Due to steady numbers of casualties associated with passenger vessels in support of recreational diving activities each year, the US Office of Investigations and Analysis posted Marine Safety Alert 15-18, ‘Don’t Let Your Divers Down,’ proposing safety measures to ensure a safe voyage.
USCG also reminded owners and operators of these vessels that recreational diving is not an activity regulated by the US Coast Guard. Thus, the US Coast Guard licensed Master of a commercial vessel transporting recreational divers and passengers is responsible and accountable for vessel and passenger safety. Failure to perform those duties may lead to administrative actions against the Master.
Masters of commercial vessels used for recreational diving are responsible to ensure the following:
- Clear and effective safety briefings are made before getting underway;
- Safe transit of passengers to and from dive sites;
- Safe entry and exiting of divers from water at dive sites;
- Safe recovery of persons from water during routine and emergency circumstances;
- Safe accounting of divers at all times and managing role calls prior to dive-site departure;
- Proper care of vessel mechanical systems, emergency equipment and watertight integrity at all times, especially prior to getting underway;
- Proper maintenance and inspection of diving equipment when those items are part of the vessel’s equipment;
- Adequacy and effectiveness of marine crew or deckhands in the performance of their duties;
- Effective monitoring of sea state and weather conditions prior to getting underway and at all times thereafter until vessel returns safely to dock.
In addition, Masters of a commercial vessel used for recreational diving who are also acting as a Dive Masters are responsible to ensure:
- Effective supervision of non-training related diving activities by planning, organizing and directing dives;
- Accurate assessment of the hazards of a dive site and ensuring diver awareness of those hazards;
- Divers are properly briefed on the layout and points of interest of the dive site;
- Suggestions for dive routes at a specific site for autonomous divers;
- Thorough checks of divers into and out of the water from the vessel;
- Safety of divers in the water when leading a group as a tour guide.
Finally, the US Coast Guard recommended all persons responsible for passenger vessels involved in dive activities to review and comply with the practices in Marine Safety Advisory 01-12.
