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Incidents List

  1. Year Month Day Surname Forenames Location Contractor Client Depth Type of Diving Details
  2. 2012 2 24 Amando Hugo Villajuana Mexico SCUBA Aged 36 from Puerta Chuburna, wife and four children. First diver to die in the official - on the second day - of the Sea Cucumber season, harvesting operation onboard the 25 foot long "VMCM 5" working 20 miles out of Celestun (Yucatan Penninsula). Accident ocurred at 13:00, admitted to hospiral in Celustan at 16:00, declared dead at 17:30. Reported as due to DCI, depth initially reported as 'cinco brazas '(5 fathoms or 30 feet) but later corrected as 12 fathoms (60 feet). No other details. Reported by Por Esto
  3. 1859 10 0 Alward Maurice UK S/S Air "Shocking Death of a Diver. On Tuesday an inquest was held at the town hall by R. J. Emmerson and a very respectable jury, touching the death of Maurice Alward, a ..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Kentish Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive
  4. 1975 3 22 Alvestad Aage Lasse UK 3X 140 Norwegian, aged 30. "Borgney Dolphin", Monsanto, heating failed, anoxia, hypothermia, exhaustion
  5. 2011 7 9 Alvarez 'Dani' Daniel Spain 2 S/S Air Aged 35, married, 11 month old twins, Seaweed extraction (Agar "Ocle") operation, diving from the Biempica III two miles off Gijon (North Coast of Spain), vessel reported the diver was unconscious, transferred ashore but did not respond to treatment. Recorded as 'death by drowning'. Basic kit (SCUBA style second stage/mask, air hose and rope, Full face mask or helmet, no comms, no bail out, no harness,no surface stand-by no medical O2 onboard. Probably kinked hose but no details. GPS Buzeo/Spanish Press
  6. 2007 9 0 Alvarado Pedro Pablo Chile Asserma Died while fixing underwater netting on a Chiloé-area salmon farm owned by Norwegian aquaculture company Marine Harvest. Reported that that the diver was in the water approximately 10 minutes when colleagues on the surface detected a problem. A fellow diver then entered the water and found him unconscious at a depth of approximately 20 meters, dragged him to the surface. Taken to, where doctors pronounced him dead. An autopsy determined the cause of death as Acute Decompression Illness, also known as the “bends. (Report incomplete but no other details available).
  7. 2007 2 7 Alvarado Martin USA State water dept 9 SCUBA Employee of the State water dept, part of a volunteer team of approx 12 divers who inspect/maintain the water system, died in an aqueduct, Dos Amigos pumping station, 5 mph current, tethered together, reported as not sucked onto the inlet grating, but no explanation, double fatality (Crawford) fined $16,120 for the two deaths
  8. 2008 3 11 Altland Matt USA Chet Morrison Topsides Diver onboard the DSV "Jillian Morisson", Explosion knocked him into the water, fractured shouder, crushed elbow, collapsed lung, scalp injuries. Medivac to hospital in Lafayette.
  9. 2011 8 12 Alonso Roberto Lopez Moroyoqui Mexico SCUBA Aged 17, living in Colonia Nueva Penasco, possibly his first trip as a working clam diver, diving 10 km off La Cholla, ill when surfaced, transferred to the Penasco hyperbaric centre, reported as having died of 'severe decompression sickness type 2' Nuevodia.com.mx
  10. 2007 1 4 Almonacid Rene de la Chile salmones Antartica Topsides Commercial shellfish diver, killed in a road traffic accident between a truck transporting salmon and a crew bus transporting salmon farm workers. Another fish factory worker was killed in the same accident. Reported by Ecoceanos
  11. 2009 11 22 Allen Steve UK RBG 15 S/S Air Aged 43, Braefoot terminal (Fife, Scotland), last dive of the day, completed his dive without comment, reported having difficulties removing his fins at the bottom of the ladder, assisted by stand-by and hoisted to jetty, unconscious, failed to respond to treatment. Update January 2013:- A Fatal Accident Inquiry has ruled that the death of a commercial diver at a Fife harbour was not the result of an accident or any kind of medical or professional malpractice. The inquiry at Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard evidence from 13 witnesses over five days. The Sheriff concluded that the death was as a result of “some kind of cardiac event or arrhythmia� resulting from existing heart and liver problems, not the result of any diving-related procedures, and that he could have died at any time. The inquiry also dismissed criticisms from a Health and Safety inspector that no rescue practice had been rehearsed on the day of the incident. He held a valid certificate of fitness to dive and was a qualified and competent diver, diving as part of a six-strong dive team, the diving operation had started on November 20 and involved an inspection to ascertain the condition of the piles supporting the jetty and, in addition, the installation of a new current-monitoring buoy on the seabed next to the jetty. During the morning he was inside dive control on board the diving vessel. At 5.02pm he entered the water to carry out the final dive of the day to undertake an “as left� survey of the cable installation for the buoy. At no time did he indicate to any of the team or any other person that he was unfit to dive. At 5.07pm he reached the seabed at a dive depth of 15 metres. He then carried out a video survey by slowly ascending the pile and demonstrated that the current-monitoring buoy cable was securely attached to the jetty pile. At 5.21pm he surfaced and swam to the bow of the diving vessel to access the deck via a vertical ladder. At 5.22pm he reported that he was having difficulty removing one of his fins. Given assistance, as he lifted his left leg for fin removal, he continued to roll backwards and started to invert in the water. He appeared to have lost consciousness and emergency recovery was initiated. He was not breathing and there was no carotid pulse, members of the diving team gave CPR. Paramedics then took over but he was pronounced dead at 6.05pm. The Sheriff noted medicine was an “inexact science� but concluded that he could have died at any time. There was no evidence of anything related to the diving operation which might have caused death. The Sheriff concluded: “There is no evidence that the failure to have a diver rescue practice on the day in question was relevant to his death. There were no other facts relevant to the circumstances of his death. The Courier
  12. 1893 5 0 Allen Harry Australia S/S Air Native of Norfolk Island, no details , reported as a third fatality in the report of the deaths of Johnnie Wahoo and Ullalio Rosa as “A well known and esteemed diver� who died later that same week, but gave no details. Reported in the Brisbane Courier
  13. 2010 10 15 Allan Stephen 'Darby' Sudan Mine Action Group Landmine British, aged 52, ex marine clearance diver who had spent 30 years with the Royal Navy as a highly commended explosive ordnance expert, before joining MAG in 2006, with whom he led mine clearance teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Underwater Port Clearance), Lebanon and Sudan (Surface ordnance). The chief executive of MAG, said his team had cleared 1,500 explosive items in Sudan since last August and the work of the organisation had saved countless lives. (Included for information, a diver, but not working as a diver so not counted as a diving fatality TC). The News, Portsmouth
  14. 1928 12 7 Ali Amat bin Australia Gregory & Castilla 37 S/S Air “PEARL DIVER'S DEATH. Collapsed in 20 fathoms�. PERTH, Friday – “A message from Broome states that Amat Bin Ali, a pearl. diver, collapsed and died in 20 fathoms of water yesterday, when pearling off Lacepede Island. Ali signalled to be pulled up again, then he hastily signalled: "Stage me, quick." He was "staged" at 15 fathoms for five minutes, but when brought up he was dead A doctor certified that death was due to syncope� Reported by the Recorder, Port Pirie, SA
  15. 1952 11 1 Albert Bernard Australia M & W Scott 24 S/S Air “NATIVE DIES OF DIVER'S PARALYSIS�. BROOME, Thursday. Bernard Albert (26), a native employed by Messrs. M. and W. Scott, pearlers, of Broome, as a second diver, died of paralysis late yesterday afternoon. On Tuesday he and the first diver, an Indonesian named Bernardus Senge, were diving for pearlshell from the lugger ‘Bin Tang Putteh’ off Bard Creek in 13 fathoms of water. Albert had previously worked in only five to six fathoms. At the conclusion of the day he came up, apparently suffering no ill effects, but after midnight it was found that he had diver's paralysis. He was dressed in a diving suit and lowered into the water to the depth he had been working, where he went through the treatment of staging. When raised Albert appeared to have recovered, but later his left leg was paralysed. The lugger at once returned to Broome, where Albert died in hospital. Reported in the West Australian, Perth, WA.
  16. 2010 10 19 Alarcon Mario Peru Aged 48, had stopped diving 'but for financial reasons' moved from 'the slums of Lucy Villanueva' to the Island of Parachique (Province of Sechura) to work in the pearl shell extraction industry. Surfaced in a rush and complained of chest pains, died diuring the transfer to Parachique. No treatment equipment on the boat. Wife and six children. Elregionalpiura.com
  17. 2010 7 25 Alajbegovich Samo Italy 7 Rebreather Aged 41, Slovenian biologist working at the Piran Marine Biology centre, diving on a 'Trieste HDT' rebreather off Miramar, body located in 7 metres of water 200 metres from the beach location where his diving partner, Ziga Dorajc was pulled alive, but unconscious (He subsequently died in hospital), from the water 4 hours earlier. Reported in Slowwwenia.enaa.com
  18. 2010 4 7 Al-Trabulsi Jonas USA S/S Air Aged 26, of Kemah, drowned while cleaning the hull of a boat and was found floating in the water, was pulled from the water near Waterford Harbor Marina after police were called to investigate. An autopsy performed Thursday listed the cause of death as a drowning, He was a contract hull cleaner and was cleaning a boat in the marina. The compressor he was using to get air was laying on its side when police arrived but it was unknown if that contributed at that time because there was some pressure left. Associated Press.
  19. 2012 9 23 Al-Qethami Naif Saudi Arabia Civil Defence Corporal with 9 years diving experience in the civil defence, had been called to recover a cild who had fallen down a well in Rehat, 115 km from Al-Jamoom in the Makkah region. He climbed out of the well carrying the body of the 3 year old and was knocked backwards by a surge of some 400 onlookers, hit his head as he fell into the 25' deep well. Colleagues dived in to pull him out but he failed to respond to treatment. Saudi Gazette
  20. 2016 7 22 Al Gallaf Riyadh Bahrain Aged 45, from Juffair, owned a marine and underwater services company, working for the Electricity and Water Authority near Sitra industrial area, reported as 'missing while on an urgent assignment along with a South African colleague for EWA on Friday'. No details. Reported by dt news/news of Bahrain
  21. 2000 5 16 Ahmad Idris Malaysia Fire and Rescue Services SCUBA Paraphrased from the newspaper report:- “Another diver from the Fire and Rescue Services Department's scuba diving unit disappeared this morning during a search operation for a colleague who had gone missing since Monday around the waters of Pulau Lalang and Pulau Saga. The diver, identified as Mohd Nor Harun, in his 40s, is feared to have suffered a similar fate as his colleague, Idris Ahmad, 36. Idris was believed to have drowned while clearing the waters of discarded fishing nets. A police spokesman said the incident occurred about 11.30am today when the diver failed to surface for a break. His body was found by fisherman 3 days later. 40 divers were taking part in the search. Another diver became unconscious during the search and was admitted to the armed forces hospital at the Lumut naval base�. Reported in the New Straits Times
  22. 2010 12 8 Agustin Mike Nicaragua Alberto Woo SCUBA Diving off the fishing Vessel 'Marco Polo' for Lobster, they lost his bubble trail, diver disappeared/failed to surface, presumed dead. A few days earlier, another fishing vessel sank, the Captain was never found but two crew members got ashore. The search for the missing diver and Captain was abandoned after 5 days. laprensa.com. No other details.
  23. 2021 8 4 Aguilar Torres Ruben Mexico Arendal Diving off the Jacson 34, initially reported as 'an accident on an oiltanker' and 'bursting of a pipeline caused the death' but no real details. The same contractor (Arendal) had a previous fatalty in 2019 (Adolfo Leon Carrillo) Reported in social media (Facebook) and Tabascohoy.com
  24. 1858 7 23 Affer UK S/S Air "Death in a Diving Aparatus. On Friday, a mason, named Affer, employed as a diver in building the new admiralty pier at Dover, lost his life by opening a valve in his diving dress. The unfortunate man had gone down for the ...." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Sherbourne Mercury/The British Newspaper Archive
  25. 2013 3 0 Adams Challenger USA Adams/Epic Divers Saturation Vessel reported (industry rumour in March 2013) to have had two DP run offs, one with bell down and diver deployed (diver recovered to bell and bell to surface safely), one with bell on surface. Initially reported by DPO as computer problem, later confirmed as operator error/cover up. Waiting on official reports. PC
  26. 2007 9 3 Acton Steve USA Caldive Saipem 54 Saturation Katrina' salvage ops. "Using a grinder on a fallen structure deck plate, heard a weird noise and that was it". Diver was using a hydraulic underwater grinder to cut a window into 5/8 inch steel plate. There was an underwater explosion. Deck crew on the S-355 barge reported hearing a boom and some individuals stated that they felt the shock wave of the explosion. The videotape that was recording the diver’s movements was non-operational. An unspecified number of minutes elapsed before bell partner reached unresponsive diver 1. Upon reaching diver, the standby opened the free-flow valve on his diving hat. This action caused the diving helmet to become completely detached leaving the diver’s head exposed to sea water, without access to any breathing apparatus. Diver immediately attempted to replace the helmet and hold it in place. During this time a surface standby diver was sent to assist. The bell partner, with or without the assistance of the surface diver, brought the injured diver into the bell, and following assessment while in communication with the diving physician, initiated chest compressions. Injured diver was raised to surface in the bell but pronounced dead.. Investigation ongoing. An interim technical report raised issue of potential for underwater explosion when cutting into a gas pocket with a grinder (underwater grinding 'sparks' not generally raised as an issue in risk assessments
  27. 2011 9 5 Acergy Discovery Canada Acergy Saturation 05:45, DSV on DP with saturation divers deployed, collided with the Deep Panuke gas platform hitting a leg and the riser caisson
  28. 2012 4 22 Abu Khalil Hussein Ahmad Lebanon 50 SCUBA Aged 42, head of the Environment and Development department and the Marine Exploration Department, diving off the village of Qleileh, Tyre, inspecting a seafloor project designed to increase fish numbers. His body was located by a Navy SAR team the day after. Reported as having died of a heart attack. Dailystar.com.lb
  29. 1903 5 15 Abdullah Ahamat Australia S/S Air "The Treasury Department has received advice that Ahamat Abdullah, a Malay diver, was drowned at Thursday Island throught the pipeline bursting" Reported in the Morning Post, Cairns.
  30. 2011 6 25 Abdeen Massoud Egypt Seapro 30 S/S Air Diving off the Cosmos 1 for GPC, two man dive. LS 09:25, AB 09:27, LB 09:35, AS 09:40, divers in distress at depth. Reported as having switched air supply mid dive (HP bank to diesel compressor?). Appear not to have had medical oxygen or working DDC on vessel, nor access to onshore medical suppport so used mobile phone to call the supervisor of another diving contractor at approx 10:30, vessel with full IMCA compliant dive system and personnek in transit to July field (mid point) at 10:45. Arrived in field renezvous 11:40, Cosmos tied up alongside 11:55. 12:00 injured diver transferred and receiving oxygen (transferred ashore and on to hospital, suspected pneumothorax), Second diver declared dead on site (by doctor flown out by helicopter). Possible contaminated air but no reports or information from the contractor. Not reported in the public domain. PC
  31. 2003 7 3 A Raphael Poland Fire Brigade 10 Aged 34, firefighter/diver, breath hold exercise during training at the postgraduate fire school in Poznan, got entangled in the ropes of his marker buoy, could not cut the rope, pulled to the surface unconscious and died in hospital of cerebral hypoxia two days after a training accident. Reported in Virtual Poland/Wirtualnapolska
  32. 2011 8 0 ?? Shafiq Qatar El Safwa Topsides Egyptian diver working on the Pearl Island residential development, working in a confined space, gas leak. Triple fatality with two killed on site, the third died in hospital. Initially not reported in the public domain but Qatari authorities now investigating. PC
  33. 2013 6 14 Gabon Sigma Diving Systems 3-6m S/S Air French National, aged 28. Working on an old unused jetty to remove sheet piling with exothermic rods in the harbour of Port Gentil. Diver trapped in sand, buried up to chest. Had to be lifted out with crane using chain brothers around his chest. Not breathing on recovery to surface, revived and medivaced to Johannesburg, then later, on to France. No details known of his current condition. Various emails.
  34. 2013 11 14 UAE Scamp / Gubunco SCUBA One of two divers employed by Scamp Middle East (The other was Alex Argoncillo who died 1st December) reported as having died in November/December 2013. Initially reported as 'not diving related' but no details, waiting on clarification from Scamp. PC. A later report states that the incident occurred on 14th Novemver, three divers in the water on SCUBA, weather came up, divers sought refuge in the prop area, one diver ran out of gas, removed his cylinders and gave them to the other divers before surfacing, but was swept away. No lifelines.
  35. 2015 10 19 Jonathon T USA SCUBA Aged 28, From Apollo Beach, Florida, one of a three man in-water team harvesting eel grass on a mill site cleanup at Port Gamble (Puget Sound, Washington State). The other divers surfaced but could not find their colleague, Body located in 20 feet of water 60 feet from the shore some four hours later. Kingston Community News
  36. 2020 11 23 Hong Kong 23rd November 2020 – (Hong Kong) ​The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident in Kwai Chung this afternoon in which a man died. At about 4pm today (23rd), a male diver and several colleagues performed underwater welding works off the container terminal No. 5 in Kwai Chung. Colleagues discovered that he did not return ashore on time, they immediately called the police for help. The firefighters sent divers to the scene to search and rescue him. After some searches, they found the victim and immediately rescued him back to shore. However, the victim had fallen into a coma. The fire department immediately provided him with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and he was sent to hospital by ambulance. Unfortunately, the victim died subsequently. The police classified the case as an industrial accident and investigated the cause of the accident. A female relative and a boy related to the victim rushed to the hospital. The Labour Department stated that it had deployed staff to the scene immediately and is now investigating the cause of the accident. Reported by: https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/diver-at-container-terminal-no-5-in-kwai-chung-dies-while-performing-underwater-welding-works/
  37. 2021 9 16 Yulianto Indonesia PT Patra Dinimika OWA / PLTU SSDE Indonesian diver named Yulianto, working for Patra Dinimika, under subcontract to OWA, at the PLTU (electric steam power plant) in Jepara, Central Java. Delta P, with someone opening a valve or gate to an intake. Using SSDE, with umbilical and hat pulled off during recovery.
  38. 2014 7 11 Roni Indonesia PT Primus PLTU SCUBA Expected Delta P. Google translate gives: Two bodies of victims of divers at the Tanjung Jati B Steam Power Plant (PLTU) Jepara were successfully evacuated by Indonesian Navy divers from the Koarmatim Underwater Rescue Service (Dislambair), in the waters of Jepara, Central Java, Friday (11/02). 07). At around 10:00 WIB, the Dislambair Koarmatim Dive Team managed to evacuate the victim's body on behalf of Roni (37), a resident of RT 12 RW 1 Pesisir Village, Besuki, Situbondo, East Java. Previously, the Navy Diving Team also managed to evacuate the victim's body on behalf of Eko Setiawan (25), a resident of RT 04 RW 01 Sidowungu Village, Gresik, East Java, at 12.30 WIB. Eko Setiawan's body was found in the Manhole-5 pipe with a distance of about 30 meters. The evacuation process was very difficult, because the victim was in an underwater pipe with a diameter of 400 cm, with a depth of about 10-16 meters. When it was found the position of the two victims was at a depth of 200 meters from the door of the PLTU cooling pool. For the time being, the exact cause of the accident is not known, but it is suspected that it was caused by ocean currents. The two victims were certified divers who were sent by a third party partner, namely PT. Primus. Kadislambair Koarmatim Marine Colonel (T) Bhirawa Budijuana said, to evacuate the two victims, the Diving Team directly brought diving equipment such as Scuba Set and MK-27 from Surabaya. "This team was sent specifically on direct orders from Pangarmatim Rear Admiral TNI Sri Mohamad Darojatim to assist in the search and evacuation of Search and Rescue (SAR) at PLTU Tanjung Jati," said Kadislambair. Source: https://tni.mil.id/view-63555-dua-korban-di-pltu-tanjung-jati-jepara-berhasil-dievakuasi-penyelam-koarmatim.html
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