7DaysinParadise
Diving => Diving => Topic started by: That Woman on August 18, 2009, 10:29:07 PM
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HURGHADA, Egypt — Four Russian scuba divers who were swept away by strong currents in the shark-infested waters off southern Egypt were found alive Tuesday after they managed to swim miles back to shore, said a tourism official.
The four went missing Monday after a dive in the Red Sea near Marsa Alam, one of Egypt’s top diving locations. They were found Tuesday at a tourist village in al-Quseir, north of Marsa Alam, said Ehab Taher, director of the scuba diving tourism office in the Red Sea port of Hurghada.
One of the divers, Vitaly Ivanov, told The Associated Press that he swam some 12 miles (20 kilometres) to make it back to shore. He spoke to the AP from a hospital in al-Quseir, where he was recovering from his ordeal.
Ivanov was found Tuesday morning, and the others later in the day, said Taher. The group started swimming back to shore together, but Ivanov became separated from the other three overnight, said Taher.
The Russians were part of a group of six who were diving near a pair of islands in the Red Sea called al-Akhawein, or the Brothers, according to the official Egyptian news agency MENA. Authorities carried out an unsuccessful search for the four missing divers Monday that was called off at nightfall.
The waters around the islands are popular with divers from all over the world because of the chance to spot several kinds of sharks, including hammerheads and oceanic whitetips. But there are often strong currents that can make diving difficult.
At least five Russian divers died in two separate incidents in 2007 in the waters off Marsa Alam, which is located nearly 500 miles (800 kilometres) south of Cairo.
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Scary stuff.
I remember in Cozumel, Johnny and I got swept away in the current and separated from the group. We tried to get back to the group but the current was just too strong to swim against, and so we aborted our dive.
After talking to another dive op that day they said that they refused to take divers out that day, because the current was too strong. I guess Palancar didn't care?
No sharks that day though. :minishark:
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I guess Palancar didn't care?
I have also dived with Palancar and thought they where a lame outfit.....terrible DM's !
I would like to dive Coz again in the next year or so, the reefs have been hit hard from the hurricane, but you still get some big stuff out there.
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I agree that the reefs will take a few years to come back, but the marine life is incredible.
I did my advanced certification with Palancar, and Wendy did her open water at the same time.
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Johnny and I did our Cozumel diving with Dressel Divers, and have nothing but good things to say! *clap* *clap*
http://www.dresseldivers.com/en/about_dressel.htm