Buddy pairs occasionally become separated. This is usually the result of poor visibility, lack of communication, poor dive planning, or circumstances out of the diver's control. To locate a lost buddy:

1. Stop as soon as you realize your buddy is lost.
2. Swim back to where you last saw your buddy.
3. Ascend to a shallower depth and look down for your buddy or rising bubbles.
4. After 1 minute, if you still have not found your buddy, ascend to the surface.
5. If your buddy does not surface within 5 minutes, call for help.

These procedures should be discussed with your buddy while planning the dive. This ensures that you'll both follow the same procedure, which will increase the success of your search.