If you lose contact with your dive buddy, what should you do?

If you lose contact with your dive buddy, the best course of action is to search for no more than a minute and then ascend. This approach is grounded in the importance of safety and communication under water. The primary goal in diving is to ensure both you and your buddy remain safe.

Spending only a brief time searching allows you to actively look for your buddy without putting yourself in unnecessary risk, such as getting lost or running low on air. After that, ascending becomes crucial because ascending together is vital for safety. If a prolonged search does not yield results, returning to the surface allows you to regroup and seek assistance from your buddy or other divers, who may have seen them.

Waiting for your buddy to find you is not advisable, as it could lead to prolonged separation and increased risk. Continuing to dive without a plan or ensuring buddy contact can compound the danger and frustration of dealing with a lost buddy situation. Signaling for assistance from other divers can be helpful, but it should ideally be done after taking responsible action, such as ascending to a safer point.

Ultimately, this response emphasizes a clear and methodical approach to managing a lost buddy situation while prioritizing safety above all.