Police have revealed the young divers who went missing off Tasmania’s East Coast today are ‘lucky to be alive’ after they drifted 3.6km out to sea before being found four hours later.
Inspector Colin Riley praised the divers, aged 24 and 25, for their strength and resilience – saying they managed to remain calm and focused throughout the ordeal.
The incident unfolded when a boat dropped off pairs of divers along the Bicheno coast. Two divers were deposited at Alligator Rock, approximately 250 meters offshore.
They entered the water at 10:15 am, but by 11:55 am, police were alerted that the divers had not resurfaced.
It was revealed that due to a technical issue, the divers could only remain underwater for a maximum of five minutes.
As a result, they remained on the surface and drifted for four hours.
A vast array of resources, including police helicopters, civilian vessels, police and civilian divers, Tasmania Maritime, Surf Life Saving Tasmania, and even the coroner’s office, were deployed in response to the distress call.
The search coordinator established a drift pattern, and after scouring the designated area, the two divers were located a staggering two nautical miles or 3.6 kilometers offshore.
Thankfully, both divers were brought back to safety and examined by paramedics, who confirmed their good health and high spirits.
