again the other day with Missus

and while we were watching I idly commented on how many weights I would wrap around any boat captain who abandoned me/us like that before I took him for a brisk walk off a short pier...

I've ended up in a Decompression chamber only once in 12 years of Diving and funnily enough that was in Thailand,and a result of a poorly planned and organized dive...but to just...leave because you have <deleted> engine trouble,it boggles the mind,

I'd love to know the name of the dive company,and would be totally unsurprised if it wasn't the same region where I ended up nearly dead...

I agree with your thoughts on this matter but have one question.

I was always under the impression that you would have been placed in a "Re-compression" Chamber and NOT a "De-Compression" Chamber. This is based on having reported on many incidents in which divers have surfaced too rapidly and been placed in Re-compression Chambers at various Naval Medical Centers.

Not being picky, just want to get it right!

[KRS1]

the article says the boat went back in for repairs, and probably a sangsom or two or three while it was getting fixed.

guess they couldnt get it running again.

[Lupatria]

"nearby cliffs which were too steep to climb."

So they were hardly "in the middle of the ocean" then!

Regarding the quote in the footer:

Most of us know the quote. For years I tried to find out if it could possibly already be subject to section 112 of the Criminal Code? Has anyone an answer to that?

[JulesMad]

0. What company and who is the owner?

1. When and Where?

2. Thai (water) sharks do not attack people

3. There is no diving in "the middle of the ocean", because there is nothing to see...

4. There is no ocean in Thailand

5. Where is "MESA, Ariz."?

6. What is "An East Valley couple"?

If this is not answered, I do not believe this article! Way too much BS....

[NomadJoe]

Not trying to be cynical but I thought there were no sharks in Thai waters? Someone please tell me I'm wrong? Im not a diver but just thought that.

Sadly shark numbers have dropped drastically worldwide due to overfishing and no/poor fisheries management (and the Chinese desire for shark fin soup), but gone?, no way. This week I had 11 black tips circling me on Phi Phi (where these two people were left behind) and saw 5 nurse sharks sleeping under the rocks on Koh Doc Mai. My mate was swimming with a whale shark last weak on Elephant Head in the Similans. Leopards have not been seen in the Phuket/Phi Phi area for a few months, at least not that I have seen or heard, but they seem to be transient and will disappear for a few months then come back for a few months. We are getting Manta's occasionally on Raya Noi at them moment. I saw a Jenkins Whipray there the day before yesterday, which I have only seen a few of in 12 years diving here.

[JHenry]

First of all, in Thailand captain are only a captain of his boat, when people diving he have a rest or eating. Normally a diving companies rent the boat and captain have nothing to do with the dive operations. Most dive companies are operated by foreigner. When the days diving are completed, captain on the vessel get a signal to head back or change dive location.

So to blame the captain here are wrong I suppose and if captain have the responsibility for all divers, the dive operator are wrong doing.

I have been in the dive business many years and seen many divers left behind,

we always had a joke, try not to be the last boat who leave the dive site. Did we have other divers who not belong to us on our boat back to shore...yes.

So I would say, not blame the captain. The captain have nothing to do with the dive operations and should not.

So it comes back to us MR perfect Farrangs who run the dive operations, (some Thai runs shops as well)

Thailand are not any special, diver get left behind all over the world, but percentage are same I think, is just so many diving companies and divers yearly in Thailand so it comes on the map more often,

Left the business with no divers behind or death.

I see you many talk about the sharks, they are pretty harmfull, they have so many fish to hunt and don't really like people who gives a bubbling sound every few seconds. this could of course change with time and climate.

=====================================================================================================================================

Beautiful post. Most companies are operated by foreigners? How about 51% requiremenet of the company to be Thai? Happens everywhere? Fine. How about talking here and now and at least name the company and the boat captain.

Edited November 16, 2013 by JHenry

[Suradit69]

Boat captain abandons novice divers in middle of the ocean in Thailand

The "middle" of the ocean is "in" Thailand?? Who writes these topic headlines?

[chooka]

0. What company and who is the owner?

1. When and Where?

2. Thai (water) sharks do not attack people

3. There is no diving in "the middle of the ocean", because there is nothing to see...

4. There is no ocean in Thailand

5. Where is "MESA, Ariz."?

6. What is "An East Valley couple"?

If this is not answered, I do not believe this article! Way too much BS....

It is against Thai Visa rules to name the company.

[NomadJoe]

First of all, in Thailand captain are only a captain of his boat, when people diving he have a rest or eating. Normally a diving companies rent the boat and captain have nothing to do with the dive operations. Most dive companies are operated by foreigner. When the days diving are completed, captain on the vessel get a signal to head back or change dive location.

So to blame the captain here are wrong I suppose and if captain have the responsibility for all divers, the dive operator are wrong doing.

I have been in the dive business many years and seen many divers left behind,

we always had a joke, try not to be the last boat who leave the dive site. Did we have other divers who not belong to us on our boat back to shore...yes.

So I would say, not blame the captain. The captain have nothing to do with the dive operations and should not.

So it comes back to us MR perfect Farrangs who run the dive operations, (some Thai runs shops as well)

Thailand are not any special, diver get left behind all over the world, but percentage are same I think, is just so many diving companies and divers yearly in Thailand so it comes on the map more often,

Left the business with no divers behind or death.

I see you many talk about the sharks, they are pretty harmfull, they have so many fish to hunt and don't really like people who gives a bubbling sound every few seconds. this could of course change with time and climate.

One of the most bizarre and inaccurate posts to ever be posted on Thaivisa, and that says a lot. I really wish people would not post about things about which they know nothing, especially when it can effect peoples livelihoods. Where exactly did you work in the dive industry, because it isn't Thailand, that much is clear.

Captains do not "get a signal to head back or change dive sites". The tour leader or instructor/divemaster decides this once all divers have been checked back on board.

But all this is moot anyway, because if you had bothered to read the whole article and watch the video, you will see they were diving from a longtail boat. Usually there is just one Thai "captain" on board. He is not employed by the dive shop. He is an independent contractor, certainly not a diver, unlikely to speak English and often is not even able to swim.

You comment on sharks is, well, mysterious. Sharks in Thailand are harmful? Really? Only if you eat their mercury laden fins. Maybe you meant "harmless"?

[Silents]

Judas xxxxxxx Priest!...

where do I start?...

As a Rescue Diver who has spent more time "down on something dodgy" than Paris Hilton's current beau I must say first... THAT'S NOT ON!

that is so wrong on so many levels that I am actually gobsmacked... I just watched http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Water_(film) again the other day with Missus

and while we were watching I idly commented on how many weights I would wrap around any boat captain who abandoned me/us like that before I took him for a brisk walk off a short pier...

I've ended up in a Decompression chamber only once in 12 years of Diving and funnily enough that was in Thailand,and a result of a poorly planned and organized dive...but to just...leave because you have <deleted> engine trouble,it boggles the mind,

I'd love to know the name of the dive company,and would be totally unsurprised if it wasn't the same region where I ended up nearly dead...

No offense mister, but end up in the chamber with your level, are you self to blame. If you think it's a bad dive, you should quit the dive.

With my experience the people who end up in the chamber: no healthy life style before the dive, run out of AIR, very common, or have some hidden sickness.

You must have a pretty sick dive profile to end up in the chamber. little bit up and down in the dive will not send you to the chamber.

We can't just blame Thailand on everything.

[silent]

You are not dealing with "the sharpest knives in the draw", intelligence, education all leave alot to be desired in many countries. People just blindly expect things to be the same wherever they go, they are not, and they dont stop to think about where they are and who they are actually dealing with.If they know what they are doing, if they are trained, if they have experience? Or is it just some local driven purely by money and has no clue as to the implications of his actions and unknowingly put lives in danger.

I hate being a skeptic, but why are there so many holes in this accounting. Perhaps I missed something like why did something so plausible here, have to come all the way from Missouri.

All makes sense right now, if they came in a camper and had to rush back for work, except for the "fall and requiring stitches". Not one thing corroborated other than a video showing what, and a dive shop in the states but we all jump on the bandwagon hook, line and sinker..........no pun intended.

Apology in advance.

[theslime]

The boat sank ergo no boat, all are agreed in me moo ban.

[a99az]

The company had good reviews, but Thailand has not.

[NomadJoe]

0. What company and who is the owner?

Doesn't matter. It was a contracted long-tail. Nothing to do with the shop.

1. When and Where?

From the video it looks like Phi Phi. From the weather I would say not recently. At least a month or two.

2. Thai (water) sharks do not attack people

Correct. But the woman was apparently a new diver and her fear seemed real, even if only imagined. Sensationalist journalism.

3. There is no diving in "the middle of the ocean", because there is nothing to see...

More sensationalist journalism.

4. There is no ocean in Thailand

Correct, except for the Indian and Pacific Oceans+. (Sea of Phuket/Phang Na Bay is part of the Andaman Sea which is in turn part of the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Thailand is part of the South China Sea which is in turn is part of the Pacific Ocean)

5. Where is "MESA, Ariz."?

Just east of Phoenix in the state of Arizona, USA. It is where the couple are from. http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Mesa&state=AZ

6. What is "An East Valley couple"?

A local term for people that live in the valley east of Mesa, Arizona. It is where the couple are from.

If this is not answered, I do not believe this article! Way too much BS....

I guess you can believe it now.

[NomadJoe]

Judas xxxxxxx Priest!...

where do I start?...

As a Rescue Diver who has spent more time "down on something dodgy" than Paris Hilton's current beau I must say first... THAT'S NOT ON!

that is so wrong on so many levels that I am actually gobsmacked... I just watched http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Water_(film) again the other day with Missus

and while we were watching I idly commented on how many weights I would wrap around any boat captain who abandoned me/us like that before I took him for a brisk walk off a short pier...

I've ended up in a Decompression chamber only once in 12 years of Diving and funnily enough that was in Thailand,and a result of a poorly planned and organized dive...but to just...leave because you have <deleted> engine trouble,it boggles the mind,

I'd love to know the name of the dive company,and would be totally unsurprised if it wasn't the same region where I ended up nearly dead...

No offense mister, but end up in the chamber with your level, are you self to blame. ...

+1

[donniereadit]

Too bad nobody can complain. Guess Somchai will be back out tomorrow after a nice long nap!

[mrowe1973]

The boat captain would rather have all of his customers die. Rather have them find out is boat is broke. It's better to save face in situations like these!

[Benmart]

I logged many dives in Thailand over the years and the industry was well run, safety conscious and competent. (Although there was a time when we ran out of gas and, thanks to cell phones, were able to get some sent out much to the relief of our 16 year old captain but that was not a dive company but a deal with a boat owner.). I want to know where they were diving and, most importantly, the dive company. As for sharks, they really are not a problem in Thailand- more frightened than the usual soi dog..

I'm sure the captain's excuse was the farang divers disrespected him in some obscure manner.. thus he decided to kill them by leaving them. And next week he'll be out there again.

Your post made good sense, educated me and was well written...until the last paragraph. The ending smacked of bigotry and spoiled an otherwise enlightening post.

Two wrongs, certainly didn't equal a right IMO.

[Silents]

First of all, in Thailand captain are only a captain of his boat, when people diving he have a rest or eating. Normally a diving companies rent the boat and captain have nothing to do with the dive operations. Most dive companies are operated by foreigner. When the days diving are completed, captain on the vessel get a signal to head back or change dive location.

So to blame the captain here are wrong I suppose and if captain have the responsibility for all divers, the dive operator are wrong doing.

I have been in the dive business many years and seen many divers left behind,

we always had a joke, try not to be the last boat who leave the dive site. Did we have other divers who not belong to us on our boat back to shore...yes.

So I would say, not blame the captain. The captain have nothing to do with the dive operations and should not.

So it comes back to us MR perfect Farrangs who run the dive operations, (some Thai runs shops as well)

Thailand are not any special, diver get left behind all over the world, but percentage are same I think, is just so many diving companies and divers yearly in Thailand so it comes on the map more often,

Left the business with no divers behind or death.

I see you many talk about the sharks, they are pretty harmfull, they have so many fish to hunt and don't really like people who gives a bubbling sound every few seconds. this could of course change with time and climate.

One of the most bizarre and inaccurate posts to ever be posted on Thaivisa, and that says a lot. I really wish people would not post about things about which they know nothing, especially when it can effect peoples livelihoods. Where exactly did you work in the dive industry, because it isn't Thailand, that much is clear.

Captains do not "get a signal to head back or change dive sites". The tour leader or instructor/divemaster decides this once all divers have been checked back on board.

But all this is moot anyway, because if you had bothered to read the whole article and watch the video, you will see they were diving from a longtail boat. Usually there is just one Thai "captain" on board. He is not employed by the dive shop. He is an independent contractor, certainly not a diver, unlikely to speak English and often is not even able to swim.

You comment on sharks is, well, mysterious. Sharks in Thailand are harmful? Really? Only if you eat their mercury laden fins. Maybe you meant "harmless"?

You are right I wrote wrong, sharks are harmless, can't edit my posts.

So captain not get a signal from a staff to move the boat, I didn't mean a phone call, someone maybe the divemaster or any person who in charge at that day of the dive crew, tells the captain to move the boat or head back.

How can you say it's most bizarre and inaccurate to ever be posted. but it's up to you. We all have different experience right.

It really shouldn't matter if you are a serious dive operator from a longtail or any boat, you should have at least 1 staff on the boat. And if they have that, the boat probably shouldn't left the dive site.

I don't think they bring all the dive equipment from US including tanks. They are a diveshop involved and they didn't follow the standards.

You are right, I don't know what happen on the boat, but as you say normally it's only thai captan on the boat, so you have experience from that, on my dive tours we always have a dive staff on the boat. who can help in anyway. if he had a engine failure how could he leave the divers, many thing are not clear in this story. But I still blame the dive operator.

But to calm you down, dive in Thailand are safe, And less people get hurt in diving then playing bowling.

[delh]

0. What company and who is the owner?

1. When and Where?

2. Thai (water) sharks do not attack people

3. There is no diving in "the middle of the ocean", because there is nothing to see...

4. There is no ocean in Thailand

5. Where is "MESA, Ariz."?

6. What is "An East Valley couple"?

If this is not answered, I do not believe this article! Way too much BS....

Google is your friend.

[peterbkk9]

It just irritates me when they say boat "captain". Boat driver is the correct word.

[unanimosity]

I can understand accidentally leaving one or two behind.

But to 'deliberately' leave six divers behind is just plain unacceptable.

There is no excuse.

The captain should face criminal charges for this.

Criminal charges, you mean like 500 baht fine?

[Teddy3943]

Reveal the name of this company and the captain's name. Report him to the police or the local prosecutor.

[sunshine51]

An incident like this happened on Langkawi once back in the mid 90's.

When the divers were finally "rescued" by another dive company's

boat and safely ashore said divers found the boat owner/skipper and

beat the crap outta the guy.

[DekDaeng]

I can understand accidentally leaving one or two behind.

But to 'deliberately' leave six divers behind is just plain unacceptable.

There is no excuse.

The captain should face criminal charges for this.

"engine trouble" is bullshit. Unless he paddled back to port!

[hellodolly]

What makes you think that it only happens in Thailand. I was on a dive in Tahiti once and although we tried to convince the dive master, a Frenchman, that we were 2 short on our trip back he ignored us until we got to the dock and the owner started to collect equipment. Guess what, they were 2 short. Fortunately they went back and found the pair floating nervously in the water over the reef. S**t happens everywhere, not only in Thailand, it's just that this website must be Thai related so you don't hear about the daily " potential disasters" all over the world. Try diving in the red sea sometime, sharks are predicable, but gators and crocks aren't.

This is a Thai forum and so it would not be publishing the incidents in other countries. How ever as you say it is not a kind of thing that happens only in Thailand. Many Ex Pats on Thai Visa are very sure that things like this are only happening here in Thailand. They are all to eager to take wrongs and make them appear like only in Thailand would they happen. They are extremely ignorant as to the happenings in other countries. As far as they are concerned Thailand is the most corrupt country in the world. Not realizing that it is in the middle of the pack there are just as many worse than them as there is better than them. What they fail to understand is that they in fact look pretty dumb knocking every thing about Thailand and yet living in it with out going back to their home countries.

This was a rare happening. It is in no way representative of the average Thai. It fails to mention the name of the company or the repercussions on the captain. The reporting was a shoddy piece of work leaving the whole article suspect. Middle of the (ocean in sight of cliffs) No mention of a radio. For all we know their could have been a boat on the way to pick them up. Not sure of the news source but it sure sounds like something we would find in the Nation.

If it was such a big deal why was it not reported here in Thailand. What we got was part of a video showing they were very close to shore and it was being used as a sensational piece on a U S television news channel.

All in all just an unfortunate happening that is being over dramatized. There is far more to it than what was shown in the video. for instance the video did not mention that there was two instructors and two other divers with them.

[stevenl]

Name and Shame is necessary here I think. Looking at the photo seems to me it is in Phang Nga Bay area, so boat departed from Phuket, Phi Phi or Krabi. As another commentator pointed out, there is hardly a shark alive in those waters. Shark Point, a previous favourite divesite of mine, has been renamed to Point.

Doesnt mention if the coxswain had intended to return for them if he sorted out his engine problem. Just says he left cos of it ..... what a w4nker!!!

Shark Point has not been renamed, we're seeing many sharks at several divesites at the moment.

I have not heard this story before, so doubt it happened on a diveboat from Phuket.