Kennet Diver Rides Again

A feeling of deja vu for advanced diver candidates in from Newbury Sub-Aqua club on Saturday. Earlier this year some of them were sitting the practical examination in dive marshalling when an emergency call on the radio interrupted and they went to help a broken down boat with divers underwater. On Saturday they were sitting the practical examination to become Advanced divers when they heard an emergency call on the radio.

This time the Coastguard had two reports of boats sinking at Osmington Mills in Weymouth Bay. The RNLI boat and the Coastguard helicopter went to the scene & Newbury Sub-Aqua Club again offered assistance. Once again that offer was accepted and the NSAC boat arrived to find that the RNLI boat had a speedboat with 2 passengers (and a dog) in tow.

The NSAC Boat stayed to assist the Helicopter find the second reported boat, but on debriefing the passengers the RNLI ascertained that there had only been one boat after all, radio messages had been confused.

Derek Wright, Diving Officer for NSAC who was in charge of Kennet Diver said “I’m really glad I was there this time, as an advanced instructor I have to teach and examine emergency scenarios, it makes it all worthwhile to see how well it comes together when you have to do it for real, especially when no-one is hurt.”

Newbury SAC can be contacted via our website www.newburysac.com or contact:
Derek Wright - diving.officer@newburysac.com
Sheilah Openshaw - publicity@newburysac.com