Two Western Australian divers narrowly escaped disaster after their boat vanished while anchored off the coast of Mindarie, north of Perth.
Ryan Chapman and his mate were free diving and scuba diving about 5km offshore when they resurfaced to find their vessel had disappeared from sight. The pair had initially spent 45 minutes on the water, but Chapman later revealed he was "overly eager" to get into the water without securing a knot properly.
The dramatic rescue unfolded as Chapman frantically called out for his boat, which was now a distant memory. He told Guardian Australia that at one point, he thought the boat had sunk and began searching for it. However, upon seeing another vessel in the distance, they swam towards it instead of waiting for help.
It took nearly an hour-and-a-half for Chapman and his friend to be spotted by rescuers, who were concerned about their drifting boat. But Chapman remained surprisingly calm, claiming he wasn't too worried despite losing his vessel.
The divers eventually found their boat 2km away from where they initially lost it and decided to return to the wreckage. They then went on another dive with one person in the water and one on board, a more cautious approach.
Chapman has since shared his harrowing footage online, using it as an opportunity to raise awareness about diving safety. Specifically, he stressed the importance of having someone in the boat at all times (a "decky") and double-checking anchorage.
In hindsight, Chapman acknowledges that he was being "complacent" but also recognizes the courage required to admit his mistake and share it with others.
Ryan Chapman and his mate were free diving and scuba diving about 5km offshore when they resurfaced to find their vessel had disappeared from sight. The pair had initially spent 45 minutes on the water, but Chapman later revealed he was "overly eager" to get into the water without securing a knot properly.
The dramatic rescue unfolded as Chapman frantically called out for his boat, which was now a distant memory. He told Guardian Australia that at one point, he thought the boat had sunk and began searching for it. However, upon seeing another vessel in the distance, they swam towards it instead of waiting for help.
It took nearly an hour-and-a-half for Chapman and his friend to be spotted by rescuers, who were concerned about their drifting boat. But Chapman remained surprisingly calm, claiming he wasn't too worried despite losing his vessel.
The divers eventually found their boat 2km away from where they initially lost it and decided to return to the wreckage. They then went on another dive with one person in the water and one on board, a more cautious approach.
Chapman has since shared his harrowing footage online, using it as an opportunity to raise awareness about diving safety. Specifically, he stressed the importance of having someone in the boat at all times (a "decky") and double-checking anchorage.
In hindsight, Chapman acknowledges that he was being "complacent" but also recognizes the courage required to admit his mistake and share it with others.
can you even believe this dude's luck?! He almost lost his boat and life because of one tiny mistake... like securing a knot properly 
I'm not saying he should've just let go, but geez! The fact that he thought the boat had sunk and started searching for it instead of waiting for help is wild 
. But seriously, kudos to him for being so calm and sharing his harrowing experience online to raise awareness about diving safety 
I mean, having a "decky" in the boat at all times makes total sense... like, duh! 
they're lucky they didn't hurt themselves or worse... anyway, back to something else... have you guys tried that new coffee shop downtown? i went there yesterday and their cold brew is LIFE.CHANGING. 
i'm actually thinking of starting a coffee blog, what do u think? should i call it "buzzing"?? 
. and the fact that he thought the boat had sunk and searched for it instead of waiting for help? 
chapman's got some solid points about needing someone in the boat (decky) and double-checking anchorage. it's all about being responsible and cautious when you're out there 
can't wait to see what else he shares online!
Oh man, I'm still shook by this crazy story! Like, can you even imagine losing your boat in the middle of nowhere? 
That's just diving 101! And then he loses the boat for an hour-and-a-half, drifting around while his mate is swimming around like a headless chicken 
. It's a miracle no one got seriously hurt.
. But at least Ryan learned his lesson and shared the footage online to spread awareness about diving safety. That's gotta be worth something, right? 
. Having someone in the boat, checking those anchors... safety first, people! 
. i mean, 45 minutes in the water without a secure boat is way too long, and not checking the knot properly is just reckless 
. And you know what's even crazier? They thought it had sunk and started swimming away from the wreck instead of waiting for help 
.
. We all need a reminder (or two) to double-check our anchoring and make sure someone's in the boat at all times 
. It's not just about the divers, though – it's about being responsible and looking out for each other, especially when you're doing something that could potentially go wrong 
.
. You can't teach this stuff in a classroom; sometimes you need to live it and share it with others to make a difference 
So close! I'm relieved those guys made it out alive 
... for the bad guys, that is 
.
. One thing's for sure: Chapman and his mate are lucky to be alive, and I'm glad they made it back to shore in one piece 
.
I mean, how do you even forget to tie a knot?! 
And what if they hadn't found their boat?! 
But what really gets me is that Ryan stayed calm and didn't freak out, even when his boat was gone