Incidents List
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Year Month Day Surname Forenames Location Contractor Client Depth Type of Diving Details -
2001 10 22 Gouveia Nereus Brazil Port of Paranagua, Petobras tanker 'Norma' hit rocks leading to discharge of 1.8 million litres of Naptha. Diver from a local diving contractor in Paranagua hired by an engineer from the Petrobras subsidiary 'Transpetro' died during operations to assess the damage (Reported as 'at 17:30 the diver suffered a sudden illness and was taken to hospital where he died at 19:00 hours'). Cause of death given as 'inhalation of Naptha'. Due to the escaped Naptha cloud, there were both marine and aviation exclusion zones, but they still allowed the diving operation on the leaking hull. Investigation concluded that the diver had standard equipment not suitable for polluted water operations. The Trtanspetro engineer was sacked and also accused of manslaughter, acting negligently and without knowledge of the technical rules thereby unintentionally causing the death of the diver. The courts eventually said the diving contractor was at fault for not assessing the situation correctly. Reported by Amigos de Terra and other Brazilian press sources. -
2009 11 30 Quntana Nenito 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) -
2003 12 23 Wiggins Neil UK Neil 'Wiggy' Wiggins died on 23 Dec at the age of 47. Paraphrased from MCDOA article:- "Neil joined the Royal Navy in 1972 at the age of 15 as a trainee electrical engineer. He qualified as an engineer but decided on a change of direction in 1977 to pursue a career as a Navy Clearance Diver. One of his first postings was to the Naval base at Rosyth where he was a member of the bomb disposal team. He returned to Portsmouth to complete the Leading Diver’s course at HMS Vernon, subsequently joining the saturation diving team (1981) which involved experimental deep diving and various diving trials. He joined Naval Party 1007 on board MV Seaforth Clansman where he was a member of the diving team that was responsible for the recovery of the navy’s first submarine, Holland One. A personal letter from the then Flag Officer Submarines, Admiral Herbert, read as follows: “His skill and leadership as the main dive team leader clearly provided inspiration to the other divers and he made a marked contribution.� Neil’s time served in the navy gave him a thorough grounding and the necessary discipline to pursue a successful career as a commercial saturation diver, working mainly in the North Sea with many of his old Navy team mates. Neil’s first contract was with the Aberdeen based diving company, Comex. It was in the summer of 1984 whilst working for Comex that he was called upon to carry out the heroic rescue of his colleague George Lawson who was rendered unconscious by an explosion during an underwater cutting operation (4th May 1984, Kingsnorth Explorer). Without a shadow of a doubt, Neil’s clear thinking, professionalism and determination saved George’s life. Neil was awarded the Frank Dearman award for bravery and a Queen’s Commendation. Neil’s calm and selfless bravery was again called upon in 1987 when he saved two hypothermic divers, Fred McNally and Kanute Monstra, from a stranded welding habitat. Again, Neil was recognised for his valour by being presented with the Silk Cut award for Nautical achievements -
2013 2 26 Harris, USN Navy Diver Second Class Ryan USA USN From Gladstone, Missouri,Married, two daughters aged 3 and 1 year old, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Died in a double fatality incident (with James Reyher) at 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. One of the divers was pronounced dead at the scene while the second was taken to an area hospital where he was also pronounced dead. A spokesman for the Aberdeen Proving Ground said Tuesday's deaths are not believed to be connected to the earlier incident (George Lazaro killed 30th January 2013 during maitenance activities). But officials said that the test facility has been closed for all diving operations until investigations into the recent deaths are done. No details but autopsy results confirmed 'drowning'. Reported as the only deaths since the facility opened in 1995. Associated Press -
2013 2 26 Reyher, USN Navt Diver First Class James USA USN Aged 28 from Caldwell, Ohio, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Died in a double fatality incident (with Ryan Harris) at 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. One of the divers was pronounced dead at the scene while the second was taken to an area hospital where he was also pronounced dead. A spokesman for the Aberdeen Proving Ground said Tuesday's deaths are not believed to be connected to the earlier incident (George Lazaro killed 30th January 2013 during maitenance activities). But officials said that the test facility has been closed for all diving operations until investigations into the recent deaths are done. No details but autopsy results confirmed 'drowning'. Reported as the only deaths since the facility opened in 1995. Associated Press -
2004 12 12 Fukai Naoyoshi Japan SCUBA A 48-year-old fisherman (diving for lobsters) was caught in the screw of a 1.2T fishing boat and died soon after off Ukishima beach in Nishina, Nishiizucho, Shizuoka Prefecture. Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. No details, not sure whether this was a sports dive (Not included in professional 'count' TC) -
2012 9 23 Al-Qethami Naif Saudi Arabia Civil Defence Corporal with 9 years diving experience in the civil defence, had been called to recover a cild who had fallen down a well in Rehat, 115 km from Al-Jamoom in the Makkah region. He climbed out of the well carrying the body of the 3 year old and was knocked backwards by a surge of some 400 onlookers, hit his head as he fell into the 25' deep well. Colleagues dived in to pull him out but he failed to respond to treatment. Saudi Gazette -
2007 1 0 Horgan Nad USA ? 0 Topsides Working as a tender, "Broke his hip and femur working on a lift boat a couple of months ago, two ops, told by doctors that he will never work again" -
2011 4 26 Pizanias N Greece Topsides Aged 29, commercial diver/diving school instructor. Throwing dynamite sticks at an Easter clrebration, expolded in his hand, hospitalised in Kalymnos, transferred to Athens but lost his hand and permanently blinded in one eye. Two other men died in similar Easter celebration incidents on Rhodes. Reported by Kalymniansvoice.gr -
1941 4 2 Muthuraja Muthuswamy India Aged 40, resident of Srirangam, working locally in Tiruchchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, inside a well with four others, died of electric shock from a pump in the well at the Kambarasam Pettai Municipal water works. The others received mild shocks and survived. The Indian Express -
2009 8 16 Amor Murray Australia South West Rocks Dive Centre SCUBA Aged 62, lost a hand and leg when a cylinder being charged exploded. Paraphrased from official reports “A SCUBA cylinder ruptured causing serious injuries to the person who was filling the cylinder. The cylinder was an 88 cu ft aluminium manufactured to Australian Standard by CIG in 1983/84 and was in current test. The cylinder had a working pressure (WP) 224 bar (3248.84 psi) and a test pressure (TP) 352 bar (5105.328 psi). A number of SCUBA cylinders that had been filled during the same time were checked and were gauged at 220 bars (3190.83 psi). The compressor had a blow off (safety valve) fitted and set at 285-290 bars (4133.575 – 4206 psi) which was tested during the investigation and blew at 282.68 bar (4100psi) on the compressor gauge. The investigators concluded that the cylinder could be over filled by a person not taking notice of the pressure showing on the fill panel gauge, however this pressure is below the test pressure of this cylinder, and based on the fact that 10 other cylinders in this same group of cylinders all showed a pressure of 220 bars (3190.83 psi) there was no reason to believe that this cylinder was in fact over filled. The cylinder when it ruptured exploded into 4 pieces and the valve. In 2 of the pieces there was evidence of cracks through the neck and threaded area of the cylinder. The investigators noted that there were records available showing a number of aluminium cylinders manufactured world wide prior to 1990 from 6351-T6 alloys that have ruptured, in some cases with serious consequences. workcover.nsw.gov.au, dol.govt.nz -
2011 1 17 Oglu Murad Kara Georgia Kuzeyin Marine SCUBA Paraphrased from press reports:- “Two Turkish scuba divers were been killed (Double fatality, Erkan Karsky) 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. -
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 -
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 -
2009 4 3 Guha Mrinal Kanti India National Diving Services 9 S/S Air Calcutta, Haldia dock complex (HDC). Clearing outer (Haldi River) side gate seal/runners. Diving partner (Halder) surfaced after 10 minutes, gasping. Guha did not surface. Standby divers found his body late in the day. Air hoses parted while they where underwater (Probably lightweight 'hookah' gear), no bailouts, lifelines. Report indicates confined space/penetration dive in zero visibility on gate runner mechanism. Reported in the Times of India -
1924 10 22 Gunn Morrison UK S/S Air "Diver drowned in Lyness harbour, ex petty officer Morrison Gunn of Victoria Sreeet, Kirkwal..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Derby Daily Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
2014 12 22 Bermudez Morfy Alex Nicaragua Alberto Woo 25m SCUBA Honduran, lobster diving from the "Lady Di III" (Licensed to sail with 25, sailed with 24 but because several 'registered' divers did not turn up, sailed with additional unlisted crew including the deceased) out of Bilwi. Navy base personnel reported that he died of DCI as "like most lobstermen, the diver was working without the necessary stops" and there was no time to transfer him ashore to the recompression chamber at the New Dawn Bilwi Hospital.Reported to be the sixth lobster diver to die in the northern caribbean in the second half of this year. elnuevodiario.com.ni -
2000 5 19 Harun Mohd Nor Malaysia Fire and Rescue Services SCUBA Paraphrased from the newspaper report:- “Another diver from the Fire and Rescue Services Department's scuba diving unit disappeared this morning during a search operation for a colleague who had gone missing since Monday around the waters of Pulau Lalang and Pulau Saga. The diver, identified as Mohd Nor Harun, in his 40s, is feared to have suffered a similar fate as his colleague, Idris Ahmad, 36. Idris was believed to have drowned while clearing the waters of discarded fishing nets. A police spokesman said the incident occurred about 11.30am today when the diver failed to surface for a break. His body was found by fisherman 3 days later. 40 divers were taking part in the search. Another diver became unconscious during the search and was admitted to the armed forces hospital at the Lumut naval base�. Reported in the New Straits Times -
2018 8 28 Hamdan Mohammed Nasrallah Israel Nahshon Marine Construction SSDE Mohammed Hamdan, 33 years old Majd al-Krum, was killed today (Tuesday) in a diving accident site construction work on the new port of Haifa. Magen David Adom paramedics evacuated him to Rambam Hospital in the city, where he was pronounced dead. As far as is known, he was injured while operating underwater pumping equipment. The Hof police station reported: "At the center of 100, a report was received about a resident of the Galilee who was injured - apparently during underwater work when he operated equipment that he had in his possession. Researchers from the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Transport were summoned. " Ronen Keren, CEO of Nahshon Underwater Works, said he still did not know the exact details of the incident under investigation: "What can be said at the moment is condolences to the family of the worker who was killed," he said. Mohammed Nasrallah Hamdan, 33, from Majd al-Krum in the Galilee, was survived by a wife and two young children, aged 6 and 4. Google Translate from: https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5336729,00.html and https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5338011,00.html -
2008 9 9 Jamal Mohammed Borhan Singapore Underwater Contractors pty 11 SCUBA Paraphased from press reports at te time;- “Aged 26, East Petroleum "A" anchorage off Bedok Jetty, Oil tanker "Oliva" hull maintenance and inspection work, the diver went in to undertake an inspection but failed to surface, possibly swept away by strong currents. Married 1 year, 1 month old daughter. Body washed up 30 km away on an Indonesian island beach 12 days after he disappeared. Recreational SCUBA training only. Paraphrased from the later official Company report:- “A contract diver disappeared while completing an underwater inspection of a vessel that was anchored. All of the divers were using SCUBA equipment. Two other divers were replacing starboard ballast sea chest gratings for which the contract diver was completing the inspection. The depth of diving operation was 11 meters and the seabed depth was between 50 and 60 meters. Underwater visibility was fair on the day of the incident. The contract diver was last seen about 25 -30 meters off the starboard aft quarter of the vessel when he disappeared from the view of the other two divers. Despite extensive searches, the diver’s body was not recovered until 21 September, approx. 30 kilometres from the initial location. Contributing factors and insufficient controls related to the incident:- Actual Dive Operation did not comply with Dive Contractor’s risk assessment (diver not attached to a tender line), Diving Supervisor was actually diving, which contravenes local and Group standards. Dive operation undertaken using SCUBA (self contained underwater breathing apparatus) in breach of Company and OGP standards, which require surface supplied air. The required diver communications system, tender lines and flotation devices were not provided. One of the divers only had a recreational diving qualification. The Maritime & Port Authority Dive Permit was not complied with� -
1973 4 16 Mohamed Mohamed lasen Bin Singapore Selco Salvage Private limited 3 Aged 42, killed, 2 other dives (Kenneth Morrison and Atan bin Jain) injured when a hatch on the Italian vessel Igara (Ex Japan en route to Brazil with Iron ore which had sunk following striking a rock near Horsburgh lighthouse on March 19th) they were opening exploded open under pressure. Straits Times -
1976 10 25 Soonee Mohamed bin Amin Borneo SCUBA Aged 48, onboard a Singaporean registered fishing vessel working 100 miles off the North Borneo coast. Propeller entangled with rope and nets, went in to clear it around 15:00 hours. Did not surface. Other crew members spent three hours searching for him before they saw his SCUBA gear hanging on the propeller. As it was dark they abandoned the search until the morning After a thre or four hour search the following day, they recovered his body from the seabed. The coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure, cause of death was certified as asphixia due to drowning. Straits Times -
2018 6 23 Firdaus Mohamed Singapore Marine Diving & Engineering Vopak Terminals SCUBA A 27-year-old commercial diver died after he was struck by a concrete pile while working in the waters off Pulau Sebarok on Saturday afternoon (Jun 23). Mohamed Firdaus was working as a commercial diver for Marine Diving & Engineering (MDE), which specialises in underwater services including marine and underwater construction. On the day of the accident, Firdaus was working on a project developed by Vopak Terminals Singapore on Pulau Sebarok’s Jetty 2. The project's occupier is HSL Constructor, which had engaged MDE for the project. "Two divers were in the water, installing brackets onto a concrete pile, when one of the workers was struck by a concrete pile," said the Ministry of Manpower. Firdaus was unconscious when taken to National University Hospital, where he died from his injuries, added the police, who received a call for assistance at 5.13pm. The police are investigating the unnatural death. Advertisement MOM has stopped all works at the worksite and is currently investigating the incident. In an email to Channel NewsAsia, Vopak Terminals confirmed that a fatal accident happened at its terminal in the port. "We are deeply saddened by this accident. We, jointly with our main contractor and his employer, are providing his family with all possible aid and assistance they need during this difficult time," said Vopak Terminals. Vopak Terminals also said it has started "a thorough investigation to find the root cause" of the accident. On Sunday afternoon, representatives from MDE, HSL and Vopak attended Firdaus' funeral, MDE and HSL said in a joint statement. "No words nor gesture can replace the loss of Firdaus, and we will certainly be here for his loved ones. We truly share the grief of his family, friends and colleagues," said Mr Masahiro Aoyagi, managing director of MDE. "This is the first fatal accident ever experienced by MDE since our incorporation 38 years ago and we are doing our utmost to understand what happened," he added. All related parties are currently working closely with the authorities, the companies said in the statement. Pulau Sebarok is an oil storage and refueling port at one of the southern islands of Singapore. Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mohamed-firdaus-diver-27-dies-waters-pulau-sebarok-concrete-10464340 -
1930 4 7 Higashi Mogatoro Australia Edward McKay 51 S/S Air Japanese, lead diver off the pearling lugger 'Dulcie', Paraphrased from the inquest reported in the Northern territory Times:- 'I was tender for the deceased. I put him down on Sunday 6th at 11.30 am. for the first time this season. The depth was 28 fathoms. He reached the bottom and signaled all right. About five minutes later he again signaled O.K. About 10 minutes later I got the signal to bring up. When he came up to 10 fathoms he signaled ma to wait. That meant he wanted to be staged. Three minutes later the deceased came to the surface and on to the ladder when I removed the face glass. The deceased did not speak. I said 'The water is too deep you should have had a longer stage coming up'. Deceased came on deck and sat down. I was coiling the life line when the engine boy sang out to me 'The diver is falling over.' I put the face glass back and we put him back on to the water and tried to stage him. When we got him to about 17 fathoms deceased used to close the valve and bring himself up to the surface. We tried several times to get him down but every time he would bring himself up�. “We took him out of the diving suit. He was unconscious and breathing feebly. We put him in his bunk in the cabin and came straight away to Darwin. Members of the crew kept massaging the deceased, but he did not regain consciousness and died about 11 am. on the 7th. Verdict returned that death was due to divers paralysis -
2012 8 1 Yusuke Miura Russia EMAS Saturation Japanese diver working in saturation onboard the "Lewek Crusader" at the Arkutun Dagi platform Gravity Base off Sakhalin. Reported as heart attack whilst in the water installing a flange catcher. NB IMCA member, therefore should see a report in due course. Longstreath/PDA -
2012 3 17 Shiotsuki Mitsui Japan SCUBA Aged 45, one of three divers (with Saturo Yuge and Taizo Yokoyama) who died on the same dive, removing submerged concrete blocks from a marine farm off Tsukumi in Oita Prefecture. The three entered the water at 09:30, located unconscious underwater at 10:00, all apparently with empty tanks. Coastguard suspect faulty procedures and awaiting autopsy reports. The Japan Times online -
2003 7 22 Rotaru Mircea Romania Stef and Fan SRL 30 SCUBA Paraphrased from reports :- Aged 54 years, lexNavy diver, leader of 6 divers onboard a vessel undertaking installation cleaning operations (Black Sea, Gloria platform). After they arrived in the area, two divers went a depth of 30 meters to check the platform legs, and because they were late to emerge, Mircea Rotaru jumped into the water after them, but as he went down, they surfaced. They noticed he was missing and searched for him. He was found face up to the bottom and brought to the platform where he tried to resuscitate him, but without any result. His body was taken ashore to the morgue in Mangalia. Experts say it is possible that he had a heart attack when he jumped into the water. The contractor stated he had a medical� Reported by Kappa.ro -
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. -
2010 12 8 Agustin Mike Nicaragua Alberto Woo SCUBA Diving off the fishing Vessel 'Marco Polo' for Lobster, they lost his bubble trail, diver disappeared/failed to surface, presumed dead. A few days earlier, another fishing vessel sank, the Captain was never found but two crew members got ashore. The search for the missing diver and Captain was abandoned after 5 days. laprensa.com. No other details. -
2010 7 27 McCullough Mike USA SCUBA American, mid twenties. Paraphrased from press reports:- “A SCUBA diver retrieving golf balls at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course drowned Tuesday afternoon, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department said. "The lady driving the boat to the green said she had seen him at the back edge of the green diving for balls but hadn't seen him in an hour and half," said one golfer. “We started looking around to see if we could see him and when we looked over the left side of the green, we saw his face down body limp under the water, about 15 feet (offshore). But he wasn't moving and there weren't any bubbles coming out. The witness and a staff member took a boat out, pulled the body aboard and took the victim to an adjacent dock around 4 pm. The witness said the body was without diving gear when it was spotted. He was pronounced dead at Kootenai Medical Center around 5 p.m He was working for a contractor who picks up golf balls and other debris from the lake bottom in the area. Tuesday afternoon his gear was still at the bottom of the lake, said the sheriff's department. “Our divers will recover that and investigate this as the case goes on�. CDA Press. -
2006 12 1 Barron Mike USA Divcon Injury, CNS hit -
1998 5 18 Shord Mike 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. -
1989 8 11 Carter Mike USA 4 SCUBA Aged 34, described as an experienced diver, drowned whilst replacing a pond drainage system on a farm three miles north of the town of Marion, 'not entangled or trapped, plenty of air in his tank. Investigators stated that “He might have been tired from work done on the previous day and plan no autopsy or further investigations� -
1985 9 18 Gurley Mike USA A subcontractor to the Georgia Power Company American, aged 34, fire-fighter, 10 years experience as a fire department diver, was also a diving instructor. Incident happened at the Morgan Falls dam where he was training another fire-fighter whilst undertaking sub-contract commercial diving work at the dam. The team had been hired by the power company to repair an underwater valve and recover constuction equipment lost previously. Whilst working on a valve, his left leg got sucked into a 14 inch drain pipe trapping him. He was conscious and calling for help for 45 minutes. "Rescuers delayed using a crane to pull him free for fear of tearing or breaking his leg".The last thing he was reported as saying was "Get my wife here, right now", then he went silent. Fifteen minutes later they pulled him free using the crane - which broke his legs. Flown by helicopter to Northside Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Cause of death was not recorded as drowning but 'hyperventilation'. The fire department battalon chief was quoted as saying "Gurley was a master diver, I don't know anybody who was more qualified". Survived by his Wife and three young daughters. Atlanta Herald. -
1978 11 36 Ward Mike UK Northern Divers 116 Saturation British, aged 25. Beryl Alpha, DSV "Star Canopus", DP incident inside anchor pattern, lost bell, double fatality (Prangley), hypothermia, drowning -
1977 0 0 Pickering Mike UK S/S Air Civil engineering, Nigg dry dock gate, differential pressure, sucked up pipe, drowned -
1976 9 6 Distier Mike USA 12 SCUBA Aged 28, diving for tropical fish of Big Pine Bay, reported as gear failure, breath held to surface, went into a coma, spent 8 hours in NOAA's Miami chamber, died in a Miami hospital. Not clear if this was a commercial dive. Reported in the St Petersberg Times. -
2012 2 4 Rodriguez Miguel Angelo Spain Diveships 6 Aged 41, grout injection operation ('Emergency repairs') at the Queen Sofia pier in the port of Cadiz, call to the emergency services at 13:50 of a 'diver problem'. Initial reports indicated that he failed to surface, was recovered but did not respond to treatment, possible heart attack (pending autopsy). Passed a medical in December, had been working with the contractor for one month. EFE Cadiz -
2010 11 2 Tejeda Miguel Angel Molina Chile Chilean Navy Aged 23, Salvage diver, Chief of staff stated that he made a very shallow dive but afterwards reported not feeling well. He was sent to the Naval hospital 'Admiral Nef' in Vina del Mar but during the transfer suffered a possible cardiac arrest. No other details. Reported by GPS Divinig -
2011 5 15 Palma Miguel Angel Cupul Mexico 15 SCUBA Aged 60, 25 miles offshore from Merida (Yucatan penninsula) collecting sea cucumber, rescued alive and taken ashore for treatment but died. Causes reported as cerebral anoxia/acute decompression illness. Reported by Sipse.com -
2009 11 15 Morales Miguel Angel Chile 2 SCUBA Aged 49, Cleaning operation in a 'pond' (9 billion m3 storage facility) owned by the National oil Company, described as having 30 years diving experience and working for a diving sub-contractor. One other team member (A none-diver, so effectively a solo SCUBA dive) raised the alarm when he failed to surface. Body recovered 7 hours later. No other details. La Estrella/Cronica -
2013 7 29 Casas-Cordero Menéndez Miguel 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 -
2010 6 19 Nasca Michele Italy Aged 57, 7 o'clock in the morning, snorkel diving with his brother to collect seafood near a pier near in the town of Zapponeta (Foggia, Italian East Coast north of Bari), sucked into into the 1 metre diameter inlet of a pump 2.5 metres below sea level (grill may have been faulty) supplying salt water to the 'Margherita di Savona' natural salt drying pans. Reported as 'shredded' by the impeller which was located only 30cm from the entrance. Apparently there was a sign prohibiting swimming in the area at the head of the pier, but not on the beach either side of it. A local fisherman was reported as saying that many years ago another spear fisherman had died at the same place in the same manner. Reported by Stato quotidiano -
2008 6 19 Nasca Michele Italy SCUBA Paraphrased from various press reports- “An amateur diver aged 57 diving with his brother 'died after coming into contact with the suction pump connected to a dock.' ' The body, horribly mutilated, and was recovered by police divers.' 'The judiciary is investigating the hypothesis that there is no protection grill on the turbine plant.' -
2013 2 17 McQuade Michael R USA Hydro Marine Construction 0 Topsides Aged 34, former marine corporal, wife and two sons, working as a diver but killed on deck in a crush accident on a barge on the Sayreville side of the morgan Bridge north of Laurence Harbour. Appears to have been a back hoe, "The Operator of the equipment could not see Mike. Mike was brushed once and not hurt. When the Operator was informed, he reacted and moved the wrong way and crushed Mike to death" Press reports in legacy.com, nj.com etc -
2003 10 28 Anderson Michael R USA 11 S/S Air 33 year old, commercial fishing (sea cucumber harvesting), but though experienced SCUBA diver, inexperienced with surface supply, mask off, no fins, heavy weight belt, recovered to surface but no response, drowned. Reported to have gone without air for 5 to 10 minutes Alaska Digest -
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. -
1976 3 26 Mitchell Michael Jay Singapore General Marine American, aged 29 from Seattle, died in hospital following a salvage dive from the barge 'Federal 401' during which his left foot was trapped in an air vent underwater. No other details. Straits Times -
1971 3 0 Brushneen Michael George Norway Comex 61 S/S Mixed Gas British, aged 33. "Ocean Viking", Bell bounce dive in a new design (possibly untested and subsequently discontinued) constant volume suit, blew up from seabed, pulmonary barotrauma resulting in pneumothorax -
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 -
2012 9 21 Bridger Michael USA Walt Disney / Silver Bullet Productions SCUBA Aged 48, cleaning inside a tank on a ranch near Palmdale in the desert north of Los Angeles prior to filming on the set of the new "Lone Ranger" movie, reported that co-workers realised something was wrong and pulled him from the water at which stage he went into cardiac arrest. Initially being treated as natural causes (Heart attack). Reuters UK. Update March 2013:- Silver Bullet Productions was fined $61,445 after the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) determined that the company allowed a hazardous situation that resulted in the drowning death of a diver who was cleaning a water tank. According to Cal/OSHA's records, the 48-year-old diver was using SCUBA equipment to enhance water clarity for filming while cleaning the 100-foot-by-80-foot-by-25-foot tank with a vacuum. The regulatory agency states that the diver's "dive buddy" was absent for 10 minutes and, when he returned, he noticed that no bubbles were coming to the surface of the water. OSHA determined the accident was primarily caused by the diver working alone and not being given a prior medical examination to determine his fitness to dive. For not having a designated "person in charge" at the dive location, failing to ensure that all divers were properly trained in CPR and other life-saving measures, not keeping up with the divers' required regular medical examinations and violating basic operational procedures—all deemed "serious" violations, Silver Bullet was fined $45,000. The company was fined another $16,445 for six general violations: not providing documentation of safety and health training for all employees, not keeping records of each dive in the tank, not keeping proper records of all equipment maintenance, not maintaining a required Illness Prevention Program for hazard training, not developing a manual for diver safety and not properly maintaining the compressor for supplying air. Cause of death recorded as drowned after having a heart attack underwater. LA Times -
2012 8 10 Burgan Michael USA Fireman 19 SCUBA Aged 46, Captain in the Sugarcreek Fire department (also dived for the Holmes County dive team) participating in an advanced diving class at the White Star Quarry in Gibsonburg, reported as showing signs of distress after 15 minutes into his second dive of the day, surfaced and called for help before he lost consciousness, recovered from about 61' water depth by fellow divers but pronounced dead at the scene. Firehouse.com news -
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 3 11 Sonia Michael USA Chet Morrison Topsides Aged 43, crewman in the engine room, seriously injured in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison", died in hospital three days later -
2005 8 27 Switala Michael USA Firefighter SCUBA American, aged 50, Lower Burrel, Pa, volunteer fire-fighter, Grove City Quarry, third training dive of the day, (purpose was to maintain PADI qualification). Completed dive, partner signaled ready to surface, he signaled back "OK� and began ascent but once on the surface could not locate Switala, but saw a flashlight distress signal underwater. Immediately descended, noticed that the regulator was out, tried to replace but it fell out, inflated BCD and brought him to the surface (estimated elapsed time at this point was less than one minute).. Taken to shore, immediately initiated CPR. Emergency medical services arrived within 15 minutes. Transported to a local hospital where he died the next day. The coroner listed the cause of death as drowning. Investigation recommended, 1: Fire departments should develop, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding diver training. 2: Fire departments should ensure that each diver maintains continuous visual, verbal, or physical contact with his or her dive partner. (line-tended from the surface or accompanied by another diver in the water) 3 : Fire departments should ensure that a backup diver and ninety-percent-ready diver are in position to render assistance. 4 : Fire departments should ensure that positive communication is established among all divers and those personnel who remain on the surface. (In this incident, there were no personnel at the surface to perform monitoring, and underwater diver-to-diver electronic devices were not used). -
2003 12 6 Norwood Michael Palau TV 76 Rebreather British TV presenter filming a documentary in the series “ Deep Sea Detective�. Technical dive on the wreck of the second world war wreck of the USS Perry off Palau. Ran out of gas, attempted sharing, lost consciousness, failed to activate reserve, did not respond to treatment. -
2003 5 23 Bradley Michael South Africa Police 30 SCUBA Aged 35, Police diver searching Lesotho Katse Dam for victims of a helicopter crash. Reported as stopping breathing, probable natural causes, but no details. South African Press Association -
2003 5 0 Hopley Michael Saudi Arabia ADAMS One of three divers (With Andrew Iles and Stephen) allegedly exposed to toxic chemicals chemicals discharged from a vessel owned by Saudi Aramco, in May 2003. All three were admitted to hospital with rashes and nausea and were then readmitted for a further ten days after they experienced difficulties in breathing and became lethargic. None have been able to return to diving as an occupation. They are bringing a negligence action in the UK against the diving contractor and diving supervisor (March 2009). Details sub judice -
2000 6 24 Climer Michael USA Caldive Topsides American, diver/tender, topsides work removing a helideck, killed in a fall of 30', no details. cDiver -
1990 10 4 Parks Michael USA SCUBA From Baltimore, surveying extent of zebra mussels in a 130' long pipe at the Monroe County Water Authority pumping station on Lake Ontario. Body was pulled out some two hours after he lost contact with the surface. "He got trapped and we couldn't get him out". No other details. The Evening News -
1990 8 31 Mortimer Michael USA SCUBA Aged 31, Lake Worth fire fighter, recreational dive for lobster off Juno Beach in the notorious 'mini-season'. Died due to air in this cylinder being contaminated carbon monoxide. Reported in the Miami Herald. Later, it was reported in the Sun Sentinel that “Attorney Tracy R. Sharpe, who represents the victim's widow, said he thought the carbon monoxide got into the tank when [Michael R. Mortimer] filled it with oxygen from a larger oxygen tank that National Weldco of Miami had delivered to his home� (Doubtful it was oxygen for a sports lobster dive, probably decanting air, but still no explanation of where the CO came from, TC) -
1982 6 25 McCarty Michael USA 14 SCUBA "Navy SCUBA diver died Friday afternoon 45 feet under the waters of Long Beach Harbour under the World War II Battleship 'New …. ?" Reported as a 'valve malfunction'. Los Angeles Times -
1955 7 30 Byrnes Michael USA SCUBA Aged 15, SCUBA training in a YMCA swimming pool in San Bernardino drowned when his arm got sucked into an outlet pipe. “The boy's parents watched while three doctors and fire department resuscitator crew worked over the body for an hour after he was pulled from the water�. Reported in the Spokane Daily Chronicle. -
2017 6 14 Sango Mervin UAE Atlantis Marine SCUBA Ex-Navy diver, hull cleaning the vessel 'Oil Runner' (Panama flagged crude oil tanker, 270m x 46 m) off Fujairah, evening dive (20:00 - 21:00), heavy swell, current running, apparently had a problem and disappeared from colleagues view. Later found floating on the surface, 'lips exploded and tongue bitten'. PC -
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 -
2009 4 5 Connor Melvin 'Chippy' Anguilla Fisherman SCUBA Aged 64, self employed diver/fisherman "He never worked for a man yet, from the time he was a boy all he did was dive", had been diving for lobster, conchs and welks since he was 16 (in 1960), described as a 'fit bachelor who had a plywood and fibreglass fishing boat (built by a relative) named the boat Victoria after the British Queen Victoria because his birthday, 24th May, fell on the same date as hers'. He was diving solo off Blowing point with matker buoy and flag and appears to have been run over around 09:00 hours by a 'Fun Time' charter vessel and died of propeller injuries. The Anguillian -
1983 6 20 Bouhuis Meinbert J Canada Wijsmuler Salvage Saturation Aged 22 from Vlaardinger, one of two (The other was Jan Podt) Dutch divers who died in underwater explosions either cutting into a compartment (oxy/arc??) or using ramset guns during salvage operations on the Ocean Ranger (Sank in a storm February 15th 1982) off the barge 'Ocean Servant 2', no details. After a third diver was killed less than a week later, salvage operations were suspended for an investigation. Spokane Chronicle/Ottawa Citizen -
2009 4 3 Halder Meghnad India National Diving Services 9 S/S Air Calcutta, Haldia dock complex (HDC). Clearing outer (Haldi River) side gate seals/runners. Surfaced after 10 minutes, gasping. Hospitalised but reported OK. Standby divers recovered the body of his dive partner (Guha) later in the day. Air hoses parted while they where underwater (Probably lightweight 'hookah' gear), no bailouts, lifelines. Report indicates confined space/penetration dive in zero visibility on lock gate runner mechanism. Reported in the Times of India -
2012 11 3 Montozzi Maximilian Argentina Police Aged 37, Buenos Aries Province police diver, one of a team searching the Roggero Dam in Moreno on Monday for the bodies of two young men who disappeared the previous Saurday 3rd (presumed drowned, both bodies were subsequently recovered). Went missing during the morning, his lifeless body was recovered from a few metres away from where he disappeared in the afternoon. Reported swept away by strong current and trapped on a grill, drowned. His brother Marcos, also a policeman, had also died in the line of duty. Noticas Argentinas -
1938 0 0 Nohl Max USA DESCO 31 Saturation Max Nohl and Dr. Edgar End spent 27 hours at 101' in a decompression chamber at Milwaukee Hospital, after a 5 hour decopression, Max Nohl has a DCI. -
1937 12 0 Nohl Max USA 128 S/S Mixed Gas First deep dive using a heliox mixture and DESCO gear (Developed by Diving Equipment and Salvage Company set up in Winsconsin by divers Max Nohl and Jack Browne with hyperbaric physiologist Edgar End) in Lake Michigan -
2009 2 25 Mirabella Maurilio Honduras Waihuka Adventure Divers SCUBA Diving business owner on Roatan island selling shark feeding dives to tourists. Allegedly tried to kill a competing dive operator underwater at a shark feeding site. Witnesses said he attacked another dive guide who took a group of tourists to the shark feeding site, apparently attempting to prevent the competing dive operator from profiting off of "his sharks". He tried to shut off his air supply. The authorities have charged Mirabella with attempted murder (He declined to comment on the charges, but said he sells shark feeding dives because "without sharks, scuba diving in Roatan isn't worth much"). -
1947 9 19 Fargues Maurice France Military 119 SCUBA From the French Naval Vessel 'Timing' off Toulon. Experimental dive “in connection with the planned Bathysphere dives to the Ocean floor by the Belgian Professor Picard� described as 'Frances leading deep sea diver'. Reported as diving with goggles and three Oxygen tanks on his back. Reached 300' (which set a world depth record)', signalled OK and went on down to 390'. Signals stopped and he was hauled up. A colleague dived down and found him at 200', goggles off, mouthpiece out, apparently unconscious. Hauled to the surface, still unconscious, died in hospital. “Experts“ quoted as saying that “either the lifeline swung against his mouthpiece ripping it from his mouth or Fargues was seized with what divers call 'deep sea drunkenness' Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald -
1859 10 0 Alward Maurice UK S/S Air "Shocking Death of a Diver. On Tuesday an inquest was held at the town hall by R. J. Emmerson and a very respectable jury, touching the death of Maurice Alward, a ..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Kentish Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
2004 3 0 Roy Matthias Francois Australia Holothurian Diving Pty 30 SCUBA Canadian, aged 24, recreational SCUBA diver, employed by a commercial diving company in Cairns to harvest sea cucumbers off Lizard Island, North Queensland. First dive of trip. No occupational experience. Possible entanglement whilst on beche de mer drift dive. Became detached from air hose. Recovered by co-workers after 16 hours. Significant marine predation post mortem. Drowned. Detached from air hose. Mouthpiece missing on regulator. Bailout worn but not turned on. Bail out regulator secured to cylinder. Owner of the company was fined $60,000, third breach of Workplace Health and Safety Act, diver "dangerously unqualified". Workplace Health and Safety, Queensland and Cairns Post. -
1993 9 7 Rice Matthew USA 9 SCUBA Aged 24, off Maine, sports diver and student gathering sea urchins, first salt water dive, tender lost sight of bubbles, found on seabed 20 minutes later, drowned, boat owner cited for violations of commercial diving standards. -
2008 3 11 Altland Matt USA Chet Morrison Topsides Diver onboard the DSV "Jillian Morisson", Explosion knocked him into the water, fractured shouder, crushed elbow, collapsed lung, scalp injuries. Medivac to hospital in Lafayette. -
1985 11 17 Rao Mathew J USA Caldwell Diving Company 6 S/S Air Removing silt from a dockside water when his air supply was accidentally cut off, 'His air hose got sucked into the intake of the ejection pump, cutting off his air supply,'' NY Times -
2011 1 8 Smock Mathew 'Matt' Alexander USA T & T Bisso S/S Air Aged 28, Married with 4 children. The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the death of a diver who was found unresponsive after cleaning a ship's hull, authorities said Monday. The diver, from Houston, was working offshore from a service boat. Crews performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him until the boat docked at Pier 9 in Galveston. Galveston firefighters took over the lifesaving maneuver and an ambulance took the diver to the University of Texas Medical Branch. The incident stemmed from what was believed to be a mechanical malfunction with diving equipment, a fire official said. The diver was pronounced dead at 1:37 p.m, by the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office. He was diving about 10 miles out from the jetties in an area where ships anchor, cleaning the hull of a ship with a scrubbing machine. He was working on the King Arthur, a commercial diving vessel. Galveston Daily News. Other sources indicate he lost his helmet (PC) 2012 USCG/ADCI Safety Partnership Casualty Statistics Paper also reported the incident adding he requested 'Up and out' but surfaced the opposite side of the ship, the supervisor reported that the diver wanted to ditch his hat. Rescue diver found him on the bottom without helmet, unresponsive. -
2007 10 25 Myers Mathew USA Sealife Centre SCUBA American, aged 44, Resurrection Bay, Alaska, training dive to become a Sealife centre scientific diver, "ran out of air, may have panicked trying to take off his weight belt" drowned. -
2007 9 25 Myers Mathew USA Sealife Centre SCUBA Aged 44, Marine mammal scientist with the Sealife Centre in Seward, alaska. Training dive, ran out of air, surfaced with instructor, decided to swim to shore (rather than to their anchored boat), unable to release weight belt or inflate buoyancy, submerged, instructor assumed he was trying to release his weight belt but he did not resurface. Pair were diving alone. Body recovered 90 minutes later. -
2001 5 5 Draughon USN Mathew Japan USN S/S Air American Navy diver aged 21, diving off USS "Safeguard", salvage of crashed F-16, early hours of the morning, strong currents, hoses wrapped around anchor chains, helmet off, body washed up on beach a month later, 'drowned due to accident', second diver, Bryan Gordon was rescued safely. Navy criticised vessel leadership for not taking account of fatigue, deteriorating weather conditions and poor risk management procedures. estripes.com -
2000 5 5 Warzack Mathew USA Lindahl Marine S/S Air American, reported as "Diver was sucked into a 9 ft diameter intake. Lost communications with diver after 15 minutes, body recovered 40 minutes later. Improper tag-out procedures. 3 Citations, informally Settled". No other details. NAOCD/cDiver -
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 -
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. -
2014 11 14 Thiago Matheus Brazil Sistac 12m Accident happened on the Petrobras production platform P-31 (Albacore field, Campos Basin, 180 km East of Macae) . Sistac are licensed air diving contactor (not IMCA), possibly working on a conductor slot, recovered to surface but did not respond to treatment, investigation ongoing by union. Reported sindipetronf.org.br -
1996 12 4 Polibuda Matan Israel Navy SCUBA OC Navy has appointed an inquiry committee to determine the cause of the mysterious deaths in a routine training exercise of two IDF frogmen, whose bodies were found yesterday in Haifa Bay 16 hours after they went missing. The two, First-Sgt. Matan Polibuda, 20, from Mevasseret Zion and First-Sgt. Yair Engel, 19, from Kibbutz Ramat Rahel, were veterans of dozens of dives. They were approaching promotion to they were 16 months in the unit and approaching their graduation into the elite Shayetet 13 underwater commando battalion -
1947 4 21 Saman Mat Malaysia Penang, Reported as "Dived to free a rope which had been entangled and he asked for the ship's engines to be restarted. A few moments later the water was red with blood". At the inquest 'the theory was advanced that he was killed by the ship's propellor when trying to free a rope' Straits Times -
1956 8 23 Yanase Masumi Australia Topsides “Japanese Diver Found Dead� BROOME (WA), Wednesday. — A young Japanese pearl diver, Masumi Yanase. 23, was found dead in the water alongside his boat today. He had noosed a rope around his neck which was made fast to the lugger's diving platform. It is thought Masumi Yanase jumped overboard and accidentally strangled himself. He had been in Broome for the past year and was considered an efficient diver�. Reported in The Canberra Times. -
1991 2 8 Hynes Master Seaman William Portugal Canadian Navy SCUBA Aged 31, diving off the Canadian destroyer 'Margaree, visiting the Madeira Islands. It was stated that the propeller being started had nothing to do with the death of the two divers who were inspecting the hull who both drowned after being trapped in the engine room cooling water intake pipe. Double fatality (Sub Lieutenant Corey Wells). Reported in the Toronto Star -
2011 6 25 Abdeen Massoud Egypt Seapro 30 S/S Air Diving off the Cosmos 1 for GPC, two man dive. LS 09:25, AB 09:27, LB 09:35, AS 09:40, divers in distress at depth. Reported as having switched air supply mid dive (HP bank to diesel compressor?). Appear not to have had medical oxygen or working DDC on vessel, nor access to onshore medical suppport so used mobile phone to call the supervisor of another diving contractor at approx 10:30, vessel with full IMCA compliant dive system and personnek in transit to July field (mid point) at 10:45. Arrived in field renezvous 11:40, Cosmos tied up alongside 11:55. 12:00 injured diver transferred and receiving oxygen (transferred ashore and on to hospital, suspected pneumothorax), Second diver declared dead on site (by doctor flown out by helicopter). Possible contaminated air but no reports or information from the contractor. Not reported in the public domain. PC -
1935 12 5 Fukami Maso Australia 30 S/S Air Aged 23, Japanese apprentice Pearl diver working 30 miles off Bathurst Island. His second dive of the day, had sent up one bage of shellthen "While he was waiting for the bag, a snake, estimated to be about eight feet long and four inches around the middle of its body, and like the python which is found in the Northern Territory, swam close to him and seized his left wrist in its jaws" Hauled to deck and found to have his wrist torn apart by the snake's fangs. They put on a tournequet and put him back down to 10 fathoms but shortly after he signalled to be pulled up, but then floated to the surface unconscious. His body had turned black 'the result, his mates thought, of the poison from the snake and paralysis'. Straits Times -
1935 10 25 Fukami Maso Australia 37 S/S Air Japanese, aged 23, Bathurst island, bitten on the left wrist by a snake, surfaced and a tounequet put on the bite, put back in the water to decompress but came to the surface unconscious and died two hours later. Unclear whether cause of death was DCI or venom poisoning. -
1936 11 8 Seko Masao Australia Streeter & Male 26 S/S Air “DIVER'S DEATH. Once again the hazards of diving for pearl shell was tragically demonstrated when Messrs. Streeter and Male's pearling lugger ''Donna Francis" arrived in Darwin at seven o'clock on Monday morning bringing in the body of Masoa Seko, a Japanese, who was the second diver on the vessel. At the time of the occurrence, the divers were working in 12 to 14 fathoms, on grounds about 60 miles off Bathurst Island, which is a comparatively shallow depth for such work. After the diver's collapse was discovered his ship mates staged him for 12 hours but death took place on Sunday at I a.m. The vessel then headed for Darwin arriving as stated above. The body was immediately, conveyed to the morgue, where it was viewed by the Doctor and Coroner. At the inquest held this morning the Coroner's (Mr. G. J. Pigott, S M.) verdict was ‘I find that Masao Seko, a Japanese employed by the firm of Streeter and Male, Master Pearlers, of Darwin, died on the lugger ''Donna Francis Boo'’ at sea in the vicinity of Bathurst Island on 8th November, 1936 from diver's paralysis sustained in the ordinary course of his employment diving for pearl shell, and that his death was not due to negligence on the part of his tender, nor of any member of the crew of the lugger, nor on the part of the firm of Streeter and Male aforesaid, nor by reason of faulty dress, equipment and or gear at the time of the fatality. The deceased was born at Wakayamaken, Japan, and has been in the Commonwealth for a period of two years. He was 21 years of age�. Reported in the Northern Standard -
1937 5 10 Minami Masaji Australia S/S Air "Diver Drowns" 6 Pearling luggers arrived in Darwin with flags at half mast,with the lugger 'Medlar' bearing the body of a 28 year old Japanese pearl diver. The fleet had breen working round the English Company's islands and had intended returning to Thursday Island but the winds were adverse so had made for Darwin instead. The man was an experienced diver when using a full suit but was learning to dive with a helmet and corselet only. The crew believe that he made some mistake as the lifeline fouled a buoy and he was drowned before any assistance could reach him. The loss to each lugger attending the funeral is estimated at fully £200. One diver a week is being lost on overseas luggers on average. Reported in the Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, NSW. -
1937 5 9 Minamie Masaji Australia S/S Air Returning crews sailed into Darwin to-day for the funeral rites of Masaji Minaraie, a Thursday Island diver. He died at the Echo Island beds, another paralysis victim. Reported in the Kalgoorlie Miner, WA. (This incident was not reported in the American press until mid August) -
1997 3 15 Rhode Marty USA Roza Irrigation district 30 SCUBA America, aged 33, employed to remove cars from 2210 feet long, 13 foot diameter irrigation canal tunnel "syphon", trapped by flowing water, ran out of air, drowned. Two man team, no stand-by divers/equipment. Two firemen died trying to rescues them, quadruple fatality (Eberle, Hauber, Mestaz) -
2000 11 30 Cote Martine Canada Hydro-Quebec 6 S/S Air Aged 28. Paraphrased from the press report:- A team of engineers, commercial divers and their support staff were conducting a routine underwater video inspection of the power-house dam, generating station Hull 2. Martine Côté went under the surface at 12:30 p.m. and within less than half an hour, radioed that she was in trouble. According to the public relations officer for Hydro-Québec, Côté had encountered what is known as "suction." Suction occurs when there is a hole or fissure in the dam wall on the upstream side, and it means death for divers. "We had no idea. The basin had been seen dry, and there was no hole at that time. At 20 feet of water, the visibility isn't so great, unless there was a vortex you can't see it." It is also not clear how she died--whether from hypothermia, suffocation or the tremendous pressure on her body which could have caused a cardiac arrest. Officials at Hydro-Québec say only that she was declared dead at the hospital after resuscitation attempts had failed. The suction pulling on Côté's body was approximately 3,000 pounds per square feet in 20 feet of water. It was so strong that it ripped off her suit. There was no crane on the site, so the 14 workers on the surface were trying to pull her up manually. She was also not wearing a crotch harness. During the pulling from above, her body harness fell apart and her umbilical--a cord that provides air--was severed. They pulled unsuccessfully with nylon cables, finally getting her out at about 2 pm. "This woman was special, she was Hydro's [and Quebec's] only female commercial diver." reported in the Montreal Mirror -
1983 11 5 Saunders Martin Andrew Norway Comex Houlder 0 Saturation Drill rig "Byford Dolphin", Frigg field, explosive decompression of sat system when TUP clamp failed, 5 fatalities, one serious injury -
2007 2 22 Birchedal Martin Gibraltar UCS or Gibunco/Scamp? SCUBA Danish, married with 2 children, died doing a hull cleaning job in Gibraltar, may have been a solo dive, no comms or stand-by diver. No details in the public domain. Inquest held in 2010 found that he had been using a single 80 litre SCUBA tank (Manufactured in 2003 with no test stamps since manufacture and containing 2 litres of fresh water) and an aga mask (recovered in 'destroyed' condition). Vox Gibraltar/Longstreath/PC -
2007 2 7 Alvarado Martin USA State water dept 9 SCUBA Employee of the State water dept, part of a volunteer team of approx 12 divers who inspect/maintain the water system, died in an aqueduct, Dos Amigos pumping station, 5 mph current, tethered together, reported as not sucked onto the inlet grating, but no explanation, double fatality (Crawford) fined $16,120 for the two deaths -
2002 5 22 Blackley Martin UK Seahorse Aquaculture 16 SCUBA British, Royal Marine commando, aged 26, Altbea Fish farm, Loch Ewe, entangled in rope, valve not fully functional, speculated that he hyperventilated, panicked, drowned. He was unqualified, 3 man dive team, no dressed in stand-by, no lifeline, no communications, no knife, no risk assessment, no dive logs, On medical leave with a leg injury, diving in exchange for a £300 drysuit -
1998 5 18 Skeate Martin 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. -
1988 11 0 McCasland Martin USA Aged 41, retrieving Oxygen bottles that had rolled off the deck of a vessel in Dutch Harbour. Dry suit malfunction, rapid ascent. Family awarded $1.73 million on the grounds that the dry suit inflation valve malfunction was partly to blame for his death. No details -
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. -
1901 6 14 Anderson Martin USA Rodgers Salvage 18 S/S Air American, reported as asphyxiated, heavy bleeding from eyes nose, probably nicked hose, lost air, squeeze, differential pressure. -
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). -
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) -
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 -
2010 10 23 Copeland Mark Eugene USA Greg's Marine 12 S/S Air American, aged 45. Paraphrased from reports "On Oct. 23 at approximately 11:34 a.m., units from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and Maryland State Police responded to the Dominion LNG Plant Gas Dock to investigate a reported industrial accident. The victim was later pronounced deceased at Calvert Memorial Hospital. The preliminary investigation revealed he was working for Greg’s Marine as a labourer. His duties this day were to chip away old cement jackets placed over pilings at the gas dock, preparing these pilings for new jackets, approximately 1 mile off the coast of Calvert County. While conducting this task, he was equipped with a neoprene wet suit, fins, a harness, and a diver’s helmet. He slipped underwater and continued to the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay, approximately 40 feet. After several attempts, the supervisor finally rescued his unconscious body from the Bay’s floor. CPR was conducted by his co-workers as well as medical staff and members of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office. Forensic investigation revealed there were no signs of trauma to the body. This is an on-going investigation handled by the Calvert Investigative Team (CIT) and the United States Coast Guard" -
2010 9 14 Barrett Mark D USA State Police 23 SCUBA Aged 41, Died during a training dive in Lake Anna, reported as deep diver training with 16 other members of the Virginia State Police search and recovery team, ascending, seen to have difficulty breathing, assisted to surface, CPR, taken to hospital but died. Reported as drowned. First fatality on the dive team since it was established in 1962. The Munz -
2007 9 1 Ross Mark Australia DOF 46 year old, fell overboard seismic survey vessel M/V "Geosounder" 03:00 am -
2004 3 11 Miller Mark USA Fireman SCUBA American fire-fighter/diver aged 43, testing new equipment in a lake, not tethered to partner, drowned under ice, ill fitting dry suit and 44lb weight belt blamed as contributory factors. NIOSH Report -
2001 12 31 Feher Mark USA SCUBA Aged 21, professional golf ball diver, working on the links at Boynton beach with his brother. Both on SCUBA but . Reported as an experienced diver, failed to surface at the end of the dive, recovered by his brother, drowned, no details. St. Petersburg Times -
1984 8 16 Dawson Mark UK Oceaneering 43 S/S Air British, aged 22. DSV "Deurloo", Southern North Sea, Leman Field, using a drill, rope entangled in rotating drill, pulled off his KM 18 band mask, drowned -
2010 10 19 Alarcon Mario Peru Aged 48, had stopped diving 'but for financial reasons' moved from 'the slums of Lucy Villanueva' to the Island of Parachique (Province of Sechura) to work in the pearl shell extraction industry. Surfaced in a rush and complained of chest pains, died diuring the transfer to Parachique. No treatment equipment on the boat. Wife and six children. Elregionalpiura.com -
2000 2 16 Williams Marcus Australia Endeavour Shipping Pty 10 SCUBA Australian, Diving in Investigator Roads, Gulf of Carpenteria. Diving operation to dismantle moorings in poor underwater visibility (<600mm) with surface swell and high current. Failed to surface, body never recovered. Contractor prosecuted (Inappropriate use of SCUBA for construction diving work. Cylinders not in current test. Lifeline disconnected by diver at surface and descended with lifeline over arm. Air purity not tested after previous oil contamination incident of HP compressor. No current medical certification. No standby diver fully equipped to act in standby diver role. No dive supervisor appointed. 30 minute delay to obtain appropriate equipment before search commenced) Workplace Health and Safety, Queensland. -
2002 3 2 da Silva Marcos Francisco Brazil Campos basin, Petrobras platform P-20 died in an accident on the first day he worked on the platform, no details. Viaseg.com -
2012 3 19 Freigeiro Choucino Marcos Spain UCS, Algeceiras 20 SCUBA Spanish aged 28, Hull cleaning operation at the alpha anchotage in Port of Algerceiras on the container ship "Lica Maersk" (Launched 2001, 266 metres long, 37 metre beam, draft 21 metres, capacity 3,600 TEU), brush became detached, dragged the diver to seabed at 100m, body not located. Longstreath/GPS Buceo -
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 -
2008 8 11 Tiznado Marco Antonio Parra Chile Marine Harvest Aged 21, salmon farming, died in Achao hospital after an accident around noon whilst repairing nets, was working with a partner but went back into the water solo to rectify a fault with the netting. Harbourmaster was alerted around 14:00 hours. Boat then had engine failure on the way in to port so company sent a rescue boat plus paramedic, arrived at hospital with vital signs but declared dead at 15:15 hours. No real details -
1950 7 1 del Cargo Marcisco Italy Chamber "Two deep sea divers were burned to death in a decompression chamber at Bari, Italy. The two divers had just entered the chamber when the fire broke out. By the time attendant had got the doors open, the two men were dead" The Milwaukee Journal -
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. -
1991 0 0 Bennett Marc or Mark Indonesia Pelita Mustika Mandiri 6 S/S Air New Zealander, “Died in an accident on an Indonesian oil rig�, no details However we have now received the following information:- “Diving off the DLB Shillelagh' (360' x 100') during a pipeline shore pull. He became entangled in fishing net debris near shore in shallow water and lost umbilical supply (umbilical believed to have become wrapped/kinked in fishing lines). Unclear if he exhausted his bailout. Managed to surface briefly but was still entangled, at one stage was clinging to a buoy for flotation. Stand-by diver was deployed and found the diver still entangled mid-water with his hat off. Recovered to barge but did not respond to treatment�. A further correspondent has added, "the vessel was carrying out a beach pull, Mark was on the end of his hose (can't remember the umbilical length on this barge, normally they were 400-600ft on the barges in these days). His helmet (KMB17) detached from the neck-dam, but he could still breath and had communications, he informed the supervisor who instructed him to make his way back to the barge slowly along the seabed while the standby was jumped. Instead he decided to climb a buoy-line to the surface, (I think about 6-7mt water depth).... while doing this his hat came fully off due to him climbing and the standby pulling himself along his hose. One thing to point out is that Mark was fairly new to the game and the standby was on his first job. On the surface while holding onto the Norwegian buoy, he tried to dump his gear, but was being pulled under by the standby traveling along his hose.... there was a pelican clip attaching the umbilical to his harness; when he pulled it to release the umbilical, the rope broke on the ring attached to the clip and he couldn't release himself, then he tried to cut himself free, this failed and he was dragged under and drowned. Mark was pulled back to the barge and CPR was preformed to no avail. This all happened in the early hours of the morning, the big rig operator at the time could see what was happening as he had his spot light focused out the stern of the barge. He could see but didn't know the big picture. PC/Longstreath. -
1974 4 11 Barthelemy Marc G G UK Comex 93 Saturation French, aged 24. Drill ship "Havdrill". Needed rescue, drowned in bell trunking, exhaustion. Alternative report that diver had lost/restricted gas, returned to bell with umbilical around guide wire, Swedish bellman pulled in umbilical which pulled diver away from bell, British support crew, reverted to native languages, in ensuing panic, bellman cut umbilical and shut bell door, told dive control to recover bell. Body of diver draped over bell weights. -
2003 7 5 Begneaux Marc Damon USA Caldive 193 Saturation Ewing bank 827, DSV "Witch Queen", Wellhead burning, oxy/arc, U/W explosion 191, (see IMCA SF 10/03) -
2012 5 17 Cancino Manuel Gomez Gonzalo Mexico SCUBA Aged 28, poaching for sea cucumber 22 miles off Progreso (Yucatan) with two companions off a 25' boat. Inexperienced, probably did not use decompression stops, died before he got to hospital. Autopsy stated death due to decompression illness. Progresohoy.com -
2001 2 21 Tenedorio Manuel Antonio Portugal Fireman Aged 38, Local man, fire department diver cleaning the gates of the Coura Covas Dam at Vila Nova de Cerveira (North West Portugal on the river Minho) with two others, reported as 'fell into the river', recovered from the river alive but died on the way to hospital. 'Diver', part of a 'working diving team' doing 'dive team work', but not diving. Reported as "probably not drowning, might have hit his head". Reported by publico.pt -
1938 6 28 Samarkos Manuel USA S/S Air Diver off the sponge vessel 'Elini' owned and operated by his brother, suffered appendicitis whilst diving, brought ashore and taken to hospital, but did not survive the operation. St Petersburg Times -
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 -
2008 11 14 Diaz Manolo Mexico Potable Water Inspection (Canadian contractor) Aged 45, one of two divers (With Cayetano Cordoba) who went into the three metre diameter Cutzamala fresh water pipeline system, suffocated and swept away by the water. Bodies (and those of the two resuce divers) recovered two days later. "There was no intentional homicide in the death of the divers who technically died of lack of breathable air" - they entered the confined space without using diving gear. Quadruple fatality. El Siglo de Torreon.com.mx -
2018 1 5 Not Reported Mandy France Police SCUBA Policewoman aged 27 from Nice, joined the 'Fluv' (Parisienne 'Brigade Fluviale', the elite river police set up in 1900 to guard the Seine for the great exhibition) in 2016, passed her open water qualification three weeks before the incident. Joint diving exercise with the fire brigade at the ile de Cite (Notre Dame), Seine in flood (+3 metres, went to +4.1 m over the weekend, 25 kph, 7 degrees, zero vis), aborted first dive, on second attempt went in and lifeline failed (not attached properly? Parted?). Disappeared (May have had 40 kg of equipment/weight), had not been located three weeks later. French press -
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 -
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 -
1941 7 26 Tesei Major Teseo Malta Military Submarine Italian human torpedo attack on Valletta harbour resulted in the death of one of the co-founders (With Major Elios Toschi) of the human torpedo unit of the Italian Navy (1 Flottiglia Mezzi d'Assalto) founded in 1938, re-organised in 1940 as the Decima Flottiglia MAS (10th light Flotilla of Assault Craft). -
2016 2 20 Hocine Major Rebiha France Police SCUBA Aged 42, four man Noyon River brigade police dive team searching for the body of the third occupant of a car that fell into the Somme in the centre of Amiens late at night (driver - charged tested positive for alcohol and Cannabis, charged - and a woman escaped) diving near a lock gate, failed to surface, taken to hospital with cardiac arrest, died the following day. -
2010 9 17 Jachal Major Narcis Romania Fireman Aged 33, section leader of three man diving team 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. One colleague (Sergeant Marius Loghin) died, section leader, Major Narcis Jachal and diver Iulian Todirel 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 -
2010 8 21 Hussein Mahmoud Ali Egypt Paraphrased from Press Reports:- Port Suez saw a tragic accident that claimed the live of a 40 year old vessel maintenance diver when the crew of a cargo ship waiting to transit the canal started the engines. A team from the Maritime Rescue Police recovered the body which was found to be badly damaged by the effects of the large propellers. The authorities detained the Iraqi Captain and ordered his prosecution (charged with negligence at work and killing the diver). Rosaonline.net -
1945 12 5 Graham Macka India Navy Topsides “Two Survivors Of Perils Die� SYDNEY, Tuesday “Two Australian divers of the Commonwealth Salvage Board have lost their lives in the last month, but through all operations during the war and since not a man of the team of over 30 has been killed during diving operations. Diver Macka Graham, of Melbourne, died of meningitis in hospital in Calcutta on Wednesday (5th December). He was one of the crew working under Captain J. P. Williams, under loan from the Australian Government, in raising the British India liner ‘Santhia’ which was on her side in the Hoogli River. ‘Santhia’ has been brought to an upright position ready for refloating. (The other was Joseph Dalley in Papua New Guinea). Reported in the Daily News, Pert, WA -
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 -
1976 12 24 Moore M R or H R UK Comex 0 SCUBA British, aged 29. Drill rig "Sedneth 701". Heavy swell, difficulty getting into basket, tried to swim to stand-by boat, presumed drowned, possibly run over by stand-by vessel, body never recovered. -
2012 10 2 Selvamani M India Topsides Aged 45, resident in Anna Nagar area of Kasimedu, described as a diver cum assistant crane operator, Fishing department project at the Kasimedu fishing harbour, recovering a beam with projecting iron rods out of the harbour (It was preventing boats coming alongside the wharf). He ran under the crane to move the divers compressor (mounted on a tricycle) but was crushed under the crane when it overturned, report not clear) due to the weight of the beam. Another worker was taken to the Government Stanley hospital with minor injuries, the crane driver fled the site as relatives and other fisher folk rushed to the harbour demanding action be taken against the contractor. Survived by wife (Arasi) and daughter. Reported by About Chennai. -
1942 12 31 Rickwood, RN M 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 -
1965 4 5 Thomas Lyle E USA Military SCUBA American, aged 38, Navy Deep Sea Diving School, With National Capital Cave Rescue team rescued 4 cavers trapped by rising water from Rowland cave, Ozark mountains, Arkansas, collapsed at end of dive, natural causes, heart attack. -
2014 4 30 Rupping Luke Kuwait Mammoet Joined SA Navy 2003, went to diving school in Simonstown in 2004, joined the Operational Diving Team (ODT), went back to the Diving School as an Assistant Facilitator in 2004, qualified as supervisor 2007. Left the Navy in 2008 and started commercial diving. Reported as killed in a broco/underwater cutting incident, possibly a salvage job. No other details. -
2015 7 15 Seabrook Luke Canada Pauls Diving Services S/S Air Aged 39, From Dartmouth in Nova Scotia, undertaking an inspection dive on the Annapolis tidal power plant. Lost contact about 13:00, pulled from the water at 14:40. Tangled, recovered by stand-by diver. Had to battle Bay of Fundy tides (was working bay-side of gate in the causeway). CBC News -
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 -
2010 7 22 Torres Luis Martin Cohuo Mexico From Celestun but resident in Hunucma, wife and two children aged 14 and 7, shellfish diver, died in a decompression incident. No details. Reported by Yucatanalamano.com -
2011 8 22 Soto Luis Enriques Cabrales Mexico SCUBA Aged 30 from Guaymas, living in El Desemboque (Caborca), clam diver 'decompression illness'. La Policiaca -
2009 10 27 de la Cruz Luis Benavides Peru Scallop diver S/S Air Aged 28, married with three children, in the afternoon, diving site was about three hours transit from El Dorado beach, compressor failed, boat came back to port with his body. No details, but appears no bailout or DDC on site. Reported in Diario de Chimbote -
2010 5 27 Orellana Luis Alberto Romero Chile 7 SCUBA Iquique, Chile. Shellfish diver with 30 years diving experience, Luis Alberto Romero Orellana, died yesterday at 11 am in a diving accident. At the time of the incident Luis Alberto was doing scrap recovery work for a fishing company. His teammates gave notice of the accident via mobile to the Maritime authorities, the patrol vessel "Defender" and a rescue RIB/divers of Harbor Master recovered the diver's body. Diving solo, no stand-by. Reported by gspbuceo -
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. -
2017 6 27 Gorgonio-Ixba Luis Alberto USA SCUBA Aged 34, working on a 164' luxury yacht 'Honey' docked at the Old Port Cove Marina (North Palm beach, Florida), was underwater cleaning the hull 'when someone or something inexplicably turned on the ship’s bow thrusters'. He was drawn in head first and died instantly. two daughters, one aged 6 months. http://www.wpbf.com/article/diver-cleaning-yacht-bottom-killed-when-propeller-turned-on/10231016 -
2010 8 4 Not Recorded Luis Mexico Rubi Munoz Chan Aged 25 from Seibaplaya, Campeche, diving for sea cucumber off the Rubi V as one of a three man crew. Vessel returned to port at 11:30 with his body, press commented on poor equipment and lack of knowledge of diving, but no details. Second diver to die in 15 days (Luis Torres. 22nd July) Reported by Yucatanalamano.com -
1985 1 23 Washington Luis Brazil Comex Saturation Incorrect oil (selected only for oxygen compatibility, management of change process not followed) used in regeneration system coupled with a series of circumstances that allowed the oil to come into direct contact with a heater element. The oil broke down producing by-products that included phosgene and fluoridic acid gases that were released into the chamber atmoshere. Cause of death recorded as lung oedema. Double fatality (Ruben Cavalcanti). PC -
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 -
2014 1 16 Michaud Luigi Antarctica University of Messina SCUBA Aged 40, member of the XXIX Italian Expedition to Antarctica, diving at the Marion Zucchelli Scientific Station to collect bacteriological samples (working on developing new anti-biotics for the treatment of cystic fribrosis). Wife and two children. 'fatal accident while diving'. No details. Reported by Redazione Research Italy -
1862 12 19 Barrett Lucas Jamaica S/S Air English, Aged 25, The first director of Geological Survey of Jamaica. He used mollusc shells for fossil dating, Started collecting living shells underwater from the Port Royal Cays, south of Kingston Harbour. On his second dive collecting shells on a reef, closed air valve and inflated suit to surface, floated to surface some distance from his boat, dead before brought ashore. J B S Haldane suggested that this rapid ascent was the cause of death due to a pulmonary air embolism ('the bends'). A shell, now in the natural history museum in London, found on his body is one of only two known specimens of a smooth shelled micromorphic brachiopod 'Argyrotheca woodardiana'. -
2012 4 19 Simonini Lt. Vincent Italy Italian Navy Aged 37, Italian Navy diver working at the helicopter base at Luni (La Spezia), assisting in pool based helicopter ditching/evacuation training. Unconscious in the water, treated by medics on site but failed to respond to treatment. Reported as 'cardiac arrest'. Italian Press reports. -
1942 12 31 Stretton-Smith, RNVR Lt. S 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 -
2006 5 25 Delgado Lt. Nelson Salidas Bolivia Navy Bolivian Navy diver, working on a hydroelectric dam in Chojlla (La Paz). Double fatality (The second was Lt Wilson Uequizo). Unclear why naval divers were carrying out work for a private company (Commanding officers sued in court and two officers - including the commanding officer of the diver training centre - were dismissed) and it seems that the second diver was ordered into the water to rescue the first, but the details of the incident have not been reported though it appears to have been a Dam/differential Pressure, dual fatality. Reported in Elmundo.com -
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 -
1961 10 11 Barron, RN Lt. Julian UK Military Aged 27, drowned at Rosyth Dockyard whilst trying to rescue a trainee diver. Trainee diver's lifeline 'appeared to be fouled and broke', Lt Barron was the standby and was sent into assist, gave a thumbs up and submerged. There was a terrific jerk on his lifeline and then his line broke too. It was later found that both men had been sucked through an open penstock (equalisation pipe between two docks). Diving instructor admitted no diving flag was being flown, civilian dockyard foreman in charge of the sluices stated that he was not aware of diving operations being conducted in the main basin and would have considered the dive site as hazardous because of the penstock (Diving in that area had been stopped two years earlier because of the penstock). No formal communcation link between divers and dock personnel. Following the incident Admiralty orders were put in place covering operation of diving in the docks and civilians in the dockyard also had definite instructions -
1984 7 19 Nielsen Lt. Jorgen Seligmann Denmark Navy Died on a training exercise dive at the Navy Seal combat training failities in Kongsore harbour due to an explosive charge being detonated close to him in error. Reported by navalhistory.dk -
1989 12 0 Connors USN Lt. John Patrick Panama USN SEAL Topsides Aged 25, Navy SEAL Diver, killed on land in action in Panama, reportedly deployed to Panama Airport to capture General Noriega -
1942 8 13 Freeman Lt. James Stewart USA Military S/S Air Helmet came off and he drowned, no details, Chicago Tribune -
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 -
1942 12 31 Bonnell, RCNVR, DSC Lt. G 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 -
2002 3 14 Christie, RN Lt. David UK RN British, aged 28, RN, training dive under HMS Grafton in Portsmouth harbour, found unconscious under hull, when dislodged surfaced rapidly by inflated buoyancy device, fatal pulmonary barotrauma but may already have been dead from lack of oxygen -
1998 7 16 Ibrahim Lt. Cmmdr. Mohamed Arshad New Zealand Royal Malaysian Navy Malaysian Navy officer, aged 37, on a two year exchange training programme with the Royal New Zealand Navy, killed in a diving exercise at the Navy base in Auckland. No other details. Straits Times -
2010 9 9 Ispas Lt. Catalin Romania Hunter SRL 40 SCUBA Turkish cargo vessel 'Medy' sank six miles off Constanta breakwater on the 1st September 2010. Private diving contractor put 4 divers onboard an ARSVOM (Navy) vessel to do a pollution survey to establish a contingency plan. First team dived successfully, second team (Ispas and Zarafu) followed, but nether surfaced. Romanian authorities intervened to remove the 22 tons of fuel and about two tons of oil and hired in a specialist Turkish diving contractor. To reach fuel tanks and engine room of the wreck, divers made a hole in the hull and began emptying the fuel tanks. The body of Ispas was found inside the engine room on the 12th December (Drowned, but with 20 bar air pressure still in his cylinder). Attributed to Nitrogen Narcosis. Apparently entered the wreck without using a lifeline (Ispas worked for the Naval emergency services but worked also for the diving contractor, unclear if he was a qualified commercial diver, Zarrafu was a full time commercial diver. No DDC, no medical back-up. The body of Zarafu was recovered on the 23rd December. Reported by Jurnalul.ro -
1952 6 11 Borradaile Lt-Cmmdr Edward L Canada Military Explosion Aged 42, Royal Canadian Navy diver and mine disposal officer working on a wartime mine reported by fishermen on the beach of Boilla Island, 70 miles from Prince Rupert, BC. He was killed by the explosion, his assistant, PO D Ross, aged 30, suffered a serious leg injury. Ottawa Citizen -
2006 5 25 Uequizo Lt Wilson Perez Bolivia Navy Bolivian Navy diver, working on a hydroelectric dam in Chojlla (La Paz). Double fatality (The second was Lt Nelson Delgado). Unclear why naval divers were carrying out work for a private company (Commanding officers sued in court and two officers - including the commanding officer of the diver training centre - were dismissed) and it seems that the second diver was ordered into the water to rescue the first, but the details of the incident have not been reported though it appears to have been a Dam/differential Pressure, dual fatality. Reported in Elmundo.com -
2002 11 28 McAulay Lt Paul UK RN 3 Surface Swimmer British, aged 27, Breath holding exercise, (recovery of mask from bottom of lake) during training at Horsea island, dived at 10pm after eating, vomited, inhaled, choked, heart attack. No stand-by diver. MOD prosecuted, family awarded £750,000 damages -
2010 8 17 Diaz Lt Mejia Honduras Navy SCUBA A Navy diver from Honduras today drowned while trying to salvage a narcotics plane from the Ulua River in Choloma Cortes in northern Honduras. Authorities reported that he and other colleagues had found the twin-engine craft and were preparing to salvage it when his safety rope was caught in the aircraft. Police seized 500 kilos of cocaine which they believe came to Honduras in the aircraft. Reported in Elheraldo.hn -
1942 12 8 Visintini Lt Licio 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 -
1994 4 15 Hone Lt Cmdr Don A Guam American, aged 345, based in Seoul, Korea, on manoeuvres, diving on 5/4/1994, collapsed after surfacing, died 10 days later. Dayton Daily News -
2005 3 0 Horst Lt Cl Richard van der Norway UK SBS British serving officer, NATO exercise with a Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV), a US miniature submarine, pilot + Navigator, rear compartment with up to 4 divers using personal breathing apparatus (submarine does not have life support equipment), pulled unconscious from the water, died 6 days later ("fluid in the lungs"). -
1943 6 24 Moore Louise USA WOMAN DIVER. Louise Moore, 21-year-old Jacksonville (USA) girl, has a war job that is probably unique for a woman-that of a diver engaged in the work of salvaging sunken ships. "There is nothing to worry about in deep-sea diving if the diver is careful," she explained. "And it certainly is a thrilling occupation!� Her first salvage dive, at Cocoa, Fla., was a two-hour Inspection of a sunken freighter. "That would have been just routine work," she said, 'except that four huge tiger sharks insisted on sticking around and watching me. They kept circling around me the entire time until I neared the surface. At times they were so close I could have put out my hand and touched them-but I didn't." The feminine diver said they made no move to attack her and she was confident they wouldn't. Other sharks and other fish, big and little, watch her as she goes about her job of salvaging. She began professional diving at the age of 15. Prior to the war, however, her experience was limited to inspection work and the recovering of lost articles. She prefers salvaging to all types of diving. Miss Moore believes that she and her sister, Mrs. Fannie Peterson, 23, also of Jacksonville, are the only working professional divers in the United States. Their father worked at that profession for for many years, and two older brothers, Warren and William, have many diving years to their credit. A younger brother, Stanley, worked with Louise in Cocoa, Fla., in the recent salvage of a large British freighter that was sank off the coast after being torpedoed by a Nazi submarine. Reported in The Northern Miner, Charters Towers, Qld. -
2011 4 14 Schneider Louis Cameroun Pecten Topsides Aged 60, Pioneer deep saturation trials diver with Comex (Janus, Aurora etc). Stabbed to death in a late night mugging in Douala. Cameroon.net -
2009 7 28 Ricciarelli Louis USA 6 S/S Air American, aged 56, diving off Quonset point from the 25'.commercial fishing vessel 'Chelsea Ann' for Qhahogs (clams). Diving solo, no crew. Alerted as 'not returned' by his wife, boat located with diving hose over the side. Divers recovered him from the seabed, deceased. “Equipment failure/lost gas� but no details. Reported in the Providence Journal -
1927 1 28 Romans Louis Australia S/S Air Described as a native of Switzerland, aged 28 drowned at Darwin Jetty. Employed as a diver to fix some piping underwater, "his air pipe became fouled and the diver was dead when hauled up". The Brisbane Courier. Later reported that his airlines were severed by sharp oysters shells on the piles. Later reports went:- “CARELESS DIVER. At the-inquest into the death of the diver, Louis Romans, who was asphyxiated owing to the outlet valve in his helmet being out of order, it was stated that, the gear was in shocking condition. Despite frequent warnings, Romans persisted in using it. The coroner found a verdict of accidental death brought about by deceased's carelessness. Reported in the Northern Star, Lismore, NSW. -
1910 3 3 Deers Louis Australia Freemantle Harbour Trust S/S Air Searching for an anchor lost from the Currie liner "Itonus" diving from the launch 'Penguin'. 'Some time after the descent he failed to respond to signals and was at once raised to the surface. His gear was stripped off and he was seen to be in a bad way. A doctor was summoned who on examination of the body pronounced his life was extinct. The deceased leaves a wife and three children. Reported in The Kalgoorlie western Argus. -
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. -
2017 4 15 Pohanka-Kalama Lori Ann USA SAR Volunteer SAR diver with the Morgan's Point Resort Police (North of Austin, Texas), in a creek at fort Hood searching for a man who disappeared during flash flooding, 'Got into trouble', pulled from the water by team members and taken to White Hospital in Temple but died the following morning. KXAN (Austin) -
2006 4 9 Villanueva Lorenzo Chile Pesquera San Jorge SCUBA Salmon fish farm, Hornopiren, Commercial diver, Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions District Attorneys Offices. No details -
1933 12 14 Evans Lloyd J. USA 34 S/S Air 40 years old from Bremerton, Washington, went to San Francisco to work on the San Francisco - Oakland Bridge project. He "was raised by easy stages for the usual rest period from 112 feet below the surface where he had been removing pins from a caisson. As his heavy equipment was being removed, he collapsed and became unconscious. He was taken to a dockside decompression chamber and treated under the supervision of Dr. J. Minton who entered the chamber to be with the diver. "The diver died after several hours of efforts had failed to revive him". The first death "on the project from the affliction ("the bends") against which officials said every precaution had been taken". Prescott Evening Courier. -
2010 6 7 Beare Lloyd USA Dryden Diving 4 S/S Air Aged 45, one of a team that had been diving at the Indian point Nuclear Power Station in Buchanan for a couple of weeks. Working on a retaining wall between the Hudson River and a discharge channel. Stopped responding to surface, pulled up but did not respond to treatment, thought to be natural causes but examiner reported cause of death was not a heart attack. Waiting on reports. NBC News -
2004 7 31 Benton Liston Darren USA Aged 37, former Navy diver and Gulf War veteran. Greenville County pond (private pond near Jones Gap State Park) Trying to move a bucket clogging a drain , when brought to the surface, he was wearing everything but his mask and all his equipment was intact. Reported that as he removed the drain plug to empty the pond his arm was pulled into the outlet, trapping him. Emergency services called within 10 minutes (By his wife, he was diving solo). The Greenville County dive team found him a short time later, but it took more than a dozen men to pull him free of the suction holding him in place. He was pronounced dead a short time later. Reported by WIS -
1956 4 19 Commander Crabb, RN, GC, OBE Lionel "Buster" UK Military Rebreather British Royal Naval diver, aged 46, disappeared in Portsmouth Harbour, rumoured to be spying on the visiting Russian navy cruiser "Ordzhonikidze" that had brought Khrushchev to the UK for cold war talks. Headless body washed up on Chichester beach 14 months later assumed to be Crabb. In 2007, Eduard Koltsov, retired Russian diver claimed to have killed him and cut his head off after he caught Crabb placing a mine on the hull. MOD admitted previous underwater surveys by RN divers on visiting Russian vessels. Other memos released in 2007 indicate that MI6 recruited Crabb for a separate mission and that he was not alone. -
2016 12 19 Castiglione Leticia Nerina Argentina Raul A. Negro S.R.L Salvage and Diving Company SS/Air Approx. 18:10 hs. Monday 19-Dec Commercial diver Leticia Castiglione, an Argentine. 37 years of age Diving for the Company Raul Negro. Operating in reflotamiebro on a sunken barge TAF 317. Km 1204,5 MI RP. Leaving bottom and arriving on the surface assisted by the two surface divers who with personal from the PNA used CPR. Unconscious she was transferred to land and taken to the School Hospital where they performed life saving tasks of reanimacion.amplia CORR Hs. At 20:20 The Head of Intensive Therapy reported the death of the Commercial Diver Leticia Castiglione, cause of death to be determined by the coroner. Federal Court Judgment No. 1 was given to Dr. Carlos Soto Dávila - Facebook -
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. -
1986 11 5 Tennant Leroy J USA Roy Tennant Co. 2 SCUBA Aged 62, Owner of the diving Company, inspecting an underwater gas line in the Shetucket river, witnesses on shore observed in trouble but sank below the surface before being rescued. Body recovered 40 minutes later -
1964 0 0 Geiger Leroy USA Military Rebreather US Navy, UDT 21 (Underwater Demolition Team, precursor to SEALs). Died when his Emerson O2 rebreather rig malfunctioned. Body recovered. PC -
1900 1 5 Helfricht Leopold Christian UK " The sinking of the Patria, Helfricht, a German diver, who was drowned in the sinking of the Patria on Thursday, Captain Spruth, who directed the salvage operation near Deal (Kent) said..." "..Chief diver has been drowned and the body recovered. Two of his attendants were drowned, and two Deal.." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the York Herald/The British Newspaper Archive -
1982 5 28 Hok Leong Way Indonesia Oceaneering Topsides Singaporean, one of 7 passengers who died when a Perlita Air Services 'Puma' crashed into the sea en route to Natuna Island from a Gulf Oil installation. At least three of the passengers (Henry lim Kim Bin, Leong way Hok and Allan Ming) were divers working for Oceaneering Singapore. Straits Times -
2007 9 4 Salabogi Leone Fiji Navy Fijian Navy diver aged 27, Suva Naval Jetty, salvage operation to remove debris, no details. The Fiji Times -
1958 6 24 Mott Leonard K Canada Seaboard Marine Divers SCUBA Aged 26. Following the collapse of the new Second Narrows bridge being constructed over Burrard inlet with a loss of 18 lives on the 17th, a commercial diver died two days later during body recovery operations. He had come to the surface to change cylinders, wearing a heavy weight belt, slipped and went down, drowned. Reported in the press on the occasion of the 50 anniversary ceremony in 2008 (CTV.ca). "Mott, formerly of Nelson, BC., worked as a stand-in for actor Peter Lorre in the movie 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. Wife and two children. Calgary Herald -
2008 11 12 Brumlow Leonard USA Global Industries Saturation DSV “Sea Lion� sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4 divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred to “Global Pioneer� and locked onto Pioneer sat system. Transfer took 90 minutes. -
1991 8 15 Barringer Leonard South China Sea McDermott British, Electrician, drowned when the McDermott DB 29 got caught in typhoon 'Fred' in the South China Sea, POB 195, 22 fatalities. Has been erroneously reported by some sources as one of the divers in saturation. -
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 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 -
2007 3 27 Wildin Leading Seaman Timothy Australia HMAS SCUBA Aged 24, diving off HMAS Frigate “Parramatta�, Jervis Bay, removing snagged commercial fishing gear from the propellers. “Seriously injured, spent time in intensive care�, Navy inquiry, report not seen, made a full recovery and returned to duties. At the Inquiry it was reported that he was found underwater, unconscious, entangled in fishing lines and may not have had easy access to his secondary breathing gear (Not fitted with a clip to keep it near his head), recovered to surface 'limp and vomiting'. smh.com.au/abc.net.au/news -
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 -
1961 2 27 Smith Leading Seaman Allan Leslie Australia Military 10 SCUBA Aged 24, Diving 'fairly shallow routine dive' alongside HMAS anti-submarine frigate 'Quiberon' berthed off Rushcutter Bay at Garden island. 'Had been underwater about 15 minutes when he floated to the surface unconscious' Reported as “air embolism� but no details. At the preliminary inquest his father asked if the Navy were aware that another Navy diver had died under very similar conditions a day later in New Guinea They were, but no details were given. Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. -
2016 4 25 Ngay Le Van Vietnam Int Manpower and Construction Aged 46, died on the way to hospital the day after diving at Ha Tinh on an embankment project for the Taiwanese company, Formosa Hung Nghiep steel, who are alledged to have polluted and killed large numbers of fish in recent weeks. Team members also claimed they had felt unwell after diving there. Ha Tinh News -
1963 7 10 Foulks Layne USA Donjon Marine American, civil engineering job, New Jersey, off crane barge 256, crushed between jetty and crane bucket, right shoulder, multiple fractures, collapsed lung -
2012 2 22 Collins Lawrence Canada SCUBA Aged 49, one of a three man commercial sea urchin harvesting dive team on board the vessel 'Water Queen' working off Digby Neck in the Grand Passage Waterway (Bay of Fundy off St St. John, an area with the highest tides in the world - Mean spring tide 14.5 metres, extreme range 16.3 metres), 30 minutes into the diver, failed to surface with the other team members around 13:00, seen on the surface being swept away by fast currents, vessel crew searched for about 15 minutess then called emergency services about 13:30, RCMP called at 13:45. Ebb tide, Southerly current, air temp 43F, water 42F, 5 foot seas, search hampered by fog. Reported as having just moved to the area from Ottowa and as having held a commercial diving licence since the early 1990s (but had only been in the water about 10 times in the last 10 years) and that it was his first dive harvesting sea urchins. Search called off four days later (RCMP - "There is no reasonable expectation that he was going to be found alive"), body not found. Reported by Postmedia news and others. -
2007 7 28 Carey Lavar Bahamas Paradise Cove Resort SCUBA Paraphrased from a reported in the Nassau Guardian. “Grand Bahama police on Saturday reported another drowning. Initial reports by police indicate that 22-year-old Lavar Carey of Pinedale, Eight Mile Rock, an employee at a local watersports company, apparently drowned while at work at that facility in West Grand Bahama late Saturday afternoon. According to police shortly before six o'clock Saturday evening, the duty officer at the Police Dispatch Centre in Freeport received a call from a staff member at Paradise Cove Resort in Deadman's Reef, who reported that one of their divers was discovered by the resort's proprietor floating underwater, an apparent drowning victim. As a result, EMR Division and Central Detective Unit officers along with EMS personnel were dispatched to that location. Upon arrival there, the resort's owner, Barry Smith, pointed out Carey's body lying on the beach. He noted that Carey, who had been employed as a diver for the past year, had gone out as usual in a boat around 5:00 p.m., to collect the dive marker flags and floats and bring them ashore to secure them. After he failed to return within 20 minutes, fellow staff members became concerned and, along with Smith, they got into a boat and went looking for him. Smith stated that they found the boat that Carey had gone out in, but did not see him anywhere. After searching the area offshore from the beach for about 30 minutes, Carey was found floating motionless underwater. He was rushed ashore and rendered CPR and other resuscitative measures, but failed to respond. EMS personnel rushed him to the trauma section at the Rand Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 6:35 p.m. by the doctor on duty.� Diver at work, but not a diving incident, TC -
2009 9 21 Reeves Larry USA SCUBA A Houston Attorney's website quotes the following regarding Jones Act compensation. “A commercial diver died in such an accident in Florida last week. The diver was at work near a wreck site, about four miles east of Rodriguez Key when he fell unconscious. He was brought onto the boat, and the other crews alerted the Coast Guard. The CG rescue boat arrived at the scene, and personnel administered CPR, but the diver never recovered. Investigations into the accident are still going on.� However, this comment appears to link to the death of Larry Herman Reeves, a 67-year-old tourist from Maryville, Tennessee, who died while scuba diving with his wife off Key Largo, Florida. The scuba diver was pronounced dead by the US Coast Guard paramedics who arrived at the scene in response to a call by witnesses. Unless further clarified, this fatality is excluded from the 'count' of working diver fatalities, TC. -
2009 4 2 Coach Larry USA 2 SCUBA Aged 64, ran a diving business in Dallas, employed by Nacogdoches Soil and Water Conservation District (Conservation Agency), to unblock a 24� drainage/lake overflow pipe. Drove to site alone in his pick up, solo, SCUBA, no standby, lifeline or team. Started working at the inlet (upstream) end. Initial reports indicate that he removed the metal intake grill to get better access to the blockage, soon after bubbles stopped coming up. Rescue team blocked the exit (downstream) of the pipe with an air bag to reduce suction/flow and then recovered the diver from the inlet end using grapples. Had to remove harness/stab jacket to free body. Recovery operation took 30 hours (Entangled in debris some distance inside the pipe). -
1989 2 16 Hand Larry USA 12 SCUBA Aged 34, novice sponge diver out of Tampa, recovered from the seabed by a diver from another sponge boat, inference is diving solo from a small boat with one none diving surface crew. Tangled in buoy line, mask flooded, dead on recovery. Third diver to die sponge diving out of Tampa in the last 5 weeks (Russell McIlrath and Scott Gassner) Petersburg Times -
2010 3 7 Sanchez Lareo Anxo Miguel Spain 9 SCUBA Aged 40, asked to free the anchor of a sports boat by the owner 'who knew he was a diver' in the River Ares Estuary at 2 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon (Galicia), failed to surface. Rescue services found his body entangled in fishing gear on the seabed. Reported by gspbuceo.com -
1949 9 24 Fois Lani Australia Topsides The pearling lugger 'New Moon', valued at £3,000, was lost in rough seas off Mangrove point, 130 miles South West of Broome. Lanis Fois, a 33 year old Koepanger river diver, is missing, believed drowned. The other members of the crew have been rescued. Reported in the Canberra Times. -
1928 12 12 Christophe Lambiris USA 18 S/S Air Aged 25, Sponge diver out of Tarpon springs onboard the vessel “Bessie�, 100 miles out, reported as “drowned when his airline parted�. The Evening Independent -
1995 4 0 Stephen Lamb Australia Contract diver at the BHP Newcastle steelworks, drowned, 'sucked into an underwater pipe that was not meant to be in use at the time' No details. WSWS Org., Greenleft.org.au -
2017 6 18 Sakunphong Lakkhana Thailand SCUBA Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) overseeing a team of 25 volunteer divers installing an artificial reef in Kon Kai Bay, 35 year old woman surfaced from a dive but lost consciousness before swimming back to the boat, taken onboard, no pulse, unconscious, given CPR and taken to Chalong pier and on to Chalong hospital but declared dead. No other details. Phuket Times -
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. -
2000 5 28 Cronland Kyle USA Bulldod Diving American, Southern Indiana Gas and Electricity Company, Cinergy Power Plant, Indianapolis, Ohio River, zero vis, removing mud from a locked out pump. Pump cells all suck water from a common screen cell. Apparently either diver walked around dividing wall into common cell then was pulled or wandered into a live pump. Drowned when umbilical was cur (Did he have a bailout??). Cause given as incorrect lock out/rag out procedues. Offshore Diver/NAOCD/cDiver/Indianapolis Star -
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 -
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 -
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 -
1975 10 16 Yagushi Koji Singapore Toa Harbour Works Company S/S Air Japanese, described as a 'master diver' aged 49, diving with other divers from the launch 'Sentosa' on the PUB submarine cables South-West of Singapore (off Jurong Shipyard). The launch followed the diver as he walked on the seabed between the Esso mainland jetty and Pulau Ayer Chawan. His tender said that there was a violent tug on the line and hose at about 11:00. He pulled but they would not budge. They stopped the launch and a crewmember dived in to see that the line and hose were entangled in the propeller. They pulled him to the surface but 'he was already dead". At the inquest a former Naval diving unit officer testified that 'he might still be alive if other members of his diving team had been qualified divers as they would have acted faster and would have known exactly what to do which might have prevented the death of the diver'. 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. -
2017 6 22 Naung Ko Saw Myanmar An-na-wa 40m Aged 45, Salvage of a crashed Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) Y-8 (Chinese built (Shaanxi) four engine turboprop military transport plane) off Launglon Township (13 miles from Dawai). Removing nets from the tail and trying to locate the black box, at least two, possibly three successive dives with partner Ko Thant Zin Oo, surfaced and prepared to eat, Ko Saw Naung collapsed, Ko Thant Zin Oo paralysed legs/hands. 'Local villagers' took them both down to 60 feet, Ko Saw Naung recovered consciousness. Recovered to surface and both passed out, possibly 6 further attempts at in water treatment 'I recovered conscious, he did not' said Ko Thant Zin Oo. Taken ashore and given three further therapeutic treatments, Ko Thant Zin Oo recovered in hospital but Ko Saw Nauntg died. Reported in the Myanmar times -
1935 7 28 Mitsui Kioshichi Australia J & T Muramata 42 S/S Air Japanese pearl diver aged 54. Lugger 'Cleve' out of Darwin, working the beds off Bathurst Island diving to 18 and 23 fathoms both morning and afternoon. On surfacing in the afternoon, complained of paralysis, was put back into gear and lowered to 120' before being brought in stages towards the surface. After 35 minutes he came to the surface by himself was hauled onboard but found to be dead. Reposted to be the third diver employed by Australian pearling companies to have died and been brought ashore in Darwin but that two others on foreign boats had also died but been taken ashore in the Dutch east Indies bring the Total to 5 fatalities in July. Reported in the Sydney morning Herald -
2010 3 2 Dongwoon Kim Philippines Conclinic SCUBA Aged 34, Korean, Doosan Heavy Industries, working as the site manager at a power plant in Cebu (Not employed as a diver, expired work permit and visa). Apparently he 'insisted on fixing a a leak in the cooling water pump area himself' 'with the pump running'. Quote from colleague:- 'When we tested the pump (with the diver still in the water...) he was probably taken by the vacuum to the water pond which is really deep, he must have lost his oxygen in his tank and drowned'. After 15 minutes and he had not surfaced, the crew started to get worried and stopped the pump to carry out a search. Body recovered and taken to hospital but declared dead on arrival. ABS CBN News -
1974 10 21 Talbot Kim USA Aged 24 from Seattle, working on a sunken barge near Blaine, surface crew noticed his bubbles had ceased, pulled him to surface, resuscitation by fire crew from Blaine was unsuccessful. Spokane daily Chronicle -
1929 5 6 Sabe Kikozo Australia A. C. Gregory 36 S/S Air Reported that a pearling lugger D58 of Captain Gregory's fleet sailed into Darwin port this afternoon with the flag at half mast. The captain reported that while diving for pearl off Shoal Bay a Japanese diver was working in 20 fathoms of water, the air pipe split, and the diver was dead when hauled up. The Sydney Morning Herald/Northern Standard, Darwin, NT -
1937 3 23 Yamada Kiachichi Australia Gregory 29 S/S Air Aged 52, diving off the lugger D36 'Red Bill' at the Goulburn Island Pearling beds. (Had replaced the former number 2 diver on the vessel who died of fever two weeks earlier). At the Inquest on the Japanese diver, Kiahichi Yamada, a verdict of death from asphyxia, due to drowning was returned by the Coroner, Mr. G. J. Pigott From the evidence given it appeared that Yamada had been down once that morning, and, after a spell of about 20 minutes, went down for a second trip. He mentioned that the water was very dirty, and he had to lie down to gather shell, so he asked for a slack life-line. About half an hour after his second descent, his tender got an urgent signal to 'haul up,' Quickly followed by a second urgent signal, so the tender called for help to haul Yamada up as quickly as possible. He came up, feet first but was quickly righted, and guided to the ladder, where the helmet was removed. He then appeared to be dead, but his suit was cut off him immediately, and artificial respiration tried for about an hour, but without success. As the body was growing cold, It was placed in the cabin and covered with rugs, but when all hope was abandoned, it was sewn up in canvas, and the lugger made all speed to Darwin, which was reached about two days later. The doctor who performed the post mortem said that the body was much decomposed, but it was evident that death was due to asphyxia, probably caused by drowning. The second tender, who was in charge of Yamada said that when the suit was cut off him it was found to be half full of water, and when they tried to revive him, water came from his mouth. The inquest was adjourned for a while to permit of the production of the suit the dead diver had worn and also to obtain the services of Mr. David Carruth, whose long and varied experience of diving made his evidence of the greatest value In this case. A diver showed how the suit was worn, and Mr. Carruth explained the uses of It, and the method of controlling air inlets and outlets On examining the dead diver's suit, it was discovered that the rubber cuff had a long tear In It and It was then evident that the water had entered the suit through this tear, so that when the diver capsized, either through stumbling into a hollow on the ocean bed, or through over-balancing owing to the weight of the pearl shell be had gathered, the air rushed to the bottom part of the suit (that now was upper most) and the water filled the helmet and corselet, thus drowning the diver. What the tender had mistaken for urgent signals, to haul up must have been the last struggles of the diver in his dying agony. Reported in the Townsville Daily Bulletin, Qld. -
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 -
2011 9 1 Bentabet Khaled "Ben" France Police diver 12 SCUBA Aged 44, experienced police diver with the Coastal and River Section, part of a team searching a 2.7 kilometre tunnel section of the 10 metre diameter EDF canal between the river Durance and Mees for a handgun, 20 minutes into the dive lost buddy line to partner, disappeared. Body finally located a week later. May have been sucked into a side tunnel. Married with a 7 year old son. Reported by ALPES1, Provence, etc. -
2006 8 26 Griffeth Kevin S USA Caldive 67 S/S Mixed Gas "Cal Diver IV", Main Pass area, Freeport-McMoRan Energy Inc, platform inspection. Began his ascent, at approx. 150 fsw a large manta ray became entangled in his dive hose, pulling the diver to the surface in a rapid ascent. Into DDC but died -
1995 0 0 Sass Kevin S GOM 6 S/S Air Jetting in a 20' deep trench from a four point barge, trench wall collapsed, two standby divers recovered him, suffocated under mud, did not respond to treatment -
2003 1 25 Peterson Kevin USA SCUBA Sports divers. Two men died while ice diving in a Lowden quarry, drowned, apparently after their tanks ran out of air as they searched for an opening in the ice. An investigator for the Cedar County medical examiner's office, said Thursday that Kevin Petersen, 31, and Tracy Humphreys, 30, were dropped off at Wendling Quarry Saturday. Their bodies were found Sunday morning, authorities said, with their air tanks empty. One man had PADI advanced open water and rescue level diver's certification but police could find no diver certification record for the other. The two had trespassed to dive in the quarry, which prohibits diving, authorities said. Authorities tested the rental equipment used by them and found the gear was working properly. The only problem was a hole in one pressure hose that would not likely have been the primary cause of the accident. Restrictors on either end of the hose prevent it from leaking air too quickly. Investigators found a rope tied to a tree hanging down into the water, but not tied to the divers. Quote:- "That would have been totally useless if they weren't tied to it, if you could find a rope in the water, you could see the hole anyway." Reported in the Cedar Rapids Gazette -
1989 11 4 George Kevin Thailand Oceaneering Malaysian diver, from Penang, died when the Seacrest sank in Typhoon Gay. Reported by Longstreath/PC -
1984 0 0 Gray Kevin Saudi Arabia Wharton Williams The Isle of Man's hyperbaric Chamber has been operated by the Kevin Gray Memorial Trust since 1984 when Manx local commercial diver Kevin Gray died while working in Saudi Arabia. Following his death, his employer Wharton Williams donated one of its chambers to the Island for divers in the Irish Sea. -
1975 3 1 Wilson Kevin UK CUE 43 SCUBA British, aged 20. Southern North Sea installation 49/27B, Leman field, pulmonary oedema caused by cardiac myopathy, heart failure, natural causes (Reported by JW as the last 1974 fatality, TC) -
2014 11 11 Harris Kevin USA Aqua Vac Inc 3m SCUBA Aged 23, from Jenison, Michigan, dredging a retention pond in New Albany (Opposite the Discovery Financial services complex) "His co-worker called 911 at 15:47 after he failed to surface, "We're dredging the pond," he told the dispatcher. "I had a SCUBA diver in the water and I noticed his bubbles stopped coming up. I went into the water to find him and he's not anywhere where his equipment was. ... He's still underwater. I don't know where he is...." Body recovered at 16:47 some 50 feet from shore in 12' of water, air cylinder empty. (Aqua Vac were fined $4,500 after the death of Michael Johnson in November 2009). Reported in the Columbus Dispatch. -
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 -
1998 8 19 Paterson Kenny UK Fathoms Ltd. 61 SCUBA Paraphrased from press reports:- “Diver sacrificed his life to save a colleague as he continued his 15-year quest for the wreck of the Finnish freighter ‘Joanna Thorden’. The freighter sank at the notorious Pentland Skerries in the Pentland Firth during a storm in 1937, reputedly carrying copper ingots (and possibly even silver bullion). Gary Connor, a director of Wick-based Fathoms Ltd, was diving with Kenny Paterson, aged 34, on August nineteenth 1998. As they searched at a depth of 200ft (nearly 40ft more than the legal limit for commercial scuba divers), Kenny Paterson suffered symptoms of the bends and Gary brought him to the surface. Gary also suffered the bends but after treatment contracted septicemia and died in hospital in April this year. The sheriff returned a formal verdict on the medical cause of death and noted Fathoms staff originally told the Health and Safety Executive it was a recreational dive and outwith their scope of inquiry�. Reported in the Scottish Daily Record & Sunday. The FAI notes that Gary Connor died at Caithness General Hospital on the April first 2000, 20 months after the accident (cerebral anoxia, spinal bend, quadaplegia leading to tetraparesis and septicaemia), that SCUBA equipment was not appropriate for the diving operation, that the HSE was falsely induced into believing it was a sports dive and therefore there was no prompt investigation. He also noted that the actions of the deceased achieved the ultimately successful rescue of his colleague. -
1992 6 0 Howard Kenneth W USA SCUBA Aged 34, professional tropical fish 'catching' for the aquarium trade. No details -
1991 0 0 Howard Kenneth W USA SCUBA Aged 34, drowned whilst collecting specimen fish for aquaria. Unlicensed diver, led to calls for the trade to be regulated. Los Angeles Times -
1967 8 10 Hislop Kenneth John Australia Military Clearance diver, night training exercise off Jervis Bay. Both he and his dive partner (Jeffrey Hales) died. Controversy at the inquest over autopsy report of alcohol in their bodies (Could have formed naturally), but no details of the accident. Reported in 'The Age'. -
2009 1 16 Shneider Kenneth USA Doug's Diving 3 S/S Air Aged 42, diving for clams in Tillamook Bay, diving solo from an 18' RIB apparently sub-contracted from the clam licence owner who reported the boat had not returned at dusk at 17:45, USCG found the diver dead in the water around 17:20 compressor not running, using hookah because he had a problem with his SCUBA tank. No other details. The Daily Astorian -
2001 10 13 Frayne Kenneth USA Firefighter SCUBA American, aged 28. Volunteer fire-fighter with the Channahon fire department. Multi agency dive training exercise included a dive coordinator, an assistant dive coordinator, and seven divers in a man-made lake. They had sunk a boat and two mannequins in the lake to simulate a boating incident. Four of the divers, including the victim, were on their second dive when the victim went missing at the end of the dive. Initial confusion as to whether he had gone ashore, so some time before underwater search commenced. Dispatch was notified of the missing diver, and additional search-and-rescue crews responded to the scene with two rescue boats. The victim was found in the area of his last known location, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes after he was last seen by his dive partner. His SCUBA cylinder empty, BD partially unbuckled, hood and mask off, regulator out. When the victim was brought to the surface he had blood coming from his nose and mouth. Transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Investigators recommended that:- 1. Fire departments should develop, implement and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding diver training, 2. Ensure that each diver maintains continuous visual, verbal, or physical contact with his or her dive partner, 3. Ensure that a backup diver and a ninety-percent-ready diver are in position to render assistance, 4. Ensure that the dive coordinator stays informed about the rates of air consumption by divers, 5. Provide divers with refresher training on the hazards of lung over-expansion injuries and prevention measures. Medical examiner and the reviewing medical officer noted the possibility that an air embolism may have contributed to the drowning. -
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. -
1991 6 11 Hansen Kenneth USA Surface Swimmer Police diver aged 26, drowned during a rescue exercise in New York Harour, not wearing lifejacket or strobe, Officer in command charged with "Failure to supervise", speculation that he was told not to wear a lifevest to make it more realistic exercise staged for visiting German TV crew. NY Times -
1973 4 16 Morrison Kenneth Singapore Selco Salvage Private limited 3 Injured in the same accident that killed Mohamed Mohamed and injured Atan bin Jain when a hatch on the Italian vessel Igara (Ex Japan en route to Brazil with Iron ore which had sunk following striking a rock near Horsburgh lighthouse on March 19th) they were opening exploded open under pressure. Straits Times