This is the chilling true tale of a couple who were inadvertently abandoned during a diving expedition and never seen again.
The distressing experience of American couple Eileen and Tom Lonergan later became the basis for the movie Open Water.
In 1998, Eileen and Tom from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, embarked on a dream journey to Australia.
Returning to the United States from Fiji after a year-long stint in the Peace Corps, the couple decided to make a stop in Queensland to explore the world’s largest coral reef system.
Eileen, 28, an adept scuba diver, easily persuaded her husband, Tom, 34, to accompany her on what they believed would be an unforgettable adventure.
They joined 24 other passengers on a boat called Outer Edge, operated by skipper Geoffrey ‘Jack’ Nairn, and traveled 60km off the coast for a day of diving.
Following standard protocol, a headcount was conducted at day’s end, and the boat returned to shore.
Unbeknownst to everyone on the boat, Eileen and Tom were not among them and had been left stranded at sea.
The oversight wasn’t realized until two days later when Nairn found a bag with their personal belongings, wallets, and passports still on board.
A comprehensive air and sea search ensued, but the couple was never located, leaving their loved ones devastated. Misleading and distressing rumors circulated about a murder-suicide or a staged disappearance.
A month later, items belonging to the couple started washing up on northern Queensland’s shore, including a wetsuit in Eileen’s size, dive jackets, tanks, and one of her fins.
The most unsettling find occurred months later when a fisherman discovered a dive slate, which is used for writing notes underwater, bearing a dire message.
“To anyone who can help us: We have been abandoned on Agin court reef Reef 25 Jan 1998 03pm,” the message read. “Please help us come to rescue us before we die. Help!!!”
The date and time on the slate indicated that Eileen and Tom likely survived about a day in the water before losing their lives.
Over the years, reports have indicated no evidence of a violent demise, despite the film Open Water portraying them as shark attack victims.
Skipper Nairn faced manslaughter charges, with coroner Noel Nunan holding him accountable for the couple’s deaths.
Nairn was eventually acquitted by a jury, although his company admitted to negligence and subsequently closed down.