From a PADIs POV
Quote:
A 12 to 14-year-old Junior Open Water Diver or Junior Scuba Diver is qualified to dive only when accompanied by another certified diver who is of legal age.
Since Junior PADI Scuba Divers must dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor, this meets this standard’s intent. Legal age is defined as an individual who is at least 18
years of age, except where law defines an older age; in this case, the law becomes the guideline.
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I've taken a number of youngsters on dives in the sea and found them to be the better buddies in some cases as they actually listen to the briefing and monitor their air.
It is so easy for all divers to get complacent with what they are doing, even more so on their home turf, and perhaps they had done that dive hundreds of time, always with plenty of air remaining.
From the news article, which I admit to only scanning, it would appear they had boat cover, had both made it back to the surface safely, therefore in all other ways had had a successful dive. The problem would appear that the lad didn't have sufficient air to inflate his jacket, sufficient training to consider dropping his haul and/or his weights.
This could happen to anyone.
From a personal POV, I am taking my daughters, aged 12 on their first diving holiday next year, they will only dive 1:1 with me, will have my transmitter in their first stage, so I can monitor their air remotely, and the dives are likely to be quite short.
It is my intention to limit their diving to short shallow dives for a couple of years before looking at diving in the North Sea with either of them. This will be much to the disappointment of the elder twin, as she is desperate to dive with seals :- However safety has to be the number one concern.
With respect to the second news article, the cynic in me is crying bullshit to the inflator button getting depressed by the cannon ball accidentally and more to the tune that the lift bag didn't have sufficient lift, therefore the diver inflated the suit (and probably BCD) to bring his haul to the surface.
Now, I could be 100% wrong and if so, I am prepared to eat my own words.
Both are terrible accidents that bring home the fact that the sport we enjoy (love) is dangerous and that we should all take care at all times.