The Calypso Sub-Aqua Club issued a statement with regard to the Police vs Castillo case. Statement has been reproduced below from the Calypso SAC Website
The CSAC Committee has noted that the judgement in the case Police vs Arthur Castillo has been considered by many local and international divers debating in international forums as possibly creating a contentious legal precedent in terms of the divers’ responsibility when diving using the buddy system.
The CSAC Committee looks forward to see that the appeal reconsiders the case whilst taking notice of additional qualified experts’ advice on diver training and risk management for recreational and non-recreational diving, and additionally considers the potential implications of returning a similar verdict.
The CSAC Committee still encourages divers to dive in pairs and not solo where possible due to the benefits of the buddy system that should not be overshadowed by this judgement. It also reminds divers to apply their training, keep within the limits of their training and not take unnecessary risks during their dives.
Furthermore, it encourages authorities, industry, clubs, other stakeholders and individual divers to to look forward beyond this specific accident and set up a structure where accidents and issues related to the local diving community are regularly reviewed in an independent manner to improve knowledge-sharing, learning from past accidents, maintenance of infrastructure and protection of the environment.
CSAC Website Post
