Tragic Drowning

[shoutatthesky]

Radio New Zealand News : Latest News : 200704260717 : Investigations continue into fatal drowning of young boy and girl

Why would anybody be out in a small boat at 2am in pitch black night without life jackets? In 6 metres of water even the most basic level freediver would have saved them - wouldn't they? Maybe the group was drinking?
To top it all off when the police dive squad went to recover the bodies they found the body of an unidentified female with no apparent connection to this event.
Here in New Zealand we have no requirement to be licensed to operate a pleasure boat. What is the case in other parts?

 

[Oldsarge]

Sadly enough, yes it is. People do things in boats that they would never be allowed to do in cars and the results are just what you would expect.

 

[Sean Smith]

Tragic.
In Canada: "All Canadians are now required by federal law to carry a boating license when operating a powered water craft under 4m in length. Those born after April 1, 1983 require a license for any sized water craft."
There remains a lot of debate as to whether this program has any effectiveness though. The test is very short and the scope of knowledge required is very generalized. It's a start though.

 

[vali]

in romania you need a capacity certificate in order to drive a boat with engine....
i have one and i can tell u that one day i spent with the exam...
not so easy to take this certificate...

 

[fcallagy]

In Ireland if using the boat for hire or profit you must be registered for it and they are pretty stringent as far as i know. If its just for your own private use you don't need squat. It can be scary seeing some people putting to sea in a new boat and nearly hitting several of the boats moored up on the way out of the harbour. Or seeing the brand new and expensive boat left high and dry on the rocks possibly damaging it because they never realised that tides go out as well as come in. In the scuba club we are insured as long as the person is a qualified coxain.