Why would you need travel insurance for Mexico when it’s so close to home? What could possibly happen on a prominent liveaboard excursion run by a reputable company? If you’ve already purchased diving accident coverage for your trip, why is a travel insurance add-on so important?
Sometimes events unfold that we do not expect and are the farthest thing from our mind. As, unfortunately, a group of guests on a liveaboard in Socorro were about to find out.
From Around the World, They Came to Socorro
A group of 8 dive buddies from Colombia, Guatemala, Canada and the U.S. boarded an 8-night all-inclusive liveaboard cruise in Socorro, Mexico. They were all experienced dive buddies who would periodically meet up in different locations all over the world for dive trips and were all skilled and advanced divers. The majority of these proficient divers were members of the DiveAssure Association and had purchased a premium diving and travel insurance.
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Suddenly Things Started to Go Wrong for One Diver
After only a couple of days into the trip, one of the older more experienced male divers entered the water along with his dive buddy for the first dive of the day. Suddenly, he and his dive buddy surfaced and signalled for the zodiac to return them to the boat. This was highly unusual. One of the dive buddies climbed back on to the zodiac, when he turned to help his buddy on to the boat, he found that he was lying unconscious in the water.
Everyone on board proceeded to lift him onto the zodiac and then back to the main yacht, where CPR was administered. The other dive members were recalled back to the boat whilst help was already on its way.
As part of the emergency response, the crew immediately called the DiveAssure emergency hotline, which provided crucial guidance on the next steps. A few medical professionals were called to the situation, whereby the doctor at the scene pronounced the diver deceased after a heart failure incident had occurred in the water. The deceased diver was then carried by helicopter to the mainland and subsequently repatriated to his home country, Canada, with assistance from DiveAssure’s coverage. At the request of Mexican authorities, the liveaboard docked until further investigation could be carried out.
How DiveAssure Helped the Remaining Divers
With their friend sadly gone, the liveaboard trip was canceled. The rest of the divers in their grief chose to return home early. Their vacation had been cut short and they were all in shock due to this sudden loss.
The divers that were members of the DiveAssure Association all had the Special Liveaboard coverage and found that they were covered for trip interruption due to death or illness of a traveling companion. This included reimbursement for their lost diving days, the remainder of their unused liveaboard costs, as well as flight changes to return home early.
We Recommend Purchasing Our Unique Liveaboard Coverage
Despite the unforeseen circumstances the liveaboard company was not at fault for the cancellation. Thankfully, they were DiveAssure Partners and promoted purchasing DiveAssures specialized Liveaboard coverage to protect their guests. DiveAssure is proud to have supported fellow divers during their time of grief and uncertainty.
Still Not Convinced You Need Diving Insurance?
Accidents can happen even to the most experienced divers. Learn why diving insurance should be a must-have on your checklist and how it can protect you when it matters most. Read more here.