Australian family abandoned in ocean while scuba diving

A mum has spoken of the terrifying experience of being left stranded in the ocean with her two sons after they went scuba diving. Photo / 123RF

A mum has spoken of the terrifying experience of being left stranded in the ocean with her two sons after they went scuba diving.

Justine Clark, from Newcastle, said a tender, which was supposed to pick them up, vanished when they resurfaced from a dive in the waters off Fiji last month.

"No tender boat was visible on surfacing, the swell was two metres, and it was dark with grey clouds and high wind," Clark told the ABC.

She and her two sons Felix, 18, and Max, 20, had gone on the scuba dive on August 14 while on holiday.

As well as the Clarks, the dive party included a tourist from the UK and a divemaster.

The company they booked with was subcontracted by Captain Cook Cruises, one of Australia's largest marine leisure operators.

The weather deteriorated as the group headed towards the dive site off Mana Island, northwest of Fiji's main island.

Nonetheless, the dive took place, taking around 40 minutes.

But when Clark and her sons surfaced, the boat they had travelled on was nowhere to be seen.

"[The divemaster] was shocked and stated this had never happened in his 27 years of diving," Clark said.

The group eventually decided to swim for an island they could see in the distance.

"I can't impress how concerned I was for everyone's health, sharks and the sense of determination I had to reach the island in a calm manner," Clark said.

By sheer luck a boat collecting rubbish from the ocean spotted the group swimming and sailed over.

"We were all smiles and I was blowing a kiss to the Fijian who saved us."

The commotion led to the tender that was supposed to collect them sailing over as well.

"[The captain] apologised and told me he was so scared and he had radioed the captain that he lost us," Clark told the ABC.

In a statement to the broadcaster, Captain Cook Cruises said the tender had blown away from the dive area and the weather conditions had meant tracking where the group was had become essentially impossible

The situation was "unprecedented" said the firm and a review was under way.