A British couple who embarked on their dream scuba diving holiday in Mauritius have spoken of their terrifying ordeal after being abandoned at sea for more than seven hours in shark-infested waters, watching rescue helicopters fly overhead without spotting them.
Julie Byrne and her husband Jeff, both 52, from Carlisle, were left stranded with three other divers after their tour boat failed to return following a dive off the coast of Mauritius. Dragged 12 miles out to sea by powerful currents into waters known to be home to hammerhead and bull sharks, the group feared they would perish and their bodies would never be recovered.
The incident unfolded during what was supposed to be the highlight of their once-in-a-lifetime trip, organised through their hotel with DiveSail Travel. Just half an hour into their second dive, deteriorating conditions — including choppy waters and low visibility — prompted the dive leader to signal the group to surface. When they emerged, they realised with mounting panic that the boat had left them behind.
“We thought we were done for,” Julie recalled. “That this was it. We’d perish in the water and our bodies would never be found.”
The five divers linked arms and began treading water, battling eight-foot waves, tropical storms, and relentless heat. As the hours passed, dehydration set in, causing their tongues to swell, turn white, and crack from the salt water. Severe sunburn took hold, particularly on Jeff’s face around his diving mask.
Adding to the psychological torment was the constant fear of sharks.
“When you’re in waters where you know sharks are common, your mind plays tricks,” Julie said. “Each time a fish or leaf of seaweed brushed my ankle my heart would stop. We were constantly on the lookout for fins, but the waves were so high and the water so choppy that we couldn’t see a thing.”
Julie has not been in the water since the horrific incidentCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
One diver, a young German woman, repeatedly peered down into the depths, a silent acknowledgement of the “S word” that none of the group dared to utter aloud.
Compounding their despair, the group spotted helicopters and aircraft involved in the search and rescue operation overhead but were unable to attract their attention despite yelling and waving desperately.
“We saw helicopters flying overhead. We yelled and screamed but they couldn’t see us,” Julie said. “I told Jeff I loved him and he said he loved me.”
Their salvation finally came after seven gruelling hours when a passing boat spotted Jeff’s bright surface marker buoy. The group was pulled from the water and rushed to a nearby yacht club for urgent medical treatment, where emotions erupted into tears, hugs, and relieved laughter.
Julie, a mother of two, has been left deeply traumatised by the experience and has not returned to the water since. She now suffers from PTSD. Jeff, however, remains determined not to let the ordeal diminish his passion for diving.
The couple’s nightmare occurred against a backdrop of already hazardous conditions. Earlier that same morning, a nearby boat had capsized in rough seas, resulting in the tragic deaths of a baby and a child.
Following the incident, an investigation by the Mauritius Scuba Diving Association (MSDA) found the dive company negligent. The actions of the skipper and dive master, Christof Nadaud, were criticised for swimming away from the protection of the cove into strong currents.
“The mistake was the decision made by the dive master… who chose to swim away from the protection of the cove and into sharp currents which dragged them out to sea,” said Stephane de Senneville, director of DiveSail Travel.
Hugues Vitry, president of the MSDA’s technical commission, was blunt in his assessment: “The actions of the skipper and the dive master were negligent. Together they put the lives of the divers at considerable risk.”
As a result, DiveSail Travel has had its licence suspended indefinitely.
The dramatic rescue involved 22 boats, two helicopters, and a plane. While the group ultimately survived with no serious physical injuries beyond sunburn and dehydration, the emotional scars remain, particularly for Julie, who described the experience as devastating.
For the Byrnes, what began as a bucket-list adventure turned into a harrowing fight for survival — one that highlights the critical importance of safety protocols and communication in open-water diving.