Aqua Safari in Cozumel deliberately endangered divers...Jonathan K - Dive Traveler / na
January 11, 2008 at 20:25:35I wanted to send you a copy
of some information about a series of scuba diving incidents that took place today...people suggested your magazine (readers) might like to hear about it. It concerns the Cozumel, Mexico, dive operator Aqua Safari. Myself and 4 friends went to the marina on Cozumel to do 2 shore dives from the nearby beach. We entered the water for our first dive, dived for about 40 minutes, then started heading back toward shore. We were towing a standard dive flag and buoy with us.
As we entered the shallow area near the shore, I was at about 10 feet. Suddenly I heard a very loud boat which sounded like it was getting closer. I looked around, and to my horror, saw a huge dive boat headed directly for our flag, and myself. I kicked hard for the bottom and was able to stay clear of the boat's prop. The boat ran over our flag, going about 40 ft past it. Then I watched as the boat backed down hard until our flag was just a few feet off the left side of
the vessel. I made a slow ascent and surfaced beside our flag. I asked the captain if he knew what a dive flag meant. He told me to go away and be quiet. I told him that he "better be more careful or he was likely to kill someone". He again told me to go away. I descended and rejoined my dive group. We swam about 40 more feet and ended the dive. When I surfaced again, I saw that the boat\'s divemaster was in the water just 20 ft away. I
decided to talk to him. I swam over to about 10 ft away, and before I could say anything he said "Do you have authorization to be instructing here." I said, "no, I'm not an instructor and am not teaching. I would appreciate it if you would not run your boat over my dive flag. You almost killed me." He replied, "Do you have a marine park pass? I don't think you do." Then he said to his divers, "Come on, we're descending now." This
ticked me off, and I said, "No, I'm not done with you yet!" He then said, "you better shut up and be careful what you complain about, or I will call the park service on you." Then he said to his captain, in Spanish, "Call the national park." I told him, "Do what you want, I really don't care about them. How would you feel if someone ran YOUR flag over?" (He had an identical flag with him) He again told me to shut up and leave, then he descended. This behavior is not acceptable. A professional dive operator intentionally endangered my life and the life of all the divers in my group, then had the balls to imply that it was my fault for even diving there at all. The operator was Aqua Safari, their boat was the Ocean Two. They are obviously only concerned with their paying customers and nothing else. Thank you for your time, Jonathan K | 
