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American tourist left on Great Reef by tour boat company

By Liz Goodwin | The Lookout – Wed, Jun 29, 2011

An American tourist fought off panic when an Australian tour boat company accidentally left him stranded near the Great Barrier Reef in his snorkeling gear.

Michigan 28-year-old Ian Cole says he grew frightened when he surfaced and realized the Passions of Paradise tour boat was gone last Saturday. Since American couple Tom and Eileen Lonergan disappeared after being left behind by a boat in nearby Port Douglas in the 1990s, tour companies have followed strict head count rules, the AFP reports. You can watch an Australian TV news report on the incident in the video above.

"Panic kicks in, your heart rate goes up, and you don't know what's going to happen. I was sucking water back into my snorkel and was really trying hard to stay calm," Cole told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Cole saw another tour boat and says he swam about 15 minutes to reach it. ''When I got to the other boat they looked down like 'what the hell are you doing here?' They said my boat had left 15 minutes ago. I thought they were joking.''

The staff member who failed to do an accurate headcount has been fired, the paper says, and Cole was given a $200 restaurant voucher and a refund for the trip.

But the spokesman of a regional tour operators association told local Australian CairnsBlog that he thought Cole was exaggerating the danger he faced in the incident. Association of Marine Park Operators' Col McKenzie said Cole was ''making a mountain out of a molehill'' to get media attention.

"His response is very upsetting. I engaged in a professional and respectful way and all I sought was for this company to do the right thing following an incident that was totally unacceptable," Cole told CairnsBlog. He had asked for a letter apologizing for the incident and outlining what safety measures would be taken to prevent similar oversights from occurring in the future. Cole told NBC the skipper of the boat called him to apologize.

The horror movie "Open Water" was based on the story of the Lonergan couple, who disappeared after being left by a tour boat on the reef in 1998, and were presumed to have been eaten by sharks. The AP reports that in 2008, a British diver and his American girlfriend were lost nearby when they surfaced from a dive and couldn't find their tour boat. They spent 19 hours in the water awaiting a helicopter rescue.

You can watch Cole talk to NBC about his experience below:

(Cole: NBC)

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All Comments

2,644 comments

Lore • 11 mths ago
Australians new marketing promo should be "Come to Australia, visit the Great Barrier Reef. If you make it back, dinner's on us."
- Existential Threat 11 mths ago
  ahahaha....good one...!
- Deanna 11 mths ago
  freaking hilarious!!!
- ian 11 mths ago
  LOL
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Reply
viji • 11 mths ago
OMG! This reminds me of the movie "Finding Nemo" ! ......But this is real and Cole found himself out!
LidiaP • 11 mths ago
Cole should give the name of this tour boat company so that people in Australia never use them!
Paul • 11 mths ago
HAHAHA the meal voucher!! that's #%#$%$ up!
- American Vet 11 mths ago
  Probably was for shark fin soup.
- J 11 mths ago
  That's like buying him the last meal he woulda had
- Zoe 11 mths ago
  lol
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Reply
Michelle • 11 mths ago
WOW! "Exaggerating the danger he faced?" I've been a diver for over 25 years...in the open water you have to take every precaution imaginable! This tour company should be ashamed of themselves; downplaying an incident like this! Maybe someone should drop the spokesman off in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef with just a shorty wetsuit and leave (remeber this was a snorkeler with no BC for floatation!)....I'd like to know how well that would sit with him!
- Red 11 mths ago
  "the spokesman of a regional tour operators association "
  
  Key Word, association, not the tour operator. Otherwise I completely agree. This statement is outrageous and this association person should lose their job as well.
- moose 11 mths ago
  you poor thing!
- Bear Mauler 11 mths ago
  I declare war on Australia! LOL.
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Really • 11 mths ago
The spokesperson for the regional tour operators association should also be fired for saying that he was "making a mountatin out of a molehill." You be stranded and see how you feel!
- David Rosenthal 11 mths ago
  Bingo.
- Jason 11 mths ago
  Yahtzee.
- Tom 11 mths ago
  Uno!
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Reply
The Lightning Round • 11 mths ago
He was "over exaggerating"? You left him in the middle of the frickin' Ocean, man. He could've died. Man, even if you think "Hey, I could survive that." You don't know if HE could. Panic is the main reason why people drown in water. And you put him in a situation where panic is an obvious response. What a crappy company.

If you think he's "over exaggerating" now, just wait until you hear from his lawyer, mate.
- mimi 11 mths ago
  It was the Coral Sea.
- Purrmaid 11 mths ago
  Well said Ghost.
  
  Mimi...stop nitpicking. It was a vast expanse of water....how's that?
- Chinadoll 11 mths ago
  Yea and you can drown in your own bed, just from a couple of drops of water from swimming earlier or from your own saliva! (It's called a "Dry Drowning") It does'nt take that much water to drown in. I have been a diver for 9 years (Rescue, Search and Recovery, and Recreational) and I never go in the water without a "Buddy" and Even if the boat or dive command center doesnt have a tag board, I present one or atleast a in-out sign sheet. They are lucky it was this guy and not me! I would have thier bizz lisence taken and they would be coming off a whole lot more then free dinner and a refund. Exspecialy after that "Molehill" comment was made! Glade everything turned out ok for the guy and he did the right thing bring this to everyones attention!!!!!!!
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holly k • 11 mths ago
havent tour companies learned from "open water" this is absourd to let this happen! this guy should sue!
mikeright • 11 mths ago
Association of Marine Park Operators' Col McKenzie, needs to be replaced! His lack of sensitivity and understanding of the the danger is a recipe for future problems.
ericincognito • 11 mths ago
a highly trained navy seal could have been lost in a similar situation,the ocean is a very dangerous place,for a guy with some plastic fins and a snorkel mask ,its like being stranded on the moon.this is not an exaggerated response.
Alan G • 11 mths ago
He was very lucky to make it to the other boat before they left.
Bill J • 11 mths ago
Leave Col McKenzie out on the reef for 24 hours and see if he still thinks Cole is "exaggerating the danger". Without that other boat, Cole would be an ex-snorkeler.
Heckster • 11 mths ago
The molehill comment was regrettable. Firing the employee that can not count was right. The captain's apology was good. The entire situation is unacceptable. It creeps me out.
Hannah • 11 mths ago
What kind of a person leaves a human being stranded in the Great Barrier Reef where sea animals can eat him. Whoever did that to him should be fired. Honestly.
Matt S • 11 mths ago
Mountain out of a mole hill? If it's not such a big deal to them to leave someone behind in the water, I'll definitely not snorkel in Australia!
The Mighty Boosh • 11 mths ago
If I was left by a tour boat in the middle of the ocean, I don't think I would take kindly to being told I was "making a mountain out of a molehill." What kind of jacka** would make that statement! I'd be raising more hell than Cole is if it happened to me. Not for personal attention, but to make sure it happens to no one else.
Jessie • 11 mths ago
He should be throwing a fit- they left him behind fro crying out loud!! If there had not been another boat right there who knows what would've happened!
AussieGecko • 11 mths ago
Association of Marine Park Operators' Col McKenzie said Cole was ''making a mountain out of a molehill'' to get media attention. -- BS!!!

I'd sure be raising a stink over this matter if I were the one left behind - it's totally unacceptable for any tour operator to lose count of their paying customers - especially when the consequences of staff inattention on dives can result in the death of those same customers.
timothy • 11 mths ago
Sorry about the mishap that almost killed you, but the good news it the whole sorted thing if free of charge, AND.... we'll give you a coupon for some baby back ribs at applebees!

"Come to Australia on vacation, we hope you believe in reincarnation"
Reverend • 11 mths ago
How about this as a solution. You have a board with plastic tags with numbers, before ANYONE goes over board, they get a tag. Before you pull anchor. You check the board.

Are all the numbers there? Yes? Fine. If not? Start SEARCHING!

Fer Crissakes! Am I the first person to come up with that idea?!?!

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