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Why Search Understand the reasons for searching
underwater.
Limitations of The
Underwater Search Become familiar with underwater
search patterns and their
Search Patterns limitations.
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Summary
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Lost gear – equipment which fell off a boat, was
lost during a dive, etc.
Lost diver search – in this scenario time is critical.
The divers on site must perform a rapid and
systematic search with the means and
equipment available to them, pending the arrival
of a well-trained search team to the site.
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Equipment availability.
Limited visibility and the lack of fixed points of
reference limit search efficiency.
Bottom time – air consumption and no
decompression times restrict the duration of the
search, which has to be efficient.
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Limited diver communication requires a pre-
planned search method agreed on by all involved.
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The search area – define and mark
off the search area.
The challenge of marking off
completed areas makes running a
systematic search difficult.
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Moving
Circle
There are many search Search
patterns and methods. The
appropriate search pattern Swimline
Circular
Shotline
will be decided on by the Search
Search
dive team based on the
divers’ skills, availability of
equipment, dive site
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conditions and the urgency Jackstay Pendulum
of the search. Search Search
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Moving
Circle
The Israeli Diving Federation Search
offers an advanced
Underwater Search and Swimline
Circular
Shotline
Recovery Specialty Class. In Search
Search
this module we cover the
basic 5 search patterns.
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Jackstay Pendulum
Search Search
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We’ll use this search pattern for a quick
search in a limited area requiring little
equipment.
This search pattern requires two divers
for every search team.
This search pattern requires the use of a
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rope.
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This search pattern is suitable for mostly
flat bottom surfaces.
The drawback of the Moving Circle
search is its limited area coverage.
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1. The diver at center holds a pre-defined
spot.
2. The search diver rolls out the guide rope
keeping the center diver in visual range.
3. The search diver advances in a circle
around the center diver.
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4. The center diver signals (2 rope tugs)
the search diver when a full circle has
been completed.
5. The search diver rolls out the guide
rope, within visual range of the previous
search circle.
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If the target has not been located the center diver re-positions
herself in the next search area and steps 2-5 are repeated.
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We’ll use this search when a full set of
search equipment is available to us.
This search pattern requires two divers
for every search team.
This search pattern requires the use of a
rope and two shotlines.
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This search pattern is suitable for mostly
flat bottom surfaces.
The drawback of this search pattern is its
limited area coverage.
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1. The center shotline is dropped at a
pre-defined spot.
2. The divers roll out the guide rope,
keeping within visual range of the
center shotline.
3. The divers position the secondary
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shotline at the starting search point.
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4. The divers advance in a circle around
the center shotline, at a distance
determined by the length of the guide
rope.
5. When arriving back to the secondary
shotline, the divers roll out the guide
rope, keeping the secondary shotline
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within visual range.
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6. Repeat steps 3-5 until the target is
located.
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If the target has not been located the center shotline is re-positioned
in the next search area, and steps 2-5 are repeated.
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We’ll use this search pattern when
searching near the shoreline / reef /
bank.
This search pattern requires the use of a
rope.
The drawback of this search pattern is its
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limited area coverage and the need for
good sea conditions.
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1. The pendulum rope is tied to a fixed
point on the shore / reef / bank.
2. The search divers swim a half circle
(180°).
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3. Upon reaching the shoreline / reef /
bank, the search divers extend the
pendulum rope further out.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 until the target has
been located.
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If the target has not been found it is not likely located near the
shoreline / reef / bank, and a different search pattern must be used.
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We’ll use this search pattern to search
over a large area and/or at depth and/or
in limited visibility and/or in the dark.
This search pattern’s advantage is its
efficiency and its ability to cover a large
search area underwater.
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Its drawback is the lengthy setup time
needed to prepare and deploy the rope
and buoy system.
A large amount of equipment is needed
for this search pattern – weights, buoys,
ropes.
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1. The search area is divided into
rectangular sections, and each section
is marked off using two fixed jackstays,
with a shotline attached to each end of
the jackstay.
2. Each pair of divers will position a
guideline rope with large rings at both
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its ends into which the jackstays are threaded, and search along
the guideline rope.
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3. At the end of each search leg, the
divers will advance along the jackstay
according to visibility conditions along
with the guideline rope, and begin the
next search leg until covering the whole
of the search area.
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We’ll use this search pattern when the
search is extremely urgent (for example,
in case of a missing diver).
This search pattern does not require any
mission-specific equipment or gear.
This search pattern requires multiple
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divers.
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1. The search team divers will line up,
within visible distance from each other
or using a buddy line.
2. The search team leader will advance
across the search area following a
compass course, with the rest of the
search team swimming in line with the
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leader.
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3. When reaching the limit of the search
area (according to runtime, depth,
bottom conditions, boat signals, etc.)
the pivot diver (who is farthest from the
team leader) stays in their place, and
the rest of the team pivots around
them.
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4. The search team will then begin a new
search in the reciprocal (opposite)
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We’ll use this search pattern when no
other means are available.
This search pattern’s advantage is its
quick setup and preparation.
Its drawback is its inability to provide full
coverage of the search area.
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1. Define the search area and decide on
the following:
Starting point
Search azimuth
Search distance
2. Begin the search at the starting point,
swimming in the direction of the search
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azimuth, for the search distance. Zig-Zag Search
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3. When reaching the end of the search
distance, swim perpendicular to the
search azimuth, until the completed
search leg is outside visible distance.
Turn to the return azimuth and repeat
the search distance.
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Zig-Zag Search
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4. Upon reaching the point parallel to the
starting point, again move sideways out
of visible distance from the search leg,
and continue searching in the original
search azimuth.
5. If the search target has not been
located, the dive buddy positions
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him/herself in the next search area, and Zig-Zag Search
steps 2-4 are repeated.
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1. Define the search area and decide on
the following:
Starting point
Search azimuth
Search distance
2. Begin the search at the starting point,
swimming in the direction of the search
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azimuth, for the search distance. Square Spiral Search
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3. When reaching the end of the search
leg, turn 90° and continue searching for
the same search distance.
4. When reaching the end of the search
leg, turn 90° and continue searching,
extending the search distance.
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Square Spiral Search
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5. When reaching the end of the search
leg, turn 90° and continue searching for
the same search distance.
6. When reaching the end of the search
leg, turn 90° and continue searching,
extending the search distance.
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7. Repeat steps 2-7 until covering the pre-
Square Spiral Search
defined search area.
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Delimiting the search area is done for two main
reasons:
Marking off the area as a diving zone – preventing boat
traffic. The Alpha Flag is
the only
Command and control of the search operation. internationally
Marking off the search area: recognized sign
signifying divers in
The search area may be marked off with several shot lines. the water
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Underwater, a rope may be tied between the shot lines.
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An underwater search can be used to locate a lost object or a
missing diver, taking into account the site conditions, the divers’
training levels and the available equipment.
The appropriate search pattern should be decided on based on
the circumstance, so as to achieve the most efficient coverage in
the shortest possible time.
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Divers looking to advance in this field,
develop an in depth understanding of search
and recovery, learn search methods utilizing
several team in parallel, using mission-
specific search and recovery equipment, may
take the TIDF Search and Recovery Specialty
Class, developed with (and for) the Israeli
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Police Force, and be qualified as a Search and
Recovery Diver.
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Are you interested in making your diving
safer ? In longer bottom times?
Nitrox is oxygen-enriched air, a safer
breathing gas for recreational diving.
Nitrox Specialty Class:
Offered to divers of all certification levels
AOW - Eng – Vr. 1 Apr 2019
No diving experience needed.
Takes only a few hours.
