This is the chilling true story of a couple who were accidentally left behind during a diving trip and never seen again, a tragedy that inspired the film Open Water. In 1998, Eileen and Tom Lonergan from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were on a dream trip to Australia. Returning to the U.S. from Fiji after a year with the Peace Corps, they decided to stop in Queensland to dive in the Great Barrier Reef.
Eileen, 28, an experienced diver, convinced her husband Tom, 34, to join her for what they thought would be an unforgettable adventure. Along with 24 others, they boarded a boat called Outer Edge, captained by Geoffrey ‘Jack’ Nairn, and headed 60 kilometers offshore for a day of diving. After the dive, a headcount was done as usual, and the boat returned to shore—without anyone realizing Eileen and Tom had been left behind, stranded at sea.
It wasn’t until two days later, when Nairn found their personal belongings, that their absence was discovered. A large-scale air and sea search followed, but trag!cally, the couple was never found, leaving their loved ones devastated. Rumors of a m*rder-suicide or staged disappearance added to the heartbreak, though these were unfounded.
A month later, items belonging to the couple, including a wetsuit, dive gear, and one of Eileen’s fins, washed ashore on the Queensland coast. The most disturbing discovery came months later when a fisherman found a dive slate with a desperate message written on it. It read: “To anyone who can help us: We have been abandoned on Agincourt Reef 25 Jan 1998 03pm. Please help us before we die. Help!!!” The message suggested they had survived for about a day in the water before succumbing.
Despite speculation, there was no evidence of a v!olent death, and the film Open Water suggested they may have fallen victim to sharks. Nairn was charged with manslaughter, and coroner Noel Nunan held him responsible for their deaths, though Nairn was acquitted. His company later admitted negligence and went out of business.