Random True Story Behind 'Open Water' Is A Dark Mystery That Goes Way Beyond Horror Of Film (13 items)

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  (#1) A Dive Slate With A Distress Message Was Discovered Six Months After Their Disappearance

  In order to communicate effectively underwater, many divers carry dive slates, small boards on which they can write messages or record information. Six months after Tom and Eileen Lonergan's disappearance, a well-weathered slate was discovered by a fisherman miles away from their dive site. Along with the date of January 26, 1998, and a time of 8:00 am, the slate read, "PLEASE HELP US OR WE WILL DIE."

  This distress note appears to clearly indicate the Lonergans were not left behind by choice and were alive at least until the next day to write the distress message.
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  (#3) One Expert Believes The Lonergans Were Eaten By Tiger Sharks

  Open Water suggests the Lonergans met their ultimate fate thanks to sharks. Although half of the world's sharks live in the waters around Australia, most of them are completely harmless to humans. There was also no real evidence of a shark attack - such as blood residue or teeth marks - on the couple's wetsuit and dive jackets that washed ashore.

  However, one veteran Australian diver believes they were eaten by tiger sharks. According to the testimony of Ben Cropp, the notoriously dangerous sharks probably watched the couple and approached slowly after a few hours, eventually taking a bite. He also believed the Lonergans had not lasted more than 48 hours because of this.
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  (#11) The Lonergans Were Experienced Divers Who Insisted On Going Off On Their Own For The Last Dive

  Eileen Lonergan started scuba diving when the couple lived in Louisiana and convinced her husband to join her hobby. As they were returning from a Peace Corps mission in Fiji towards Hawaii, they decided they couldn't pass up diving at the Great Barrier Reef. The Outer Edge boat carried their group of 24 out to sea about 40 miles offshore and visited three dive sites, the last being a place named "Fish City" due to its abundant sea life.

  Since they were both experienced divers, the couple told one of the crew that they were going to go off on their own during the third dive. The crew member they told this to did not record this request in the dive log.
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  (#7) The Owner Of The Dive Company Was Charged With Manslaughter But Was Acquitted

  In 1999, Outer Edge owner Jack Nairn was charged with manslaughter of the Lonergans and went to trial in criminal court. The defense used the diary entries to question the intentions of the couple and claimed they faked their deaths. The trial was also centered on Nairn, not the entire company, and many members of the jury may have felt it was not his fault alone.

  Although they acquitted him, Nairn was also tried in Australian civil court where he pled guilty to negligence and was fined for breaking safety rules. Thanks to the fines, the court costs, and the amount of negative publicity he received, Nairn was forced to close down his business. The tragic story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan also inspired Queensland to enact stricter rules on how dive companies should operate and how head counts are taken.
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  (#12) They Were Missed In The Head Count Due To Confusion And An Inexperienced Crew

  It's standard practice for dive excursions to take head counts of everyone participating so all are accounted for before the boat heads back to shore. In the case of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, however, something obviously went wrong. Ship skipper and company owner Jack Nairn claims to have ordered one of the crew to conduct a head count before the ship left.

  In the middle of the count, however, things became confused when two people jumped back into the water. Because the count was down two, these people were assumed to be the last divers and appeared everyone was back on board. Other stories claim some of the crew were inexperienced and somehow missed the Lonergans because of a failure to carry out their responsibilities.
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  (#13) Currents, Dehydration, And Panic Most Likely Doomed The Couple

  Since the water was calm, clear, and warm that day, some people questioned why the Lonergans didn't swim to one of the well-lit diving platforms a few miles away, a large lifebuoy nearby, or flag down a passing ship. Although these things would be easily visible from the deck of a boat, they may not have been as easily seen from the surface of the water. Tom had also left his glasses on the boat, making it even more difficult for him to see. The platform was most likely up current, which would make it difficult to swim towards.

  In addition, it's highly likely the Lonergans were panicking: They had been left alone, the boat didn't return for them, and there was no active rescue underway. Compounded with the heat from the sun and lack of fresh drinking water, the Lonergans were most likely in a alarmed and disoriented state of mind.  

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