RALEIGH, N.C. — Jim Sedore is an experienced diver with deep-water descents dating as far back as 1999. 

“I’ve been working as a professional since 2004, mostly here in the Raleigh area and a lot of dive chasers off the coast,” Sedore said. “It’s a totally safe sport when it’s done within the operating procedures we have in place.” 

Safety is one of Sedore’s biggest points when he is teaching both new and experienced divers at Carolina Dive Center. 

When he heard about the divers getting lost off the coast of North Carolina, it surprised him, but he say’s it’s always a possibility. 

“Things do happen periodically where you get caught in the current. Maybe you lost your orientation,” Sedore said. “For that we have special gear that each diver carries so that we can find them in the ocean.”

Throughout Sedore’s diving career, he says improvements in safety gear have been huge. 

Just having a Garmin satellite beacon, can make a major difference. 

“Typically if a diver is lost in the water and has (a satellite beacon) with them, they will get picked up within 30 and 40 minutes either by another boat or the coast guard,” Sedore said.

While the Coast Guard says the group that was lost at sea were experienced divers, Sedore says anyone who dives, including himself, should always practice safe diving.

“I carry the sausage, I carry a reel, the sounding device and the Garmin,” Sedore said. “Our shop policy is you can’t go on the boat with us, unless you have these items.”

Sedore says when you’re diving in unknown and deep waters, have an experienced captain who stays on the boat in case of emergency.