Sometimes while travelling on road there happen to be the signs known as “warning signs”, “speed-limit signs”, “hazard signs” etc, these signs are there to make the driver cautious of the upcoming threat. In the same manner, travelling by air has its own precautionary measure and the same phenomena happens while boating but in a slighty different way. While boating such signs are represented through the flag known as “Diver-down flag”.
- Diver-down flag:
Diver-down flag is a red flag with a white diagonal stripe. The strip is headed from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. The colour “red” in this flag represents the “caution” or “stop” symbol, allowing the boaters to interpret its meaning. The purpose of this flag is to indicate the presence of the scubadivers (divers who go underneath water while using the device known as scuba, they go very deep in the oceans to know the undermeath matters) or snorkelers (divers who go not in very depth of the water but stays mostly on the near surface in the near water using a breathing tube known as snorkel. They usually study the surface elements and study the corals etc). Therefore, the boater must have an eye for any of such flags nearby.
- Significance of Diver-down flag:
In boating, Diver-down flag is of great significance as it is used for the safety purposes. To ensure the well being of the divers nearby, it is crucial. Its absence can cause a lot of issues for the scuba divers and snorkelers that includes some deadly outcomes i.e. the loss of the life of those underneath the surface water.
- Awareness of Diver-down flag:
As the Diver-down flag directly serves some life purposes, people must be aware of its presence and usefulness especially the boaters. Boaters must be made well aware of it and of the outcomes it serves. In ensuring the safety of their own lives, they must also ensure the safety of others. In many of the countries, Diver-down flag is obligatory but some countries like United States has made it a legal requirement for the divers. Whenever the diver is in water, “Diver-down flag” must be displayed somewhere like buoy, boat or a flying object.
- Safety measures to do while boating:
- Boaters must be watchful and vigilant for the presence of any such signs.
- When they see any such flag, they should maintain their distance for the safety purposes.
- Divers must also ensure a good place for the flag where the boaters can see it clearly.
- Conclusion:
Therefore, it is cruical for the well being for everyone that boaters and divers must be made aware of the uses of “diver-down flag”. Efforts have to be made in order to make water a safe place for dinving and to assure everyone’s safety.