What is the meaning of a Red flag with a white diagonal stripe while boating? It is a distress signal and indicates diver down.
It’s a beautiful day for boating. The sun is shining, the water is calm and you’re cruising along in your boat with your best friends. Suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you see a red flag with a white diagonal stripe waving at you from far away onshore. You know that this means one thing. The flag indicates that there is a diver below underwater.
Okay, now what should you do? Get to safety or keep going? Find out what the right answer is here.
Red flag with white diagonal stripe while boating
– Red flags with white diagonal stripe flags are used to indicate that there is a diver below the surface of the water.
– The Flags are attached to buoys or the boat’s highest point and they mark the dive location for boats passing by.
– The Flag must be at least 50 centimeters wide.
– International Code Flag A, or Alpha Flag, is also a special flag used to indicate diver down. It consists of a blue triangle on a white background.
If you see Red flag with a white diagonal stripe or Alfa flag while boating, you should slow down immediately. You’ll also need to move at a very slow speed away from the Flag. The Flag should not be ignored so make sure to follow the safety precautions as well. It should be observed from both directions while boating so that everyone on the boat knows what to do when Red flag with a white diagonal stripe is seen. Make distance at least 300 feet (100 m) away from these flags.
Diver down flag distance
When you’re a scuba diver or snorkeler, some rules should be followed to avoid disturbing the other boats. For example, divers and snorkelers must not dive within 50 feet of a vessel engaged in fishing and they have to display a diver-down flag marking their diving area so boats know where it is. The vessels themselves can’t get closer than 300 feet (100 yards) from this flag at all times while it’s displayed.
Two types of diver down flags
There are two types of flags for indicating diver down. Internationally, the code flag alpha, which is a white and blue triangle. And the second one is Red flag with a white diagonal stripe.
Is a divers-down flag required?
Federal law says that scuba divers or snorkelers on federally controlled waters must display the diver-down flag to mark their diving area. It’s always a good idea to ask for permission before you dive so your boss knows what you are doing. If you are in US-controlled waters, it is suggested to use an “Alfa” flag or “Red flag with white diagonal stripe” to indicate that you are diving.