If you cannot reunite with a missing buddy:

If you cannot reunite with a missing buddy:

• A. Initiate an underwater search, using an expanding square pattern
• B. Seek assistance from the closest military base
• C. Leave underwater searches to trained professionals
• D. None of the above

Answer: (C)

When a buddy is missing, safety takes priority and professional help is needed. Underwater search patterns are not casual skills; they’re specialized techniques taught to rescue divers with proper training and equipment. Without that training, attempting to search can quickly put you at risk—running low on air, losing orientation, or becoming entangled—while potentially hindering a coordinated professional search. The responsible course is to abort the dive, ascend safely, and alert the surface team or dive control so trained divers can take over the search. They know how to coordinate search patterns, manage risks, and use the right gear to maximize the chances of finding the missing diver. That’s why leaving underwater searches to trained professionals is the appropriate choice.

When a buddy is missing, safety takes priority and professional help is needed. Underwater search patterns are not casual skills; they’re specialized techniques taught to rescue divers with proper training and equipment. Without that training, attempting to search can quickly put you at risk—running low on air, losing orientation, or becoming entangled—while potentially hindering a coordinated professional search.

The responsible course is to abort the dive, ascend safely, and alert the surface team or dive control so trained divers can take over the search. They know how to coordinate search patterns, manage risks, and use the right gear to maximize the chances of finding the missing diver. That’s why leaving underwater searches to trained professionals is the appropriate choice.