VRA volunteer commercially qualified divers have a long history of being able to recover deceased persons from the Murray River and other inland waters.

Divers from rescue squads like Wagga, Deniliquin, Tocumwal, Narrandera, Corowa, and Albury have, over the years, provided this recovery service under the most difficult of circumstances imaginable.

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Unfortunately, in recent times, the only two squads to have been able to provide divers have been Corowa and Albury.

Now it appears that despite our best efforts over the past two years, to promote and encourage the continuation of this service, the VRA executive believes that diving duties can be best undertaken by NSW Police.

The "timely" recovery period in all the recoveries that have involved VRA divers has been due to a number of factors that include an excellent knowledge of the river and an understanding of its variable currents and underwater hazards, as well as having the ability to begin recovery diving, often within hours of the victim being reported missing.

The importance of this rapid response cannot be underestimated because the length of time a deceased person is in the water has a significant impact on where and when that victim will be finally found.

To all the divers who have volunteered over so many years in this specialised, difficult, and extremely hazardous area of VRA operations, we are proud to have helped bring closure, in a timely manner, to the devastated relatives so often waiting on the banks for the recovery of their loved one.

Their grief-stricken faces continue to haunt many of us today.

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As summer approaches, the lure of regional areas like ours, on the Murray River, will attract a significant increase in visitors, due in part to the current COVID situation.

Unfortunately, it will result in loss of life in the river. It is just a matter of when and where.

This summer please respect the river; it is both beautiful and dangerous.

Do not mix alcohol and swimming. If you find yourself in trouble in the water, don't panic.

Let the current take you downstream, focus only on staying afloat.

You will come to a bend in the river and something to hold onto. Far too many people have perished trying to swim either across or against the current.

Supervise your children, meaning do not take your eyes of them. Know your own capabilities in the water and do not succumb to peer pressure.

If safe to do so, speak up if you see someone doing something stupid or dangerous.

Far too many of the recoveries in my dive logbook are individuals who had absolutely no idea that their activity was life threatening. Let's look after each other on the river.

Please take care.

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