On January 25, 1998, American couple Tom and Eileen Lonergan joined a scuba diving trip from Port Douglas, Australia, to the Great Barrier Reef.
After their final dive, the tour boat mistakenly left without them — the headcount looked fine, so the crew sailed away.

Hours later, Tom and Eileen were still in the water, waving desperately for help that never came.
No one realized they were missing until two days later, when staff found their belongings still on board.

A massive search followed, but the couple was never found.
Weeks later, divers discovered a slate with a heartbreaking message dated 26 January, pleading for rescue — proof they had survived at least one night adrift in shark-infested waters.

The tragedy led to new safety laws in Queensland, including stricter headcounts and passenger checks.

Tom and Eileen’s story remains one of the ocean’s most haunting reminders of how a small mistake can become a catastrophe — and it later inspired the film “Open Water.”

Source: Unbelievable World