Family hit back at theory on couple who were left behind in shark-infested waters after being forgotten about
The family of the couple who were never seen again after being left stranded in shark-infested waters have hit back at those speculating what happened in their final moments.
The disappearance of Tom and Eileen Lonergan is one of the most eerie, unsolved cases in maritime history.
From Louisiana in the US, the couple were both in their early 30s when they went missing in Australian waters back in 1998.
Tom was a US Air Force Reserve pilot, while Eileen worked as a school teacher. Both avid travellers, the pair loved to explore new scuba diving sites across the globe, which one day led them to the Land Down Under's Great Barrier Reef, which is one of the most popular diving locations in the world.
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Little did they know it would be their final dive.
Tom and Eileen joined up with 26 others on a diving trip to St. Crispin Reef on 25 January, 1998, with dive company Outer Edge Dive being responsible for organising the outing.
After completing the dive in the morning, the group resurfaced and got back into the boat.
However, after doing a headcount, they realised after two days that both Tom and Eileen were missing, with it being concluded that they were left behind in the ocean.
The couple would have been abandoned miles from the shore while their personal belongings, including their passports, were found unclaimed on the boat.
Despite a massive search operation which involved the Australian Navy, local police and volunteers, there was no trace of the husband and wife.
Though months later, some evidence came to light, their washed up diving gear and a dive slate that reportedly contained a message from Eileen.
“To anyone who can help us: We have been abandoned on Agin court reef Reef 25 Jan 1998 03pm. Please help us come to rescue us before we die. Help!!!” it read.
Days on, it emerged that the pair had written some chilling entries in their diaries in the weeks before their disappearance.
Two weeks before their trip, Eileen wrote that Tom wanted a 'quick and peaceful death'.
While she clarified that 'Tom’s not suicidal', she said 'he’s got a death wish that could lead him to what he desires and I could get caught in that'.
Despite speculation surrounding these troubled diary entries, the family disputed suicide suspicions and believed that the words were taken out of context.
Eileen's father, John Hains, believed that due to dehydration, the couple died by drowning, or at the hands of a shark.
The case then went to court as Geoffrey Nairn, the boat’s skipper, was charged with unlawful killing.
Coroner Noel Nunan said that the 'skipper should be vigilant for the safety of passengers and ensure safety measures are carried out.
“When you combine the number of mistakes and the severity of the mistakes I am satisfied a reasonable jury would find Mr. Nairn guilty of manslaughter on criminal evidence,” he added.
After proceedings, Nairn was found not guilty though the company was fined as they plead guilty to negligence, eventually making them go out of business.
Tom and Eileen Lonergan's harrowing story inspired the 2003 film Open Water, starring Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis and Saul Stein.
Anish Vij