Apparently, the dive group, including the Russian Ambassador's wife and son, were in a fishing/diving boat with ten other divers, boat crew and diving cylinders, when it sank and
it was only after people started to be reported missing, that the situation was discovered due to the vessel not having any means of calling for assistance - no radios or distress beacons etc.
Details are still a bit sketchy, however, it would appear that the dive trip, run by a local company called "Ocean Divers", used a vessel that was overloaded, not suitable for the trip, lacked proper licences or permits and, as previously mentioned, had no means of summoning for help, leaving the group stranded in the sea for more than 24 hours, with some members in the water for 36 hours before the coastguard was able to retrieve them, due to bad visibility and drifting.
According to sources, the owner of "Ocean Divers" who was in charge of the boat, was met on the shoreline by an imaginably concerned Russian Ambassador, accompanied by the Head of the Royal Oman Police.
I am assuming the proverbial is going to hit the fan for this, and rightly so. Rumours are circulating that the owner is in custody, although he may have been released at this stage.
Standards for some dive centres and adventure tour providers in Oman need to be seriously addressed, as it is nothing short of a miracle that this event resulted in no loss of life.
Once again, well done to the Oman Coastguard on a very successful outcome to what could have been a disastrous event.
You did a brilliant job under very difficult conditions and you should be very proud of yourselves.
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