A Florida-based NBC affiliate recently reported on the search to find a diver that disappeared in the Bahamas. Diving insurance should cover both equipment and crew in these situations, and in this case the diver seems to have been lost while the gear was left behind.
According to this source, the Royal Bahamas Police Force has claimed to have discovered "a mask, a tank, a buoyancy device, a camera and a weight belt" that might have belonged to the missing man. There also appear to be damaging bite marks on these items, evidence of a shark attack that may have lowered their value.
This discovery comes as the search for the missing Texas man, John Petty, was put on hold. The effort started after Petty went missing on Sunday, and has involved support from the governments of both the Bahamas and the USA.
What legal precautions should divers take before venturing into dangerous waters? Even those looking to assist can find themselves in trouble: photos from the New York Daily News show divers in the Thailand area getting very close to a whale shark enmeshed in net, which they then tried to free. Reportedly, the shark struggled and tried to escape during the attempt, which was ultimately successful.
Whether it's a physical injury or damage to the equipment, not every insurer will be able to cover for the kinds of problems that can quickly arise in deep-sea situations. It's critical that the coverage a diver has is able to protect them in situations as precarious as a shark attack.