VINKEVEEN, Netherlands (21 June 2005) -- Rescue divers have resumed searching for a diver who went missing while scuba diving at Vinkeveen. Police have brought in special equipment including sonar to search the area, which remains closed to the public. Popular beaches in the area remain open for swimming, however, police have discouraged scuba diving due to the danger of many boats involved in the search. The 25-year-old diver went missing on Saturday while participating in a guided dive led by a certified scuba diving instructor. The accident which involved a diver under supervision by an instructor again raises concerns about the dive industry trend to certify divers who have not been adequately trained. PADI, a California-based company that sells certification cards, sports apparel and so-called "interactive diving" (aka shark feeding) tours, has rolled out a diver certification product called "Scuba Diver", which effectively cuts entry-level training by approximately 50 percent and requires "certified" divers to dive with PADI professionals. "Due to the inherent risks of scuba diving including decompression illness, lung embolisms and drowning, the notion that supervision can be a substitute for adequate training is grossly irresponsible," said Evan T. Allard, President of Cyber Diver Society (CDS). | | Rescue divers search for missing Dutch scuba diver who went missing while diving with a professional scuba instructor. "In our view, people who are certified to dive without adequate training are accidents and lawsuits waiting to happen. That's good for the legal profession but bad for public safety," Allard added. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORKCDNN Related Story: 'Unsafe at Any Depth: PADI Scuba Diver' |
