These dive instructors were negligent in allowing these students to dive poor vis (visibility) conditions in Lake Pupeke:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10828158
You do not do a deep dive in conditions with anything less than optimum visibility. There is too much that could go wrong. Dive to depths of over 15m and you run the risk of decompression sickness and nitrgen narcosis. It sounds like these guys got narced as they descended and swam further downwards due to the poor vis. The instructors have blood on their hands.
I did this same dive in lake Taupo last decade. We dove to 39 ft. It was the middle of the day. Conditions were good and it was still extremely challenging. We were well educated about the dangers and were put in a pressurized tank prior to the trip. By the time we dived we were acquainted with nitrogen narcosis and educated about the disorientating landscape at depth. At depth there is little or no colour to identify your surroundings due to lack of light.
What education did these students receive, I wonder.
“The inquest was told conditions on the day of the dive were poor, with visibility under the water extremely limited.”
So why did they go down then?
I would surprised if at the end of the inquest, the coroner did not issue a statement condemning the absolute ineptness of these dive instructors.
This is what you see on a good day diving Motutere Lake Taupo. Photo:Â IanSkipworth.com
 This photo was taken at a depth of 39m. I have dived here previously. You see these koura and bullies. Koura are territorial and each have their own “triangle”they sit in the middle of.
