Incidents List
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Year Month Day Surname Forenames Location Contractor Client Depth Type of Diving Details -
1992 11 20 Mavrostomos Theo France Comex Saturation The deepest trial saturation dive on record, in Toulon with the Hydra programme reaching 701 metres using Hydreliox. The deepest Hydreliox working dive is still Comex with a simulated pipeline intervention in the Mediterranean in 1988 with the Hydra 8 dives to 534 metres (The 'Atlantis' trials (Duke University, USA,) reached 686 metres in 1981, Comex ran a series of deep diving programmes (Physalie, Janus, Sagittaire, Hydra, etc) mostly in France and finally Aurora at the NHC in Aberdeen reaching 470 metres in 1993In September 2010). In September 2010, 4 Chinese divers were reported to have reached a storage depth of 480 metres with an excursion to 493 metres on Heliox. -
1939 5 28 Matromoto Torakichi Australia S/S Air “Diver Suffocated� PERTH, Monday.— “A message from Broome states that the Japanese sampan, ‘Arafura Maru No. 10’, arrived on Sunday with the body of Torakichi Hatromoto, 20, who, while fishing for pearlshell 17 miles off Wallal, fouled his air pipe in the ship's propeller�. Reported in The Courier Mail, Brisbane, Qld. -
1968 0 0 Mathieson Edward (Ted) Australia International Oilfield Divers 230ft S/S Mixed Gas? Incident probably mid 1968, Bass Strait, Australia. Diving heavy gear air dive off Coring Vessel Neuhavns Rose recovering riser from seabed ,water depth 230 ft. Divers Umbilical parted when fouled in riser, Standby diver unable to reach diver. Body recovered next day. The dive team comprised trainee divers from the Dive school in Bairnsdale, Victoria with the exception of Ted<br />who was hired from the States.<br />longstreath.com -
1906 1 3 Mathie Jas. UK S/S Air " Diver's tragic death, diver Jas. Mathie, aged 60, while at work in the River Clyde Glasgow, last night, signalled for urgent attention. He…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive -
1910 8 26 Mathewson RN Able Seaman James Edward UK Military 20 S/S Air Diver based at HMS Vernon, diving off the Navy vessel 'Redwing' (Tender, previously the war department's 'Sir Charles Pasley', transferred to the Royal Navy in 1905, sold in 1931) to investigate a seabed obstruction in the solent near the site where the A1 sank in 1904 (First British designed submarine, first of the A class submarines - an enlarged and improved 'Holland' class - sank with the loss of all 11 crew during a practice attack on HMS Juno when the conning tower was breached when she was run over by the Mail Steamer "SS Berwick Castle". She was refloated the same year and returned to service), reached the seabed and the repeatedly signalled for less air, then lost communications. Surface crew tried to pull him up but his lines were fouled (Although only diving in 11 fathoms they had paid out 200' of hose because of high currents and wanting to give the diver freedom to move about). They then manouvred the vessel and freed the lines bringing the diver to the surface 15 minutes later, but he was dead. Believed that his lines caught round the stump of an old mast and in an attempt to free himself had dropped his weights at which time he had floated towards the surface then held upside down by his lines and suffocated from lost air supply. "If he had waited perfectly quiet in deep water he could have been saved". They had a second diving dress on board but only had 50' of hose left so could not reach the diver. Inquest verdict was 'death from misadventure' with the coroner commenting that the diver's shipmates appeared to have done all that was possible in the circumstances. Wanganui Chronicle/Papers Past/National Library of New Zealand -
1959 8 21 Mathews Raymond USA Commercial Abalone diver off the vessel 'Ray Rock' off Point Loma, presumed drowned after being found on the seabed with his mask off. Second diver (Hart) treated for DCI aboard the Submarine tender USS 'Nereus'. Lodi News sentinel -
1893 5 0 Mateo Australia S/S Air Reported as a fourth fatality in the report of the deaths of Johnnie Wahoo and Ullalio Rosa as “Late last evening, and after the above was in print, another case was reported, the victim in this case being Mateo, the diver of the 'Myrtle� who died later that same week, no details. Reported in the Brisbane Courier -
1961 12 0 Matel Andrew Corsica Topsides Frequenting local bars boasting that he had discovered the fabled sunken treasure of General Erwin Rommel. After a couple of nights of such behaviour his bullet riddled body was found in a field near Propriano. Whispered that it was 'the Mafia'. (See 1951, Peter Fleig, another diver who disappeared in strange circumstances) -
1939 7 25 Masumoto Muneo Australia 24 S/S Air JAPANESE APPRENTICE DIVER'S FATE. Mystery surrounds the loss of Muneo Masumoto. 17, Japanese apprentice diver, whose Corselet and helmet attached to lines were found in 13 fathoms near Darnley Island on July 25. It is surmised that Masumoto was seized with convulsions from diver's paralysis and twisted himself out of his helmet and corselet. The boy descended 31 fathoms at first but found the tides too strong and was brought to the surface. He complained of numbness, but later descended again to 13 fathoms. Alter five minutes he failed to respond to signals, and the captain of the lugger descended and found only the helmet and corselet. Reported in The Advertiser, Adelaide, SA -
1935 7 17 Mastoridis Ellefteries USA S/S Air Aged 40, Greek from the Island of Symi who had arrived in the USA two years earlier, sponge diver off the vessel Astriopi that had left port 10 days ago, "died of suffocation when the oxygen apparaus became clogged". The Reverend Theo Karaphillis officiated at his funeral at St Nicholas Greek Church before his burial at the Cycadia Cemetery. He was survved by his widow and 9 year old son. St. Petersberg Times -
1899 10 30 Massan Australia 29 S/S Air Paraphrased from an article in the Northern Territory Gazette and Times:- “On Tuesday afternoon the (Sailing) lugger 'Electra' came into port in tow of the launch 'Victoria'. Soon after it was known in town that the diver engaged on board, a Japanese better known as Massan amongst his countrymen, had been drowned. At the inquest, which was held at the Court House, Palmerston, on Tuesday afternoon, it was stated that the 'Electra' was working about seven miles west of the Vernon at about 8 o'clock in the morning when the mishap occurred. A little before eight Massan went down and commenced looking for shell. He had been down about a quarter of an hour when the tender signalled him, but received no answer. This aroused his alarm, and he at once had the diver' drawn up. Massan came up feet foremost, and it was then seen that he had lost his helmet. When drawn up on deck and the dress taken off it was found that he was quite dead. Everything was done that was possible under the circumstances, but all without avail, and Capt. Mugg decided to up anchor and come into Port Darwin. As the wind was not by any means a fair one Mr. C. Hamarau, owner of the launch Victoria, kindly volunteered, to tow the lugger into port. Captain Mugg informs us that the diver was working on a very uneven bottom, the water varying in depth from ten to sixteen fathoms, and it is supposed that in going into a deep hole from the 10 fathom level he slipped and fell, and going down head foremost must have struck the helmet against a rock, knocking it off. The jury found that the deceased came to his death by drowning, and that no blame war attached to any one� -
2008 3 17 Mason Rusty USA Enviro prot agency 31 SCUBA American, aged 54, working for the Florida Environmental Protection Agency off the NOAA vessel “Peter Gladding�, passed out during decompression stop, A certified dive instructor, he was one of seven people working aboard the vessel. After the dive, the two divers ascended to a 15’ decompression stage (complete with spare cylinders on a shot line). Partner saw that he had stopped breathing and tried to give him air but eventually ran out himself and had to surface. Two other divers immediately went down and recovered Mason from the bottom, 100 feet below (Tank empty, still wearing his weight belt), not breathing, no pulse. Members of the crew of the vessel took gave him CPR during the 15-mile boat trip to Fort Jefferson and a 75-mile rescue helicopter flight to the Lower Keys Medical Center near Key West. Pronounced dead at the medical centre. -
1993 5 25 Masadi Singapore Indonesian, aged 29, died in an underwater explosion during a salvage operation on a shipweck. No other details. Straits Times -
2011 8 2 Marzouk Ismail Egypt Blue O2 60 Rebreather Aged 33, IANTD technical diving instructor working out of Hurgada died on a deep wreck dive (90 metres?) dive off Marsa Alam with three British tourists, apparently stopped breathing at 60 metres (suspected oxygen toxicity) and dropped into the depths, the three tourists surfaced without incident, instructor's body not recovered. Family raising questions about about lack of any SCUBA/Sports/Tourist/Technical diving standards or enforcement in Egypt. Wife and baby daughter. A second fatality - that of a Russian diving instructor - was reported on the same day but no detailed reports located to date. NB, Tourist diving instructors - esppecially technical diving - appear to have a very high fatality rate but are not generally reported. Reported by ahramonline -
1930 6 9 Marumoto Sanzo Australia 38 S/S Air Japanese diver, pearling west of Booby Island (Near Thursday Island), "Air pipe burst in 21 fathoms" The Advocate, Tasmania. “Japanese Diver Drowned. His airpipe bursting in 21 fathoms of water on Sunday, west of Booby Island, in Thursday Island waters, a Japanese diver, Sanzo Marumoto, was drowned. There were no suspicious circumstances. advice to this effect has been received by the Cairns police authorities�. Reported in the Cairns Post, Qld. -
2011 7 15 Martinez Edgar Saul Reyes Mexico SCUBA Aged 22 from Hermosillo, Colonia Oriente, clam diver, died at Puerta Penasco on La Cholla beach. No details. Reported in La Policiaca -
2006 4 26 Martinez Stephen USA SCUBA BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. --aged 42, professional golf ball diver hired by the city to retrieve golf balls from a lake was attacked by a 9-foot alligator. The alligator apparently bit the diver's air tank and tried to pull him under the water. The diver tried to stab the animal and it bit his arm, He was treated at a hospital for injuries similar to a dog bite. NB, Mark Feher, also a professional golf ball diver drowned on this course in 2001. -
2012 8 10 Martin Christopher USA SCUBA Aged 24, hired by Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando to retrieve golf balls. Two divers, but working solo in different locations. The other diver saw the diving tank floating on the surface but neither he or the Orange County Dive Team could locate the body. Body recovered late evening the day after. Presumbed drowned but no other details. Orlando Sentinel -
1975 2 6 Martin John Douglas Norway Ocean Systems 41 S/S Air British, aged 30. Stavanger Fjord, Condeep platform, reported as 'Lost/ditched helmet, insufficient training' No explanation', body never recovered, but he had 15 years experience. -
1941 4 5 Martin L. W. Singapore Topsides One of two divers (The second was A. O. Griffeth) who were killed with 20 others when the 300 ton mooring vessel 'Buffalo' struck a mine. The vessel was going out to salvage a submerged aircraft that had crashed in the vicinity of a minefield. The explosion caused the vessel to break in two amidships, the stern sank in within two minutes, the entire ship within four minutes. Straits Times. -
1935 7 12 Martin Indonesia 31 S/S Air Koepang diver out of Darwin on the lugger 'Flying Cloud' working off the Aru Islands (Indonesian waters due north of Darwin). Standing in as the second diver (who was off sick), When pulled up from decompression stop, was found to be dead. “Diving gear in perfect working order�. Inquest returned a verdict of accidental death by suffocation (Essentially blaming the diver for adjusting his air valve and shutting off his own air). Reported in 'The Age' -
0 0 0 Marti André Saudi Arabia Berri field, Saudi Arabia, H2S poisoning -
2012 2 10 Marshall Erica USA KESMARC Chamber Aged 28, died in an explosion at the KESMARC (Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine And Rehabilitation Centre) Farm in Ocla. 12' diameter hyperbaric chamber built in 2009 by New Phase Construction used for treating horses with high ppO2. The horse from Virginia (Landmark's Legendary Affair, a 6 year old thoroughbred gelding), which was being being treated for tissue damage, was killed instantly. Two employees monitoring the horse said that about 22 minutes into the treatment, he became agitated and started to kick (conflicting statements as to whether the horse was sedated on this occasion, though it had received 4 or 5 treatments before without incident), they tried to activate an emergency decompression sequence but the horse had already kicked off a quarter inch thick protective coating. They saw a "massive spark inside the chamber and then flames", Ms Moneley left the panel to call the fire department, Ms Marshall began the decompression sequence. There was then an initial explosion followed by a much larger blast that blew debris 1,200 feet, ripped off part of the roof and the side walls. The horse's steel shoes were not taped or covered "As the chamber had an irremovable protective coating that makes it unecessary". Star Banner, Florida -
2005 8 31 Mars TLP USA Shell The TLP housed both production and drilling facilites, including the Helmerich & Payne H&P 201 drilling rig. The installation was shut-in prior to the hurricane. Katrina toppled the derrick, which caused major damage to the rig floor and substructure. Later inspection found no underwater damage at the platform, but the topside damage was extensive and the platform was expected to remain unproductive until repairs were completed in 2006. Oil Rig Disasters -
1981 12 26 Marmion Mathew USA Aged 20, Long Beach harbour, drowned after getting trapped in an underwater intake of the tanker 'Arco Alaska'. Reported in the Los Angeles times, Telegraph Herald -
1903 9 1 Marling Australia Caisson Sydney, seabed investigation for the proposed North Shore bridge. Three man team working from a bell (Clarke, Dodds, Marling), four hour shift (Midnight to 04:00), at the end of their shift all three complained of feeling unwell, Clarke the worst. Quote:- “About 5.45 a.m. the licensee of the Fig tree Hotel heard someone groaning outside his premises. On investigating he found Clarke lying on the veranda in a critical condition- He carried the sufferer inside. Clarke, however, never rallied, and expired at 8.30 a.m. From the nature of his symptoms it is supposed that he succumbed to excessive air pressure� Adelaide Advertiser -
1974 10 0 Marlin J. C. USA S/S Mixed Gas American, pipeline pull-in into a J-tube, pipeline jammed, diver investigating, it moved and caught his hand, broken thumb and forefinger, he either climbed directly to the surface himself or was pulled up by the crew, into the DDC but died, decompression incident -
2011 3 18 Marin Antonio Argentina Aged 43, carrying out underwater repairs to the bow of the "Golestan" moored in the port of Quequen, recovered to deck but failed to respond to treatment. No other details. Reported by DiarioNecochea.com -
2002 9 0 Maric Oliver Croatia Police SCUBA Aged 25, died during the search for missing Czech scuba diver Miroslav Kuklis whose body was later found in an underwater cave off the Adriatic Island of Sol. Reported that another police diver was nearly killed during the same operation. (Kuklis died of stab wounds, two men initially charged with his murder - 'homosexual love triangle' according to the press - were later released and sued the newspaper saying that Kuklis had most likely committed suicide by stabbing himself when he realised that he was lost in the underwater cave and trapped). -
1931 9 10 Marf Australia Muramat 35 S/S Air DARWIN, Wednesday. A Japanese diver, known as Marf, employed by Muramat's pearling fleet, died today after becoming paralysed when diving in 19 fathoms of water about 40 miles north-west of Bathurst Island. The Advocate, Burnie -
1942 12 31 Mappleback, RN R Sardinia Military Submarine One of 10 divers trained in the use of the Mark I chariots at the HHZ training base on Loch Cairbawn (Scotland) who boarded the 'T' class submarine P-311 with their chariots in Malta to undertake operation 'Principle', an attack on shipping in the Port of Maddalena (Sardinia). Last signal was on the 31st December as the submarine approached Sardinia. Probably sunk by a mine, submarine was reported as lost at sea with all hands. Underwater Trust, Wikipedia etc -
1879 3 24 Manchester Horace USA S/S Air Drowned, after the event, it was claimed that �the diver who was drowned on Monday deliberately committed suicide on account of financial and domestic troubles which had been preying on his mind for a long time" -
2008 8 22 Malubag Ryan Jay Carino Singapore Dive tech Marine Services SCUBA Filipino, aged 22, One of three divers working on a 7m diameter propeller (at Singapore Anchorage) on the tanker “Shetland Spirit�- when the propeller was turned on, cuts and bruises, one week in hospital. About noon, the captain ordered the engine generators and fuel pumps be started because a nearby ship was drifting and it appeared that there could be a collision if the Shetland Spirit was not moved. Chief Engineer, who assumed that the diving operation was over, also began 'blowing the engine' - without permission - to ensure that there were no leaks or debris in the engine cylinders. The process also caused the propeller to rotate. (He would normally have been required to make a request to the bridge and receive orders from the captain before 'blowing the engine'). Blowing the engine', or turning the engine's drive shaft which is linked to the propeller, has to be done before the engine is actually started. Pleading for leniency, the lawyer stated 'It was reasonable for the accused to assume that there was an emergency.' Chief engineer fined $7,000. -
1952 8 1 Malone Hilary Australia DIVER FREES ‘MALOJA'S’ PROPELLER. The services of a diver were required at Fremantle yesterday before the liner ‘Maloja’ could sail for the Eastern States. Her port propeller blade was fouled by a steel towline from the tug ‘Uco’ when she berthed from London in the morning. The ‘Uco’ was immobilised to prevent further tangling, and the ‘Maloja’ - which had more than 1,000 passengers on board - berthed with the aid of two other tugs. Summoned from Garden Island, a Fremantle diver, Mr. Hilary Malone, went down from the vessel ‘Agnes’ at about 5.15 p.m., and using a special underwater oxy-acetylene torch had the blade cleared by about 6 o'clock. The liner sailed at 7.45 p.m. two hours late. Reported in The West Australian, Perth -
1945 5 0 Mallows Gunners Mate First Class Earl Military Aged 26, "Diver killed in the line of duty" according to telegram from the Navy received by his family. No other details. The Nashua Telegraph (NH) -
2005 8 5 Maldonado Luis Ojeda Chile Los Fiordos SCUBA Shellfish cultivation centre, Quellon, body not recovered. Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions District Attorneys Offices. No details -
2011 5 1 Makuch John USA Police diver SCUBA Aged 56, collapsed during a training exercise at Port Huron YMCA, 'massive Heart Attack', other team members (trained paramedics) were unable to save him. He had joined the St. Clair County Sherriff's Office dive team in 1991 and had worked his way up through the ranks to Assistant Chief. First recorded fatality since the team was founded in 1969. Reported in the Daily Tribune -
1999 12 28 Mahoney Michael C USA Bisso Marine American, Mississippi river barge salvage job, oxy arc explosion, stand-by diver not dressed in. Diver was killed in an underwater explosion while performing "hot work" on the sunken barge. Early court documents from a civil action brought by Bisso Marine against OSHA when the investigation was transferred from USCG to OSHA shows that Mr. Mahoney's "autopsy revealed high levels of cocaine and TCH.....that Mahoney likely smoked crack cocaine on the barge shortly before making the dive." OSHA investigation complete. Citations on Appeal. Fine to be Paid, 4 Citations/$8250 NAOCD/cDiver -
1997 9 10 Mahady John J USA City Employee SCUBA Aged 39, Two Harbors City employee, described as an experienced diver, apparently had trouble as he was working to attach a buoy to mark equipment near a municipal water intake pipe just off shore in Lake Superior. Drowned. No details -
1942 12 8 Magro PO Giovanni Gibraltar Military Submarine Three Italian Navy divers were killed by depth charges by British harbour defences at Gibraltar during an attack by “Human Torpedoes� from a mother ship (the ‘Olterra’). Among the dead were Lt Licio Visintini, commander of the torpedo unit, Petty Officer Giovanni Magro and Sergeant Salvatore Leone, from Sicily. Sgt. Leone's body was never found, he was awarded the Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare and a memorial was erected in the Community Gardens in Taormina (his home town in Sicily) on the 50th anniversary of the attack. The memorial includes a rebuilt torpedo ('maiale', Italian for 'pig', a reference to it's poor handling) and a description of the events. Wikipedia and other historical sources -
1939 7 13 Maeda Makota Australia S/S Air Japanese, aged 18, diving from the Japanese lugger Daikoku Maru off Bathurst island. Lugger out of Darwin. Became paralysed and appeared to recover somewhat but after 10 days bunk-ridden, collapsed and was brought into Darwin, transferred to hospital 'seriously ill'. Reported as the 9th Japanese diver to be stricken by diver's paralysis since the recently started season, the other 8 died. Reported in the Age. Later report|:- “DEATH OF DIVER. The 145 miles dash by the Japanese lugger ‘Kaikoku Maru’ to save the life of a young diver has been unsuccessful. Makota Maeda, 18, who was brought into Darwin on Monday morning suffering from diver's paralysis, died at the Darwin Hospital yesterday. He became paralysed on June 30, when diving in deep water 25 miles north of Bathurst Island. When he collapsed on the tenth day after giving signs of improvement, the lugger ceased fishing and made for Darwin at full speed. Maeda was immediately admitted to hospital, but he did not respond to treatment. "He is the ninth Japanese diver to succumb through diver's paralysis, this season�. Reported in The Northern Standard, Darwin, NT -
1897 2 0 Madsen C Australia 48 S/S Air Danish, testing new diving gear (Engine driven air compressor ) from the steamer 'Swansea'. Diver keen to get full working depth of 30 fathoms but only had water depth of 29 fathoms. Attempt aborted when current was too strong, relocated inside harbour where there was a maximum water depth of 26 metres. Reduced air supply pressure from 40 psi to 1o 10 psi and then to 4 psi (on instruction from diver). Sank from sight. After no signals for 15 minutes (Although his attendant said he received signals until 3 minutes before he was recovered), he was hauled up (which took another 8 minutes), Unconscious, took another 5 minutes to get him out of his suit which was found to be a quarter full of water. Onboard doctor attending but did not respond. They concluded that 4 psi was not enough to maintain air flow at 26 fathoms (174') and that water had flooded his suit. Nelson Evening Mail -
1893 5 0 Madrill William Garvie Australia Topsides Queensland, Brisbane, Monday. "Still another pearl diver has died near Thursday Island after working in deep water there. William Garvie Madrill has been found in a culvert at Ipswich, lying face downwards in a shallow pool of water, with a small stone embedded in his forehead. Life was extinct. Reported in the Barrier Miner, Broken Hill, NSW -
2020 9 21 Madrid Eustoquio Curacao Curacao Industrial Diving Venezuelan. Curacao, Damen Ship Repair, Pier B, (Double fatality with Orlando Andreas Medina Gonzalez), one diver drowned, the second taken ashore alive but died, initial reports indicate 'unauthorised (SCUBA) equipment. No other details. Reported by SubaQuatica Magazine: https://www.subaquaticamagazine.es/dos-buzos-mueren-en-accidente-en-damen-shiprepair-en-curazao-el-caribe/ -
1940 9 1 Maddison Steve Canada S/S Air Aged 70, "a diver for 32 years, met his death when he was sucked into the intake of a dam at the paper manufacturing town of Ocean Falls". Edmonton Journal -
1927 5 4 Madden Charles Australia S/S Air “DIVER COLLAPSES. When he was being brought to the surface after working on a pile cylinder under water at the George's River bridge yesterday afternoon Charles Madden, aged 30, collapsed. The St George District Ambulance was called and first aid rendered. It was found necessary, however, to take the man to the St. George District Hospital. He was suffering from diver's palsy�. Reported in The Sydney Morning Herald. -
1881 10 28 Macpherson Thomas UK S/S Air "A diver suffocated on Friday. A diver named Thomas Macpherson of 1 Castle Street, Hull died under… " No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in The Derby Daily Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
1998 5 18 MacPhail Alister China Oceaneering 40 Saturation Australian, "Ocean Winsertor", on contract to Hyundai Heavy Industries, Poisoned by seabed toxins (H2S, arsenic, Mercury) then circa 12 Chinese divers subsequently medivac'd. All Oceaneering divers survived, but have suffered ever since. -
1987 11 14 MacMillan Mark T Antarctic SCUBA Aged 22, research dive 50 miles west of the US base at McMurdo Sound on Ross Island. No details. Reported in the San Jose Mercury News -
2013 3 31 MacLeod Iain UK SCUBA Aged 44, diving on the anchor of a creel boat in Bosta Beach, Great Bernera (Isle of Lewis), not a sports dive, but unclear if it was a paid/working dive. No other details. BBC -
2012 3 15 MacLean Roderick UK SCUBA Aged 33 from Finstown, Scallop diving operation off the Orkney island of Eday, failed to surface from a dive, search for body called off after 5 days. STV. -
1967 0 0 Maclean Edward (Ted) Australia Divcon 130ft S/S Air Ashmore Reef, NW Australia, Water depth 130ft Died in Deco Chamber , Combination of Missed Deco and heat exhaustion. Incident happened late 1967. Drill Barge Investigator owned and operated by Zapata. <br />longstreath.com -
2002 5 23 Macko Steven C USA SCUBA Aged 42, off duty firefighter/diver, working for a contractor installing a fountain in Petersen Lake, a 15 acre lake in the centre of O'Hare Office Plaza, with 4 other divers, died, no details but reported that he and his colleagues planned to swim across the lake to the fountain but that when he was pulled from water his air valve was turned off -
2011 6 11 Mackie Graham UK SCUBA Aged 31, commercially qualified diver, diving for scallops off Methil in Fife. Paraphrased from press reports:- The diver had gone into the sea at the start of his shift, but colleagues became alarmed when no bubbles came to the surface. Crew members on the fishing vessel ‘Rob Roy’ issued a mayday call to Forth Coastguard shortly before 2:30pm. Two divers on a nearby catamaran went down to bring the unconscious man to the surface. A spokesman for the Coastguard and Maritime Agency, which co-ordinated the rescue, said: "The unconscious diver was transferred on to the Kinghorn inshore lifeboat, which had a paramedic and oxygen on board, and was taken into Methil. When the lifeboat arrived at Methil, a decision was made to transfer the diver on to the helicopter and take him to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary." The diver died a short time later in hospital. His identity has not been released. A spokesman for Fife Constabulary said: "Fife Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 31-year-old male, who was diving off the coast of Methil this afternoon. A report is being submitted to the procurator-fiscal’. Reported in the Scotsman. One of two scallop diving fatalities (the other was James Irvine, 24th March 2011) that led to an HSE safety alert (22nd June 2011) -
1984 2 21 Mackey Tom UK Subsea Offshore 9 Chamber Aged 28, Ex Glasgow shipyard welder, welding instructor for Subsea Offshore. Had just completed air diver training and was hoping to go offshore as a welder/diver. Aberdeen, Chamber dive, low O2, Anoxia, Double fatality (Dave Bowmar). Welding trials, initially reported as nitrox dive and that techs put CO2 on line instead of O2 during decompression, then reported to have been at the start of an air saturation at 30', but was most likely 'just' an air dive., LP air compressor was putting out too high a pressure (divers on AGA masks) and in order to adjust the pressure, the technician turned off the supply to dive control, supervisor switched to HP gas quad and then back to LP once the compressor was back on line, but divers were unconscious. Chamber surfaced, Tom Mackey dead on site, Dave Bowmar died in hospital. HP gas quad (pink but labelled “21% oxygen�) was actually virtually pure Nitrogen (gas in quad not analysed, panel O2 analysers not on line). Glasgow Herald -
1924 9 30 MacKenzie Charles Wiliam Hong Kong Topsides Chief diver of Taikoo Docks, appeared at the Central Magistracy having been remanded the previous Saturday. "Defendant was charged with driving his motor-cycle in a dangerous manner; with being under the influence of drink; and with not stopping his machine after the occurrence of an accident in which two members of the police force were knocked down and injured. The judge, in fining the defendent $100 on each of the first and third charges, the second charge being withdrawn, said that the defendant was fortunate that the Captain Superintendent of Police had not asked for imprisonment. The Chinese constable was awarded $10 compensation" Straits Times -
2011 3 23 Macias Javier Diaz Spain Macpherson Servicios Subaquacuaticos Aged 26, from El Puerta de Santa Maria (Cadiz), carrying out repair works on the (upstream) Analucian water board (Agencia Andaluza del Agua) Los Melonares dam gates near Castilblanco de Los Arroyos (North of Seville). One of a four man team. Emergency services called a 17:00 hours, body recovered downstream of the dam. No other details. Reported in Europa press/www.internetnews.tk. -
1853 0 0 MacDonald USA S/S Air Reported as having died in an incident similar to that of John Tope who died a year later in 1854. The accident at the wreck of the 'Erie' last year, when MacDonald lost his life, was similar to this (Tope), though the victim in that case had but little experience as a diver. Too much care cannot be observed by those who follow this hazardous business. No details, but presumably another squeeze. New York Times -
1991 8 15 Lyons John South China Sea McDermott 18 Saturation New Zealander, one of four divers who died when the McDermott DB 29 got caught in typhoon 'Fred' in the South China Sea, POB 195, 22 fatalities. Diver's HRV was the bell, but the barge developed a list and the bell could not be mated to the TUP. Saturation system had been decompressed to around 60' before the barge capsized and sank. As the barge, upside down, sank, the pressure equalised with the TUP, the door was opened and three divers (Steve Hardy, John Lyons and Terry Dennison) swam for the surface but drowned (dragged down by the suction of the barge sinking?). Their bodies were recovered from the sea. Autopsy revealed no signs of decompression illness indicating that although decompression had been accelerated, the high ppO2 had been effective. Cause of death was salt weater drowning. The body of Brian Shepherd was recovered from the flooded dive system (still complete, intact and attached to the upturned hull of the barge) by saturation divers some two months later. He was located still wrapped in a hammock slung in what would have been a gas bubble in the capsized system. Autopsy revealed leg injuries leading to speculation that he was injured when the barge capsized, was unable to make the escape attempt with the other three divers. Cause of death was asphyxiation. The barge was never salvaged and still lies upside down under the South China Sea. A letter to his wife and children was found in John Lyon's diving under-suit (“He left a very personal love letter. It's a goodbye letter. John knew he was going to die and wrote to me and the children� His wife Sue, speaking after the event). Telegraph and Argus plus Personal Communication. -
1967 10 2 Lyons RJ Norway Sanford Brothers 67 S/S Air British, aged 23. Surface supplied dive to 67 metres from the Ocean Viking (NB Sandford brothers had the diving contract from July 1967 to january 1968 after which Comex took over). During water stops uncontrolled ascent to surface, pulmonary Barotrama leading to pneumothorax. JW, JL and PC -
2012 10 18 Lyng Stig Erik Malaysia Fugro Topsides Norwegian, aged 53, servicing a tsunami warning metocean (Fugro Oceanor Wavescan) buoy off Sipadan from the MV Pendamar. Buoy lifted onto deck for maintenance after two years in the water. The last of 16 bolts holding an access lid was rusted so IP used an angle grinder. The internal atmoshere had been contaminated by gases from the batteries, resulting in an explosion which caused the lid to hit him causing fatal injuries. Reported by the Sun (Malaysia). IMCA SF 5/13 issued April 4th 2013. with detailed eport. NB Buoy manuals did highlight danger and required purging prior to access (Not done on this occassion). Procedures modified and explosion potential warning signs now used on the buoys (Similar to those already used by NOAA on their buoys) -
1894 4 0 Lynch Ben Australia S/S Air Thursday Island, April 6. "A coloured diver died at Darnley Island last week as a result of diving in deep water". Reported in the South Australian Register, Adelaide, SA. -
1943 9 15 Lydan Cpl. J. H. Australia Military 6 Diver Rescues Troops' Beer. SYDNEY, Wed— When the weekly beer ration of an anti-aircraft unit in a remote North-Western area fell into 20 feet of water, the troops gave it up far lost, but the fortuitous passing of a diver saved it. Diving to the bottom, Cpl. J. H. Lydan, of Sydney, located the case and brought it to shore. Lydan and Sgt. G. Urquhart, of Turramurra, are the first Australian soldiers to qualify at a Navy diving school. They are attached to an Army water transport unit. Reported in The Daily News, Perth. -
2007 10 27 Luse William J USA 3 Aged 34, Trapped for about 15 minutes by water flow through a coffer dam 23/10/2007, lost air supply, initially thought to be recovering, died 4 days later “Luse got stuck when flowing water forced him into a void between the cofferdam and the gate, which was open and releasing water. A partner working with him was able to tie a rope to the trapped diver's equipment but was not able to pull him free. When Luse was eventually pulled up, the air hose he was using to breathe had been knocked from his mouth. Officials were uncertain how long he had been without air�. -
1956 8 13 Lund Captain Ove Norway Military Aged 32, Norwegian Navy diver, died in Horten harbour, Oslo. 'in the line of duty' though the authorities branded reports that he died diving under the hulls of visiting soviet fleet vessels as "Sheer madness". His death was announced shortly after the departure of a Russian cruiser and two destroyers. The announcement co-incided with reports that an unidentified submarine was follwing the Russian flotilla. Pittsburgh Press -
1908 11 7 Lund Martin USA S/S Air Headline "Fight with an Octopus". 'A San Francisco diver, had a desperate fight with a large octopus recently while searching the hold of a sunken vessel. Soon after he had descended the octopus seized his leg below the knee with a tentacle five inches in diameter. Almost immediately another tentacle encircled his thigh. The diver chopped frantically at the beast with his knife, and signaled by the lifeline to be raised to the surface. Two more tentacles slid out of the darkness, one of which gripped Lund’s neck. The efforts of the men on the surface to raise him threatened to drag off his helmet, and he was compelled to signal them to desist. Lund, who had only his left hand free, fought like a madman, hacking at the tentacles until he partially crippled his enemy. With a final effort the Octopus drew Lund to its mouth, and the diver repeatedly drove his knife into its head until it was dead. When Lund was dragged to the surface he was in a fainting condition. The octopus was afterwards raised, and was placed on exhibition'. Straits Times. -
1891 11 18 Luke (or Lukes?) Alfred Burton UK S/S Air "A diver drowned, a diver named Luke was examining some damaged moorings in Portsmouth harbour". "A diver named Luke went down to Portsmouth Harbour shortly after 9 o'clock on Wednesday to examine the moorings of the Corporation buoy near Portsea Pier,...". No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Coventry Evening Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
2012 11 13 Lucyk Corpoal Lionel France Fireman SCUBA Aged 38, professional diver/firefighter, diving with a partner as part of a 4 man team from the St Nazaire fire and rescue centre in heavy seas to cut nets off the propellor of a disabled trawler in the bay between Le Pouliguen and Pornichet, details unclear, but failed to surface, found unconscious near the fishing boat but failed to respond to treatment. Married with a daughter. Reported by Letelegramme.com -
1891 6 18 Luciano Manuel Australia S/S Air ‘A Diver Browned’. Thursday Island, Monday. — ‘The lugger ‘Revenge’, which returned to this port on Saturday evening, brings the body of a colored diver named Luciano. While diving that morning Luciano's piping became fastened to some coral, and when efforts were being made by the crew to release the diver the piping burst. The crew being unable to bring Luciano to the surface, another diver on the lugger ‘Narrellan’ at once went below and brought Luciano to the surface; but the latter was dead, having apparently been drowned owing to the presence of water in the dress after the piping burst. The piping is said to be very old’ Reported in the Evening News, Sydney, NSW -
1983 11 5 Lucas Roy P Norway Comex Houlder 0 Saturation British, aged 38. Drill rig "Byford Dolphin", Frigg field, explosive decompression of sat system when TUP clamp failed, 5 fatalities -
2000 10 31 Lubsey Carl Jamaica Police Topsides One of two specialist divers who searched for drugs under the hulls of ships killed within two weeks of each other (The other was Donovan Henry, killed 14th October), was probably slain because he turned down bribes for several million dollars, according to police sources. According to reports, several attempts had been made to bribe Carl Lubsey but that he'd refused the offers. The police reported that at about 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, October 31, Mr. Lubsey was on his way to Rocky Point to check the ship Orlent River II, which had been docked at the Rocky Point Port, Clarendon, to collect alumina. Police reports at the time said Lubsey was driving his Nissan pick-up on the Rocky Point Pier Road when a grey car drove up behind him. Occupants in the car opened fire hitting him and he lost control of his vehicle which crashed. The gunmen came out of the car and opened fire again, hitting him all over his body. He died on the spot. Senior Superintendent Carl Williams, the island's narcotics' chief, said the police believed the divers were killed because of their occupation and hinted that there could be a breakthrough in another week. However, the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) said hat while both cases were being investigated, the lawmen were yet to effect an arrest. The Jamaica Gleaner -
1940 8 11 Loy Wong Australia S/S Air Evidence given in Broome at the inquest into the death of a diver who died at sea 120 miles South of Broome. "What was believed to be a form of divers paralysis is really collapse caused by depletion of the natural salts of the body as a result of excesive perspiration while working at depth. The diver, after having complained of dizziness, was treated for what is known locally as 'half-caste paralysis'. The medical officer said that during the past 40 years many divers must have died from this complaint going on to explain that the symptoms were so similar those of actual diver's paralysis that the divers could not tell the difference with any ecrtainty". As a result of the evidence at this inquest, it is now thought that if divers drank salt liquid before the day's work, this would considerably assist in replacing the body chlorines and prevent collapse which are the symptoms usually preceeding death in these cases. Straits Times -
2010 9 10 Lower Rob USA Self Employed 23 Rebreather Aged 29, professional rare fish collector (selling to the aquarium trade) reported as diving to 75m to 100m on a daily basis.. Diving for Masked Angel Fish, a rare species off the island of Kauai. Mild DCS symptoms from a dive the previous day to over 90m depth, he dived to 75m without a viable dive computer (Dive computer failed a few days prior to the accident, reported that the replacement computer either did not support a fixed PPO2 or was not available - conflicting reports). Replacement computer would not have his very high tissue compartment loadings in any case. Surfaced from the 75m with DCS symptoms which became worse on the boat, flown to a chamber and recompressed, stopped breathing in the chamber and failed to respond to reatment. Reported Cerebral Embolism. Reported that he had been tol that his dive practices were extremely hazardous but chose to dive when he knew he did not have adequate decompression data and was already suffering from DCS, also reported to have claimed he could "feel the nitrogen coming out of him", so did not need a deco computer. Reported by reefbuilders, hawaiiskindiver etc -
2007 10 30 Loveria Tim USA Poterdam 6 SCUBA 46 year old from Conklin, New York, diving contractor out of New York, drowned Tuesday in Panguitch Lake, Utah. Failed to surface at about 1 p.m. He was removing a temporary dam his team had installed to allow water to be pumped out of a channel that crews were trying to dig deeper, Garfield County sheriff's deputies wrote in a statement. Other divers on the team found Loveria under 18 feet of water. Reported in Deseret News -
1924 9 1 Lovell Reuben UK "A diver for nearly 40 years at Portsmouth dockyard died recently. He brought up 200 bodies from the wreck of the training Frigate 'Eurydice' which foundered near Ventnor in a squall". Papers Past, evening Post, National Library of New Zealand. The training frigate 'Eurydice' sank off the isle of Wight when returning from a voyage to the Caribean with the loss of over 300 lives on 24th March 1878. She was refloated by early September in an extended diving operation using Sieve Gorman divers. -
2016 5 6 Lovelace James Derek USA Military Surface Swimmer Aged 21, undergoing SEAL selection/training (BUD/S - Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs training) at Coronado, near San Diego, California. 'Safety Observers identified Lovelace as having difficulty and withdrew him from the exercise. He was aided to the edge of the pool by instructors where he then lost consciousness. Resuscitation efforts and first aid at the scene were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital'. Reported as the 5th trainee to lose consciousness at the facilty in the last four months. reported by nbcnews.com -
1996 5 27 Loveday Julian Malaysia Aged 30 or 31, diver on the Pergau hydroelectric dam project at Kelantan, drowned during leak repair operations two weeks before he was due to be married (Not clear whether he fell off the barge or was killed in an underwater accident). No other details. Straits Times -
2006 2 20 Love Derrick UK Caldive Topsides Aberdeen-based offshore operator Well Ops (UK) Ltd, formerly Cal Dive International Ltd fined a total of £110,000 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Mr Derrick Love age 34, from Invergowrie, died after being struck by a 12m long well intervention tool weighing 370 kg (800lbs) on the offshore multi service vessel, MSV Seawell -
2014 10 21 Lopez Cruz Jose Joaquin E.ON Power Generation Plant. Los Barrios, Cadiz, Spain Satemar Compania De Trabajos Submarinos When diving to perform a photographic underwater inspection in a siphon inlet on the E.ON coal-fired power plant refrigeration system the diver was sucked into the inlet. -
1931 4 27 Long (or Lang?) Charles UK Gloucester Dock Company Topsides "Gloucester's only diver killed . Motor cycle collision with cyclist Chales Long (43), diver for the Gloucester Dock Company, was killed.." "Diver killed in cycle collision. Gl;oucester's only diver, Charles Lang (43) of Tuffley was killed in a collision near Hempstead..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Cheltenham Chronicle/The British Newspaper Archive -
2016 6 6 Long Cpt. Bradley USA SAR Firefighter 25m SCUBA Aged 28, volunteer firefighter and rescue diver with the Sherrills Ford-Terrell fire department diving with two others searching for the body a man drowned a day earlier in Lake Norman. Some kind of incident underwater, two surfaced and taken to hospital, his body was recovered soon after, declared dead at site. Later reported that he left bottom and headed for the surface before signalling that he had run out of air, appeared to panic ripping of his own and another divers masks, the other diver surfaced safely, Long's body recovered later . Reported by WBTV -
2004 7 27 Londo Luigi Italy Geomar 14 Rebreather 34 year old, off Trieste, three divers together off a small boat free swimming clearing pipeline outlet, died during the dive -
1929 3 20 Lois Helen USA Topsides Photograph in the Paper showing a woman dressed in standard gear with the captions "A WOMAN DIVER. Miss Helen Lois of San Francisco, who is described as the ionly woman deep sea diver in the world. Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald -
2010 9 17 Loghin Sergeant Marius Romania Fireman Aged 32, diver in the ISU (Emergency services) with two colleagues went down into a well in the village of Radauti Prut to recover a man, overcome by CO fumes from a water pump, pronounced dead after an hour and a half artifical respiration. Two colleagues (Iulian Todirel aged 25 and the section leader, Major Narcis Jachal aged 33) were hospitalised first in Darabani City Hospital then transferred to Botsani County hospital. The 33 year old man they went to rescue also died. Discussion after the event centred on apparent lack of training (recognising a contaminated environment) and failure to intiate/use Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment (HBOT) for CO poisoning. Realitea.net -
2009 6 24 Logan Christopher USA 2 S/S Air American, aged 27, hired by Las Colinas Country Club to retrieve lost golf balls Employees at the club noticed that one of the men employed by the company contracted to recover the balls had not returned by closing time at 8 p.m, So someone went to look for him. Near the eighteenth green, an employee saw Logan’s breathing apparatus floating in the water and noticed that the pump that supplies the air was not running. The Irving Fire Department responded and found the diver's body submerged in the water. The Dallas County medical examiner’s office has ruled the death an accident due to drowning and the toxic effects of carbon monoxide. Wife and three year old son. Was SCUBA certified , took the part time job with a friend's golf ball retrieval business because his employer had cut his hours. -
1993 10 13 Locke Stewart UK J Allan Diving Services 3 S/S Air Hired by Customs and Excise to recover £20 million worth of drugs (Cannabis) from the yatch 'Ambrosia' beached on Scotstown beah (Peterhead, Scotland). Diving contractor was fined £1,200 after some kind of legal deal. Allegations during the inquiry that he committede suicide by cutting his umbilical, Sherriff determined it was accidental death with the most probable cause being that he got into difficulties and was forced to cut his umbilical and ditch his helmet. Diving conditions in the rough shallow water were described as 'hazardous'. Criticism by the Sherriff for it only a 3 man team (the diver, a supervisor who doubled as stand-by diver and an unqualified tender), lack of involvement/supervision by Customs and Excise, lack of communication with a police diving team on site. Widow intended to sue (defunct) diving contractor and Customs and Excise. No further details. Reported in the Herald Scotland -
1977 3 5 Lock Teng Kwang Singapore Aged 23, cleaning dive on the vessel 'Kota Setia' at the western anchorage found under the vessel without his diving equipment -
1997 9 2 Loader Scott Marc Singapore From New Zealand, died in a diving accident whilst working on the hull of the vessel 'Sebastion Tong By' No other details, Straits Times -
2013 7 29 Llancavil Arce Marcos Chile Chilean Navy Military One of three Chilean Special Forces divers killed during underwater explosive demolition exercises. The Commander in Chief of the First Naval Zone regrets to inform the public that at 12:45 pm today, Monday 29th July , while an underwater demolition with explosives practice was done at Caleta Hornillos, in Laguna Verde, Valparaiso, there was an accident resulting in death. Should be noted that this exercise is one of the planned activities in the Annual Training Plan. A result of this unfortunate situation were deceased 2nd Lt. Miguel Casas-Cordero Menéndez and 1st. Sgt. Marcos Llancavil Arce, both from the Special Forces Command of the Armada Chilena. Additionally is currently missing Cpl. José Luis Valenzuela Valderrama. Cpl. José Luis Valenzuela Valderrama was later found also deceased.<br />Source: Emol.com -
1877 7 5 Littlebody William UK Dalton Le Dale Waterworks 36 S/S Air Described as "a big stout man of about 18 stone weight", diver fron Tyne dock, diving in a pilot shaft at the Dalton Le Dale Waterworks, South Sields, (10' diamter, 312' from top to surface of water then to worksite a further 120' underwater to replace a plug). Reported as entering the water at 11:00, stopped responding to line signals some 3 hours later, could not be pulled up. Rescue diver Harry Watts, then aged 51, employed at the time by River Wear Commissioners, was recruited to help, dived at 9 o'clock in the evening and located the body head down under the working stage. Described in "Life of Harry Watts, 60 years a Sailor and Diver" by Alfred Spencer. The book, published in 1923, contains the following comment: Mr. Davis, Managing Director of Messrs. Siebe, Gorman & Co., Ltd., who kindly went through these chapters on diving with a view to correcting them, in commenting on the Dalton incident, says : - " You describe Watts as having been fully dressed before he went over the edge of the well. . . . Nowadays, we would, if at all possible, rig up a stage just above the surface of the water, where the diver would put on his heavy gear (boots, weights, and helmet), and thus be saved the labour of carrying all this deadweight. It is quite possible that Watts did carry this weight from the ground level to the water, and, in that case, all the more credit is due to him." -
1997 5 21 Little Jim USA Acadiana Divers Chamber American, died during surface decompression, smoking inside the DDC, chamber fire. Reported in the press simply as:- “On Sunday, a professional diver undergoing decompression on the dive boat 'White Dove' was killed when the chamber caught fire, the Coast Guard said� Reported in the Orlando Chronicle -
2019 7 29 Linston Terrence Olmsted Lock, Kentucky USA Global Diving and Salvage PULASKI COUNTY, Ill. (KFVS) - A diver died while working on the Olmsted Lock and Dam project on Saturday, June 29. According to spokesperson with Moran Environmental Recovery, LLC, a commercial diver with Global Diving and Salvage died while working on the Olmsted Lock and Dam project. Terrence Linston reportedly had a incident while he was under water and did not survive. He had been employed with Globan since 2017 and had been working on the Olmsted project for two years. Global is contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the following statement on Wednesday, July 3: “Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the family members during this difficult time. We are closely coordinating with all parties as the cause of the incident is still under investigation.” - Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District According to the Moran Environmental Recovery spokesperson, they are cooperating with authorities and the investigation is ongoing. In May 2019, a massive crane specifically built to assemble, move and lift sections of the dam was demolished. In August 2018, a ribbon cutting was held for the Olmsted Lock and Dam project. The project, which replaced 1920’s-era infrastructure, hoped to make an easier navigation of commerce on the Ohio River. The Olmsted Lock and Dam is one of the busiest stretches of Illinois’ inland water system for commercial navigation. https://www.kfvs12.com/2019/07/03/diver-dies-while-working-olmsted-lock-dam-project/ -
2000 10 11 Linscomb John USA Land and Underwater Welding Topsides American, Bayou Adams near Orange, Texas, incident occurred when the divers were returning to a boatramp at the end of a diving project and their boat hit a power line tower. The diver was killed. Another diver, who was operating the boat, was seriously injured. NAOCD/cDiver blog, No other details. -
1973 6 18 Link Clayton USA Johnson-Sea Link 107 Submarine Aged 31, son of the mini submarine's inventor, Edwin Link. Trapped on the wreck of a sunken destroyer, the two men in the rear compartment (Link and Stover) died (asphyxiation), two in the forward compartment survived -
1962 0 0 Link Edward USA 61 Man in the Sea programme' used heliox to dive to 200'. -
1978 12 13 Lim Meng Kian Singapore 2 S/S Air Aged 26. Working on a fishing boat, returning from a voyage into the Indian Ocean when the boat slowed. "Mr Lim, who had some diving experience, volunteered to investigate" using an air hose attached to a compressor. He reported that the vessel's propeller was entangled in rope and took a knife to cut it. After 20 minutes, tugs on his air hose got no response and a second crew member went in to investigate. Diver was motionless in the water, air hose entangled in the propeller, but still had his mask on. Recovered to deck but did not respond to treatment. The coroner commented that there was no apparent reason why he could not have removed his mask and come to the surface from a depth of 2.1 metres and that there was insufficient evidence to show how the diver drowned. "The mask, air hose and compressor were examined and found to be trouble-free". Inquest held in March 1979 recorded an open verdict. Straits Times -
1974 11 1 Lim Guan Choon Singapore SCUBA Aged 29, diver on the fishing vessel SMF 271. Returning to Singapore, the boat's nets got caught in it's propellers, he went in to free them but surfaced after 10 minutes complaining of giddiness, died an hour later. No other details. Straits Tims -
1999 0 0 Lilly Scott USA Global American, kidnapped in Nigeria, he was released and then returned to America where he was attending LST training when he was admitted to hospital in Lafayette and subsequently died of malaria. Reported on Offshore diver website -
1991 11 25 Lillard Billy Ray GOM Cal Dive SMG Age 25, Came off the downline on Waterstop. Died in Chamber on deck. 1) Young Diver First surface Gas Dive 2) Stage was not at first stop when he reached it. It was being lowered. 3) Seas Heavy, surge, and current. 4) There was a serious bend previous to this dive. Source: JC Roat post in Incidents forum -
2010 12 8 Lightfoot, US Army Captain Juan E USA US Army SCUBA Capt. Juan E. Lightfoot, 34, died at Womack Army Medical Center four days after an accident during pre-SCUBA training. The former Marine who had arrived at the battalion in November, commanded a Special Forces detachment of Fort Bragg's 7th Special Forces Group. As the incident was under investigation, no details were available, including the place or nature of the accident and whether it took place in the water, said a spokesman for 7th Group. The training was intended to prepare soldiers to attend the Combat Divers Qualification Course held at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, part of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg. Reported in the Fay Observer. -
1976 11 24 Liang Tan Boon Singapore Underwater Mairenance Company Aged 23, hull cleaning with 5 other divers on the Barber lines vessel 'Trinidad' at the Western Anchorage, propeller started injuring him. A search was launched and he was recovered from the water, taken to hospital and declared dead 2 hours later. Straits Times -
1997 5 0 Lewis Brent R GOM American, jetting under a Casino barge (Isle of Capri) in Shreveport, no bailout, hose severed (pulled into pump inlet) ditched hat, drowned -
2010 6 10 Levican Juan Bernado Chile Aged 30, Town of Quemchi, Butachauques Island, shellfish diver. Surfaced and reported not feeling well, taken ashore by the vessel "Dona Amelia" but arrived at the Metahue medical centre dead and was then transferred to Isla Grande. No other details. GPS Buceo -
1998 0 0 Levi Sgt. Yuval Israel IDF SCUBA “12 years ago, the unit suffered personal tragedy caused by exactly this type of an incident. Sgt. Yuval Levi (dec.), who at the time was a diver in the unit, went with his partner on a routine mission to check a merchant vessel which has requested to anchor in the Haifa port. After descending into the water, the vessel activated its propellers, and Sgt. Levi was killed. His partner in the mission was saved� Quoted in an IDF article in August 2020 -
1907 8 27 Leverettt UK "The torpedo wreck off Berry Head" " …act of diver Leverett, he died the following day. Yesterday the boat was successfully raised by the Deveonport dockyard riggers..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in TheExeter and Plumouth Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
2007 10 6 Lesme Dominguez Crisaldo Argentina Salbupar SRL Surface Swimmer Translated and paraphrased from Spanish news reports. "Finally yesterday the diver found dead on Saturday in Parana river in the neighborhood near San Pedro Pescador was identified as Paraguayan Crisaldo is Lesme Dominguez, 35. His body was identified by his brother, Vicente Crisaldo Lesme, According to reports, Dominguez Lesme Crisaldo worked as a tactical diver for Salbupar SRL (Salvage and Diving of Paraguay). His body was found on Saturday around 5 pm near the Parana . The corpse was wearing snorkeling gear with goggles on his face and fins. Paraguayan authorities stated:- "Death by drowning" . Reported in Diario Norte -
1996 4 15 Lesley Vincent Charles UK SCUBA Professional scallop diver in Orkney (North of Scotland). No details PC -
2002 6 19 Leoni Helga Italy Marine Consulting 25 S/S Air 33 year old female NDT diver, daughter of the owner of the diving company. DSV "Palinuro II" diving on/near the Agostino B platform. No stand-by diver. Engine "mistakenly" started, Umbilical caught in propellor. -
1942 12 8 Leone Sgt Salvatore Gibraltar Military Submarine Three Italian Navy divers were killed by depth charges by British harbour defences at Gibraltar during an attack by “Human Torpedoes� from a mother ship (the ‘Olterra’). Among the dead were Lt Licio Visintini, commander of the torpedo unit, Petty Officer Giovanni Magro and Sergeant Salvatore Leone, from Sicily. Sgt. Leone's body was never found, he was awarded the Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare and a memorial was erected in the Community Gardens in Taormina (his home town in Sicily) on the 50th anniversary of the attack. The memorial includes a rebuilt torpedo ('maiale', Italian for 'pig', a reference to it's poor handling) and a description of the events. Wikipedia and other historical sources -
1893 10 17 Leon Australia S/S Air "Two divers were brought to Thursday Island from Darnely Island paralysed, but both are expected to recover. A Manilla diver named Leon died there on October 17th, making the fourth victim during the few days. The Hon J. Douglas at Darley, is reported to have issued a notice to divers warning them against diving deeper than 20 fathoms. It is asserted that they frequently go down 30 fathoms for a few moments". Wanganui Herald, National Library of New Zealand -
2011 1 1 Lemos Jorge Luiz Brazil Vilasub on contract to Flexibras Aged 44, married, two children, experienced diver (In 2002 he recovered the bodies of two fireman killed in the sinking of a vessel in the Port of Tubarao), owner Vilasub based in Vila Velha (Only diving company in the state licenced by the navy to train commercial divers for the fire brigade, police, Navy and Petrobras) providing underwater ship's husbandry services. Accident happened in the Port of Victoria (Porto de Vitoria) during preparatory works for a dredging operation, early afternoon solo dive to check the results of earlier blasting work but drifted away from the boat. Other divers went in and pulled him to the surface, bleeding from ears and almost unconscious. Taken to hospital but died later that evening. Gazetaonline -
2012 9 18 Lemons Chris UK Bibby 91 Saturation DPII DSV Bibby Topaz, built 2008, Kongsberg DP system, diving on the Huntington Field template, at 22:09 RBUS DP alarm activated, 22:11 loss of DP control, divers relocated to top of template, vessel starts to drift off, 22:12 Diver 1 pulled off template by tight umbilical, diver 2 umbilical snagged and parted, 22:17 vessel 240 metres East of template, manual control established, diver 2 beacon at template, 22:34, vessel back on auto DP, 22:40 vessel back at template, diver 1 left stage, bell 18 metres from template, 22:46 diver 2 recovered to bell, unconscious, 23:04 diver 2 conscious, 22:13, BLB, 23:39 BLO. Diver 2 on bailout with planned duration of 10 minutes for between 28 and 34 minutes. Survival believed to have been due to rebreather type bailout, high ppO2 in bailout mix, probably rapid onset of hypothermia/reduced breathing rate. Diver made a full recovery. DP fault not identified/publicised, investigation ongoing. Reported in the Press and Journal, Times etc -
1979 11 10 Lemarchand Gilles Ghana or Ivory Coast Comex 130 Saturation See 'Wodeco V lost Bell' for details, the three divers in the bell, rescue stand-by diver and a nurse die in this incident. -
2017 10 17 Lehner Craig E USA Police 8m SCUBA Aged 34. Buffalo Police department, Police dive team training exercise in the Niagara river off Bird Island Pier, 12:50, lifeline to surface snagged, pulled from various directions butt stayed snagged, two officers attempted to follow his lifeline down but had to cut themselves free (Reported as 12 knot current!). Slid an emergency air tank down but it would not sink, 45' USCG patrol boat arrived at 13:10, tried pulling the lifeline from other directions but the line snapped. 5 days later his body floated to the surface a mile north with 75 feet of lifeline still attached to him, still with tanks and 40lb weightbelt. Reported in the Buffalo News -
1891 10 24 Leest or Lust Frank Australia S/S Air Aged 40, diving operation to raise the launch 'Bluebell" (Sank after a collision with the gunboat HMS Boomerang (British Sharpshooter class torpedo gunboat launched 1889 as HMS Whiting, renamed 'Boomerang' in 1890 arriving Sydney in September 1891 as part of the auxilary squadron of the Australia station). Ropes fouled and it took them 20 minutes to bring him to the surface but "when he was taken on deck he was dead". Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald -
1981 10 20 Lee Patrick Singapore SCUBA Aged 21, one of a team of 8 divers, he was reported missing during diving operations to clean the hull of the supply vessel 'Chinta' off Clifford Pier. Around noon they began to run low on air and indicated they were surfacing, he signalled them to carry on. When he failed to surface the other 7 dived in to look for him but not locate him. Not clear if his body was ever recovered. Straits Times -
1975 8 0 Lee David "Tansy" Egypt Solus Schall 78 SCUBA British, ex RN clearance diver. Platform and pipeline inspection programme for AMOCO/GUPCO in the Gulf of Suez. Dive team increased when 'Beaver IV' (Diver lock out submarine) failed to perform. Diving in pairs on SCUBA with mixed gas to 255 feet on the Morgan 55 platform, diver appeared to let go of structure and drifted away. Body never recovered. Fatality thought to have occurred around the month of August. NB. The bad weather/wind period in the Gulf of Suez is from June to September, lump sum contract thought to have lost millions due to 'unexpected poor weather' as contract was bid expecting European style good summer weather. PC -
1926 9 25 Lee John UK 21 S/S Air "Accident to diver. While working on a wreck in Morecambe Bay yesterday, Jihn Lee of Weast Hartlepool..." "Diver's Ordeal. Broken helmet 70 feet below surface interviewed yesterday in Fleetwood hospital, a diver named Lee who almost…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Aberdeen Journal/The British Newspaper Archive -
2014 5 30 Lee Min-seop South Korea S/S Air Aged 44 or 46 (Conflicting reports), killed in an underwater explosion whilst cutting an access hole into the hull of the capsised ferrty 'Sewol' that sank off southwest Korea on the 16th April during the search for bodies. Second diver to die on this operation (Lee Kwank-wook, 6th May), "A boom and a moan were heard, the diver was pulled to the surface, he was bleeding and unconscious, given CPR and transferred to hospital but declared dead there". Lee entered the water at around 1:50 pm to cut open the stern of the hull from the fourth deck, but as the operations drew to a close at around 2:20 p.m., a problem arose with the sound of crashing. At the crashing sound, two other divers at the scene pulled Lee out of the water but he was found to be unconscious with blood running from his nose and eyes, officials said. The chief neurosurgeon at Mokpo Hankook Hospital, said an X-ray and CT scan of Lee showed that both of the diver's lungs had been damaged by external injuries. "We suspect that he died from tension pneumothorax," the doctor said, referring to a condition in which the amount of air in the chest increases markedly. At the time of his death 288 people known to have died, 16 still missing. Reported by the BBC et al. -
2008 8 3 Leduc Lt. Gerald R USA Fireman SCUBA American, aged 52, commencing a SAR dive (missing boater), apparent heart attack. A NIOSH investigation revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.25 (Rhode Island state law defines legal intoxication at 0.08 percent) and that he ignored two colleagues who urged him not to dive. Underlying cardiac condition, but the medical examiner found that “acute intoxication� contributed to his death (“primarily attributed to physical condition and inadequate capacity to perform a technical SCUBA diving operation�). He was off duty when he responded to the incident at Stafford Pond with his personal watercraft and dive gear, moments after he began his dive, firefighters in a nearby boat noticed a diver's tank valve floating on the surface of the water and radioed a mayday call. Divers were unable to resuscitate him after pulling him from the water, and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The medical examiner found that he likely died from abnormal heart activity and had an enlarged heart, high blood pressure and an acute blood ethanol level of 0.25 percent. NIOSH investigators recommended a number of measures including a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol, developing written policies and procedures to enforce the zero-tolerance policy, putting in place an effective incident management system that supports technical rescue operations, properly training, equipping, and supporting public safety divers, ensuring a safety officer properly trained in the technical rescue field being performed is on scene and integrated into the command structure, appropriate annual diver medicals, fitness programmes. NBC News -
1993 6 4 Lechauve Eric France Military Rebreather Aged 25, double fatality with Stephane Bengloan, night training exercise (Simulated attack) in Brest harbour. Both found entangled under a pontoon with empty cylinders. In 1996, 5 men (2 admirals, a Captain, the course lecturer and course director) were charged. Outcome unclear. Reported by www.liberation.fr -
1979 11 10 Leca Joseph 'Jo' Ghana or Ivory Coast Comex 130 Saturation See 'Wodeco V lost Bell' for details, the three divers in the bell, rescue stand-by diver and a nurse die in this incident. -
1941 6 20 Leba Ratoe Australia V. J. Clarke S/S Air Described as a Koepang diver aged about 30, working off the lugger 'Donna Matilda' west of Bathurst Island, had been in around 15 minutes when they brought him to the surface, 'staging' him for 10 minutes. He was sick when he surfaced so the crew put him back in to 10 fathoms and left him there for two hours. When they brought him up his head had shrunk down through the neck of the divers suit. "He was dead". Reported in the Northern Standard, Darwin, NT. -
1991 12 17 Leager Christopher USA 5 S/S Air Aged 23, working an oyster bed in Chesapeake bay, one and a half miles off Kent Point, pronounced dead at the Anne Arundel Medical Centre. No details. The Washington Post -
1905 1 21 Leach Charles UK S/S Air Described as a 'Shipwright diver', descended to clear potential obstructions prior to placing a caisson next to No 2 Devonport dock gates. His life line snapped, they tried pulling him up by his airline - which snapped. Second diver could not descend as his helmet would not screw down correctly, they found him another helmet but lost 25 minutes. A third diver also descended from the opposite side of the dock to aid in the search. Downed. Married with three children.. Feilding Star, Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand -
2008 6 1 Le Sauteur Peter UK Alderney Marine Trust SCUBA Aged 55, Surveying the wreck of an Elizabethan gunship that sank in 1592 with a view to recovering two cannon. Fell ill after finishing a dive, unconscious, taken to hospital but pronounced dead. -
2008 3 6 Le Pottier Marcel France Fire Brigade 4 SCUBA French fire brigade officer aged 42, two man team on SCUBA inspecting the hull of a damaged trawlerin the harbour of Saint-Quay-Portrieux in Brittany, tide going out, trawler rolled on its side, diver crushed against the quay. -
2013 1 30 Lazzaro George H USA Aged 41, married with four children, described as an engineering technician, killed in an incident around 14:30 while conducting 'routine underwater test infrastructure maintenance' at the US Army UNDEX Test Facility (UTF) 'super pond' at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. The UTF is 1070 feet long, 150 feet deep. First death since the facilty ewas opened in 1995. NB, this fatality was followed by a double fatality less than a month later (James Reyher/Ryan Harris, 26th February 2013). No details. www.exploreharford.com -
2021 8 3 Lazaroo Calvin Patrick Malaysia SCUBA Aged 27, diving with three others to salvage a boat off Sungai Besar, trying to tie a line to it and went missing. Body still with diving gear found floating on surface on the 8th of August about 9km SW of Sungai Besar. Reported in Maysian Press -
2008 10 20 Lazaro Rodel Philippines Gaspar Salvage & Lighterage Part of a 20 man diving team cutting up wreck of the 'Ocean Papa' which sank off Malalison Island in Culasi, Antique, Philippines “The vessel exploded on Oct. 20 during salvage operations, injuring 2 salvage divers� “Trapped air explosion knocked divers off their feet� Hospitalised with breathing difficulties, later released. (Prob oxy/arc incident, TC) -
1984 5 4 Lawson George UK Comex 140 Saturation Diving off the DSV "Kingsnorth Explorer", oxy/Arc cutting, rendered unconscious by an explosion. Face plate blown in, ruptured eardrums, right side pneumothorax, rescued by bellman Neil Wiggins (died December 2003) who was awarded the Frank Dearman award for bravery and a Queen’s Commendation. (The same diver was again called upon in 1987 when he saved two hypothermic divers, Fred McNally and Kanute Monstra, from a stranded welding habitat). MCDOA website -
1902 4 18 Lawson Edward UK Mersey Dock Board S/S Air "Diver drowned. A diver, Edward Lawson, in the employ of the Merseydock board met with a terrible death on Friday. He was searching…." "Diver's Fearful Death. Inquest held at Liverpool yesterday upon Edward Larsen, 38, who met his death..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Cornishman/The British Newspaper Archive -
1996 4 27 Lavoy Kenneth USA SCUBA Aged 22, owner of a SCUBA supply shop, hired by the US Army Corps of engineers to inspect a 130' deep shaft at the Hills Creek Reservoir dam. With partner Lavoy went to 90' in basket, Lavoy then went to 130' to inspect the bulkhead, returned to 90' basket and both ascended to 10' and then Lavoy climbed onto the wall to remove his gear. Binney's lifeline went slack and was pulled up, no diver. Lavoy got a fresh cylinder plus pare and went back into the water, down to 90'. After he had been there about 5 minutes, surface team reported that his bubbles suddenly got larger and then stopped. Basket recovered but Lavoy was dead. Binney's body was recovered from 130' by two SCUBA divers from Portland Commercial divers who completed the inspection work the following day. Double fatality. -
1966 4 27 Lavey Kenneth USA Military 27 SCUBA Aged 22, owner of a Eugene SCUBA shop, hired by the US Army Corps of Engineers to inspect a 130' shaft containing a concrete bulkhead at the Hills Creek water reservoir near Oakridge, with partner (Binney) descended to 90', left partner in basket and went to 130', returned to basket and both divers recovered to 10', he then swam to the top of the dam, left the water and began removing his gear. At this point Binney's lifeline went slack. He went back into the water with a fresh tank plus spare. After about 5 minutes, workers on the surface saw a sudden increase in bubbles after which they stopped. Work basket was recovered, but he was dead when brought to the surface. Partner's body was recovered from 130 by divers from Portland Commercial divers (Who also completed the inspection work). Neither dead diver had air in their tanks when recovered though cause of death was not clear (twin hose regulators, could have vented) Double fatality. Reported in the Eugene register-Guard -
1924 8 25 Laurentic UK 27 Salvage of Gold bars off the wreck of the “Laurentic�, sunk off northern Ireland (off Lough Sully) in 1917 by a German submarine “Despite the perils attending what is said to have been the greatest salvage feat on record, there was only one accident, in which a diver suffered a broken leg� -
1979 11 10 Laubouet Philipe Ghana or Ivory Coast Comex 130 Saturation See 'Wodeco V lost Bell' for details, the three divers in the bell, rescue stand-by diver and a nurse die in this incident. -
2017 5 23 Lataste PO Bob France Military 28m Aged 24, French Navy clearance diver on the mine hunter 'L'Aigle', Seine Bay, French Atlantic coast, unconscious at depth, brought to surface by second diver, medivac to Le Havre, died during the night. Reported by Sud Ouest -
1885 5 20 Larsen Ole Denmark S/S Air Aged 38, Salvage of the steamer 'Oresund', found dead on the wreck trapped by metal lying on his left arm. When recovered to the surface, it was discovered that his helmet had a hole in it and he is presumed to have drowned as a result of it flooding. Buried on the 25th May at the Fejo Parish Church, the day before his third child, Ole Laurits Larsen, was baptised there. Fejo archive at niwich.dk -
1954 7 28 Larkin RN Leading Seaman Charles Brian Singapore Aged 20, serving on HMS 'Terror', one of two divers searching for contraband suspected of being dropped overboard from ships at the inner roads of Singapore harbour. Surfaced suddenly waving his arms, water around him stained with blood. Gashed from hip to thigh, died from loss of blood and shock. Reported as shark attack. Coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure. Straits Times -
1989 6 5 Lamm William USA Sports diver SCUBA American, aged 45, spear fishing and then sucked into the inlet of a 16 foot diameter inlet pipe. 4 minutes and 1650 feet later later he surfaced inside a canal inside the Saint Lucie nuclear power plant run by Florida Power and Light. Completely unscathed. Ocala Star Banner. -
1946 10 5 Lam Thin Yaw Singapore Paraphrased from press reports:- "Chinese diver who submerged in his diving suit off St John's Island to cut away a pillar preventing ships coming alongside and was hauled up dead. The air pump, air line and diving suit were stated to be in order at the time. In recording his verdict of 'death by drowning', the coroner remarked that evdence did not show definitely how Lam came by his death though he did not hold any suspicions about the incident". Straits Times -
1971 2 1 Lally Thomas "Mick" Norway Comex 71 SCUBA British (Not, as widely reported, American), aged 32. Noted as the first of 55 North Sea fatalities between 1971 and 1984 by Jackie Warner, “Requiem for a diver� (He had no knowledge of RJ Lyons death in the Norwegian sector in 1967 or the double explosion fatality in 1970 off Great Yarmouth), "Ocean Viking", surface jump in a wetsuit (SCUBA with heliox), no bell, at end of dive partner Bjorn Lilleand shivering violently surfaced 5 minutes early from 3 metre stop, put in single person cage and recovered, Lally died, drowned on surface, reported 20 minute delay in recovering him from the sea, probable hypothermia -
1983 8 18 LaFollette Ricky A USA Police 30 SCUBA American police diver aged 30, Louisville, Kentucky, experienced, night training exercise using new communication equipment, did not respond to calls, believed to have become disorientated in the dark and descended rather than ascended, drowned. -
2011 2 19 LaClair Patrick J USA Paraphrased from press reports:- “Coast Guard officials said a 54-year-old member of the Skokomish tribe ran into trouble while out on the water with a geoduck boat in the Hood Canal, near Hazel Point The man had two spotters, who saw that he was struggling and called 911 at around 4 p.m. A Navy rescue boat pulled the man out of the water and administered CPR while heading back to shore. Central Kitsap Fire whilst Rescue and Navy paramedics tried to help the man. The Kitsap County Coroner's Office declared him dead at about 7 pm� No other details. Reported by AP, Komo News, Kitsap Sun etc. -
2007 9 24 L Maciej Poland Tri-Marine 35 SCUBA Aged 29, one of two divers 'performing routine maintenance after a storm' at around 35 metres on the unmanned platform 'Petrobaltic 1" (An ROV was reported as monitoring the divers), apparently passed out and sank towards the seabed, the second diver went down to 45, 55 or 80 metres (depending on which press report you read, and prosecutors were unable to determine depth/profile as both dive computers and work logs were 'all lost') to find him and pulled him to the surface but he failed to respond to treatment (Second diver was transported by Navy helicopter and successfully treated for DCI in a chamber in Gdynia). Proecution a year later claimed no lifelines, insufficient number in the dive team, improper equipment (no communications, use of sports diving equipment for commercial purposes), misconduct. Incorrect diving gas mix was quoted as possible cause of initial loss of consciousness (Was this a nitrox or trimix dive?). Reported in Wirtualna Poland -
2014 6 4 Kwok Khee Khoon (Edmund) Singapore Underwater Contractors PTY SCUBA Aged 36,one of a three man team taking photos of weld repairs (Replacement anodes inside a sea chest, external grill removed for access into the seachest) under a comtainer ship near the Marina South Pier (Eastern holding anchorage) at around 18:00 hours when cooling pumps were started up and he was sucked into a pipe inlet inside the sea chest. Had been diving one month. ministry of Manpower (MOM) undertaking an investigation. Straits Times -
1997 7 8 Kwan Lee Hon Singapore SCUBA Aged 31, Last seen entering the water at berth K14 at Keppel Terminal to clean the hull of a ship. Body recovered the day after. No other details. Straits Times -
1997 0 0 Kurishio 1, Heavy Lift Barge, Bongkot field, Total, Japanese diver Thailand 80 Saturation 9 divers in sat, three man bell run, Barge hit broadside by large wave, roll sufficient to cause failure of the bolts connecting the crane boom to a “spindle� at the foot of the crane. The boom fell to the deck (just missing sat chambers but ripped the HRC off. HRC was not pressurized, doors closed) then fell overside taking the crushed HRC with it. Bell knocked sideways by falling jib, filled with water. The bellman emptied the bell and pulled one of the divers back in. When he tried to pull the second diver , all he got was the umbilical with bail out and mask still attached. The diver had bailed up to the surface. (The jib landed next to him, whipped by cables. (Heavy bruises on his back). He may have come across the HLC under the jib and assumed it was the bell flattened under the jib (similar colour and size as the bell), and having been trained in the Gulf where divers ditch rather than cut their umbilical, he ditched and swam to the surface where he was rescued alive. He was put in a DDC (on air) but died soon after. Fundamental cause was that the bolts on the crane had always been assumed to be in compression, not tension, and had never been inspected (specifically excluded by the certification body) . A number had previously completely failed due to corrosion. No allowance for wave motion. Reported by IMCA SF 03 98 (TC) -
2012 6 9 Kurida Pjero UK Topsides Croatian, aged 29, Bosun on the PSV E R Athina. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report highlighted failure by senior crew to follow formal risk assessments, inappropriate emergency response and improper planning of the use of a Fast Rescue Craft (FRC) as a painting platform. The bosun suffered severe internal chest injuries after becoming trapped between the hull and the lifting frame of the FRC whilst repairing a small area of damaged paintwork on the hull whilst at anchor two miles off Aberdeen (“possibly trying to push the FRC away from the supply ship’s hull,� as the vessels collided against each other, caused by the prevailing swell and tidal stream). With no external signs of bleeding (After the incident, he was coughing and breathing heavily, but the second officer did not see any external signs of bleeding. When he was asked about his injuries he replied that his right arm was sore and that he thought his ribs were broken), the crew underestimated the extent of his injuries and a fishing vessel was employed to take him to hospital at a speed of 8.5 knots. They also alerted the ship’s agent, rather than the coastguard, losing “valuable time,� found the report. MAIB Report -
2010 6 2 Kumar Krishan India Indian Navy Topsides Aged 26 from Patna, a Navy diver, killed whilst three others, including the pilot and co-pilot, were injured when an Indian Navy Chetak helicopter crashed near the coastal city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The helicopter, deployed at INS Dega, crashed into a stream at Ankapalle, about 50 km from Visakhapatnam, although the cause of the crash was not immediately known, a police officer at the crash site said that the helicopter was on a route familiarization mission. It hit a high-tension wire while flying low to locate a landing spot to be used in case of emergencies, spiralled out of control and plunged into the river. Fishermen and locals informed the police who rescued the four Naval personnel from the wreckage in the water and rushed them to Anakapally hospital but Kumar died as they reached the hospital. Express News Service -
2009 12 13 Kumar Mukesh India Grafftech Marine and Engineering 37 S/S Air Paraphrased from press reports: Purulia, India .An Indian diver who had is right foot stuck in a pipe for more than two days has died. Rescuers were forced to amputate his leg in order to recover the body after 72 hours. He was attempting to fix a leak inside an underwater chamber of the Purulia Power Project reservoir first noticed in March (The leak was reducing efficiency). The Mumbai-based engineering Company assigned the job to a diving team from Visakhapatnam The job was to locate the leak in the inundated reservoir chamber, find out what had caused it and carry out repairs. The repair work was to have been recorded on camera but there is no footage of Mukesh's dive. During the dive his right foot was sucked into a pipe. A specially trained diving team from Barrackpore called in to assist in the rescue got stuck in a road blockade and took more than 33 hours to reach the accident site. The diver was underwater well over 48 hours before he died. The project manager said amputation was the last resort and a move not without complications. "We had to eliminate all other options and proceed step by step", he said. According to reports Kumar was an experienced diver with 10 years of diving behind him. Purulia, Dec. 16: "Diver Mukesh Kumar's right leg was sawed off and his lifeless body pulled out, 72 hours after his foot got sucked into a drainage pipe in an underwater chamber. The suction at the mouth of the drainage pipe was so great that it had drawn in the leg till almost the thigh, though it was only till the ankle that his had foot got stuck initially. Officials of the Purulia Pumped Storage Project said "The task of locating and repairing the leak has been shelved for the time being". Reported by AHN -
1936 7 11 Kumanoto Tokeo Australia E. J. Hennessey 29 S/S Air “DEATH OF JAPANESE DIVER�. BRISBANE, Sunday, - Tho pearling lugger ‘Keriri’ reached Thursday Island yesterday, with the body of a Japanese diver, Tokeo Kumanoto (28), who died while working in16 fathoms of water at Whappo Reef. The cause of his death was heart and lung trouble. He evidently felt an attack coining on, and discarded his helmet in an effort to reach the surface, but the pressure of water was too great, and he was dead when he came to the top. Reported in the Advocate, Burnie, Tas. -
2013 2 28 Kulal Bhaskar India Policeman 15 SCUBA Aged 34 or 35, from Kundapur, described as a 'commando', working with the Coastal Security Police in Malpe (Udupi District), one of 10 attendees at a 5 day SCUBA course (Anti-terrorism SCUBA diving taining event) at a training camp near Nethrani Island, Murdeshwar, Bhatkal. Details unclear but appears that it was run by a PADI company, Planet SCUBA India, with the lead trainer 'Andy' (Andrew Stonebridge, resort manager and SCUBA instructor in Murdeshwar, from Nottingham, UK) who allegedly insisted that the policeman continue his training even though he was 'ill'. Went into the water mid afternoon on the last day of the course, found underwater, unconscious, had lost his mouthpiece, 'brought to the surface by rescuers still breathing but died shortly later'. A fellow trainee said that the training was extremely arduous and that "Andy' told them they should learn SCUBA diving within 5 days and 'it's difficult for those who don't know swimming' insisting that the sea was rough, Kulal was ill and the trainer's negligence and apathy led to the fatality. As a result of complaints from the policemen on the course and Kula's brother-in-law Taghu Kulal, the trainer was arrested by Kawar police (It was also reported that the deceased diver was from a very poor family, wife a wife and two sons lived in police quarters who would now be supported by the Police department, infirm parents also supported by sole income from the policeman). Reported by Mangolorean.com/Bellevision Media etc -
2015 12 11 Kuehn Wayne Douglas Jnr USA SCUBA Aged 48. married with a son and daughter, had a full time job, but as a side line sold second hand golf balls at a dollar each. SCUBA diving at night (Illegally) for golf balls at the Star Ranch golf course. Cause of death not reported ('waiting on toxicology reports'). His father reported him missing after finding his car at the golf course, took two days to find his body in the pond. Reported in Mystatesman -
1997 5 19 Kudin Salleh Singapore Aged 41, one of two experienced divers (the other diver was Aminnuddin Kassim) killed clearing debris from the cooling inlets of the petrochemical plant at Pillau Ayer Merbau on the same afternoon. Differential Pressure incident but no details. Straits Times -
2011 6 19 Kruckenberg Kenny Netherlands Titan Topsides American aged 29, salvage diver. Killed on deck by a chain that parted under load during salvage operations on the wreck of the MV Vincs Gorthon. The Ministry of Waterways North Sea Division, part of the Dutch, Ministry of Waterways, awarded Titan the wreck removal project. The Vinca Gorthon lies approximately 29 kilometers off the Netherland coast at a depth of 24.5 meters in a shipping traffic lane. The vessel protruded 10 meters from the seabed and had become a danger to modern ships with a draft of 15 meters or more. The Vinca Gorthon weighed approximately 19,000 tonnes with cargo, and measured 166 meters long and 23 meters wide. The ship, which was laden with rolls of paper and tank trailers with paper pulp, was enroute from the Swedish port of Oskarshamn to Antwerp, Belgium when she sank. Sources:- Crowley and Dutch press -
2007 4 20 Kropidlowski Ken USA Orange County Sheriff's Department 9 SCUBA Orange County Sheriff's rescue diver rushed to a hospital with leg injuries after becoming entangled in a sunken sailboat while searching the wreckage for its missing owner. 18-year veteran of the department and a member of its dive team, he was 30-feet deep off a jetty in Newport Beach when he got tangled in debris about 11 a.m. and made an emergency ascent, "He was in extreme pain and had to be assisted onto the boat," ."He was rushed to harbor headquarters where an ambulance was waiting to take him to Hoag Hospital.He was treated for a torn ligament, his leg placed in a splint and released from the hospital on crutches, The 10-member dive team failed to find any trace of missing Phoenix boater William Eugene Ott during a two-hour search of the 30-foot sailboat. -
2012 10 15 Krishnan Chief Articifer Harish India Navy Topsides Aged 32, from Alappuzha, Indian Navy diver onboard a four seater Chetak helicopter on a routine transit flight from Mumbai to Bangalore, landing to refuel at Dabolim airport (INS 'Hansa' naval air base) in Goa. Witnesses said a rotor came off as it was landing at 09:51, the helicopter crashed bursting into flames killing all three (Navy pilot, co-pilot and diver). "The wreckage was cleared before 1 pm avoiding inconvenience to flights" OneIndia News -
2005 7 26 Kringle Alan USA Anchor Marine Environmental Services S/S Air Aged 16, Reported as recreationally SCUBA qualified 8 months earlier, had been working as a diver for the contractor for 6 months. Four man team working on a lake restoration project. Conflicting press/sheriff reports. One version is that 'he surfaced but then sank', another that the compressor 'just ran out of gas', another that the compressor stopped but had a reserve tank but that for some reason he ditched his helmet, another that only his hands broke surface though there seems to be agreement that as the incident progressed, the surface crew pulled on this hose but only succeeded in pulling up his helmet and discovered he was entangled in another rope, eventually brought to the surface not breathing, no pulse. On site CPR, taken to Orlando Regional Medical Centre, reported as in a critical condition. No further details. -
1979 0 0 Krausky Bruno Indonesia Hydrospace Australian, from Cairns, one year out of dive school, diving off the "Wodeco IV" or "Wodeco VII" in the Natuna field, Indonesia, on descent instead of switching to 90/10 Heliox at 40' was switched to pure He. Bubbles blower/Longstreath -
1906 5 20 Kraming South Africa S/S Air Simonstown harbour, apparently drowned, helmet off (Siebe Gorman?). Captured in colour illustration on the front page of 'Le Petit Journal', now available as a retro-poster (allposters.com). Newspaper report dated 27th June regarding an inquest held in Simonstown into the death of a diver on the breakwater works. "Another diver named MacPhail was down at the same time, and whilst the two men were standing together MacPhail saw Kraming's helmet suddenly fly off. Kraming caught hold of MacPhail and pulled on the lifeline. Both men were drawn up to within 10 feet of the surface when the hauling stopped and MacPhail was forced to let go his hold with the result that Kraming fell to the bottom again and was drowned. It was conclusively proved that the helmet was properly ajusted when he left the boat to descend but there was no evidence to show how it became unfastened. The magistrate, in returning a verdict of 'death by drowning', commented somewhat severely on the methods prevailing at Sir John Jackson's works and expressed the opinion that an extra man should be furnished to each diver and that only reliable men should be employed on the work. It is said that such an occurrence is unparalleled in connection with diving operations". Straits Times. -
2004 2 16 Kowalski Kamierz Canada SCUBA Aged 44, harvesting geoducks at Eppers Passage, near Morfee Island (Close to Tofino on the West Coast of Vancouver Island), rescued from the water by the coastguard, died in Tofino hospital, reported as heart attack. Reported by Vancouver Sun and the Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting -
2015 8 19 Koratko Mathew USA Harkand/Swiber 110m Saturation American, married, two children diving off the Swiber Quetzal, Bay of Campeche, riser installation operation. Accident in the water at 14:30 local, body taken ashore to Cuidad del Carrmen, no other details, Reported in the El Sur de Campeche. Complete news blackout imposed by Harkand and Swiber, Two conflicting and unsubstantiated reports - one indicated the fatality was due to stored energy in a member being cut was the cause - it sprang and crushed the diver's chest. A second report indicated that the one piece riser being installed crushed the diver against the structure - ie a lifting incident. If the lawyers keep this incident gagged it is unlikely that any lessons will be learnt. Later rumours indicate riser swung due to topsides crew moving/changing hang-off without the knowledge of the dive crew but without confirmation that is still just speculation. No further information has been released by Swiber, or the defunct Harkand. -
1985 9 25 Koprivica Dragisa Croatia Navy 82 Saturation Salvage of the chemical tanker, the Brigitta Montanari that sank on the 16th November 1984 (See separate entry) carrying vinyl chloride monomer (‘VCM’, toxic, explosive and carcinogenic) in 82m water depth. Known to be leaking toxic chemicals, the only salvage resource available was the ‘Sapasilac’, Yugoslavian Navy submarine deep rescue unit. Built as the PS-12, 55 metres in length, 1,490 GRT, at the Tito shipyard in 1976. She was initially fitted out with a 600m depth rated rescue submarine (‘Mermaid IV’, 8 metres long, capable of carrying 10 personnel including crew), a three man, 300 metre diving bell that was also rated as an atmospheric observation chamber and a 30 man surface recompression chamber. Two further rescue vessels were built in 1977, one was sold to Libya, the ‘Al Munjed’, the other to Iraq, the ‘A-81’ - Sunk during the second gulf war. The later vessels had modified funnels (to reduce overheating of the hyperbaric chambers). The vessel has had the submarine and diving systems removed and was still in service with the Croatian Navy as the patrol vessel OB-73 ‘Faust Vrancic’ in 2010). During a bell run to assess the wreck of the Brigitta Montanari, the salvage vessel was moved to clear the bell from above the hull but the bell weights (suspended on chains below the bell) caught on the wreck and were ripped off causing an uncontrolled ascent the buoyant bell. The two divers who were locked out (Dragutin Siljevinac and Hussein Hadzic) were dragged to the surface by their umbilicals and although rescued from about 30 metres, both subsequently died in the chamber. The bellman (Dragisa Koprivica) spent 4 weeks in the chamber but survived and carried on a career as a diver. Centre of Marine Research, Zagreb -
1956 5 0 Kontoyannis Kristos Australia S/S Air 45 year old Greek sponge diver from post war depressed Mediterranean island of Kalymnos, chief diver in one of two teams of Greek divers transported to Australia at government expense to replace the Japanese divers working off Australian pearl luggers out of Darwin and Broome. Air line was cut by the propeller of the lugger 'Postboy' and he died ("Asphyxia, due to sudden damage to the lungs when the propeller cut the airline. The accident was caused when the lugger, proceeding at very pace, was forced backwards by 3 heavy and unexpected waves, thus fouling the airline which was in its position protruding from the stern"). His death highlighted the bad feeling between the lugger operators (who resented losing their cheap Japanese divers) and Greek divers. There were rumours that the death may not have been accidental. Rubicon Research Repository -
1934 9 13 Kongo Hisa Australia Bowden Pearling Co. 55 S/S Air "Diver Drowned When Helmet Fills With Water" Japanese diver aged 24, reported that his helmet filled with water as he rose to the surface with a bag of shells at Darnley Island. Diving off the lugger 'Sydney', came to the surfacce unconscious, the vessel master, Captain Yonekawa, thought he was suffering from diver's paralysis, fitted another helmet and took Kongo down again in an attempt to relieve the stricken diver. The Captain remained below for nearly 40 minutes but Kongo failed to respond. He was hauled to the surface dead. Reported in the Advocate, Burnie, Tasmania. -
2012 12 7 Kolo Samiu Tonga S/S Air Aged 30, fishing (illegally using hookah gear) for sea cucumber in Ha'afeva (Ha'apai island) from decompression illness. Noted as the third fatality using illegal diving equipment in the last year (The other fatalities ocuured on the 30th October 2012 and 9th December 2010) but the victims were not named). Reported by Matangi, Tonga online -
2007 9 0 Kok Damien Tan Yee Malaysia Master Tech 30 S/S Air Singaporean, Cable lay, relocating dredge, KM18 band mask, suspected band mask off, possible head injuries, Trained by Singaporean Navy, inadequate equipment, inadequate team size, no quals, 'supervisor' qualified as trainee supervisor only. -
1971 8 18 Koh John Kay Lim Singapore Straits Diving Singaporean aged 33, diving to clean a water suction tube at the Jurong power station. Dive team "found Koh stuck to the wire netted entrance of the tube limp and lifeless". Verdict was drowning by misadventure. Straits Times -
1993 11 1 Knowles Keith B Bahamas UNEXSO SCUBA American aged 22, working for the Underwater Explorers Society , lost at sea of Grand Bahama -
2012 7 13 Knight Michael Louis USA Seaward Marine Aged 49, civilian diver with 24 years experience working on the USS Wasp (Amphibious Assault Ship) at Pier 10 at the Norfolk Navy Base. Pronounced dead at the scene, cause of death not yet determined, no other details. Daily Press. -
2004 4 11 Kneen Christopher UAE SCUBA International SCUBA British, aged 19, sucked into a pipe, desalination plant at Fujairah, UAE. Sports/tourist SCUBA diver doing a commercial dive, diving instructor who sent him to the plant was found guilty of causing death, plant operators were not held responsible for not turning off the pump that sucked him in. -
2012 8 16 Knaps Marko Estonia Navy 23 SCUBA Aged 22, conscript at the Talinn Naval Base from 2010-2011 after which he joined the mine hunter 'Sakala' as a diver in August 2011. On August 7th 2012, the Esonian Navy launched an operation to dispose of WWII era munition (Reported as having cleared over 700 devices since 1994). Diving 1.5 miles off the Kakumae penninsula in the process of moving an aircraft bomb to a safe area when he stopped responding to routine signals. Another diver located him unconscious at 23 metres and brought him to the surface, lacked vital signs but colleagues began resucitation which was taken over by ambulance crews when they reached the shore. Failed to respond. No other details. Rep[orted ERR News (Estonia Public Broadcasting) -
1903 11 12 Kling A Singapore S/S Air Repair to the bottom plates (a problem discovered on her last voyage to Madras) of the SS 'Zamania' at Tanjong Pagar dock 'diver who went down was seized by a shark. His leg and arm were torn off and he died almost immediately' Straits Times -
1905 8 29 Kitson? (John?) Frederick UK S/S Air "Diver dies underwater. While underwater Hartlepool on Tuesday night a diver named Frederick Kitpsn" (Assumed to be a scanning error, Kitson? TC)." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in The Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1897 10 22 Kitchee Australia S. T. Brown 29 S/S Air Japanese pearl diver aged 25, working off Cape Keith from the steam lugger 'Maggie'. Fell ill on deck, was removed from his diving dress and immediately became worse, died some 12 hours later from 'diver's paralysis'. Quote “At that depth the average good diver would not expect to be paralysed� Reported in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette -
1985 0 0 Kirkpatrick Jock Middle East McDermott 15 Saturation Paraphrased from a personal communication (Names removed and some of the more acrimonious details moderated or removed - apologies to all, but one has to be circumspect with some of this stuff, TC ):- “Sub Sea had seconded 6 welder divers to McDermotts for a job in the Red Sea off the DB 27. At the time of the incident, the AODC was debating the issue of a minimum of 2% O2 in the base gas, McDermott disagreed with it, one reason was "It will be difficult for the LST to calculate blow down", the job was an air sat weld at around 15 - 21 msw, the industry had just started using air sat's then, air being cheaper than Heliox, base gas was pure N2. The dive panel was an “in-house� built very small dive/sat panel. One of the chambers wasn't being used, so the take off was being used to flow gas to the welding habitat to keep the water out. During the dive (Air sat, so as usual at the time, the attitude of "Oh its only an air dive, don't need to analyze the divers gas", and the analyzer was either turned off or not even installed. One of the chambers had lost a few FSW, so the dive sup reached over, turned off the air supply to the sat panel which was supplying air to the habitat, turned on the N2, which was chamber make up, made up, and put air back on. Unbeknown to all at the time, the sat panel and dive panel had no check valves installed, N2 around 200 psi, air around 150 psi, (either way, the N2 to the sat panel was higher than the air to the dive panel), N2 tracked over to the dive panel, down to the diver, and zap, diver passed out from being given pure nitrogen. Initially not knowing what had happened, they were going to jump the bell man, (who was on same gas supply). Fortunately, before he donned his mask the bellman saw the diver underneath the bell and pulled him in, but he failed to respond to treatment. After the fatality, a SSOL safety rep was mobilized to the job in to carry out an investigation, (because of the 6 SSOL divers in sat). The panel designer/builder also arrived on site with a dive tech, SSOL told the dive tech to disconnect the line connecting both panels, and the crew to mix up the N2 base gas to around 9% to give a PPO2 of around 210 mbs at the working depth, (Think it was around 50 fsw). This was done, but as the investigation team was departing they noticed that the dive tech had connected the pipe up again, when he was asked why, he said "Well it hasn't happened before, and will probably not happen again.............." There were rumours that the dive supervisors were reluctant to sign off the dive logs and reports that showed the fatality was due to pure N2. -
2015 2 3 Kinuthia Francis Kinuthia Kenya SAR diver SCUBA The body of a Kenyan diver who drowned in Kiambere Dam has been recovered after a four-day search. Francis Kinuthia Kinuthia's body was seen floating on Friday. The 52-year-old, who was based in Kamburu Dam, drowned last Tuesday. He had accompanied other divers to search for the body of 19-year-old Patrick Njue. Njue drowned in the dam while fishing on February 1. His body was recovered last Wednesday. Mbeere South police boss Mathew Ekakoro said Kinuthia's body was taken to Embu Level Five Hospital mortuary. He said the deaths were unfortunate. Ekakoro urged fishermen and residents living near the dam to be careful when carrying out their activities. He urged them not to sit on the banks of the dams or allow children to play in the area as it is infested with crocodiles. The Star/AllAfrica -
2010 8 8 King Patrick Donald USA Forever Resorts 18 SCUBA Aged 30, killed in an accident while diving at Lake Nacimiento in the Bee Rock Cove area. His diving partner, aged 18, was injured and taken to U.C.L.A. Medical Center after initially being treated at the scene. The diver was pronounced dead at the lake after apparently attempting to salvage a sunken boat. According to sheriff's department officials, it appeared that a tether line that linked the divers became tangled in a separate line between the salvage boat and the sunken vessel. King ran low on air and was attempting to "buddy breathe" with Burgess when there may have been an equipment failure that caused Burgess to jettison his dive gear and began to surface from below 60 feet. Burgess was able to surface and call for help, The other diver later surfaced unconscious and was given CPR prior to paramedics declaring him dead at the scene, according to a press release. Both men worked for the resort company that runs the lake. -
2000 5 12 King Edward USA Reported as "Quahog diver was found dead after reported missing. Boat and diver was found day after he was lost. Apparent Drowning" NAOCD/cDiver -
1970 0 0 Kinderman Gunther Australia Dive Con Topsides Boss of Dive Con Australia, bell run in heavy weather (may have been trying to impress a new client on the rig) bell snatched and a sheave wheel pin parted, the sheave wheel struck him on the head killing him instantly. Bubblesblower/Longstreath -
2001 6 22 Kin Chong Chee Singapore Aged 28, described as a 'seasoned diver', found floating face down during a tanker inspection dive off Tuas. Straits Times -
1931 9 7 Kimoto Tomekichi Australia S/S Air Japanese pear diver aged 45, lugger Mars out of Darwin, diving 40 miles from Bathurst Island, signalled to be drawn to the surface. When hauled up,, it was"found that he was paralysed through working in deep water, and although efforts to revive him continued for 16 hours, he died.� After hearing medical evidence, as well| as the reports of Mr McKay and two Japanese from the boat, a verdict was given of death from divers' paralysis. (Other reports confuse his name as Tomekichi Rimolo) Reported in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette -
1995 1 0 Kimche Israel SCUBA Israeli commando training dive, lost contact with partner, body recovered the day after, reported as “human error�, Jerusalem Times -
1928 0 0 Kimbel USA S/S Air Died of pulmonary embolism, no details -
1997 9 12 Kielty Steve USA Magone Marine SCUBA In September 1997, a 47-year-old experienced commercial diver on an underwater pipeline construction project, who had made no dives during the previous 2-3 years used scuba gear while attaching a mooring line to a buoy anchor line. The equipment was not in good condition, and both the primary and alternate regulator were leaking and in need of repair. Shortly after he submerged, the tether line floated to the surface. After he was signaled without response, the team leader put on scuba gear, submerged, and found the diver on the sea floor with a weight belt on and both tether line and tank high-pressure hose severed. The diver was recovered, and CPR was unsuccessful. The investigation did not determine how the hose was severed, and the cause of death was listed as drowning. OSHA cited the employer for violations including inadequate training in using tools/equipment and in CPR, absence of a ready standby diver, diver not line tended, lack of a reserve tank, and rescue not conducted in a timely manner. NIOSH review of occupational diving fatalities in Alaska -
2014 3 17 Khater Youssef Saudi Arabia Subtech 29m S/S Air Egyptian, aged 26, diving off the Zamil 403 (57 metres long, 4 metre draught, Bahrain flag, built 2012, China), four point moored, in the Persian Gulf, north of Al Jubail , lost communications, stand-by diver found him on the seabed with his helmet off, did not respond to treatment. Longstreath. Leak investigation on a live 12" water injection pipeline at between 800 and 900 psi. "The diver successfully attached the marker buoy to the pipeline but it became fouled under the vessel. In order to free the buoy the diver was asked to move it to the far side of the leak. At the time of the dive, visibility was reduced as it was approaching sunset; the diver used his hat-mounted light to navigate. In addition, the tremendous noise of the leak on the live pipeline severely hampered voice communications between the diver and diving supervisor. Once the diver had detached the marker buoy he started to move along the seabed beside the pipeline. He was on the same side as the leak. The diver appeared to look down at some debris and, as he stepped over this material, he was struck by a jet of the high pressure water coming from the damaged pipeline. All communication with the diver was instantly lost. The standby diver was deployed immediately using the second diving basket. Within 5 minutes he had located the stricken diver who was lying on the seabed. The dive helmet (KM37) was no longer on the diver's head but was lying beside him with the neck dam still attached. Both divers were recovered to surface. All attempts to resuscitate the injured diver failed; he was later pronounced dead by a doctor who had been helicoptered offshore. IMCA SF 6/14 -
1942 12 31 Kerr, RN Lt. K Sardinia Military Submarine One of 10 divers trained in the use of the Mark I chariots at the HHZ training base on Loch Cairbawn (Scotland) who boarded the 'T' class submarine P-311 with their chariots in Malta to undertake operation 'Principle', an attack on shipping in the Port of Maddalena (Sardinia). Last signal was on the 31st December as the submarine approached Sardinia. Probably sunk by a mine, submarine was reported as lost at sea with all hands. Underwater Trust, Wikipedia etc -
1898 10 9 Ker Australia Topsides "A pearl diver named Ker was stabbed to death by a Malay at Ciossack, a northern port" Marlborough Express. -
1888 9 19 Ker Australia S/S Air 'A pearl diver by the name of Ker was stabbed to death by a Malay at Cossack, a Northern Port' (NB Cossack is a port in Western Australia, formerly a pearling station). Reported in the Archives of the Marlborough Express courtesy of the New Zealand National Library. -
1893 2 0 Kenah Australia Trenton and Vandalia Wrecking Co Topsides A fatal accident occurred a few days ago, a man named Kenah, employed by the Trenton and Vandalia Wrecking Company as a diver met his death by drowning. It is thought that he attempted to swim off to the barque ‘Alicia’, but could not manage it, owing to the heavy surf. His body was recovered the following day. The Sydney Morning Herald -
2009 12 8 Kelly Stephen Australia Arafura Pearls Arafura Pearls pearling (farm) operation at Elizabeth Bay, about 50km northwest of Gove in Arnhem Land, 3.15pm on Tuesday. Aged 36, "He had come up from Victoria� (reported as new to the job, had started less than 12 months previously) and “was performing routine farm maintenance work, the water wasn't exceptionally deep but he went down, came up six minutes later, went down again and then when they pulled him back up he wasn't breathing." Transported 48 km to Gove Hospital failed. Doctors declared him dead on arrival in the emergency ward. Awaiting incident report. Reported by NT News.com.au -
1974 8 27 Kelly Peter Norway Northern Divers 91 Saturation British, aged 27. Got a slug of pure Helium on descent, wearing a full face mask, collapsed and died, bell partner (Danny Stockes) wearing a half mask which dislodged, survived. -
2012 3 18 Kelley Daniel USA Sunset Beach Oyster Company 4 Aged 48, commercial geoduck harvesting off Ayock point in the Hood Canal, ill in the water and stopped responding to signals, pulled out of the water and began CPR, transported ashore and taken to Mason General hospital where he was pronounced dead. Reported as having drowned after having a heart attack. Autopsy revealed the diver 'had pre-existing conditions that may have led to the heart attack'. Toxicology testing ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning. KMAS News Radio -
1875 6 7 Keith William UK 8 S/S Air "Death of a diver underwater by drowning (Special Telegram) William Keith, 35 years of age, a professional diver (Or divers labourer) residing in Torry, employed by the Aberdeen harbour board, at the point of the pier laying some moorings. Descended in his diving dress on Saturday about noon, and reaching the bottom, depth 25'..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph/Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive -
1974 12 2 Keane David Ireland 81 British, aged 17. Umbilical severed by bell movement, did not use his bale out, asphyxia/drowning -
1930 11 15 Kazusaka Isunegoro Australia Victor Clark S/S Air DIVER KILLED. Paralysis the Cause. DARWIN, Monday. The body of a Japanese diver, Isunegoro Kazusaka, employed in Mr. Victor Clark's pearling fleet, was brought into Darwin on Sunday night. His death was as a result of paralysis. Reported in the Daily News, Perth, WA. -
2012 3 31 Kay Marson Ashly USA Karst Underwater Research 54 SCUBA Aged 29, volunteer diver, one of a six man team from Karst Underwater Research (A not-for-profit organisation that maps and measures flow and water quality of underwater springs for state agencies and water management districts in Florida), diving with three others at the Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. The group had descended to about 180' and as they ascended he took a different route and became wedged, possibly trapped by water flow (at about 100' depth), the team members tried but failed to release him. Rescue divers got to him in under three minutes from leaving the surface when the first group surfaced and raised the alarm, but found him dead with his regulator out and mask pushed onto his forehead. Body brought to the surface an hour later. The Ledger.com. The autopsy concluded death was caused by an air embolism (specifically, that an air bubble had lodged in his heart and blocked the blood supply to the lungs) and the medical examiner ruled it as an accidental death. Karst U/W research quoted as saying "Instead of following the ropes as he had done multiple times in the past, Marson rapidly moved into a restrictive area of the crevasse. It is believed that this behaviour was not calculated but a reaction caused by the affect of an air embolism he incurred while rapidly ascending from depth. Typically, this condition causes profound changes in mental functioning, including disoriientation, blindness, paralysis, seizures and loss of consciousness within minutes or even seconds of onset. If it occurs after surfacing, it is often fatal or profoundly disabling even with prompt recompression therapy. When it occurs underwater, the incapacity or unconsciousness it causes almost always results in drowning". Hernando Today. This fatality has not been included as a commercial diving fatality as this seems to be a weekend cave diving group using 'research' as a means of gaining access to cave systems that might otherwise be off-limits (TC). -
1930 5 0 Kawamot Kumaichi Australia S/S Air "Japanese diver Drowned, air pipe entangled in propeller"; "Dead when hauled to surface" Barrier Miner, Broken Hill, NSW -
1893 6 22 Kavanagh Lebanon Military "The lost battleship" (Collision between HMS Camperdown and HMS Victoria which sank in 13 minutes near Tripoli with the loss of 358 crew. Appears that divers were involved in trying to close watertight doors on the Camperdown - which survived the collision. "Diver Kavanagh was drowned while engaged in cutting off the dress (Loaded with lead) of…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Coventry Evening Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
1948 7 16 Katelino Leonard Australia W. Scott 18 S/S Air "Malay fiver dies. Drowned in diving suit". "Killed when his diving suit became flooded with water while he was diving in 10 fathoms of water off Mango point. According to other Malays onboard the vessel, the helmet was screwed onto the corselet with a crossed thread and when he was submerged water poured into the suit. He was drowned before he could be raised to the surface. Reported in the Kalgoorlie Miner. -
1997 5 19 Kassim Aminnuddin Che Singapore Aged 41, one of two experienced divers (the other diver was Salleh Kudin) killed clearing debris from the cooling inlets of the petrochemical plant at Pillau Ayer Merbau on the same afternoon. Differential Pressure incident but no details. Straits Times -
2009 8 3 Kasikcilar Taner Asian Turkey Aged 40, Salvage diving operation on the wreck of the Ro-ro ferry 'Hayak N' (Sank 300 metres off Bandirma as it left port en route to Istanbul on the14th September 2008 with the loss of 5 truck drivers), injured in an underwater explosion during cutting sheet metal that killed diver Rasul Kasikcilar, second diver (Tamer Kasikcilar). Reported in Netgazete.com -
2011 1 17 Karsky Erkan Georgia Kuzeyin Marine SCUBA Paraphrased from press reports:- “Two Turkish scuba divers were been killed (Double fatality, Murad Oglu) in an underwater explosion working on the salvage of the sunken Ukrainian ship '�Skaldovski� that sank in 2008 during a storm outside the Georgian Black Sea oil-export port of Kulevi. Preliminary probe indicated that the explosion could have been caused by hydrogen accumulated inside the ship The two divers were supposed to use a welder to fix the ship. Representatives from Georgia Petroleum, the owners and operators of the terminal, ruled out the possibility that the leak-out of oil products had caused the underwater explosion saying that the reservoirs on the vessel were emptied.
This has been the second similar incident in Kulevi for recent months. In December 2010, a 25-year old diver was badly injured when working underwater. -
2005 5 6 Karla Vijay Rajaram India Navy A naval Chetak helicopter crashed near Chennai killing all three crew members on board. Lt-Commander D Poddar, who was flying the Chetak, Sub-Lt B Manoj and leading air crew naval diver Karla were killed in the crash at 4 pm. The mishap took place near the Rajali naval air station at Arakonam, about 50 km from Chennai. Times of India. -
2005 10 14 Karamanlis Stephen Greece Aged 28, working on a dredger salvage operation in the new shipyards, accident occurred at 04:00 in the morning, transferred to hospital ashore in Rhodes but declared dead on arrival, reported as drowned. No other details. Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Islani -
1935 4 27 Kanada Hachiro Australia 15 S/S Air “JAPANESE DIVER KILLED. Air Pipe Line Broken�. CAIRNS. April 26. “Hackiro Kamada, a Japanese pearl diver, died at Alligator Passage, near Badu Island, while diving for shell. It is believed that an air pipe broke when the lugger drifted on the tide before the anchor could be dropped. Kamada was a member of the crew of the lugger ‘Drayton’, and in company with Chokichi, Murada dived into eight fathoms of water. About five minutes later Murada came to the surface and noticed Kamada on top of the water, with no helmet or corselet. A. dinghy was placed overboard, and members of the crew made towards the unconscious man, but the craft sank. They then swam to Kamada, and placed him on the deck of the lugger. He was breathing heavily. A flag was hoisted, and the lugger Sorrel, owned by the Bowden Pearling Co., responded�. “LOWERED INTO SEA�. “A helmet and corselet were placed on Kamada, and he was lowered to the bottom of the sea, and was kept under water for one and a half hours, but showed no signs of improving. He was pulled up on to the deck again, and it was noticed that his neck and face were swollen, and he was apparently dead. Then he was taken to Thursday Island. Dr. R. J. Nimmo (Government medical officer) Issued a certificate stating that death was due to (1) asphyxia by drowning, (2) myocarditis (accidental). Reported in the Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Qld. -
2002 11 27 Kaluom Jengi USA Stolt Offshore Topsides Malaysian, pipe facing machine operator, injured onboard the DLB 801, medivac, no details -
1928 7 24 Kakutchi K Australia S/S Air Japanese pearl diver diving off Poit Vicente from a launch with a two man surface crew. Apparently flooded suit but no details. Reported in the Los Angeles Times -
1938 11 25 Kakishita Tetsuo Australia Morey & Co 33 S/S Air Japanese aged 20, diving from the pearling lugger 'Thelma' at Turu cay, 90 miles Northwest of Thursday Island, was diving in just Corselet and helmet (Not full dress), appears to have flooded his hemet and was pulled up and then staged for in water decompression for 11 hours but he died. The post mortem indicated cause of death as diver's paralysis and asphyxia by accidental drowning. Reported in the Courier-Mail, Brisbane. -
2011 10 20 Kadian Dhirendra Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation One brother (Parminder) also died in this accident, two other brothers (LSTs onboard) survived.DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. Dulam DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
2011 10 20 Kadian Parminder Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation One brother (Dhirendra) also died in this accident, two other brothers (LSTs onboard) survived. DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. Dulam DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
1949 8 18 Kada William Australia 15 Indonesian Pearl diver aged 37, diving off the lugger Twixteen out of Thursday Island. Signalled to be brought to the surface but as he reached the surface his helmet and corselet came detached and he was swept away. His body was recovered by divers from another lugger later. Barrier Miner, NSW, Australia Another report states:- Pearl Diver Drowns. Thursday Island.-Two Indonesians tried pluckily to rescue a fellow pearl diver when he was swept away in heavy seas while diving off Thursday Island. Sgt. H. Mumford, of the Thursday Island police, returned with the story. The diver, William Kada, 37, who was also an Indonesian, was found drowned in eight fathoms of water at 1 p.m. on Thursday. The Indonesians went out from Thursday Island on the lugger ‘Trixteen’. Kada was down pearling about eight fathoms at 11.30 a.m. when he signalled to be brought to the surface. When he reached the surface his diving helmet and corselet broke loose. He called to the men on the lugger as he was swirled away. Two other divers, Enus Euan, 22, and Markus Oben, 42, went to Kada's rescue, but were unable to reach him in the heavy seas. A Torres Strait aboriginal from another lugger which arrived later recovered Kada's body. Reported in the Barrier Miner -
2002 11 5 K Bernhard Austria Lestin, Vienna Diving and Salvage Company S/S Air Aged 24 from Gfohol, one of a four man diving team installing wooden strakes on a water inlet to the Pernegg power plant at the Mur dam run by Austrian Hydro Power, possiobly disoriented in low visibilty, pulled into the inlet, lifeline boke, disappeared. After a large scale search his body was located downstream of the dam. Cause of death may have been a broken neck. News At -
1999 7 21 Juse Bill USA Black Dog Divers Died 9 miles inside a tunnel dry diving operation in New Deer sewage outfall, Boston, double fatality (Juse). Both divers died as a result of bad air quality that resulted from extremely poor equipment and equipment not made to be used in a tunnel environment. Over $200,000 in fines for wilful violations. Boston Globe and others -
1897 6 5 Jurson A UK S/S Air "Diver's death underwater. A diver named Jutson of Ramsgate, who was engaged for a considerable time on Saturday in operations in…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Hull Daily Mail/The British Newspaper Archive -
1869 0 0 Jurgens or Ingen Louis USA Neptune Submarine Telegraph Company Topsides Working on demolishing the wreck of the steamer 'Scotland' which sank off New York in about 30' of water. Set charges but the submarine detonation apparently set off a sympathetic explosion of a second charge on the diving boat. Four killed including the diver who had previously set the charge. One of the survivors was a man by the name of Sterne who had been a gunner on the 'Monitor' during the battle with the 'Merrimac'. New York Times. -
2008 2 29 Jung Chew Kim Miri Not Reported 13 SCUBA Aged 37, professional ship repair divers working under the hull of the 'Bunga Kelana 6' five miles off Bintulu, entered water, failed to surface, SAR diver located bodies two days later on ship's water inlet grill, but failed to recover divers due to currents. -
1990 12 13 Julien Thiery France Comex Topsides Opened a regen pot that was still under pressure, massive chest injuries. An interlock would have prevented this accident. PC -
2011 9 7 Juarez Luis Alberto Peru Asociacion La Bocana Aged 48, working at a scallop hatchery, Pichayo, Parachique, found trapped underwater, no other details. This report also referred to a second fatality in the area on the same day, that of 39 year old Eli Perez Becerra "who died of decompression illness, apparently as a result of mechanical failure of his diving equipment". No other details so cannot confirm if the second death was a commercial fatality. Reported by RPP Noticias. -
1991 1 9 Juan Cpl. Soh Taim Singapore Navy Aged 21, went missing during a night exercise off Sembawang, reported as drowned. No other details. Straits Times -
1938 8 24 Jotana Koheharu Australia Bowden Pearling Company 73 S/S Air 30 year old Japanese diver diving from the lugger Zamia for shell off Darnley Island in the Torres straits wearing only a helmet and corselet in 40 fathoms. His lifeline went limp and then he floated to the surface without helmet or corselet, recovered by dinghy, put back in his helmet and taken to 15 fathoms before being staged to the surface but failed to revive. "The opinion is expressed that Jotana may have been overcome by sickness during staging and was unable to keep a firm grasp of the lifeline which was the only secure means of remaining in the helmet and corselet. The cause of death was certified by the Government Medical Officer at Thursday Island to be diver's paralysis and asphyxia by drowning". Reported in The Western Australian, Perth. -
1910 11 0 Josky Australia 33 S/S Air “CASUALTIES. DIVER'S DEATH. PORT DARWIN, November 17.— The body of a Japanese diver named Josky was brought in yesterday afternoon. It was in an advanced stage of decomposition, the man having died from diver's paralysis on Monday last, contracted while diving in 18 fathoms of water�. Reported in The Register, Adelaide -
1977 2 11 Joseph Pat USA Fred Devine and Salvage 15 Salvage operations on the tanker “Sansitena� in Los Angeles harbour, Berth 46 (Blew up while alongside, 9 dead, 36 injured in the initial blast 17th December 1976) , had been in the water two hours osy arc cutting operations, gas pocket, underwater explosion, reported as “diver stricken with bends when he surfaced after an underwater explosion�. Also reported that he was the second diver injured on that job in four days. Although he remained in the industry, he was never able to dive again after the accident.. Los Angeles Times, PC. -
1949 9 26 Jorgensen Robin Claude Soren USA 15 S/S Air Aged 20, professional abalone diver, was drowned in 50 feet of water in Little Harbor on the west side of Santa Catalina Island when his air compressor failed. No other details. -
1968 11 9 Joost Berend H. USA University of Miami Marine Sciences 50 SCUBA Two divers, Berend Joost, aged 34 of the University of Miami, and John McGinnis, aged 51 of Ocean-Engineering, were installing acoustic recording equipment at the edge of the Gulf stream off Miami when McGinnis noticed that Joost had dropped to the seabed, he went down to help but Joost had a strong grasp on the rope. Joost's mouthpiece dropped out, McGinnis replaced it but had to surface as had run out of air and suffered from decompression illness (treated, believed OK). A third diver, Jim Nangle, aged 23 and also an Ocean-Engineering technician recovered Joost's body to the surface. Reported in the Toledo Blade -
1956 3 23 Joost Russell USA Military US Navy diver training, taking a test one month into his course, died, no details. Chicago Tribune -
2005 11 24 Jones Zakarij Mason USA PDCoF 60 SCUBA American, Professional Diving Charters of Florida, Ft Lauderdale, Vessel "Pro diver II", He drowned, Contrary to initial USCG report, it was a sports dive, hospital "lost the medical records", reports contradictory -
1892 9 23 Jones UK "Extraordinary Accident to a Diver at Cardiff. A diver named Jones, residing in Cardiff, was engaged on Friday in .." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser/The British Newspaper Archive -
2008 9 4 Jolly Brendan Australia Oz Reef Connections S/S Air Australian, aged 31. Diving off Arlington Reef off Cairns. Professional aquarium fish collection (Family business) from the "Shearwater II'. No supervision. Compressor failed to kick in. Recovered unconscious by being pulled aboard. Hookah, no harness, airline under weight belt, no bail out. Torn mouthpiece. Solo aquarium diver, no emergency breathing supply, history of epilepsy. Significant undiagnosed cardiac medical condition and history of epilepsy. Fatal arrhythmia. Queensland Workplace Health and Safety. -
2002 6 14 Jolliff Paul USA 15 SCUBA Firefighter, aged 37, died during the final dive of a 21 day open water SCUBA training course. Objective was to locate a cinder block by conducting sweep searches from a marker buoy and then bring it to surface using an inverted 5 gallon bucket as a lifting bag. Zero visibility, cold water. Underwater comms set only partially operational (he could hear, but not transmit). He and partner located block, as they were rigging it, he suddenly grabbed for his partner's face mask knocking him to one side, dropped his weight belt and disappeared. Second diver surfaced and raised the alarm. Stand-by diver entered the water immediately to commence sweep searches from the original marker buoy but after his 4th sweep was pulled to the surface by the crew pulling up the marker buoy in an attempt to see if the lost diver was still attached to the swim line. Buoy reset, but in a different location.. Search continued and the body was located over two hours later by sonar from a surface support boat. He was tied to the cinder block (They were using 5' long lanyards as the lifting rigging, he had gone into the water with his attached to his harness 'D' ring. It appears he attached it before releasing the second end from his harness). Death certificate recorded death as due to drowning. SCUBA cylinder was empty when recovered, some equipment breakages, but not concluded whether factors in the incident. The investigation made 3 recommendations:- 1: Fire departments should ensure that equipment checks are performed before each dive and defective equipment is repaired or replaced before the dive takes place. 2: Fire Departments should ensure that all participants in diver training have practiced the specific evolution in a controlled environment such as a swimming pool before attempting the evolution in open water.. 3: Fire departments should ensure that search-and-rescue operations establish and use reference points to conduct searches -
2008 6 20 Johnstone Christopher UK RN 6 SCUBA British RN reservist, aged 42, UK Navy diver training establishment, Horsea island, fell ill during training dive (casualty recovery drill). Initial reports indicated natural causes (heart attack) but at the inquest a pathologist who specialises in diving accidents said the immediate cause of death was a rupture in the lungs, due to failure to breathe out on the ascend to the surface. “He perhaps didn't breathe the gas out at the time. That's the only possible explanation�. -
1929 7 9 Johnstone J E Australia 1 “DIVER'S BRAVERY. When a party of men was blasting in the Yarra at Burnley, a lighted fuse attached to 10 lbs of gelignite caught on the bottom of the boat. The fuse could not be detached, and the diver, Mr. J. E Johnstone, risked his life to go below to cut the fuse. His action probably saved the lives of the men in the boat. One photograph shows the diver entering the water with the charge, and the other is of the "powder monkey� lighting the fuse which caused the trouble These photographs were taken just before the mishap�. Reported in The Argus, Melbourne, Vic. -
2009 11 3 Johnson Michael USA US Aqua Vac Inc SCUBA Aged 45, specialist lake and pond clearing contractor working at the Baxter health Care campus where there are a string of retention ponds. Diver got into difficulty, a co-worker went in to aid him (hospitalised with hypothermia) but unable to pull him out. Recovered from the pond bottom 45 minutes later by fire department rescue divers, helicopter to hospital but pronounced dead. "Air hose had broken",. Chicago Daily Herald -
2008 1 0 Johnson Chris USA Veolia Oxy/Arc explosion Injury, no details. Offshorediver.com -
2006 11 23 Johnson Chris USA Veolia 9 S/S Air MMS report dated 31 Jan 2006 (typo?) published 4/4/2007 (See 2006 GOM MMS.doc) Block ST 300 (South Timbalier platform), at 19:50 hours, Underwater Oxy Arc explosion, knocked unconscious, facial lacerations, chipped tooth, sore ribs. Evacuated to Terrebone General Medical Centre, stabilised, kept in overnight, released 10:50 hours 26/11/2006. "Will be out of work for three weeks" 'No violation" (MMS report) but diving medical revoked, may not ever dive commercially again (OD). -
1998 5 18 Johnson Grey China Oceaneering 40 Saturation Australian, "Ocean Winsertor", on contract to Hyundai Heavy Industries, Poisoned by seabed toxins (H2S, arsenic, Mercury) then circa 12 Chinese divers subsequently medivac'd. All Oceaneering divers survived, but have suffered ever since. -
1944 8 25 Johnson John Paul Australia Topsides BROKE HIS NECK IN 5 FT. FALL. John Paul Johnson, 63, married, of Ferguson Road, Norman Park, a diver, was killed in a 5ft. fall at Borthwick's Meatworks Wharf, Queensport, Brisbane, yesterday. He struck some rocks when he fell, fractured his neck, and received a laceration on the head. He died instantly. Johnson, who was engaged in general repair work at the wharf, started work bracing the wharf planking at 7.30 a.m. yesterday, and was seen at 7.45 walking along a thrust pile. Reported in the Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Qld. -
1935 9 4 Johnson Julius USA S/S Air “Davy Jone's locker, whose dark and silent depths he had explored fearlessly for years, claimed the life yesterday of Julius Johnson, veteran Long Beach deep sea diver� Lost air supply, hose either kinked or severed (“apparently snagged on wreckage at the bottom of the sea�). Dive was to recover the anchor and chain slipped by the gambling boat 'Casino' when it caught fire four miles offshore two weeks earlier, Reported in the Los Angeles Times/Montreal Gazette. -
1898 4 8 Johnson Chief Gunner's Mate USA Military S/S Air Hull inspection dive under the gunboat “Newport�. Reported as “The only exciting incident here today was of a tragic character� “met with sudden death from asphyxiation, exact cause unknown, but it is thought the air pipe became entangled in some way. As he gave no signals he was drawn up, when he was found to be dead�. -
1986 0 0 John Johnny UK SCUBA Tenby (South Wales), amateur diver inspecting the moorings of a pleasure craft for a friend. Failed to surface. Cause of death 'aspiration of vomit into lungs'. 'At work'? Yes, but 'at work for pay'? Probably not, just doing doing a favour for his friend. Personal communication, no other details -
2017 6 30 Jiminez Uceda Jose Spain Fisherman Chamber Aged 61, Red Coral diving with 25 year old from the vessel 'Trepa' near Cadaques (Spain), the pair were undergoing surface decompression in a chamber on the boat when there was an internal fire, the 25 year old survived with serious burns and was brought ashore by the third man on the boat (his father). reported by ViladeRoses -
1866 10 29 Jevons Ellis UK "Serious Accident to Diver. Yesterday morning, Ellis Jevons, aged 42, residing croftplace, one of the …" No other details (Pay for access archive). Reported in the Liverpool Daily Post/The British Newspaper Archive -
1963 9 12 Jensen Aksel Denmark Diver hit by an anchor COPENHAGEN, Wed. A ship dropped anchor at Vejle, Denmark, today on to the head of diver, Aksel Jensen, who was working underwater, port officials reported. He was taken to hospital with suspected concussion. Reuter -
1879 7 30 Jenkins James Walter USA S/S Air Recovering an anchor lost from the “Barbarossa� in a collision with the “Italy� some weeks earlier off New York Harbour, pier 1, North River. Assistant called attention to blisters in the air pipe, but “Jenkins only laughed and said the pipe would probably last as long as he would�. Assistants protested that the hose was unsafe “but the daring engineer would not hear of it and went to his death with apparent gaiety� He had reached seabed when the pipe burst on deck. Pulled up immediately. “Upon removing the helmet the man's face and head presented a horrible appearance, being swollen to fully twice their normal size and purplish black. The tongue, swollen, discoloured and protruding was nearly bitten in two, blood trickled from the nostrils and ears, the arms were extended and rigid while the spasmodically closed fingers had buried their nails deep in the horny skin of the palms of the hands. Gasped once and expired with a long gurgling sigh�. Unemployed for two years, desperate to support his family, basically, a quick dive for "cash in hand" of 10$. reported in the New York Times. -
2002 6 25 Jelasi Cristiano Italy Tecnosub 80 SCUBA Aged 25, off the island of Capri (Thyrrenian Sea), diving in SCUBA to 80 metres, alone, off a small boat to cut ropes off a recently installed water pipeline prior to trenching operations. Died in the water -
2009 11 30 Jao Peter Philippines CJMS Diving Services Topsides Dive team working at the gas powered power plant in Limay. Paraphrased from press reports:- “A diver died while a colleague is in critical condition after they entered a nine-meter chlorination tank inside the power plant in Alangan, Limay, Bataan, last Monday. The newly designated police chief reported that Peter Jao, a diving expert of the CJMS Diving Services, did not reach the hospital alive. He suffered broken ribs and skull. The police report stated that the cause of the falling incident was due to a foul odor that the victim inhaled while climbing the ladder on his way out of the chlorination tank. As Jao fell into the cemented flooring of the chlorination tank, his companion identified as Nenito Quintana, also a diver, went down the tank and tried to rescue him. Quintana was assisted by other employees using a crane. As Quintana was climbing the ladder on his way out, he also fell. Rescuers rushed Quintana into the St. Michael Hospital in Orion town. Investigation showed that the two victims proceeded to the chlorination tank at around 9 a.m. Monday to open the water intake valve from the sea. After opening the valve, Jao climbed the ladder but fell after he allegedly inhaled a poisonous substance inside�. Reported in the Manila Bulletin. NB. The power plant uses LPG from the local refinery which reported a death and two unconscious at the sour water treatment plant in September and a vessel chief officer and two seamen injured when a loading hose parted in August (Manila Times) -
1978 9 15 Jantan Maludin bin Singapore Keppel Shipyard S/S air Aged 31, diving at the Temasek dry dock in the Tuas Yard (Keppel Shipyards). Called in to work on a broken dock gate wire Reported as drowned due to an acute lack of oxygen (One of the three three cylinders of compressed air issued to him was a nirtogen cylinder). They seem to have been using surface cylinders/umbilical similar to an SRP set up but without panel/back-up gas. The diver changed cylinders and returned to the water after a tea break but after a few minutes topsides realised there were no bubbles coming up, tugged on his lifeline, no response. Diver pulled to the surface, unconscious, transferred to hospital, declared dead. At the inquest, Singapore Oxygen Air Limited (SOXAL) stated they had supplied 25 cylinders of compressed air for industrial use (Light grey) and one cylinder of Nitrogen (Light grey with a black top) a few months earlier and that each cylinder also had a label stating the contents attached before they left the factory. They also added that cylinders with light grey bodies and black and white quarters at the top contained air for medical uses. The storeman who issued the tanks on the day had not noticed any gas contents labels on the cylinders but recalled that the cylinders were gray and at least one had black and white quarters. Additionally he said that he was not aware of which gases were in cylinders with different markings nor what colour a nitrogen cylinder should be as he was not in charge of sorting them. Investigators did not find any label on the Nitogen cylinder used by the diver. The Coroner recorded an open verdict and criticised the parties involved for their apparent lack of safety consciousness. Straits Times -
2003 10 0 James Leslie UK Coflexip Stena Saturation Crushed hand, court case in October as unable to return to work, employers fined, no details -
2001 12 17 James Leslie UK Saturation British, crushed hand during lifting operations.