Safety increased at Cocos Island

Guest diving Cocos Island onboard the Okeanos Aggressor and Wind Dancer yachts can rest easy knowing that in the unlikely event of a medical emergency, they will have access to the fastest medical evacuation available. In association with Traveler Emergency Medical Services (TEMS), a subsidiary of Divers Alert Network, guests traveling on either of these yachts will be part of a new “Emergency Evacuation Plan” where the logistics for medical evacuations and payment for those services are ready if needed.

Wayne Hasson, President of the Aggressor Fleet and Dancer Fleet, said: “Cocos Island is one of the most remote destinations that we dive where the yachts are more than 300 miles away from the nearest medical facilities. Medical evacuations from Cocos are complicated due to both distance and environmental factors. We worked closely with DAN to create this program so that we can be prepared in the unlikely event of a medical emergency and ensure that the evacuation process can begin immediately to provide the fastest possible access to medical care for our guests

Bill Ziefle, President and CEO of DAN Holdings added: “We are very pleased to partner with the Aggressor and Dancer Fleets on creating something totally new in support of dive safety. There are a lot of “dive accident” insurance policies with different benefits, coverages, and procedures for enacting medical evacuations. This new program puts the Aggressor and Dancer divers first – ahead of any paperwork or logistical planning issues.”

In medical emergencies time is always a critical factor. Due to the distance that must be traveled to reach Cocos Island, it is important that necessary evacuation services begin immediately. This new program benefits every passenger aboard, not only the injured diver. Currently if the injured diver’s insurance plan fails to respond quickly enough with evacuation plans, the captain of the yacht would be obligated to terminate the cruise early and head back to port – thus impacting everyone’s travels. This new program minimizes this risk for all guests.

Beginning, January 1, 2013, all passengers aboard the Okeanos Aggressor and Wind Dancer will be required to subscribe to the “Emergency Evacuation Plan”. This will ensure a safer, less worrisome trip for all.

For more information, visit www.Aggressor.com or www.DancerFleet.com.

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