Incidents List
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Year Month Day Surname Forenames Location Contractor Client Depth Type of Diving Details -
1966 4 27 Lavey Kenneth USA Military 27 SCUBA Aged 22, owner of a Eugene SCUBA shop, hired by the US Army Corps of Engineers to inspect a 130' shaft containing a concrete bulkhead at the Hills Creek water reservoir near Oakridge, with partner (Binney) descended to 90', left partner in basket and went to 130', returned to basket and both divers recovered to 10', he then swam to the top of the dam, left the water and began removing his gear. At this point Binney's lifeline went slack. He went back into the water with a fresh tank plus spare. After about 5 minutes, workers on the surface saw a sudden increase in bubbles after which they stopped. Work basket was recovered, but he was dead when brought to the surface. Partner's body was recovered from 130 by divers from Portland Commercial divers (Who also completed the inspection work). Neither dead diver had air in their tanks when recovered though cause of death was not clear (twin hose regulators, could have vented) Double fatality. Reported in the Eugene register-Guard -
1937 5 20 Sakamoto Keniko or Kinicho Australia Bowden Pearling Company 37 S/S Air "A Japanese lugger brought into Darwin the body of Keniko Sakamoto, aged 25, a diver who was drowned by the bursting of the air pipe when he was working at 20 fathoms. This is the tenth fatality this season amongst divers working the pearling grounds northwest of the Liverpool river". Reported in the Worker, Brisbane. -
2007 4 20 Kropidlowski Ken USA Orange County Sheriff's Department 9 SCUBA Orange County Sheriff's rescue diver rushed to a hospital with leg injuries after becoming entangled in a sunken sailboat while searching the wreckage for its missing owner. 18-year veteran of the department and a member of its dive team, he was 30-feet deep off a jetty in Newport Beach when he got tangled in debris about 11 a.m. and made an emergency ascent, "He was in extreme pain and had to be assisted onto the boat," ."He was rushed to harbor headquarters where an ambulance was waiting to take him to Hoag Hospital.He was treated for a torn ligament, his leg placed in a splint and released from the hospital on crutches, The 10-member dive team failed to find any trace of missing Phoenix boater William Eugene Ott during a two-hour search of the 30-foot sailboat. -
2010 8 30 Mieses Kelvin Dominican Republic S/S Air Aged 24, reports unclear, but appears to have been a decompression incident related to long or deep surface supplied air dive during which the compressor failed preventing him from undertaking decompression stops. Treated at the local El Seibo hospital and referred to regional hspital in San Pedro de Macoris where he died. Unclear if there was a back up air supply, a bailout or if there was a DDC on site or at either hospital. Reported in diariolibre.com -
1993 11 1 Knowles Keith B Bahamas UNEXSO SCUBA American aged 22, working for the Underwater Explorers Society , lost at sea of Grand Bahama -
1988 6 0 Decker Keith USA Need-A-Diver 3 Aged 23, IMC Fertiliser Inc Clear Springs Phoshate Mine, pond lock gate ajar, 10� gap, diver sent in to take photos but loose lifeline, no grill, his lines were pulled through the gap, pulling him through also. His body was recovered two days later by police divers 461' feet up the 1,000' tunnel.. Equipped with lifeline and communications, quote:- 'Before he was sucked in, he was able to tell workers that 'something had caught him by the leg and was pulling him in�. St Petersburg Times. -
1950 5 7 Otari Keichi Japan Topsides Hiroshima. Diver aged 48, found a Torpedo. He hit it with a hammer and it exploded killing him and 7 others. No real details. Reported in the New York Times. -
1992 3 8 Harada Kazuta Japan 22 S/S Air Aged 41, professional diver was collecting the pen shell Atrina pedinata, (Japanese name Tairagigai), at a depth of 22 m about 2.3 km offshore of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. At about 15 : 20 he was attacked by a large shark, and only a severely damaged diving suit and helmet were recovered. The right half of the trunk and right leg of the suit were torn off. A rescue rope and a rubber radio cable, both of which connected the diver to a support boat were severed, but the diver's air tube remained intact. The diver's body was not recovered, nor was a shark captured that might have perpetrated the attack, despite extensive fishing efforts by local fishermen. A small piece of a broken shark tooth was recovered from the rubber surrounding the neck of the diving suit. The tooth fragment contained two large serrations of about 0.85 mm in width. The suit's steel shoulder protector had a single hole (6 mm X 3 mm), penetrated by a shark tooth. The edge of the hole showed regular minute undulations, and the cut surfaces on the rubber and the cable had minute parallel streaks, both apparently made by the serrations of shark teeth. Tracing of the scratches and cuts on the shoulder protector and back part of the diving suit made it possible to estimate a jaw size of about 40 cm in width, suggesting a very large shark. The water temperature was low about 11.6°C, at 20 m depth at a nearby locality. These facts support the contention that the shark involved in this incident was a white shark of about 5 m in total length. Shark attacks in Japanese waters were investigated, and at least sixteen shark attacks on people and boats were recognized. Reported in the Japan. J. Ichthyol, 40(1): 35-42, 1993 by Kazuhiro Nakaya -
1987 0 0 Monstra Kanute UK Saturation Trapped in a stranded welding habitat (with Fred McNally), became hypothermic, both were rescued by Neil 'Wiggy' Wiggins (who had previously rescued George Lawson after an oxy arc explosion on the Kingsnorth Explorer in May 1984). Neil Wiggins was presented with the Silk Cut award for Nautical achievements ( He died on 23 Dec at the age of 47), MCDOA website. Does anyone remember the details of this incident? -
2015 4 12 Umudov Kamil Azerbaijan SOCAR SCUBA A diver of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has been killed at about 5 pm today. SOCAR informs that diver Kamil Umudov, 39, died when a pipe was being attached to the jacket at Bulla field. “In 5-10 minutes another diver, who noticed that Umudov does not respond to signals, went down into the water and found him unconscious. Despite the victim was given primary health care, his life was not saved," SOCAR said in a statement. The causes of the accident are being examined by a specially created commission. Reported by ABC.az -
2004 2 16 Kowalski Kamierz Canada SCUBA Aged 44, harvesting geoducks at Eppers Passage, near Morfee Island (Close to Tofino on the West Coast of Vancouver Island), rescued from the water by the coastguard, died in Tofino hospital, reported as heart attack. Reported by Vancouver Sun and the Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting -
1958 8 23 Sambo Kallu Australia S/S Air Torres Strait Islander, diving off the Native Affairs Department lugger 'Macoy' died on 'death Reef, off Darnley Island. 120 miles north-west of Thursday Island. Described as the fifth diver fatality off Darnley Island that year, all fatalities put down to 'diver's paralysis'. Reported in The Age -
1929 9 1 Yasiu Kakaturo Australia Victor Clark S/S Air Pearl diver working off the lugger 'Dona Matilda', 40 miles NorthWest of Bathurst Island, "Suffocated owing to his air pipe coming into contact with the propeller", Inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. Northern Territory Times -
2004 4 16 Yusof Kadis Singapore Described as a freelance commercial diver who carried on diving after an underwater welding accident in 2003 left him with a burnt face, 'failed to surface after fixing tanker'. No other details. Straits Times -
1936 7 22 Sakai K Australia Gregory & Co. 29 S/S Air "Diver Drowned. Whale Fouls Pipeline". "K. Sakai, head diver of Gregory and Co.'s pearling fleet, lost his life when he was below water 90 miles south of Broome. His air pipe was fouled buy a whale and torn out at the coupling in the diving helmet, thus allowing water to enter the diving dress. When he was hauled aboard, he was dead. Sakai and another diver were working in 16 fathoms near a place where two whales had been seen before the divers went below. One whale fouled the line of Sakai's companion but got free and then fouled Sakai's line. This is the first fatality caused by a whale among the Broome pearling fleet. Whales are numerous this season off the North West Coast". Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald -
1928 7 24 Kakutchi K Australia S/S Air Japanese pearl diver diving off Poit Vicente from a launch with a two man surface crew. Apparently flooded suit but no details. Reported in the Los Angeles Times -
1935 9 4 Johnson Julius USA S/S Air “Davy Jone's locker, whose dark and silent depths he had explored fearlessly for years, claimed the life yesterday of Julius Johnson, veteran Long Beach deep sea diver� Lost air supply, hose either kinked or severed (“apparently snagged on wreckage at the bottom of the sea�). Dive was to recover the anchor and chain slipped by the gambling boat 'Casino' when it caught fire four miles offshore two weeks earlier, Reported in the Los Angeles Times/Montreal Gazette. -
2011 6 4 Gallo Julio Da Costa Spain Jerez e Hijos 6 Aged 52, Zamakona Shipyard, Port of Santurce, Bilbao, cleaning the propellers of a Tug. He was in the nozzle with his colleague (J A Andres) was outside when the propellers were started. Andres was injured but blown away, da Costa was killed when sucked into the blades. Reportd by GPS Buceo -
2008 1 26 Paz Julio Spain Spanish Navy Spanish, training dive at the Spanish Naval Diving training establishment, Caratagena, diving from the Neptuno, training dive, one other injured (Cortina), both given hyperbaric treatment in Santa Maria del Rosell naval hospital, one fatality (Casanova). -
1981 7 1 Espindola Julio Brazil Comex S/S Mixed Gas Gas bell bounce dive. Divers carried out their own decompression from inside the bell. Divers opened the decompression without regulating their decompression and literally decompresed themselvs to death. Possible lack of training, possible language problem (French Supervisor/Brazilian divers). A surface to bell umbilical would have allowed the supervisor to control the rate of decompression. Double fatality (Dominique Chanfays). PC -
1996 5 27 Loveday Julian Malaysia Aged 30 or 31, diver on the Pergau hydroelectric dam project at Kelantan, drowned during leak repair operations two weeks before he was due to be married (Not clear whether he fell off the barge or was killed in an underwater accident). No other details. Straits Times -
1993 2 12 Herpin Jude USA AOD 42 South Timbalier, Block 0152, 00464, Structure E, Chevron, "Cutting a window in the 10 ¾ inch casing. The surface personnel heard an explosion on the diver’s monitor. A standby diver went into the water immediately and when he reached the other diver he found him unconscious and his helmet off. The injured diver later died in the decompression chamber of cardiac arrest" OCS Incident database 1991-1994m page 65 -
2005 8 7 Hernandez Juan Miranda Chile Marine Harvest SCUBA Salmon fish farm, Quinchao, Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions District Attorneys Offices. No details -
2005 12 17 Atienza Juan Jose Spain Cadiz docks SCUBA Paraphrased from Press reports:-- “At four o'clock Sunday, the rescue services managed to recover the body of the diver who went missing on Saturday afternoon at Cadiz. The diver, aged 49 with 25 years of experience, worked at the factory in San Fernando, but participated in the work of putting ships into Cadiz dry dock (The vessel involved was the 'Rotterdam'). Companions of the diver called emergency services about eight o'clock in the evening because the diver who had checking the vessel's position in the dock failed to surface. Source: diariodecadiz.es/ -
2011 2 12 Montecinos Juan Francisco Vejar Chile 8 SCUBA Aged 34, volunteer with the town of Chol Chol fire team, training exercise off Lican Ray, reported as having lost consciousness underwater, brought to the surface by other team members but did not respond to treatment. No further details. Reported in El Diario Austral. -
2008 3 30 Rudolphi Juan Fernando Chile Fish Farm Reported as dying in an industrial accident at the Mirasol Commercial salmon farm, no details,. Ecoceane -
2008 11 14 Yan Juan Camal Mexico Potable Water Inspection (Canadian contractor) Aged 36, one of two rescue divers (with Raciel Hernandez) who went into the three metre diameter Cutzamala fresh water pipeline system to rescue two divers who had gone missing earlier in the day (Cayetano Cordoba and Manolo Diaz) , like the divers they were trying to rescue, they suffocated and were swept away by the water. All four bodies were 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.com.mx -
2010 6 10 Levican Juan Bernado Chile Aged 30, Town of Quemchi, Butachauques Island, shellfish diver. Surfaced and reported not feeling well, taken ashore by the vessel "Dona Amelia" but arrived at the Metahue medical centre dead and was then transferred to Isla Grande. No other details. GPS Buceo -
2010 12 20 Bartolome 01 Juan Spain Albaladejo Fishfarm 0 SCUBA 34 Year old diver employed by a fish farm in San Pedro del Pinatar in Murcia, initially reported that he died after accidentally shooting himself in the chest with his own harpoon. It happened shortly before 9.30 on Monday morning when an emergency call came through that the diver was seriously injured when in the water and was being transferred by boat to the local port. All attempts to revive the man, both on board the boat and after reaching port, were however unsuccessful�. 'Accident in the worplace'. Reported by Typicallyspanish.com. See second report (Bartolome 02, below) -
2010 12 20 Bartolome 02 Juan Spain Albaladejo Fishfarm 0 SCUBA 34 Year old diver employed by a fish farm in San Pedro del Pinatar in Murcia, initially reported that he died after accidentally shooting himself in the chest with his own harpoon. See first report (Bartolome 01, above). 15 months after his death, following investigation "Jaula 23", two co-workers were detained in connection with firing the harpoon that killed Juan Bartolome. They were subsequently charged with negligent homicide, despite initially claiming that the accident was caused by the victim himself and reported as an accident in the workplace. The two witnesses said at first that he had died by accident when putting on his diving equipment prior to entering the water, but their statements contained contradictions and contrasted with evidence found in the boat and the diving equipment and investigators soon began to suspect the two of homicide by negligence. Forensic and reconstructive investigation concluded that the harpoon had been fired from a distance and under the surface of the sea, presumably by accident, by one of the diver's companions. The case against IHV, aged 58 from San Pedro del Pinatar and JFMN, aged 37, from Murcia is being held at the Magistrates' court in San Javier. Case ongoing (April 2012). Murciatoday.com -
2009 12 17 Peralta Juan Chile Fisherman Topsides Nine miles north of the town of Iquique (Punta Colorada), three man shellfish diving crew in a small (home-made) boat that sailed without authorisation (Port Captain was anticipating storms), vessel overturned in the rough seas, two divers made it ashore - one with a broken arm and were later rescued by helicopter - but the the diver's assistant was swept out to sea and drowned. Body recovered some hours later. Latercera.com -
2018 5 0 Bucio Juan USA Chicago Fire Department Juan Bucio, 46, was among the first responders called to a report of a person missing in the Chicago River near the 2600 block of South Ashland Avenue at around 8 p.m. Monday night, authorities said. Fire officials said Bucio was searching for a 28-year-old man who witnesses said they saw jump from a boat into the river. At one point, Bucio lost communication with his dive partner during the rescue attempt, officials said. Authorities said he was later located and CPR was administered before he was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital, where he later died. “An order was given to switch out divers to bring the second team in, give them a break,” Chicago Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago said at a news conference. “At that time, they were coming towards the boat. His partner turned around and he was missing, that quick,” Santiago added. The CFD diver is 46-year-old Juan Bucio. According to the Chicago Fire Department he has two sons, ages seven and nine. He was pronounced dead at 10:02 p.m. Bucio joined the Chicago Fire Department in 2003. He became part of the dive team in 2007. He has nine siblings including a brother with the Chicago Fire Department and a sister with the Chicago Police Department. Two other divers were released from Northwestern Memorial. One of the divers was Bucio’s partner. SourceE: https://www.statter911.com/2018/05/29/chicago-firefighter-juan-bucio-dies-in-search-for-missing-boater/ -
2011 10 20 Padda JS Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
2012 6 2 Pool Joshua Lee Eugene USA 2 S/S Air Aged 28, Commercial diver with Seattle based Global and Salvage, working the weekend on a pivate gold claim 70 miles north of Anchorage on Willow Creek, using a compressor and diving gear, dry suit (No life jacket) with 50lbs of weight (25lb chest weight with quick release, 25lbs on a non-quick release waist belt) to work a 'neck-deep eddy' behind a boulder (using a suction lift) upstream of Shirley Town Bridge. Working with one other guy (onshore) and in quickly rising water level when apparently he went short of air, stood up and lifted off his helmet, slipped on a rock, lost his helmet and 'went downstream', Incident occurred at around 16:00, body located at 18:00, possible head injury, recorded as drowned. Lived in Anchoorage, expecting his second daughter to be born in July. Alaska Dispatch -
2011 5 14 Cetz Joshua Mexico Aged 37, sea cucumber harvesting off Celustun from the vessel 'Dick Tracy', transferred to chamber ashore but died. Reported as the third diver to die of DCI this season (which finished on the 15th May). Reported by Por Esto -
2016 2 12 Rodriguez Marquex Joshua Spain Piscifactoria del Atlantico Aged 42, diving at the Playa Quemada, Yaiza, Lanzarote (Canary Islands) fish farm since 2004, children aged 9 and 13, dived to cut a rope off a propellor and was fatally injured when the propeller was engaged. Reported in La Provincia -
2011 10 19 Gould Joseph Patrick Gordon USA Midco Diving 38 Aged 32, From Minnesota, working on lake Sakakawea, diving on the intake of the water intake to the city of Parshall. Installing pipe/welding, reports not clear. "It appears his diving equipment became entangled", communications failed, tugged on his lines to alert surface, the stand-by diver "was unable to untangle him". The body was retrieved and taken to the North Dakota Medical Examiner's office for autopsy. No other details. Bismark Tribune, Rapid city journal etc -
1997 10 15 Smith Joseph Michael USA SCUBA Aged 34, professional sea urchin harvesting off Swan Island. Failed to surface, body recovered by other crew members. Initial investigation led to USCG issuing a warning to divers regarding contaminated air. This was later ruled out. No further details. -
2007 4 6 McSween,USN Joseph Adam Iraq US Navy Topsides Aged 26, He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit 11, based at Whidbey Island, Washington. Survived by wife and two daughters aged 5 and 2. Also killed in the same incident were two other divers, Chief Petty Officer Gregory J. Billiter, 36, of Villa Hills, Ky., and Petty Officer 2nd Class Curtis R. Hall, 24, of Burley, Idaho, the Defense Department said. The three were specialists in identifying explosive materials and disarming them. Military Times -
1979 11 10 Leca Joseph 'Jo' Ghana or Ivory Coast Comex 130 Saturation See 'Wodeco V lost Bell' for details, the three divers in the bell, rescue stand-by diver and a nurse die in this incident. -
2009 6 20 Terzuoli Joseph USA 70 Rebreather American, aged 46. Ran a wreck diving company diving from the 50' diving boat 'John Jack', took a party to dive on the WW1 wreck of the 'Texel'. Diving solo, SCUBA rebreather, apparently caught in fishing lines. Recovered by crew members. Had started diving again even though he had had a triple heart bypass in April, two months earlier. -
2007 4 1 Campbell Joseph Jamaica SCUBA Aged 35, found with extensive head wounds along with rope/tools. Speculation that he may have been attaching cannabis container to a cargo ship (Smuggling) . Severe head injuries compatible with propeller impact. At least three civilian commercial divers contracted by vessel operators to search hulls for contraband prior to departure have been murdered, searches now conducted by security services. Reported in the Jamaica Observer -
1945 12 0 Dalley Joseph Papua New Guinea 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. (Macka Graham, in India) Other diver to lose his life was Joseph Dalley, also of Melbourne. He was in the messroom of the salvage ship Cambrian Salvor in Rabaul making some toast when a detonator from a Japanese bomb being handled by some of the men exploded and killed him�. Reported in the Daily News, Pert, WA -
1912 7 11 Coem Joseph France S/S Air "Diver killed by pressure. A diver named Joseph Cem has died at Toulon from the effects of too great a…." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive -
1908 7 12 Mogg Joseph Australia McPherson 15 S/S Air Paraphrased from a report in the Northern territory times and gazette. “Inquiry held at the Court House into the cause of death of pearl diver Joseph Mogg, The lugger 'Ada' was anchored off Shoal Bay. His only experience was acquired recently in the Arru I Island pearling fleet. Had been down 30 minutes when the first length of piping, directly connected with the pump, burst on deck. It was about four minutes from the time the pipe burst until on diver was on surface, bleeding from his mouth and eats, possibly "diver was little bit alive." One witness stated that he had complained that the length of piping which burst was not good. The owner denied this (the same length of pipe had been used on the previous tide to 19 fathoms and stated that he had 22 years practical experience of pearling, and attributed present mishap to a flaw in the piping. “The life of piping with steel wires was about 4 years, and this piping had only been in use two and a half seasons. A diver who knew his business would at once close the air escape valve in his helmet. If that were done there was, according to the maker's specifications, enough air in the dress to keep a man alive for 15 minutes). The evidence showed that the valve had never been closed, and, in his opinion, “The diver had never tried to come up. In a precisely similar accident which bad taken place at Cape Keith four years ago, the diver had been brought up alive, and practically unhurt, from 21 fathoms of water.� The Jury found "That J. Mogg's death was caused by suffocation through an air pipe breaking, and that no blame is attachable to anybody." Also added a rider to following effect: " We are of opinion that the system of half yearly tests of diving gear should be carried out at Port Darwin under some responsible Government official." (This is the earliest recommendation for 6 monthly dive equipment inspection witnessed by a third party that I have found, pity it took us 70 or 80 years to catch on! TC..........) -
2001 3 8 Rosa Jose Luis Di Cstro Uruguay Navy 3 SCUBA Aged 23, Naval diver with four years experience, Port of Montevideo, propeller inspection of the crane barge 'General Artigas'. Appears to have been entrapment/out of air/drowning, but no real details. La Republica -
1993 0 0 Silva Jose Luis Mexico A diver died while cleaning storm drains in Mexico City in 1994, clearing a blockage which suddenly gave way, drowned. Reported in an interview in 2004 with Julio Cuc, one of the founder divers with the permanent Mexico city sewer diving team formed in 1982, article in UK Guardian. Futher reported as�Silva was killed after he dislodged a tire that was blocking a floodgate west of the city. Like a stopper removed from a bathtub, the sudden suction of the free-flowing water pulled Silva through a small opening in the dam. His co-workers found his battered body more than a mile downstream.� Los Angeles Times -
2014 10 21 Lopez Cruz Jose Joaquin E.ON Power Generation Plant. Los Barrios, Cadiz, Spain Satemar Compania De Trabajos Submarinos When diving to perform a photographic underwater inspection in a siphon inlet on the E.ON coal-fired power plant refrigeration system the diver was sucked into the inlet. -
2011 9 2 Cardenas Jose Jesus Mendoza Mexico SCUBA Aged 34 from Puerto Libertad, living in El Desemboque (Caborca), clam diving off a boat owned by Germain Marin Guzman some 3 km off the beach, surfaced and complained of chest pains, died before he got to hospital. La Policiaca -
2006 6 18 Reyes Jose Diego Barria Chile Friosur SCUBA Shellfish cultivation, Elena Island, Cisnes Commons, Aysén Regioner, Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions District Attorneys Offices. No details -
2010 10 2 Barrientos Jose Ascensio Chile Aged 54, Shellfish diver onboard the vessel "Seno Vera" 13 miles off Puerto Aguirre suffered fractured left leg and serious cuts to both legs from the vessel's propeller. Transferred ashore (seems to have taken over six hours to get the rescue boat there and back to port) and to hospital. No other details. Armarda.cl -
2011 12 22 Diaz Jose Mexico Fisherman Aged 33, from the town of Timucuy, diving off the vessel "Golfo II" (Gulf II), lobster fising operation out of Yucalpeten, 15:00 hours, Captain of the boat radiod ashore to tell the port authorities that the diver had drowned. No details. Progresohoy.com -
2008 1 26 Cortina Jose Spain Spanish Navy Spanish, training dive at the Spanish Naval Diving training establishment, Caratagena, diving from the Neptuno, training dive, one other injured (Paz), both given hyperbaric treatment in Santa Maria del Rosell naval hospital, one fatality (Casanova). -
2016 11 29 Garcia Jose Panama Interpa Holding Corporation, S.A. SCUBA Aged 43, cleaning an inlet pipe to the Esti Panama hydroelectric power plant on the Chiriqui River in Gualaca. Double Fatality with Roderik Arauz. No real details. Reported by La Estrella de Panama. Additional information reported on the Association website: https://goo.gl/fZmALu -
2017 6 30 Jiminez Uceda Jose Spain Fisherman Chamber Aged 61, Red Coral diving with 25 year old from the vessel 'Trepa' near Cadaques (Spain), the pair were undergoing surface decompression in a chamber on the boat when there was an internal fire, the 25 year old survived with serious burns and was brought ashore by the third man on the boat (his father). reported by ViladeRoses -
2016 12 28 Bahamonde Jose Chile Aged 56, shellfish diving from the vessel 'Javiera' (Registered in Achao) near Shilling Island, died, reported as decompression illness. Reported by biobiochile.cl -
2013 7 29 Valenzuela Valderrama José Luis 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 -
2011 1 1 Lemos Jorge Luiz Brazil Vilasub on contract to Flexibras Aged 44, married, two children, experienced diver (In 2002 he recovered the bodies of two fireman killed in the sinking of a vessel in the Port of Tubarao), owner Vilasub based in Vila Velha (Only diving company in the state licenced by the navy to train commercial divers for the fire brigade, police, Navy and Petrobras) providing underwater ship's husbandry services. Accident happened in the Port of Victoria (Porto de Vitoria) during preparatory works for a dredging operation, early afternoon solo dive to check the results of earlier blasting work but drifted away from the boat. Other divers went in and pulled him to the surface, bleeding from ears and almost unconscious. Taken to hospital but died later that evening. Gazetaonline -
2010 10 22 Demian Jorge Argentina Fireman Aged 24, fireman based at Caleta Olivia on a rescue diver course in Puerto Santa Cruz, appears to have died in an accident at the Juan Carlos Narvaez sports centre swimming pool during training, but no details. Reported by GPS Diving -
2021 5 9 Villegas Rogel Jorge Chile SCUBA Aged 29, Diving from the 'Genesis II' at a Fish Farm in the Punta Valentino Sector on Dawson Island, South of Punta Arenas, recovered unconscious, did not respond to treatment. Declared deceased on arrival at Punta Arenas. No other details. Reported by subaquaticamadazine.es -
2015 10 19 Jonathon T USA SCUBA Aged 28, From Apollo Beach, Florida, one of a three man in-water team harvesting eel grass on a mill site cleanup at Port Gamble (Puget Sound, Washington State). The other divers surfaced but could not find their colleague, Body located in 20 feet of water 60 feet from the shore some four hours later. Kingston Community News -
2010 4 23 Salas Jonathon Michael Botello Panama Braswell Shipyard Int SA Aged 21, had been diving at the Braswell shipyard in Balboa (South East entrance to the Panama Canal) for just three months. Apparently ate a meal at noon and after a brief rest, entered the water, 'had a seizure' (Vomited) and drowned. Reported by critica.com.pa -
2008 12 6 Parker Jonathon Canada 14 Canadian, aged 21. One of a two man commercial diving team working with a crew to refloat a fishing boat that sank in the Northumberland Strait in September about three kilometres off the coast of Pointe-Sapin. "He was struck or squeezed under the boat� Times & Transcript -
2010 4 7 Al-Trabulsi Jonas USA S/S Air Aged 26, of Kemah, drowned while cleaning the hull of a boat and was found floating in the water, was pulled from the water near Waterford Harbor Marina after police were called to investigate. An autopsy performed Thursday listed the cause of death as a drowning, He was a contract hull cleaner and was cleaning a boat in the marina. The compressor he was using to get air was laying on its side when police arrived but it was unknown if that contributed at that time because there was some pressure left. Associated Press. -
2009 10 15 Woriki Johnson Nigeria Nigerian Navy diver SCUBA Paraphrased from reports:- “A Naval rating on board the new Navy gunship, NNS Zaria, stationed at the Escravos river in Warri South-West local government area of Delta State got drowned in the sea trying to recover the detached anchor of the gunship last Thursday. Informed sources told Vanguard that the rating, from Rivers State, was a diver and was well kitted before taking the plunge into the sea in a bid to retrieve the detached anchor of the new gunship and never surfaced again. His corpse only came afloat Saturday morning and was brought to the Warri Central Hospital morgue where his brother and some relations were on hand planning to take the body for burial immediately since he is a young man. Hospital sources confirmed the incident, just as security operatives kept mum. However, some officers were heard grumbling over why a "so-called new gunship would lose its anchor in so short a time," and also “bemoaning the untimely death of their fallen colleague�. Vanguard. -
1986 0 0 John Johnny UK SCUBA Tenby (South Wales), amateur diver inspecting the moorings of a pleasure craft for a friend. Failed to surface. Cause of death 'aspiration of vomit into lungs'. 'At work'? Yes, but 'at work for pay'? Probably not, just doing doing a favour for his friend. Personal communication, no other details -
1893 5 10 Wahoo Johnnie Australia 36 S/S Air From Honolulu, diving off the Thursday Islands from the pearling lugger 'Premier' After 5 dives on deck, removed gear, but 30 minutes later complained of feeling unwell. In spite of vigorous massage, after about 12 hours became unconscious and died two hours later. Inquiry concluded that he died of diver's paralysis. Reported in the Brisbane Courier -
2005 11 21 Whitekettle John W Romania Titan American, aged 48, Underwater burning in during salvage of the 'Rostok' from the Danube (second fatality earlier, see Eke, 02/01/2005) European press reported his surname as 'Warren', suspect that his full name was John warren Whitekettle (TC) -
0 0 0 Peck John W American, commercial diver, died in an accident, no details -
1908 0 0 Haldane John Scott UK Topsides Haldane, in conjunction with Arthur Boycott and Guybon Damant, publish "The Prevention of Compressed Airs", largely regarded as the landmark paper on the development of decompresion tables. Tables based on this paper were later adopted by the Royal Navy and used worldwide. -
1994 2 4 Stapp John Quinton USA 2 SCUBA Aged 38, surveying the Hunter's Point Marina on Lake Travis near Cat Hollow to plan repairs to its dock, diving solo, no team. No details -
1944 8 25 Johnson John Paul Australia Topsides BROKE HIS NECK IN 5 FT. FALL. John Paul Johnson, 63, married, of Ferguson Road, Norman Park, a diver, was killed in a 5ft. fall at Borthwick's Meatworks Wharf, Queensport, Brisbane, yesterday. He struck some rocks when he fell, fractured his neck, and received a laceration on the head. He died instantly. Johnson, who was engaged in general repair work at the wharf, started work bracing the wharf planking at 7.30 a.m. yesterday, and was seen at 7.45 walking along a thrust pile. Reported in the Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Qld. -
1967 11 13 Greig John N F UK S/S Air Described as a senior diver at Aberdeen harbour, died after being trapped underwater whilst inspecting damage to the gates and bridge at the entrance to the port's deepwater basin (Damaged by the 800 ton Slite registered (Sweden) tanker 'Rauken' which collided with the gates and the St Clement's bridge). The gates swung in the tide and trapped his air lines. "His son, Brian, a diver's labourer who was working nearby, was summoned and watched as rescuers fought to save his father's life". The gates were pulled open and he floated to the surface and was lifted unconscious onto the dive boat, CPR and O2 administered, taken to hospital, but pronounced ead. The Glasgow Herald -
1996 4 27 Binney John L USA SCUBA Aged 28, research assistant at the University of Oregon, hired by the US Army Corps of engineers to inspect a 130' deep shaft at the Hills Creek Reservoir dam. With partner Lavoy went to 90' in basket, Lavoy then went to 130' to inspect the bulkhead, returned to 90' basket and both ascended to 10' and then Lavoy climbed onto the wall to remove his gear. Binney's lifeline went slack and was pulled up, no diver. Lavoy got a fresh cylinder plus pare and went back into the water, down to 90'. After he had been there about 5 minutes, surface team reported that his bubbles suddenly got larger and then stopped. Basket recovered but Lavoy was dead. Binney's body was recovered from 130' by two SCUBA divers from Portland Commercial divers who completed the inspection work the following day. Double fatality. -
1966 4 27 Binney John L USA Military 40 SCUBA Aged 28, university of Oregon research assistant, hired by the US Army Corps of Engineers to inspect a 130' shaft containing a concrete bulkhead at the Hills Creek water reservoir near Oakridge, with partner (Lavey) descended to 90', partner left basket and went to 130', returned to basket and both divers recovered to 10', Lavey then swam to the top of the dam, left the water and began removing his gear. At this point Binney's lifeline went slack. Lavey went back into the water with a fresh tank plus spare. After about 5 minutes, workers on the surface saw a sudden increase in bubbles after which they stopped. Work basket was recovered, but he was dead when brought to the surface. Binney's body was recovered from 130 by divers from Portland Commercial divers (Who also completed the inspection work). Neither dead diver had air in their tanks when recovered though cause of death was not clear (twin hose regulators, could have vented) Double fatality. Reported in the Eugene register-Guard -
1971 8 18 Koh John Kay Lim Singapore Straits Diving Singaporean aged 33, diving to clean a water suction tube at the Jurong power station. Dive team "found Koh stuck to the wire netted entrance of the tube limp and lifeless". Verdict was drowning by misadventure. Straits Times -
1997 9 10 Mahady John J USA City Employee SCUBA Aged 39, Two Harbors City employee, described as an experienced diver, apparently had trouble as he was working to attach a buoy to mark equipment near a municipal water intake pipe just off shore in Lake Superior. Drowned. No details -
1875 8 12 Tippett John Hicks UK 9 S/S Air EXTRAORDINARY DEATH OF A DIVER. The diving cutter ‘Sir Francis Burdett’ has arrived at Hull with the body of James Tippett, diver, aged 37, The crew have been engaged for some time in preparations to blow up the steamer ‘Shamrock’, sunk at the entrance to the Humber in 30 feet of water. Yesterday morning Tippett went down under water fully dressed, when those on the cutter felt convinced something was wrong. He was hauled onboard but was found to be dead. The glass at the front of his helmet had been broken by some means and so had let in the water. He must have been dead long before he was got on board, Reported in the Bradford Observer -
1980 12 2 Franklin John Henry USA Power Plant Maintenance Inc SCUBA Aged 35, diving at the South Carolina Electric and Gas Company power dam on the Savannah River, just upstream of Augusta, clearing obsrructions from the dam's intake grate, found dead inside the power plant the following day. He had been sucked into the turbine - Two had been shut off, he was sucked into the third (live) intake. 6 violations (4 serious, 1 wilful). No lifeline, no in-water diver to maintain visual contact, no safety manual, no person in charge, no stand-by diver, no emergency procedures/equipment. The Albany Herald -
1975 2 6 Martin John Douglas Norway Ocean Systems 41 S/S Air British, aged 30. Stavanger Fjord, Condeep platform, reported as 'Lost/ditched helmet, insufficient training' No explanation', body never recovered, but he had 15 years experience. -
1951 8 24 Saunders John Alfred India Aged 25, Described as "Born in Bombay, a deep sea diver who died in an accident whilst working for the Bombay Port Trust. No details. -
1976 1 12 Howell RN John "Scouse" UK Subsea 146 Saturation British, aged 27. He was still in the Navy, but on EVT (Spending time with prospective employees prior to leaving the armed forces). Semi-sub drill rig "Western Pacesetter 1". He passed out shortly after leaving bell, officially reported as suspected switched off own gas by knocking ball valve, drowning/hypoxia, but other sources indicate his gas was contaminated and he passed out on the seabed. His bellman could not (or would not) get him back into the bell and tied him to the outside of the bell and removed his helmet. The body was taken to RNPL for autopsy, cause of death, drowning. -
2005 7 30 Chapman John - entry 3 of 3 USA Triton 5 S/S Air John Chapman. The Investigation:- The Delise and Hall Investigation concluded that the death of the diver was caused by supervisor error and unseaworthy condition of the vessel. The supervisor testified that he was confused by the configuration of the vessel as a "backup" or "reverse" jack-up vessel and did not realize that the props were at the end of the vessel from which the divers were working. The supervisor was inexperienced and had no certification as a supervisor. A JSA (not done) would have established the risk of a diver diving in close proximity to the vessel's props and would have called for a "tag-out, lock-out" of the vessel's controls (Some experts also suggested that a chain-lock of the prop should have been called for). Even more inexperienced was the dive tender (First job tending a diver, his second day of employment with the diving contractor, had graduated from dive school that week). Evidence indicates that the tender let out approximately three times the usual amount of umbilical hose for this shallow a job thereby allowing the hose to slack and be drawn into the propeller. Without the failure of the vessel's transmission (Propellers engaged – even when not ‘in gear’ - when engine running to power crane) this accident would not have occurred. Additionally, the vessel's captain did not follow company protocol to completely jack the vessel out of the water. He further left the controls unattended while he operated the crane and agreed to position the vessel such that the divers had no real choice but to dive from the stern. All testimony in this case indicated that the propeller "free spin" phenomenon was common to jack up vessels. Witnesses testified as to having observed it previously on other vessels (there had been a similar transmission failure on a sister vessel). The USCG inspect for "free spin". The point vessel owner was aware of the potential danger and failed to warn anyone of such or follow any type of lockout/tag out system. The Delise and Hall concluded that there were seven serious root causes of the fatality:- 1. The dive supervisor's allowance of a work site near propellers without a "tag out – lock out" procedure in place. 2. The supervisor's ignorance concerning the layout of the vessel; 3. The vessel captain's failing to lift the vessel completely out of the water and to allow diving operations to commence with a dangerous "free spin" of the propeller caused by a faulty transmission and/or clutch; 4. The vessel captain's "cowing down" to the general contractor's direction; 5. Failure of the supervisor to follow established policies and procedures established by his employer's Safe Diving Practices Operations Manual; 6. Failure of the diving supervisor to establish and implement a Job Safety Analysis; 7. Failure of the dive supervisor assure that the tender was experienced and familiar with company and industry procedures. reported by Delise and Hall. -
2005 7 30 Chapman John - entry 2 of 3 USA Triton 5 S/S Air John Chapman. The Incident:- The dive plan was to locate a leak in the pipeline, hand jet the pipeline to trace the line and determine if it could be lifted followed by a repair of the leak onboard the vessel.  Due to crossing lines, the main contractor directed that the damaged portion of the line be cut and a clamp installed. This required that the repaired section be lifted from bottom and replaced underwater utilizing divers and the vessel's crane. The three leg jack-up had its wheelhouse at its bow, hence the name "backup jack-up". Unlike conventional jack-up vessels, the propellers of the vessel are located at the opposite end of the vessel from the wheelhouse. The vessel was positioned stern to the platform. The vessel was not, as was required by the vessel owner's operation manual, fully jacked out of the water (which left the propellers in the water). The dive station was set up at the stern in close proximity to the vessel propellers. In order to lift the riser section, it was necessary to utilize one of the vessel's two cranes to lift the riser to the deck of the vessel. The gender felt a tug on the diver’s umbilical followed suddenly, without warning, by the umbilical being jerked from the tender's hand; witnesses testified that soon thereafter they heard the engine "bog" and "thump" under the vessel as the prop apparently struck the diver's helmet.  The dive supervisor, having lost communications with the diver, entered the water and found his lifeless body entangled in the vessel props. Reported by Delise and Hall -
2005 7 30 Chapman John - entry 1 of 3 USA Triton 5 S/S Air John Chapman. Initially reported simply as "Liftboat, 'somebody' started the engine, umbilical caught in wheel, diver pulled to the surface and killed in the wheel". Further investigation revealed he was British, Aged 31, living in Seattle, diving from a "backup jack-up" vessel to repair a riser in shallow water off Southeast Louisiana near the mouth of the Mississippi River. He was killed when his umbilical was caught in the propeller of the vessel. His death was classified as death resulting from the trauma of the propeller strikes and drowning. The OSHA report summary simply states "On July 30, 2005, Employee #1 was performing supplied-air diving operations in water about 8 to 10 ft deep. The dive took place about 8 to 12 ft from the stern of a twin screw jack-up boat (a boat with the wheelhouse located at the bow of the vessel). A predive safety briefing was held that morning. Employee #1 began a dive at 3:20 p.m. and had been on the bottom about 10 to 15 minutes when his air line was caught by the port propeller of the boat. He was killed. Investigation of the port power-train of the boat revealed that a worn clutch in the port power train resulted in the port propeller turning under the torque of the engine at all times" additional details in entries 2 and 3 below -
2011 5 1 Makuch John USA Police diver SCUBA Aged 56, collapsed during a training exercise at Port Huron YMCA, 'massive Heart Attack', other team members (trained paramedics) were unable to save him. He had joined the St. Clair County Sherriff's Office dive team in 1991 and had worked his way up through the ranks to Assistant Chief. First recorded fatality since the team was founded in 1969. Reported in the Daily Tribune -
2008 10 2 Hancock John Philippines Titan Topsides American, aged 38, handling isocyanate on deck, spilt, skin (arm) contact, numbness/breathing difficulties, medivac to hospital -
2004 3 15 Bennett John Korea 45 SCUBA Trimix salvage operation -
2000 10 11 Linscomb John USA Land and Underwater Welding Topsides American, Bayou Adams near Orange, Texas, incident occurred when the divers were returning to a boatramp at the end of a diving project and their boat hit a power line tower. The diver was killed. Another diver, who was operating the boat, was seriously injured. NAOCD/cDiver blog, No other details. -
1997 3 15 Eberle John USA Roza Irrigation district 30 SCUBA America, aged 41, 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 (Rhode, Hauber, Mestaz) -
1997 0 0 Tucker John Venezuela 9 S/S Air American, Porto Cabala, Inspection dive during the salvage of the vessel "Zinnia", stopped responding to surface/line signal, stand-by found him on the bottom, unresponsive, helmet flooded. -
1995 0 0 Webb John India CCC Saturation Salvaging concrete coated pipe lost off a materials barge in zero visibility on Bombay High, crushed between pipes during crane operations. When the incident happened, the bellman (On his first sat) was slow into the water and did not flood the bell, could not reach the diver so had to climb back into the bell to release more umbilical, diver's umbilical trapped under pipe, the bellman initially cut the divers umbilical on the wrong side of the pipe and then had to use the divers's own knife (his own knife by then being blunt) to release the diver and take him back to bell. The diver's KMB 17 side block had been knocked off, probably by impact from a swinging pipe caused by a sling coming off, and his umbilcal trappd. Pipe sections were scattered in a loose unstable pile and recovered using modified shackles hooked into the ends of the pipe sections (This method - as opposed to burning lifting holes in each end of the pipes - was adopted because 'the client wanted to speed things up and avoid damaging the pipe'. Longstreath blog. -
1991 8 15 Lyons John South China Sea McDermott 18 Saturation New Zealander, one of four divers who died when the McDermott DB 29 got caught in typhoon 'Fred' in the South China Sea, POB 195, 22 fatalities. Diver's HRV was the bell, but the barge developed a list and the bell could not be mated to the TUP. Saturation system had been decompressed to around 60' before the barge capsized and sank. As the barge, upside down, sank, the pressure equalised with the TUP, the door was opened and three divers (Steve Hardy, John Lyons and Terry Dennison) swam for the surface but drowned (dragged down by the suction of the barge sinking?). Their bodies were recovered from the sea. Autopsy revealed no signs of decompression illness indicating that although decompression had been accelerated, the high ppO2 had been effective. Cause of death was salt weater drowning. The body of Brian Shepherd was recovered from the flooded dive system (still complete, intact and attached to the upturned hull of the barge) by saturation divers some two months later. He was located still wrapped in a hammock slung in what would have been a gas bubble in the capsized system. Autopsy revealed leg injuries leading to speculation that he was injured when the barge capsized, was unable to make the escape attempt with the other three divers. Cause of death was asphyxiation. The barge was never salvaged and still lies upside down under the South China Sea. A letter to his wife and children was found in John Lyon's diving under-suit (“He left a very personal love letter. It's a goodbye letter. John knew he was going to die and wrote to me and the children� His wife Sue, speaking after the event). Telegraph and Argus plus Personal Communication. -
1986 2 3 D'Amato John USA Volunteer police team SCUBA Aged 37, civilian volunteer with the police SAR team, died whilst searching for a 6 year old boy (who was declared dead in hospital 2 hours after being found - he had been under the ice for two hours) who had fallen through the ice on the Ipswich River. The diver was missing for an hour before his absence was noted by the team. Reported in the Boston Globe. -
1974 10 14 Clark John UK Comex 0 SCUBA British, aged 31, married, two children. Drill rig "Waage I", Acting as surface tender during attachment of a towing line. Swept under cowcatcher or cross member by swell, broken rib, vomited, drowned -
1974 7 5 Dimmer John UK KD Marine 150 Saturation British, aged 27. Drill rig "Sedco 135F", suffered a pneumothorax. Was distressed during decompression and after treated with a therapeutic re-compression but died in the chamber. Diving supervisor initially suspected pneumothorax but was over-ridden by the doctor who diagnosed the symptoms as pneumonia (The doctor involved was inexperienced in hyperbaric medicine). -
1970 12 30 Strano John Australia Tweed Heads Porpoise Pool “Diver better� SYDNEY. Thursday. “Mr John Strano, 30, of Palm Beach, Queensland, a diver from the Tweed Heads porpoise pool, was recovering today from an injury he received when he was attacked by a 300 lb groper (Newpaper typo, I think….?) in the pool yesterday at feeding time�. The Canberra Times -
1970 9 19 Bielanski John USA Aged 32, professional diver from Oak Forest drowned while repairing a broken water main at the bottom of a man made lake (Lake Camelot?) No other details. Chicago Tribune. -
1968 11 9 McGinnis John USA Ocean Engineering 50 SCUBA Two divers, Berend Joost, aged 34 of the University of Miami, and John McGinnis, aged 51 of Ocean-Engineering, were installing acoustic recording equipment at the edge of the Gulf stream off Miami when McGinnis noticed that Joost had dropped to the seabed, he went down to help but Joost had a strong grasp on the rope. Joost's mouthpiece dropped out, McGinnis replaced it but had to surface as had run out of air and suffered from decompression illness (treated, believed OK). A third diver, Jim Nangle, aged 23 and also an Ocean-Engineering technician recovered Joost's body to the surface. Reported in the Toledo Blade -
1968 0 0 Edwards John USA Taylor Diving and Salvage Underwater Oxy Arc Explosion, seriously injured but recovered after a year in hospital, never dived again. Second diver burning on a damaged conductor, improper vent. PC -
1965 2 16 Youmans John USA Military 72 Chamber One of two enlisted divers (the other was Frederick Jackson) killed in a flash fire in a chamber during physiological experiment (250' for two hours) at the 'old' experimental diving unit at the Washington Navy yard (It was relocated to Panama City in 1975). Two other divers (not named) acting as tenders were treated for smoke inhalation. navydivers.net. An alternate report states that the research recompression chamber contained 28% O2, 36% He, 36% N2 at 3.8 bara (91fsw) with the most probable cause of the fire being an overheated electrical motor in the CO2 scrubber. Downstream of the motor was a filter element of the type normally used for filtering jet fuel. Following manufacture, it had beem tested with kerosene, leaving residual kerosene as the probable primatry fuel in the fire. A chamber occupant called "We have fire in here!", the two outside observers noted a flame coming from the CO2 scrubber followed immediately by a flash fire in the compartment and smoke obscuring their vision. The occupants did not have time to use the bucket of water provided as a fire extinguishant. The internal temperature rose to about 800 F, the pressure went up to 8.9 bara (260 fsw). Sheffield and Desautels “Hyperbaric and hypobaric Chamber fires, a 73 year analysis�, Undersea Hyperbaric Medicine, 1997, 24 (3): 153-164 -
1958 7 0 Oppey John UK "Extraordinary Death of a Diver. An inquest was held at Dover on Friday (14th July 1958) on the body of John Oppy, a diver employed at the Admiralty Pier works...." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Birmigham Daily Post/The British Newspaper Archive -
1934 7 31 Bee John UK S/S Air "Diver's death, John Bee, 54, of Queens Road, Portsmouth, a diver employed in salving of the sunken german fleet in the Orkney, died from heart failure on a salvage vessel…" " collapsed and died on deck of salvage vessel 'Bertha' after emerging from air lock." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Hull Daily Mail/The British Newspaper Archive. “DIVER DIES AFTER A JOKE� Mr. John Bee, a diver, aged 54, of Portsmouth, who was employed in the salving of the sunken German fleet at Scapa Flow for ten years, died suddenly after finishing work on the sunken warship ‘Bayern’ a few weeks ago. The diver had been joking with his comrades in the salvage boat Bertha after emerging from the air lock just before his collapse. The Canberra Times -
1932 8 28 Dahl John USA 64 S/S Air Previously the wrecking master and chief diver with the Merritt & Chapman Wrecking Company, “Noted diver dies in Norfolk, Virginia� Salvage operation off the vessel “Salvor�, cargo recovery from the wreck of the Merida (sank after a collision with the Farragut 45 miles East of Cobb Island, Virginia, with reports of treasure onboard in 1911) in approx 200' of water. Diver's death attributed to heart disease but authoriies wanted an autopsy. No other details. Reported in the Sun (Baltimore, Md.) -
1926 9 25 Lee John UK 21 S/S Air "Accident to diver. While working on a wreck in Morecambe Bay yesterday, Jihn Lee of Weast Hartlepool..." "Diver's Ordeal. Broken helmet 70 feet below surface interviewed yesterday in Fleetwood hospital, a diver named Lee who almost…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Aberdeen Journal/The British Newspaper Archive -
1926 5 24 Devine John USA 12 S/S Air American, aged 40, New York East River, "Friend by mistake cut off his air hose" New York Times. Another report indicates "His lead soled boot was trapped in a cofferdam frame, his airline twisted and tangled, he died a divers death 30 feet under the East River this afternoon". He was recovered to the surface by fellow diver Alexander Hansen but was dead. Survived by 5 children. They were working on the installation of filter screens on the two water inlet tunnels supplying water to the new Edison Company plant being built at the end of fourteenth Street. Montreal Gazette -
1915 1 14 Robinson John Singapore Topham, Jones and Railton 12 S/S Air English (From Southampton) Aged 32. contracted to Singapore Harbour Board during construction of new wharf (Tanjong Pagar section G-F). During underwater lifting/lowering, the diver stopped responding to line pulls and could not be pulled up. They brought up a second diver (named Harvey who was workling 10' to 12' away) and sent him back down to find what the problem was. Harvey went down and then surfaced indicating that they were to pull the diver up but they could not. Harvey went down again and after a signal they managed to pull the diver up. On getting him to the surface they could see the air pipe was severed (Only held by a strand the spiral internal wrap) about 15' from the diver. They attempted artificial respiration which was further continued by arriving doctors, but no response. The investigation concluded that the air line had been caught and severed by the lifting gear due to the strong tide (slack air line) and that the surface crew probably did not understand the diver's signals. Cause of death was given as asphyxia due to suffocation. The coroner observed that "the deceased was dead when brought to the surface". Straits Times. -
1913 2 28 Putris John Australia S/S Air "South Australia, Two Divers Drowned, Failure of air pumps". "Adelaide, Friday, two divers naned Stevenson and Putris were today drowned at the Wallaroo Jetty Works owing to the failure of thc pumps which supplied air to them". The two men had only been in the water about three minutes when the tender noticed he was not receiving any signals.. Stevenson was brought up and was just breathing but expired immediately, Putris was hauled up dead. Reported in the North Western Advocate and Emu Bay Times. -
1908 1 12 Clarke John New Zealand 41 S/S Air Off Aukland, second diver to die (the other was Harper, 1907) working on the wreck of the Eligamite "A telegram from the Elingamite expedition states that the party is returning to Auckland, Diver Clarke having died at 10:30 last night. no further information is given. This is the second diver who has died while engaged in attempting to recover the gold lost in the Elingamite". Hawera and Normamby Star, National Library of New Zealand -
1904 4 15 Ride John USA S/S Air The diver who blocked the valve and eventually recovered the body of William Hoar working upstream of it in the water flow. -
1900 11 13 Roderick John Australia S/S Air "A Death. A well Known Diver, John Roderick, met with his death at Mort's Dock. He was engaged in a .." "..that the diver was in a serious position. He was quickly released, but when pulled to the surface found to be dead, having been.." "A diver drowned, aged 56, a married man with 7 children, employed as a diver at Mort's Dock, Palmain, was working under a steamer yesterday when the air pipe attached to his helmet became jambed and he was drowned" Reported in the Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) -
1889 1 1 Wolter John USA, Philadelphia S/S Air Putting a patch on a vessel that had hit a shoal. Lost air supply (hose came off helmet). Pulled up by deck crew feet first but the two guys were unable to lift him into the boat, dropped him back to the bottom, got more help and dragged him out. When recovered was black in the face and unresponsive, thought to be dead. They unscrewed his face plate, "poured whiskey down his throat and rubbed him vigorously". 15 minutes later he recovered consciousness. -
1877 1 29 Robertson John UK Topsides Steam ship 'Alexandra', built in Stockton on Tees in 1863, en route from Cadiz to Dublin via Liverpool, with 420 tons of wine. Reached Liverpool and discharged 100 tons of wine, sailed for Dublin on the 3rd of January. 08:00 drive shaft broke, continued under sail, caught in a storm which left him with only fore and aft foresails, was being pushe onshore, dropped port anchor which immediately parted, starboard anchor jammed, ran aground in Clogher Bay. Cargo was discgarged by the 12th January, on the same day, the salvage vessel 'Seamen' arrived from Adrossan with three steam pumps and repair crew, including the diver and tender, and temporary repairs made including installing the three pumps on frames in the holds.before two tugs - "Kingfisher" and "Challenger' out of Liverpool - arrived to tow her to Belfast for overhaul with the salvage steamer "Seamew" attached to her stern by a tow rope to steady her during the tow and the three steam pumps running to keep her afloat. Floated off and tow started 10:00 on the 29th JanuaryAlso onboard was a repair crew including diver John Robertson and his attendant from Greenock. Caught in further bad weather from 18:00 hours, the pumps could not keep up, headed for sheltered water and situation improved, continued the tow but vessel began listing to starboard, then settled to the stern and then sank in under 5 minutes. It is thought that 7 persons were lost in the sinking - a shipright, a carpenter, 4 labourers from Clogher Bay and the diver, Anderson. Salvage Captains criticised for taking the vessels into heavy weather away from sheltered water. Plimsol.org/Old Merseytimes.co.uk -
1854 6 1 Tope, First entry, the incident John USA Wells, Gowan and Green 12 S/S Air We learn that Mr. John Tope, one of the divers employed by Messrs. Wells, Gowan & Green, in their operations on the Lake, lost his life while experimenting with a sub-marine armor, a few days since. The circumstances attending this lamentable casualty, as related to us by Mr. Green, are substantially as follows: It appears that Mr. Tope was desirous of testing a sub-marine armor preparatory to commencing operations on the wrecks which the Company design raising this Summer, and on Friday afternoon last, in company with three others, started from Cattaraugus Creek in a small vessel of about twenty tons burden, and proceeded some distance from the shore, where the water was about forty feet deep. Mr. Tope descended into the water three times. The first and second time he went down some fifteen or twenty feet, each time signalizing to those above to raise him. In both instances he remarked that the foul air did not escape fast enough to allow him to breathe freely. Previous to going down, the third time detached the spring from the valve which allows the impure air to escape from the helmet, and desired the man who held the signal line to observe carefully when he should reach the bottom, (some forty feet) and be prepared to answer his signals. He then entered the water, and had descended about thirty feet, when those above thought the armor felt unusually heavy. The signal line was immediately jerked to ascertain whether anything was wrong, but receiving no answering signal, the diver was immediately raised from the water. New York Times -
1854 6 1 Tope, Second entry, incident response John USA Wells, Gowan and Green 12 S/S Air On opening the helmet, the unfortunate occupant of the armor was found to be quite dead, presenting a horrid spectacle, blood oozing from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Detaching the spring from the escape-valve prevented the air from inflating the armor below the neck of the diver; and when it is recollected that at the depth of thirty feet the pressure of the water is equal to fifteen pounds to the square inch, and hence there must have been a pressure of at least ten tons upon the lower extremities of the diver; and this tremendous pressure forced the vital fluid to the head, bursting the blood vessels, and thus causing immediate death. Not more than a minute and a half elapsed from the time he entered the water, to the time he was hoisted upon the deck of the vessel. The pressure of the water upon the lower part of the armor, on his two previous trials, caused a slight rush of blood to the diver’s head, causing a dizziness, which he imagined was produced by foul air, and he insisted upon descending again with the spring detached from the escape-valve, which be said would allow a free current of air to pass in and out of the armor; but a moment’s reflection will convince anyone that this alone was the cause of the melancholy casualty. The apparatus he used on this occasion was in complete working order, and one of the most perfect ever manufactured. New York Times -
1854 6 1 Tope, third Entry, the investigation John USA Wells, Gowan and Green 12 S/S Air The deceased was a diver of five years’ experience on the Atlantic sea-board, and recently came here from Boston, where he leaves a wife and four children to mourn his death. Those who were with him during the day say that he appeared to have a premonition that some catastrophe would happen to him but could not be dissuaded from trying the experiment, in which he acted on his own responsibility, Mr. Green being in this city at the time. The accident at the wreck of the Erie last year, when Macdonald lost his life, was similar to this, though the victim in that case had but little experience as a diver. Too much care cannot be observed by those who follow this hazardous business. It requires cool judgment and great presence of mind on the part of the diver. Mr. Green informs us he has often experienced the same sensations while in the water, but always rose promptly to the surface until the dizziness had vanished and the armor thoroughly inflated. As long as the air circulates throughout the armor there is no danger to be apprehended. The body of the deceased below the neck appeared as if the blood had been entirely forced out of it, presenting an appearance as white and clear as a piece of sculptured marble. Since writing the above, we learn that Mr. Tope had connected a length of gutta percha hose to the helmet at the place occupied by the escape valve, one end of the hose, remaining above the surface of' the water. This was an improvement of his own which he desired to test, and before going down the last time he had taken the valve out entirely, though he was told frequently that such an experiment would prove fatal to him, and was warned by Mr. Green not to attempt it. On learning of the accident, Mr. Green had the body brought to this city, and Messrs. Wells & Gowan deposited it in a metallic burial case, and Mr. Wells proceeded with it to Boston last evening. The unfortunate man was held in high estimation by his employers, and his loss is deeply regretted. New York Times -
1744 6 22 Day John UK 40 Submarine Day was an English Carpenter/wheelwright. With the financial support of Christopher Blake, an English gambler, Day built a wooden "diving chamber" without an engine. He attached his invention to the deck of a 50 ton sloop named the Maria, which Blake had purchased for £340. The sloop's hold contained 10 tons of ballast, and two 10-ton weights were attached beneath the keel which could be released from inside the diving chamber. An additional 20 tons of ballast would be loaded on the Maria after Day had been locked inside the diving chamber. Day bet Blake that he and his boat could descend to a depth of 130 feet (40 m) and stay underwater for 12 hours. On June 22, 1774, the Maria was towed to a location north of Drakes Island (off Plymouth), Day took a candle, water and biscuits on board. The boat was equipped with a hammock for the passenger. After the boat was locked, the weights were loaded and the boat sank forever into the depths. Day had the calculation of the trim completely wrong. There is speculation whether Day died from asphyxiation, hypothermia or just drowned following catastrophic structural failure of the Maria and/or the diving chamber due to water pressure. This incident is believed to be the first recorded fatal accident involving a submarine. Wikipedia -
2013 7 10 Millecan Joel USA 20 S/S Air Aged 56, diving solo on hookah about a mile off Loma Point for sea urchin. Deck hand on the 35 foot boat called 911 when he failed to surface, lifeguards brought him to the surfaceunconscious and not breathing and performed CPR before he was transported to a local hospital where he later died. Reported in the San Diego Times -
1986 7 31 Cibulski Joel USA Aged 30, working off the fishing vessel 'Rigorous' anchored off Baker Island (off the West Coast of Prince of Wales Island) according to Alaska state troopers, trying to free another trawler's propeller. Apparently got entangled in the net and cut his own air line, pulled from the water unconscious, declared dead on arrival at Ketchichan Hospital. Anchorage Daily News. -
2006 5 26 Snow Joe USA Fireman Surface Swimmer “It is with deep regret that we advise you that a rescue-paramedic with Montgomery County (TN) EMS who went overboard during a water rescue attempt this past Thursday night died this morning. Joe Snow, an eight-year veteran was a diver and trained in swift-water rescue. He and a fellow rescue-paramedic were trying to rescue one of two 15-year-old boys who were trapped in the undercurrent below Ringgold Dam. Their raft was capsized by water spilling over the dam, and both paramedics went under. Snow was under water for six to eight minutes before rescuers could free him from the powerful undercurrent. Since then, he has been in critical condition at Vanderibilt University Medical Center in Nashville. The bodies of the teen-age boys were found Friday�. Firehouse Forum -
1913 11 10 Mitchell Joe USA S/S Air Aged 35, diving off the Dredger “Tampa� off Hooker's Point, called out to recover a piece of the dredger's mooring equipment lost overboard but marked by a buoy. Several minutes into the dive, the maker buoy bobbed indicating the diver was using it as a signal line, surface began pulling on his lines but he was entangled in debris. Eventually bobbed to the surface feet first (Had removed foot weights), his suit was full of water, taken ashore but pronounced dead. “It is believed that he drowned head down�. Reported in the Evening Independent. -
1979 0 0 McKerlich Jock or Jack UK Northern Divers 6 S/S Air Inquest was held in Banf in May 1980, date of fatality not known. (Jack was the younger brother of Sarge McKerlich who died in a commercial diving accident in 1984). Aged 21 from Kyle of Lochalsh, working in Macduff harbour, post lunch dive (reported as havng had 2 pints of beer with a bar lunch), vomited, no suit inflation, negatively buoyant, could not stay on surface, tender continued to pay out slack, burst Aorta. Reported at the inquest that 'drinking and diving is common practice on civil engineering contracts'. A diving inspector claimed he would not have been allowed to go for a drink if stricter rules - "now under consideration" - had been implemeted. Fellow diver stated that the primary cause of him vomiting was the 12' jump into the cold harbour water. Reported in the Glasgow Herald -
1996 0 0 Weir Jock Asia McDermott Negative pressure pipeline accident (incoming tide) sucked him into the pipe, body was recovered using a pig to push him out of the pipeline some 28km upstream of the accident location. -
1985 0 0 Kirkpatrick Jock Middle East McDermott 15 Saturation Paraphrased from a personal communication (Names removed and some of the more acrimonious details moderated or removed - apologies to all, but one has to be circumspect with some of this stuff, TC ):- “Sub Sea had seconded 6 welder divers to McDermotts for a job in the Red Sea off the DB 27. At the time of the incident, the AODC was debating the issue of a minimum of 2% O2 in the base gas, McDermott disagreed with it, one reason was "It will be difficult for the LST to calculate blow down", the job was an air sat weld at around 15 - 21 msw, the industry had just started using air sat's then, air being cheaper than Heliox, base gas was pure N2. The dive panel was an “in-house� built very small dive/sat panel. One of the chambers wasn't being used, so the take off was being used to flow gas to the welding habitat to keep the water out. During the dive (Air sat, so as usual at the time, the attitude of "Oh its only an air dive, don't need to analyze the divers gas", and the analyzer was either turned off or not even installed. One of the chambers had lost a few FSW, so the dive sup reached over, turned off the air supply to the sat panel which was supplying air to the habitat, turned on the N2, which was chamber make up, made up, and put air back on. Unbeknown to all at the time, the sat panel and dive panel had no check valves installed, N2 around 200 psi, air around 150 psi, (either way, the N2 to the sat panel was higher than the air to the dive panel), N2 tracked over to the dive panel, down to the diver, and zap, diver passed out from being given pure nitrogen. Initially not knowing what had happened, they were going to jump the bell man, (who was on same gas supply). Fortunately, before he donned his mask the bellman saw the diver underneath the bell and pulled him in, but he failed to respond to treatment. After the fatality, a SSOL safety rep was mobilized to the job in to carry out an investigation, (because of the 6 SSOL divers in sat). The panel designer/builder also arrived on site with a dive tech, SSOL told the dive tech to disconnect the line connecting both panels, and the crew to mix up the N2 base gas to around 9% to give a PPO2 of around 210 mbs at the working depth, (Think it was around 50 fsw). This was done, but as the investigation team was departing they noticed that the dive tech had connected the pipe up again, when he was asked why, he said "Well it hasn't happened before, and will probably not happen again.............." There were rumours that the dive supervisors were reluctant to sign off the dive logs and reports that showed the fatality was due to pure N2. -
2007 8 29 Rodriguez Joaquin Castelao Angel Spain Coral Diver 28 SCUBA Aged 74, known locally as 'the angel of coral' had spent over 20 years living in Alcudiq collecting coralharvesting coral ('Red Gold') from his boat 'Nemo' in the channel between Menorc and Mallorca, 17 miles north of the port of Alcudia, diving with his son, became ill during decompression stops. An SAR helicopter dropped a medic onboard who confirmed he had died. Had spent years criticising intensive fishing methoids (like beam trawling) which damage the seabed. Reported by Diario de Mallorca -
1984 2 22 Camejo Joao Lazaro Brazil Superpesa Brazilian. Semi-sub drill rig "Zephyr II", ODECO. No details -
1975 9 25 Wendelaar Joachim USA 322 German, aged 36, from Hamburg, described as a veteran diver with the West German shipbuilder GKSS, was part of a three man team preparatory works to the 100 ton underwater NOAA habitat 'Helgoland' sponsored by the US, West Germany, Poland and Norway off Roskport. Quote “It appeared something went wrong with his oxygen regulator and he suffered the bends on surfacing�. Confused reporting - it appears he actually fell unconscious on deck, initially reported as a surface accident - but no details Reported in 'The Hour' -
1979 0 0 Harrison Jim "Piggy" UAE Topsides Ex RN Clearance Diver, killed in a road accident in Sharjah on the way to work. PC -
2012 8 5 Reardon Jim USA Fireman SCUBA Aged 51 from Pierz, videoptaping in Lake Seven near Frazee undertaking a pre-drill survey for a future dive exercise for firefighters who were due to train there. Reported as having separated from his dive partner, he was found near the dock 20 minutes later but could not be revived. "No drugs or alcohol was involved, all his diving gear was intact and operational". Autopsy concluded that he "Died of natural causes". Bismark Tribune -
1997 5 21 Little Jim USA Acadiana Divers Chamber American, died during surface decompression, smoking inside the DDC, chamber fire. Reported in the press simply as:- “On Sunday, a professional diver undergoing decompression on the dive boat 'White Dove' was killed when the chamber caught fire, the Coast Guard said� Reported in the Orlando Chronicle -
1991 3 24 Sugrue Jim USA AOD 76 DSV 'American Eagle' U/W explosion, face plate blown in, drowned. “Chasing Hangers after doing an inside burn-off. Paraphrased from reports:- “Chasing hangers after doing an inside burn off below the mud line, almost at the end of his bottom time (gas dive), Said 'One more burn and then I'm getting off bottom'. Topside heard a loud bang, then incoherent speech. His standby diver reached him very quickly (overshot his gas because he wouldn't stop for the switch in order to get to the diver faster) but when he reached him, the faceplate was gone and the diver was unresponsive. He was recovered to the chamber and treated but never regained consciousness. The incident led to a brief and informal moratorium on inside burn offs at AOD but they quickly resumed them when they started to lose work to other companies who did not follow suit. The final verdict the divers all heard was 'improper equipment usage' (as opposed to equipment failure) since Jim's hat (SL 17B) was old and beat up. This incident was a major factor in the introduction of the 'T' type faceplate screw anchors�. -
1985 3 26 Workman Jim USA 9 S/S Air American, aged 29, umbilical cut by passing boat propeller, drowned -
2017 1 5 Vazquez Tojeiro Jesus Ramon La Alcaidesa. San Roque. Cadiz. Spain 80m SCUBA Commercial diver 50 years old born in El Ferrol. La Coruna. Spain. Father of two with more of 26 years of diving experience. On Thursday 5th January 2017 at 11:20 a.m. emergency service number 112 received a call informing that the diver had not emerged from a solo red coral collecting dive after descending around 09:50 a.m. Actuation of Guardia Civil, Salvamento Maritimo and private companies with two ROV without success with poor weather conditions hindering the recovery operation . After several days SAR, on Saturday 14th January at 12:30pm the body was found in 80 m.s.w. and recovered by ROV at 14:30 then transported to the port of Sotogrande. Diver was using SCUBA on air. -
2011 4 19 Enriques Jesus "Chuy" Mexico 9 Aged 28 from Holbrox, Quintana Roo, sea cucumber harvesting 24 miles off Celustan, died underwater at about 14:00 hours. No details. Reported by Sipse.com -
2014 8 14 Relique Jesus Spain Aged 43, from Cadiz, married with 2 children, commercial diver for over 10 years, working at the port of Motril in Granada (Extending and deepening), appears to have been a three man team, the incident ocurred just after 8 in the evening, he was seen on the surface, unconcious, treated but was declared deceased at 10:30pm. No details. The Seaside Gazette -
1996 10 8 Richards Jessica Anna Australia Australian Institute of Marine Sciences 10 SCUBA British, aged 19. Volunteer scientific diver, check out dive on Davies Reef, 55 miles NE Townsville. Separated from group near end of dive, low on air, surfaced and screamed for help, some delay in rescue due to fouled anchor on tender. Cerebral arterial gas embolism (CAGE). Investigation concluded inadequate system of competence and experience assessment. Workplace Health and Safety, Queensland. -
2006 8 17 Hill Jessica Arctic USCG 6 SCUBA Diving off the USCG vessel "Healy", Alaska, under ice. Incompetence -
1932 9 2 Sanders Jesse USA S/S Air Described as a government emplyee, inspecting a dam on the Ohio river, got his feet trapped in a wicket, after three hours another dier and suit were brought to site from 20 miles away and he was recovered to surface but attempts to reuscitate him were unsuccessful. "He apparently died of suffocation or strabgulation as there was little water in his suit". The Reading Eagle -
1954 10 11 Reed Jerry B USA 4 S/S Air Aged 32, Captain of the Ohio River boat 'Martha Green',working at an underwater sluice on a backwater at the Indiana-Kentucky Electric Company plant at Evansville. He had hired a man to handle the surface equipment - who knew nothing about diving equipment - whilst he was diving, the equipment broke down, his air was cut off and he drowned. The News-Sentinel -
2009 9 19 Gunderson Jerry USA Rebreather Paraphrased from press reports:- “Aged 75, started diving for golf balls in 1953, when he was 19. His passion for diving for golf balls led to the founding of a chain of seven golf-supply stores, was found dead in the centre of the lake at the Deer Creek Country Club in Deerfield Beach on Saturday. Drowned. One of his sons died while diving for golf balls in a lake 27 years ago. "I lost my brother to the water, too," said Jerry Gunderson's other son, Marc, 53 who used to dive for golf balls himself. Jerry Gunderson started retrieving, collecting and reselling golf balls soon after his first dive as a teenager. At first, it was the simple act of fishing out the golf balls in a Lake Worth course in the 1950s, washing them, and reselling them. But he went on to build a Deerfield Beach-based chain of golf-supply stores called International Golf. He sold the business a few years ago and worked as a freelance diver for smaller companies. -
1996 2 10 Sawyer Jerry USA Professional fish farmer harvesting sea urchins off the vessel 'Wave Dancer'. Subsequent court case decided he was not an employee of the vessel owner so no liability. No details of the incident -
1987 4 6 Hiersche Jerry USA Underwater Services 3 Aged 47, Working on the John Day Dam, Columbia river, had been inspecting/cleaning fish screens at about 150' and was surfacing at the end of his dive when his head was sucked into an inlet just 10' from the surface. Quote from team member “We heard him shout 'I'm out of air' and that was it�. Died of cardiac arrest in hospital. Reported in the Spokane Chronicle -
1990 0 0 Hiersche Jerome L USA Employed to inspect/clean submerged fish screens on the hydroelectric intakes on the John Day dam, Oregon, head sucked into an orifice, court case in January 1991, no details -
1974 12 17 Howard-Phillips Jeremy L UK Comex 10 S/S Air British, from Hintlesham in Norfolk, aged 30. McDermott Jet Barge 4, Scapa Flow, Valve knocked off 48" the Occidental pipeline by jet sledge, differential pressure (100' to atmosphere) sucked him into 20cm/8" valve opening, died instantly Standby diver could not release body until pressure equalised. -
2005 9 17 Brown Jeremy USA S/S Air American, aged 26, inspecting Falls hydroelectric dam (Badin lake) . Unsatisfactory report “Inspecting the head gates (replaced three years earlier, but sometimes failed to seal properly). Before beginning work, hydro station operators told the diver about an open valve, warning that water could be flowing at that point. (Later interviews revealed that other dive team members were not aware of the danger). Lost comms during the dive, pulled the life line to retrieve the diver - unsuccessful. Decided not to send a second diver when learned that the force of the flowing water could have trapped the diver in the valve opening. Instead, workers lowered the water level to retrieve the first diver. The team found that the diver’s safety harness had gotten caught on a protruding bolt. The snagged harness had negated efforts by the dive team to pull the diver to safety. The diver had been drawn into a gate valve opening by the tremendous water pressure, which led to compressional asphyxia�. Body recovered 4 hours after the initial incident. -
2015 8 17 Millard Jeremy Puerto Rico Deep Solutions 14m Diving with two others on a fibre optic cable job when he touched the left side of his chest and started floating, rescued by the Pinones Maritime Unit but had no vital signs. Press report says 'died because of health complications'. Reported by Endi/elnuevodia.com -
1878 8 0 Shanahan Jeremiah UK "Fatal Accident to a Diver, an inquest was opened at the town hall, Folkstone, on Tuesday, on the .." "Inquest at the dockyard into the death of a diver". No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Portsmouth Evening News/The British Newspaper Archive -
2002 11 27 Kaluom Jengi USA Stolt Offshore Topsides Malaysian, pipe facing machine operator, injured onboard the DLB 801, medivac, no details -
1967 8 10 Hales Jeffrey Thomas Australia Military Clearance diver, night training exercise off Jervis Bay. Both he and his dive partner (Kenneth Hislop) 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'. -
2011 5 24 Barbieto Jeffrey USA Grove Farm Fish Poi / Hukilau Food SCUBA Aged 41, Honolulu Fire Department Firefighter and part time commercial diver working at a fish farm 2 miles offshore Pearl Harbour. US Navy vessel 'Salvor' responded to a 2:30 pm emergency call and was on site in 5 minutes. The diver was given hyperbaric treatment onboard before being transferred onshore to the Pali Momi Medical Centre where he was declared deceased. Honolulu medical Examiner's office confirmed the cause of death as accidental drowning. 6 months later HIOSH proposed $50,000 penalties against Hukilau foods on the grounds that the death was preventable and that equipment and procedures were inadequate. 19 citations: 1 Failure to prohibit a dive team member from diving during the period that the diver was sufficiently impaired as to adversely affect his/her safety and health. 2 Failure to develop and maintain a safety practices manual, which shall be made available at the dive location to each dive team member. 3 Failure to inquire into the dive team member’s current state of physical fitness prior to each assignment and failure to indicate to each dive team member the procedure for reporting physical problems or adverse physiological effects during and after the dive. 4 Failure to provide a means for exiting the water that extends below the water surface and a means for assisting an injured diver from the water. 5 Failure to provide decompression, repetitive, and no-decompression tables at the dive site. 6 Failure to maintain a depth-time profile, including when appropriate, any breathing gas changes for each diver during the dive including decompression. 7 Failure to check the physical condition of the diver after each dive, including instructing the diver to report any physical problems or adverse physiological effects as well as the location of a decompression chamber which is ready for use. 8 Failure to provide a decompression chamber capable of recompressing the diver at the surface to a minimum of 165 fsw (6 ATA) at the dive location. 9 Failure to limit SCUBA diving at depths deeper than 130 fsw. 10 Failure to limit SCUBA diving at depths deeper than 100 fsw, or outside the no-decompression limits, where no decompression chamber was ready for use. 11 Failure to provide a clean standby diver to assist a diver in the water at any time during the diving operation. 12 Failure to require a diver to be accompanied by another diver (buddy system), maintaining continuous visual contact during the diving operations, or alternatively, line tending from the surface. 13 Failure to provide a diver-carried reserve breathing gas supply for each diver consisting of a manual reserve (J valve) or an independent reserve cylinder. 14 Failure to provide every diver with a buoyancy compensator device, aka BCD and require the diver to use the BCD for SCUBA diving. 15 Failure to provide and maintain a list of emergency contact numbers for an operational decompression chamber, accessible hospitals, available physicians, available means of transportation and the nearest U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center at the dive location. 16 Failure to record and maintain accurate dive logs as required by the HIOSH Standards. 17 Failure to record and maintain depth-time and breathing gas profiles, decompression table designation, and elapsed time since last pressure exposure if less than 24 hours or repetitive dive designation for each dive outside the no-decompression limits, deeper than 100 fsw. 18 Failure to maintain records for each dive in which decompression sickness was suspected or symptoms were evident. 19 Failure to maintain records for each equipment modification, repair, test, calibration or maintenance service. Reported in the Pacific Bulletin -
2007 9 0 Skulan Jeff USA Bisso American, DLB "Big Chief". DCI incident, in hospital -
2004 2 12 Walters Jeff UK Royal Navy 36 years old, Royal Navy Northern Diving Group based at HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane), died during a training dive off Oban, heart attack, no details -
2003 5 7 Ferguson Jeff Canada Sunset Diving SCUBA? Initial press reports said 'Commercial diver recovering car from inland lake'. Later:- "Sunset Diving, a Kenora diving outfitter, was convicted on three charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act’s diving regulations following a fatal diving accident in May 2003. The provincial offences court in Kenora levied fines totaling $10,000, plus a victim surcharge of 25 per cent on conviction of three of nine charges. The off-duty Kenora Police officer who was contracted for a commercial diving operation by Sunset Diving, died from a massive air embolism May 7, 2003. Ferguson, 30, dove to the bottom of Deception Bay in an effort to retrieve a truck (Fell through the ice during the previous winter, Sunset Diving was hired by the Insurance Company) became entangled and was unable to free himself, a Ministry of Labour spokesman said. The deceased was motionless and not emitting bubbles by the time a standby diver reached Ferguson and cut him loose, bringing him to the surface where resuscitation efforts failed. Sunset Diving was found guilty on three counts of practices contrary to Section 271(a) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. On the first count, under Section 38-1(c) of the diving regulations contained in the act, Sunset Diving was found guilty of failing as the diving supervisor to ensure the worker had proper protective devices, which in this case were an emergency reserve or emergency bailout system (a small reserve tank). The company was fined $5,000. The company was also convicted of the sixth count, under Section 18-1, that the standby diver who attempted the rescue dove without being attached to a live line. The fine was $1,000. On the seventh count, Sunset Diving was found guilty under Section 12-4(b) of failing to ensure the standby diver was adequately trained for a dive of approximately 70 feet. The standby diver was a restricted diver under CSA standards (Z275.4) and therefore not qualified to dive operationally in depths exceeding 60 feet. Sunset Diving was fined $4,000. Reported in Ecoweek -
2012 2 28 Ellebode Jean-Michel France Le Schaphandre 25 44 years old, French, Diving at around 25 metres, working off a barge on the Antioch sluice (Between Ile de Re and Ile d'Oleron), ill in the water, recovered unconscious, helicopter to hospital in La Rochelle, declared dead. Sudouest.fr -
1972 10 10 Ney Jean Pierre Gabon Comex Oilfield dive. Switched to breathing pure oxygen with full face mask/comms on decompression stops, no basket, strong current. Shouted and pulled off mask, taken under barge by current. PC -
1971 3 26 Pasquier Jean Pierre Italy Comex SCUBA Oilfield dive. Breathing 50/50 during decompression stops, hyperoxia, drowned. PC -
1975 5 24 Babin Jean Claude Dubai Comex SCUBA Oilfield Dive, extended bottom time but no provision for in-water decompression stops, zodiac outboard engine failed leading to delayed recompression/surface decompression. Doctor refused to enter DDC. PC -
2010 3 31 Casagrande Jean Christophe, known as 'Cox' Morocco Hydrokarst 53 SCUBA French (Albigensian) , aged 42, dive to recover a current metre at the site of the commercial freeport 'Tangier med 2000' at Ksar Sghir. Sub contract from SRPTM (Société Réalisation Port Tanger Méditerranée, a Saipem/Bougues company). Reported that his cylinders came to surface and he was found unconscious on the seabed, recovered to the surface by diver two, did not respond to treatment. Experienced diver, had been working with the same contractor since 2004. Engaged to be married. Ongoing investigation. PC plus Bladi.net and ladepeche.fr -
2002 1 8 Bowling Jay Allen USA FMSM Aged 24 from Danville, one of a four man team of divers who arrived on site on that day working for Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott and May, diving contractors at the Mt. Sterling water and sewage plant on the Greenbriar Resevoir in Montgomery County. Died after his leg was sucked into an intake pipe he was attempting to install an addtional valve on, drowned. The valve had been opened without his knowledge before he entered the water (It was his first day with FMSM and first day on site) Lexington Herald. -
1999 8 29 Shepcot Jay USA Oceaneering 296 ADS GB 161, Semi-submersible Diamond Ocean Ambassador with an air gap of approximately 100 feet. ADS (Wasp) was being recovered, a piece of lifting tackle gave away, ADS dropped to the end of a safety cable. The shock load swung the ADS up beneath the semi-sub where it hit and broke one arm off the suit before the safety cable was severed by the edge of the deck. The ADS fell into the sea and because of the missing arm flooded and sank to the pontoon. It is believed that the diver died of a broken neck which occurred at the same time the arm was broken off. Once submerged, the suit flooded. Two standby dives were made before the diver was located and brought to the surface. "This fatality is attributable to rigging failure" Offshore Diver. (USCG found that the shackle pin used in attaching the WASP to the crane was of inferior quality and not rated for lifting the weight of a WASP. NAOCD/cDiver) -
2021 7 15 Wood Jaxxyn Lee USA Bulldog Diving S/S Air "Aged 19, inspecting inlet pipes at the LG & E Mill Creek Power Plant (A 1972 coal fired power plant set in a 544 acre site on the Ohio river supplying power to Louisville, Kentucky). Initial press reports stated 2 man team, 'lost communications' and 'sucked into a pump'. Reported by 14 News, houston Chronicle and others. Later social media reports stated 4 man team (Including the diver's brother) which exceeds the minimum OSHA 3 man team, pump LOTO but adjacent pump running in next bay. Appear to have windows between bays that should have been blocked by power plant personnel (part of LOTO procedure). Diver was in water in zero visobility to confirm stoppers in place prior to commencing debris clearance, umbilical sucked through open window trapping diver. Unclear if he had a bailout but body not recovered for several hours. OSHA questioned contractor's umbilical management, LOTO verification, zero flow verification, clients LOTO and stop logs. Accident Report Detail. Accident: 137498.015 - Employee Is Killed On Dive After Being Pulled Into Pump. Report ID: 0452110 -- Event Date: 07/15/2021. On July 15, 2021, an employee performing underwater diving operations at a elect rical generating station inspecting pipes and clearing debris from a pump basin. Coworkers for the power company reported to the dive crew that the stoplog gates ""should be in place"" but they were unsure. The employee verified that LOTO was performed on the two pumps in the immediate work area and the employee entered the water to check for the presence of stoplogs and water flow. The employee mistakenly verified that stoplogs were down and that there was no water flow or cur rent present (which was incorrect). The employee then continued his work and returned to the water to make a last check of the area. During this final check, the employee's umbilical was caught in a current caused by a pump in an adjacent bay that was still in operation. The current pulled the umbilical into the pump, which in turn, pulled the employee into the pump, killing him." -
2010 11 13 Rain Javier Gueichapiren Chile SCUBA Shellfish diver working on the 'Westhoff' 20 miles south of Puerto Melinka Weste, disappeared. Search by Navy personnel located his body on the North coast of Puerto Llancos two days later. www.armada.cl -
2011 3 23 Macias Javier Diaz Spain Macpherson Servicios Subaquacuaticos Aged 26, from El Puerta de Santa Maria (Cadiz), carrying out repair works on the (upstream) Analucian water board (Agencia Andaluza del Agua) Los Melonares dam gates near Castilblanco de Los Arroyos (North of Seville). One of a four man team. Emergency services called a 17:00 hours, body recovered downstream of the dam. No other details. Reported in Europa press/www.internetnews.tk. -
1906 1 3 Mathie Jas. UK S/S Air " Diver's tragic death, diver Jas. Mathie, aged 60, while at work in the River Clyde Glasgow, last night, signalled for urgent attention. He…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive -
2012 4 14 Hampton Jarrod Arthur Australia Paspaley Pearls SCUBA Aged 22 from Brighton, Victoria, one of a six man commercial diving team wild pearling off 80 mile beach, 160 km south of Broome. Came to the surface 'distressed' and died at the scene. 8 hour vessel transit to Broome, investigation ongoing. -
2005 8 24 Stehbens Jarrod Australia University of Adelaide SCUBA Australian, Aged 23, gathering cuttlefish eggs for the university of Adelaide was killed by a Great White. Body never recovered, gear found intact Not wearing a shark repellor. Coroner was Anthony Schapel who recommended divers wear electric shark repellors as recommended by coroner Wayne Chivall after the death of Paul Buckland in April 2002 (Not mandatory, "but should not be discouraged when they are available") AAP General News, Australia -
1983 3 16 Pedersen Jarle Norway 7 Norwegian, aged 29, Seaway Falcon, umbilical drawn into stern thruster. -
2011 8 12 Saavedra Janus Chavez Peru SCUBA Aged 27, scallop diver working on the sechura coast near Lobos Island, (Piura province), reported as dying of DCI, survived by wife and children aged 5 years and 2 years. RPP News -
1983 6 20 Podt Jan H Canada Wijsmuler Salvage Saturation Aged 31 from Holten, one of two (The other was Meinbert J Bouwhuis) 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 -
1998 9 9 Randolph Jamison Lee USA Aged 24, reported as a commercial diver having died on a boat offshore Louisiana. No details. Lexington Herald-Leader -
2009 10 6 York Jamie Canada ODS Marine 4 SCUBA Paraphrased from press reports. “Canadian, from Ottawa, aged 35, contracted by Parks Canada to carry out cleaning operations along the Trent waterway drowned following the accident on Dam 1 at Trenton's north end despite dramatic attempts to rescue him. Initial reports indicated the diver became trapped while removing logs in four metres of water. He said the ministry dispatched their own divers to the scene in order to help with the rescue attempt. At one point one of the ministry divers supplied air to the trapped man. Fellow dive team members called for help at about 9:20 am when the diver did not surface. At that point, reports to rescue officials said, he'd been down for five minutes without contact from the surface. It would be more than two hours before his body was recovered and resuscitation efforts would be called off.� The Belleville Intelligencer. Parks Canada later disbanded their part-time in-house dive team ('having reviewed their insurance') even though they had a 100 year safe diving record and the diver that died was working for a diving contractor. Court case in 2011 The trial was told that he was diving from a pontoon boat positioned near the dam when he reported that a “stop log,� the device used to control water flow, was not sitting properly. He told the support crew aboard the boat that the water was “ripping� through the gap. He was told to try to get a closer view of the stop log, but was sucked by the current into the gap. A crew from the Quinte West Fire Department used underwater cameras to find York’s body and was able to free him, but he was pronounced dead at Trenton Memorial Hospital. A post-mortem found York had died from chest compression while he was trapped. A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the pontoon boat had been positioned in such a way that York’s umbilical cord to the surface had been sucked into the gap by the current, pulling the diver in with it. The Ministry found that the dive should have been stopped as soon as York reported the gap. Contractor was fined $100,000 and also ordered to pay a 25-per-cent victim surcharge to assist victims of crime. The diving supervisor was personnaly fined $8,000 for failing to ensure the diver was provided with safe working conditions, protection, measures and procedures (Specifically the diving supervisor "shall ensure that diving is not conducted in hazardous water flow conditions" The Ottawa Citizen/Belleville Intelligencer -
1879 7 30 Jenkins James Walter USA S/S Air Recovering an anchor lost from the “Barbarossa� in a collision with the “Italy� some weeks earlier off New York Harbour, pier 1, North River. Assistant called attention to blisters in the air pipe, but “Jenkins only laughed and said the pipe would probably last as long as he would�. Assistants protested that the hose was unsafe “but the daring engineer would not hear of it and went to his death with apparent gaiety� He had reached seabed when the pipe burst on deck. Pulled up immediately. “Upon removing the helmet the man's face and head presented a horrible appearance, being swollen to fully twice their normal size and purplish black. The tongue, swollen, discoloured and protruding was nearly bitten in two, blood trickled from the nostrils and ears, the arms were extended and rigid while the spasmodically closed fingers had buried their nails deep in the horny skin of the palms of the hands. Gasped once and expired with a long gurgling sigh�. Unemployed for two years, desperate to support his family, basically, a quick dive for "cash in hand" of 10$. reported in the New York Times. -
1889 0 0 Woods James W USA Merritt Wrecking Company 18 S/S Air American, drowned under the wreck of the "Iberia" (Sank three miles off New York, 10th November 1888, collision in fog) whilst salvaging cotton, his helmet flooded through a tear in his suit near his neck. His signal line was tied off to a stanchion some distance from the worksite. Quote from proprietor of the salvage company, Israel J Merritt, who was “of the opinion that the death was due to Wood's own carelessness�. -
1972 8 25 Fleming James P USA 85 Aged 25, working to salvage a 40' cement commercial fishing vessel - the 'Ferro Queen '- that sank on May 27th in 280' of water off Newburyport, reported as 'bends', unconscious in the water, brought to the surface by a fellow diver, taken ashore to Seabrook Beach in New Hampshire and transferred by ambulance to a recompression chamber at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, pronounced dead by a doctor 30 minutes after he entered the chamber. The Nashua Telegraph. -
1915 3 25 Murphy James Joseph UK Topsides "Death of well known government diver who died in Dover from pneumonia at the …" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dover Express/The British Newspaper Archive -
1959 9 21 Hart James F USA Commercial Abalone diver off the vessel 'Ray Rock' off Point Loma, treated for DCI aboard the Submarine tender USS 'Nereus' after recovering the body of partner Raymond Mathews from the seabed. Lodi News Sentinel -
2009 12 6 Not Relevant James Edward USA SCUBA or snorkel James Edward XXXX, aged 61, who was found dead at Swami's Beach in Encinitas in December, drowned in the ocean while under the influence of methamphetamine, the Medical Examiner's Office said Friday. Along with "acute methamphetamine intoxication," cardiovascular disease was a contributing factor to the drowning, the medical examiner said. A surfer found XXXX's body facedown in the sand about 7:40 a.m. on Dec. 9, "clad in a full wet suit and flippers and obviously dead," the medical examiner's report said. His brother told reporters at the time that James XXXX had gone lobster diving late Dec. 6 or early Dec. 7 before a rainstorm hit the county. San Diego Union-Tribune -
2016 5 6 Lovelace James Derek USA Military Surface Swimmer Aged 21, undergoing SEAL selection/training (BUD/S - Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs training) at Coronado, near San Diego, California. 'Safety Observers identified Lovelace as having difficulty and withdrew him from the exercise. He was aided to the edge of the pool by instructors where he then lost consciousness. Resuscitation efforts and first aid at the scene were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital'. Reported as the 5th trainee to lose consciousness at the facilty in the last four months. reported by nbcnews.com -
2016 10 19 Fassler James Calvin USA SCUBA Aged 61, cleaning the hulls of boats at the Joyner Marina, Carolina Beach, North Carolina, reported as 'drowned'. No details Reported by Star News -
2011 3 24 Irvine James UK 6 SCUBA Aged 42, from the Glenrothes area of Fife, disappeared at 13:00 GMT on Thursday off the coast at Lower Largo. "The two men who remained on the boat reported that the man had surfaced during the dive and requested more weights, but did not resurface after this." Paraphrased from AP/STV reports: “Police have confirmed that a body recovered from the water at 19:30 GMT on Friday was that of a missing scallop diver. Extensive searches had been carried out by police divers supported by the Central Scotland Police Diving Team, a Royal Navy rescue helicopter and Kinghorn Lifeboat were also involved. HSE investigation ongoing, unclear if this was a commercial dive, but is one of two scallop diving fatalities (the other was Graham Mackie, 11th June) that led to the HSE issuing a safety alert on the 22nd June -
2003 8 19 Zinck James Canada Fish Farm SCUBA Tuna holding pond, Nova Scotia, Owner charged. -
1994 12 9 Robinson James USA Aged 42, commercial sea urchin harvesting vessel off San Miguel Island, at the end of a dive as he was leaving the water, attacked by a shark, major leg injuries, died in hospital. Los Angeles Times -
1993 7 6 Fassnacht James USA Police 6m SCUBA American police officer aged 42, East Orange, New Jersey. With two other divers clearing intake grill in Weequahic park lake, drowned. Another report states "James Fassnacht, a 42 year old police officer was killed in 15-18 feet of water on 07/06/93. The officer was asked to assist another officer in checking a screen on an intake pipe used for irrigating of a municipal golf course. Officer Fassnacht advised his dive partner that he was "uncomfortable". Officer Fassnacht stayed at the surface while his partner submerged to check the screen intake. After a short period of time, Officer Fassnacht indicated to an officer on the shore that he needed assistance. Officer Fassnacht grabbed a buoy that was on the surface, but the buoy did not support the officer. About fifteen seconds after the officer and buoy sank, the buoy popped to the surface but Officer Fassnacht did not. A search was begun and Officer Fassnacht was quickly recovered. CPR was initiated, but was pronounced dead a Beth Israel Hospital after efforts failed. The cause of death was ruled accidental drowning.". PSDiver.com -
1989 10 3 Hartley James USA MVN for Healy Tibbitts Apparently injured whilst working on an outfall sewer project at the Owls Head Water Pollution Control Project located in Brooklyn. Court case 'HARTLEY v. CITY OF NEW YORK, 163 Misc.2d 540 (1994) in November 3, 1994'. No details. Loislaw.com -
1972 0 0 Babbington James Australia 49 S/S Air From Eden, NSW, double fatality, diving with 'Megsy' for abalone off Black Head. No bailouts or secondary supply, no one on the surface, compressor cut out. Made it to the surface and got ashore to the Mallacoota Abalone divers co-op hyperbaric unit. Decompression was taken over by Australian Navy but died from decompression illness (Was overweight and had a history of DCIs - for which reason he had left the industry - but returned to diving following a price rise). Bubblesblower/Longstreath -
1967 12 4 Clark James USA Aged 35, president of the Ark-La-Tex divers association, fishing competition in lake Caddo, Marshall, Texas. Spear fishing, he surfaced near a tree stump and was then shot by a hunter with a shotgun who mistook the diver in a black wetsuit for an alligator -
1961 6 2 Ward James UK Kirkaldy Corporation 6 S/S Air Diving from a tug near the dock gates in Kirkaldy Harbour, alarm raised when tugman could not get response on lifeline. A team of divers from HMS Safeguard, Rosyth, raced to the harbour and located the diver trapped by his left arm under the sluice gates and by water pressure. In addition to his lifeline, a further two ropes were tied to him and the sluice gates lifted until he could be pulled clear. On deck, he was cut out of his suit and a doctor attepted CPR, but he failed to respond. Evening Times. His widow was awarded £3,487 and 10 shillings. The jury assessed the damages at £4,650 but held that the deceased was 25% to blame for the accident that led to his death. Unknown to the diver the sluice gates had been left partially open. As soon as he approached the bottom of the gate he was caught in the current of water passing through thr sluice and asphyxiatyed. The Corporation denied responsibilty and claimed Ward stumbled and fell. The Glasgow Herald -
1937 10 27 Bell James Australia Commonwealth Film Pty 9 S/S Air “DEATH OF DIVER. Tragic Circumstances�. CAIRNS. October 27. “James Bell, aged 39 employed as a diver for Commonwealth Film (Pty.) died suddenly at Green Island this afternoon, while engaged on film operations (They were filming 'Typhoon Tresure"). He was in a diving suit, being filmed in about 30 feet of water. As no replies to signals were received, he was immediately pulled to the surface. On removing the helmet, he was found to be dead. The body was brought to Cairns on the Yarrabah comission launch. As far as can be ascertained, his only relative, Mrs. Fowkes, supposed to be his mother, is at Wattleglen, Victoria. Reported in the Townsville Daily Bulletin, Qld. NB 'Typhoon Treasure' is a 1938 Australian adventure film directed by Noel Monkman set in New Guinea although shot on the Great Barrier Reef and the Queensland coast. It was Monkman's first dramatic feature film after several years making documentaries. The plot involves Alan Richards as the sole survivor of a pearling lugger which has been shipwrecked on Pakema Reef during a typhoon. He sets out to recover some pearls which went missing in the wreck, crossing through the jungle and fighting headhunters. While filming underwater scenes on Green Island in October, one of the divers, James Bell, died of myocarditis. Bruce Cummings, who was in charge of underwater photography, went down in a diving cylinder, followed a few minutes later by Bell, who was his assistant. A few minutes later Cummings noticed something was wrong with Bell. When they brought him to the surface he was dead. An inquest was later held which found no negligence -
1933 4 19 Sutherland James UK S/S Air Reported as "Divers death on reaching surface, collapse while climbing ladder. A Kirkwall diver collapsed and died. No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive. Reported two months later (in June) in the New Zealand Press as "Aged 31, Working on the Kirkwall Harbour extension (Kirkwall, Orkney Isles, Scotland). "After signalling that he had finished the job, collapsed and died at the foot of the ladder before he could be hauled up". Evening Post, Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand) -
1927 10 25 Giorgas James USA 16 S/S Air Aged 28, Greek Sponge diver working out of Tarpon Springs onboard the Porteritisa, signalled to be brought to the surface after his airline parted, hauled aboard and appeared OK, helmet off, announced he was alright then collapsed and died. St. Petertsburg Times. -
1909 2 1 Crane James UK Topsides Diver James Crane and five others died while trying to remove wreckage of the ketch “Good Hope� on February 1, 1909. The part sunken ketch posed a hazard, Trinity House decided to blow it up from the steamer Argus which reached the wreck on February 1. Conditions were too rough to send down its diver, James Crane, to plant explosives, and instead it was decided to lower and “fire them by electric current,� Diver James Crane and five crewmen used the ship's small boat to reach the site above the ketch and lowered explosives, the fourth charge was to prove disastrous. Unbeknown to the Trinity House men, the ketch Good Hope's cargo was 12 tons of gelignite and three tons of geloxie. The catastrophe left 23 children fatherless. -
1907 4 19 Ewing James USA S/S Air Diver from Boston, setting dynamite charges during the construction of the Vaughan Bridge in south Portland. Charge went off underneath him whilst he was still in the water 'which caused his death on the operating table at a hospital two and a half hours later' Lewiston Daily Sun -
1883 8 0 Scott James UK S/S Air "Fatal accident to a diver" "…to be dead. The deceased was an experienced man diver, William Rowers stated that he was acting as signalman to the deceased, and it was..." "Fatal accient to a diver. On Monday evening (6th August 1883), Dr. Wynn Westcott, the deputy coroner for Middlesex, held inquest at the Three Compasses Tavern, High Street, Hornsey, concerning the death of James Scott, aged 40..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Alnwick Mercury/Tamworth Herald/The British Newspaper Archive -
1867 10 28 Holt James UK River Tyne Commssioners S/S Air Sudden Death at North Shields. -- On Saturday afternoon, Mr James Holt, the River Tyne Commissioner' diver, died at his residence, in Rudyard Street, North Shields, of concussion of the brain, brought on, it is supposed, by the arduous nature of his vocation, after a, brief illness of twenty-four hours. Deceased, who was a native of Whitstable, had been in the employment of the Commissioners for the long period of twenty-one years, and was much respected for his genial and affable disposition by all who knew and came in contact with him. Shields Daily Gazette -
2012 1 11 Hentze Jakun Andrias Faroes SJH Diving 2 SCUBA Aged 44, repair programme on the SHEFA-2 (SHEtland - FAroes fibre optic communication) cable of Nolsoy island. Was found in shallow water with his mask off and empty cylinder. No other details. Reported by SIBC, Dimma,fo, sandportal.fo -
1938 3 28 Granter Jake USA Standard Oil Company 30 S/S Air Aged 59, described as the chief underseas diver for the Standard Oil Company diving to locate a chain lost from the taqnker 'R. H. Hanna', was struck down by the bends, transferred from san Luis Obispo to Oakland by air ambulance, placed in a decompression chamber onboard the US submarine rescue ship 'Chewink' at the Mare Island navy yard. Was pressed to 125' and then gradually decompressed. He recovered consciousness but died shortly after from 'sudden cardiac failure'. San Jose News. -
2016 11 19 Zambre Jaime Marcello Chile Fisherman SCUBA Aged 42, shellfish diver working the El Sauce cove, Ovalle, decompression incident, transferred to hospital in Coquimbo, suffered cardiac arrest and died. No other details. Reported by Diaria el Dia -
1997 6 25 Cousteau Jacques-Yves France Explorer Legendery diver, inventor (with Emile Gagnan invented the first open circuit SCUBA demand valve in 1942-1943) , ecologist and subsea explorer, died aged 87 at his home in Paris -
1952 7 28 David Jack Australia R & H Hocking 31 S/S Air Diver's Death. THURSDAY ISLAND, July 31.— “On Monday afternoon the pearling ketch ‘Trixen’, owned by Messrs. R. and H. Hockings, arrived in port flying the flag half-mast, indicating a dead diver. The dead man was Jack David, married, and aged about 27 years, of Yam Island. The boat was working in about 17 fathoms of water around Darnley Island, when the air and life lines apparently became fouled. It would appear that the deceased shed his helmet with the object of coming to the surface, but on reaching the surface he was beyond human aid. His body was taken to Yam Island for burial�. Reported in the Townsville Bulletin, Qld. -
1946 0 0 Browne Jack USA 168 Saturation DESCO Shareholder and inventor of the lightweoght full face mas, made a simulated 'wet pot' dive to 550' -
2006 1 2 P J.C.G Spain Aged 31, resident of Beacon, port expansion in Castellon '"Died of suffocation and heart arrest" -
1997 11 11 McHazlett J. Jerry GOM CalDive International Sat Diving Jerry was aboard the Witch Queen and had completed his first 4 1/2 hour rotation of saturation diving at a depth of approximately 300 feet. Upon reentry into the diving bell Jerry fell back towards the moon pool unconscious and was brought back into the bell by diving partner. The diving partner attempted three times to close bell hatch which had a previously noted faulty pneumatic mechanism and seal. Diving partner attempted to do CPR and finally got hatch closed and bell was brought to surface. Top-side personnel did not attempt any resuscitation or medical treatment. Top-side personnel did not contact on-shore physician to get medical instructions including the use of adrenaline which was available. Witch Queen returned to dock and Jerry was transported to morgue. -
1974 10 0 Marlin J. C. USA S/S Mixed Gas American, pipeline pull-in into a J-tube, pipeline jammed, diver investigating, it moved and caught his hand, broken thumb and forefinger, he either climbed directly to the surface himself or was pulled up by the crew, into the DDC but died, decompression incident -
2011 6 4 Andres J. A. Spain 6 Zamakona Shipyards, Port of Santurce, Bilbao, cleaning the propellers of a Tug. Julio Da Costa was in the nozzle with his colleague, J A Andres outside, when the propellers were started. Andres was injured but blown away, Da Costa was killed when sucked into the blades. Reportd by GPS Buceo -
1926 10 15 Archers J M Australia S/S Air “STINGRAY ATTACKS DIVER, An incident, unprecedented in the history of Broome (W.A.) pearling, occurred last week, when J. M. Archers, a diver, was attacked while diving by a 3 cwt stingray, which drove its serrated barb right through his thigh and out at the buttocks through his diving dress and three flannel garments. He was grievously wounded, and suffered agony before the pain was alleviated at the hospital. The poison had now worked towards his spine. This is the first time a diver has been attacked though bathers along the coast are frequently whipped by sting rays' tails�. Reported in The Horsham Times, Vic -
1920 0 0 Cram J H USA Porter Brothers American, sued his employers claiming that he been incapacitated for some time after “his hoses were caught� and his air cut off -
1929 7 9 Johnstone J E Australia 1 “DIVER'S BRAVERY. When a party of men was blasting in the Yarra at Burnley, a lighted fuse attached to 10 lbs of gelignite caught on the bottom of the boat. The fuse could not be detached, and the diver, Mr. J. E Johnstone, risked his life to go below to cut the fuse. His action probably saved the lives of the men in the boat. One photograph shows the diver entering the water with the charge, and the other is of the "powder monkey� lighting the fuse which caused the trouble These photographs were taken just before the mishap�. Reported in The Argus, Melbourne, Vic. -
1950 3 17 Nunn J Australia Topsides “Shark Dynamited At Glenelg. While waiting to be lowered from a pontoon during diving operations at Glenelg on Thursday, a Harbors Board diver blasted with dynamite and killed an 11-ft. shark close to the pontoon. The diver, Mr. J. Nunn, of Solvay road, Osborne, was about to have his headpiece fitted at the edge of the pontoon when the shark, attracted by a string of fish hanging over the side, swam alongside. Retreating to a safe distance on the pontoon, Mr. Nunn and the crew loaded one of the fish with dynamite, hooked it to an electric cord, and threw it to the shark. After nosing the bait for 15 minutes, the shark grabbed it and dived for the bottom. The exploding charge blew shreds of its head over a wide area and the carcass sank in 14 feet of water. Efforts lasting more than an hour to retrieve the carcass, which could be seen on the bottom, were unsuccessful. Fresh efforts will be made today�. Reported in The Advertiser, Adelaide, SA -
2010 9 17 Todirel Iulian Romania Fireman Aged 25 diver in the ISU (Emergency services) with two colleagues went down into a well in the village of Radauti Prut to recover a man, overcome by CO fumes from a water pump. One colleague (Sergeant Marius Loghin) died, Iulian Todirel, along with and the section leader, Major Narcis Jachal 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 -
1930 11 15 Kazusaka Isunegoro Australia Victor Clark S/S Air DIVER KILLED. Paralysis the Cause. DARWIN, Monday. The body of a Japanese diver, Isunegoro Kazusaka, employed in Mr. Victor Clark's pearling fleet, was brought into Darwin on Sunday night. His death was as a result of paralysis. Reported in the Daily News, Perth, WA. -
2014 2 1 Moreno Franco Israel Costa Concordia, Gigio Island, Italy Underwater Contractor Spain 3m Air News report from Canadian Business: ROME: A diver died Saturday while working on the shipwrecked Costa Concordia, apparently gashing his leg on an underwater metal sheet while preparing the wreck for removal, officials and news reports said. Italy's civil protection agency, which is overseeing the removal of the Concordia from Tuscany's coast, said the diver hailed from Spain. Tuscany's La Nazione newspaper said the diver had been working on preparations to affix huge tanks onto sides of the Concordia to float the ship off its false seabed and tow it to a port for eventual dismantling. It said he apparently gashed his leg on an underwater metal sheet and was then unable to get free, bleeding profusely before a diver colleague was able to bring him to the surface. The report said he was conscious upon surfacing but later died. The diver, who wasn't identified by authorities, is the first to die in the line of work on salvaging the Concordia ever since it slammed into a reef off Giglio island on Jan. 13, 2012, killing 32 passengers and crew. A diver died last year, but the causes were reportedly unrelated to the work. The Concordia was righted in preparation for removal during a remarkable, 19-hour engineering feat last fall in which a system of pulleys wrenched the 300-meter-long (1,000-foot-long), 115,000-ton cruise ship from its side to vertical. A dozen giant tanks were affixed to its exposed port side and filled with water to help pull the ship upright.<br />The current project that the diver was working on was to prepare the starboard side, which had been underwater until the ship was righted, to hold a similar number of tanks. The tanks will be emptied of water and used to literally float the wreck off the seabed, so it can be towed away from Giglio, brought to a port and taken apart for scrap. Officials say they hope to have it removed by June. The 600 million euro ($810 million) removal project, which has already run nearly twice its original cost estimates, is the most ambitious ever attempted for a ship the size of the Concordia. In a statement, the head of the civil protection agency, Franco Gabrielli, expressed condolences for the death and recalled the dedication of people working on the wreckage, saying they had worked for two years without a break, in difficult conditions not without risks, to achieve the common goal of removing the Concordia from Giglio. The ship's captain is currently on trial for manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and leaving the ship before all passengers were evacuated. Prosecutors have accused him of taking the ship off course in a stunt to bring it closer to Giglio. Capt. Francesco Schettino has said he saved lives by steering the ship to shallow waters after it ran aground on a reef that wasn't on his nautical charts. On Friday, Italy's highest court let stand plea bargains reached by five other Costa employees. Costa is a unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise line. -
2014 2 1 Moreno Franco Israel Italy UCS 10m Spanish, from La Coruna, aged 41. Working on the salvage of the Costa Concordia (Sank off the island of Grigio in January 2912 with the loss of 32 people), subcontracted to Titan, the main salvors, Metal brace being cut off fell on hin crushing his chest and gashing his groin, trapping, brought to surface by fellow diver, apparently still concious but later died of blood loss. Reported in 'The Province', Associated Press and Reuters -
2011 8 2 Marzouk Ismail Egypt Blue O2 60 Rebreather Aged 33, IANTD technical diving instructor working out of Hurgada died on a deep wreck dive (90 metres?) dive off Marsa Alam with three British tourists, apparently stopped breathing at 60 metres (suspected oxygen toxicity) and dropped into the depths, the three tourists surfaced without incident, instructor's body not recovered. Family raising questions about about lack of any SCUBA/Sports/Tourist/Technical diving standards or enforcement in Egypt. Wife and baby daughter. A second fatality - that of a Russian diving instructor - was reported on the same day but no detailed reports located to date. NB, Tourist diving instructors - esppecially technical diving - appear to have a very high fatality rate but are not generally reported. Reported by ahramonline -
1990 7 5 Ratif Ishak bin Abdul Singapore Reported as drowned during a scanning operation off Pulau Ayer Chawan, found unconscious by a colleague. No other details. Straits Times -
1941 11 24 Shimizu Ischma Australia 57 S/S Air "Japanese Diver Dies". Brisbane, Tuesday. "Although his mates lowered him into the sea three times in an effort to ward off diver's paralysis, Isthma Shimizu (32), a Japanese diver, died while suspended 120 feet below the surface 30 miles from Darnley Island, Torres Straits. The Hobart Mercury, Tas. Another reports says: "Shimizu had been working at a depth of 31 fathoms for an hour and a half, and had sent up 3 baskets of pearl shell before being hauled to the surface. He was held for 40 minutes at 24 fathoms to avoid the effects of a sudden change in the pressure, but when he reached the deck of the boat he complained of pains in the hips, and later, at his own request, he was lowered to 25 fathoms for 6 hours. When he was brought to the surface again it was seen that he was losing the use of his legs, so he was lowered to 20 fathoms. He did not respond to a signal from the tender, and another diver descended and found him dead". The Argus, Melbourne, Vic -
1926 7 13 Williams Irving USA 15 S/S Air Described as a native of Kennebunk, working near Harpswell attempting to raise the power sloop 'Bradley A' which went ashore 10 days earlier on Bold Dick, a rocky pinnacle near Ragged Island in Casco Bay with the loss of three of the four crew. Reported as drowned at work, apparently an incident involving his air lines (being tended by his brother) which parted, but no details . Reported in the New York Times -
2021 5 26 dos Santos Irenilson Marcos Brazil Hookah Aghed 25, gold mining raft on the Teles Pires river near the town of Alta Floresta, entered the water around 18:00 hours, after 35 minutes failed to respond to signals, gear pulled up but only brought up hose/regulator. Search diver found weightbelt. Body recovvered by SAR divers a day later. rdnews.com and other outlets. -
1979 11 10 Wodeco V lost bell Incident Ghana or Ivory Coast Comex 130 Saturation Entire dive team, including the supervisor, - dived in rotation, bell bounce diving. Single bell lift wire plus two guide wires tied up to the wellhead. About a month prior to the incident, the main wire had been ovalised above the socket but judged fit for purpose. On this day, during bell recovery, when the bell had reached the top of the "A" frame, the wire parted.. The bell ballast hit the water, the bell hit the ballast which had been slowed down entering the water and sank. Communications were lost with the bell. The surface team expected the divers in the bell to shed its ballast, but that did not happen. The team was without supervisor (he was in the bell) and there was no lead diver. On advice from company HQ, they mixed some 10 % Heliox and built a surface umbilical by connecting three lengths of flexible hose. The first diver started breathing the 10 % prior to entering the water and passed out. The rest of the team assumed that this was due to the fact that the components had not "mixed up properly". They equipped the next diver with a bail out cylinder filled with Air, he breathed the Air from the surface and switched to Heliox at 10 metres. On the way down, this diver pulled himself with his arms, head down along one of the bell guide wires instead of "hanging out" in the current on the way down. As a result, him and his umbilical rotated around the bell guide wire several times to the point were he could not progress any more and he exhausted himself in the process. It is possible that he had passed out underwater. The surface crew retrieved him, it needed several men to haul on the umbilical. He was suffering from pulmonary barotrauma. However, he was conscious when he reached the surface, he cleared the several turns the umbilical had made around the guide wire himself. He went in the chamber still conscious and standing with a doctor and male nurse. Short of Helium, so they only pressurized the main lock. The nurse was claustrophobic and started panicking and they had to decompress him. In order to do so, they pressurised the entrance lock with the only gas they had left, air. When the nurse left the chamber he was told that if he was not feeling well to return to the chamber to be treated. Instead he went into hiding, laid down and was found later, dead (Isobaric counter diffusion). The diver died in the chamber (Pulmonary Barotrauma),. -
2000 5 16 Ahmad Idris Malaysia Fire and Rescue Services SCUBA Paraphrased from the newspaper report:- “Another diver from the Fire and Rescue Services Department's scuba diving unit disappeared this morning during a search operation for a colleague who had gone missing since Monday around the waters of Pulau Lalang and Pulau Saga. The diver, identified as Mohd Nor Harun, in his 40s, is feared to have suffered a similar fate as his colleague, Idris Ahmad, 36. Idris was believed to have drowned while clearing the waters of discarded fishing nets. A police spokesman said the incident occurred about 11.30am today when the diver failed to surface for a break. His body was found by fisherman 3 days later. 40 divers were taking part in the search. Another diver became unconscious during the search and was admitted to the armed forces hospital at the Lumut naval base�. Reported in the New Straits Times -
1935 12 5 Miyao Ichitaro Australia Morey & Co. 9 S/S Air BRISBANE, Saturday. — When the pearling lugger ‘Aldinia’ reached Thursday Island today she had on board two iead men. They were a Japanese diver, Ichitaro Miyao, 35, and a Mapoon native, Sammy Myquick, 17. The lugger was working at Warrior island with the diver down five fathoms. When no signals had been received for some time the captain went down and found Miyao dead in his driving dress. As the lugger was returning to Thursday Island Myquick was found dead in the hold. 'The Government officer at the island found that the diver had died from heart failure, while the aborigine had been poisoned by fumes from a broken exhaust pipe in the engine. The Mail, Adelaide, SA -
2013 3 31 MacLeod Iain UK SCUBA Aged 44, diving on the anchor of a creel boat in Bosta Beach, Great Bernera (Isle of Lewis), not a sports dive, but unclear if it was a paid/working dive. No other details. BBC -
2012 4 22 Abu Khalil Hussein Ahmad Lebanon 50 SCUBA Aged 42, head of the Environment and Development department and the Marine Exploration Department, diving off the village of Qleileh, Tyre, inspecting a seafloor project designed to increase fish numbers. His body was located by a Navy SAR team the day after. Reported as having died of a heart attack. Dailystar.com.lb -
1985 9 25 Hadzic Hussein Croatia Navy 82 Saturation Salvage of the chemical tanker, the Brigitta Montanari that sank on the 16th November 1984 (See separate entry) carrying vinyl chloride monomer (‘VCM’, toxic, explosive and carcinogenic) in 82m water depth. Known to be leaking toxic chemicals, the only salvage resource available was the ‘Sapasilac’, Yugoslavian Navy submarine deep rescue unit. Built as the PS-12, 55 metres in length, 1,490 GRT, at the Tito shipyard in 1976. She was initially fitted out with a 600m depth rated rescue submarine (‘Mermaid IV’, 8 metres long, capable of carrying 10 personnel including crew), a three man, 300 metre diving bell that was also rated as an atmospheric observation chamber and a 30 man surface recompression chamber. Two further rescue vessels were built in 1977, one was sold to Libya, the ‘Al Munjed’, the other to Iraq, the ‘A-81’ - Sunk during the second gulf war. The later vessels had modified funnels (to reduce overheating of the hyperbaric chambers). The vessel has had the submarine and diving systems removed and was still in service with the Croatian Navy as the patrol vessel OB-73 ‘Faust Vrancic’ in 2010). During a bell run to assess the wreck of the Brigitta Montanari, the salvage vessel was moved to clear the bell from above the hull but the bell weights (suspended on chains below the bell) caught on the wreck and were ripped off causing an uncontrolled ascent the buoyant bell. The two divers who were locked out (Dragutin Siljevinac and Hussein Hadzic) were dragged to the surface by their umbilicals and although rescued from about 30 metres, both subsequently died in the chamber. The bellman (Dragisa Koprivica) spent 4 weeks in the chamber but survived and carried on a career as a diver. Centre of Marine Research, Zagreb -
2012 2 24 Amando Hugo Villajuana Mexico SCUBA Aged 36 from Puerta Chuburna, wife and four children. First diver to die in the official - on the second day - of the Sea Cucumber season, harvesting operation onboard the 25 foot long "VMCM 5" working 20 miles out of Celestun (Yucatan Penninsula). Accident ocurred at 13:00, admitted to hospiral in Celustan at 16:00, declared dead at 17:30. Reported as due to DCI, depth initially reported as 'cinco brazas '(5 fathoms or 30 feet) but later corrected as 12 fathoms (60 feet). No other details. Reported by Por Esto -
2011 4 21 Catalan Hugo Amaliel Soto USA Erosion Barrier Installations 5 SCUBA Aged 23, employed out of Fort Lauderdale as one of a two man diving team surveying erosion on a man made lake at the Stoneybrook Golf and Country Club in Estero, surfaced and waved in distress but sank from sight before his partner onshore could reach him and could not be found in the murky water. His body was located 3 hours later by rescue divers. As the resue diver brought the body ashore they were followed by two snakes believed to be water moccasins (Shot and killed by shoreside deputies on alligator watch, one with a shotgun, the other an AR-15 rifle) His ditched gear was also recovered. 5 days after the death, Lee County Medical Examiner determined it was an accidental drowning. Reported in the Naples Valley News. -
1976 0 0 Gordon Hugh On NSDA database as American, possible fatality for a Norwegian company -
2007 11 17 Chen-Lu Hsu Taipei 30 S/S Air Aged 51, diving off the commercial fishing vessel 'Hsinlienfa 168' off Turtle Island. Two divers died and two injured. Authorities stated they would prosecute (occupational negligent manslaughter) the vessel operator, Tu Chuen-yi, for improper operation of the vessel and allowing the propeller to cut all four airlines leaving the divers at depth with no air supplies. None of the divers had licences, no standby or safety equipment. -
1944 10 13 Neller Horace UK Aged 62, :Diver died at work, adjusted air valves, signalled to…." No other details (Pay for access archive) Gloucester Citizen/The British Newspaper Archive -
1879 3 24 Manchester Horace USA S/S Air Drowned, after the event, it was claimed that �the diver who was drowned on Monday deliberately committed suicide on account of financial and domestic troubles which had been preying on his mind for a long time" -
1971 11 1 Minn Hnutt UK Divcon Oceaneering 84 S/S Mixed Gas British, aged 31. Drill ship "Glomar III", "Standard gear", no bell, tangled in lines, overan dive, surfaced rapidly (suit malfunction), embolism, recompressed on air in DDC, died -
1934 9 13 Kongo Hisa Australia Bowden Pearling Co. 55 S/S Air "Diver Drowned When Helmet Fills With Water" Japanese diver aged 24, reported that his helmet filled with water as he rose to the surface with a bag of shells at Darnley Island. Diving off the lugger 'Sydney', came to the surfacce unconscious, the vessel master, Captain Yonekawa, thought he was suffering from diver's paralysis, fitted another helmet and took Kongo down again in an attempt to relieve the stricken diver. The Captain remained below for nearly 40 minutes but Kongo failed to respond. He was hauled to the surface dead. Reported in the Advocate, Burnie, Tasmania. -
1999 7 11 Imajo Hiroshige Japan S/S Air Aged 32, diving off the vessel 'Sumitoyo Maru' in Osaka, apparently killed in the water after being hit of the head by his deck mounted air compressor that was pulled off the deck by a tight airline. May have been a lightweight hookah system, no other details. AxccessMyLibrary.com -
1960 5 1 Arakawa Hirochi? Australia 66 S/S Air Singapore Free Press "An Okinawan pearl diver died of divers paralysis near Thursday Island". "The first pearl diving fatality of the season ocurred at the weekend in the Darnley deeps, 55 miles off Thursday Island. Aged 26, Okinawan, diving in 36 fathoms at 2pm from the lugger 'Sedney'. He was brought to the surface in easy stages but was dead when he reached the surface. The Sydney Morning Herald -
1903 8 20 Santra Hiogo Australia S/S Air Diving Fatalities. BRISBANE. August 21. “A Japanese diver was killed whilst engaged in diving operations in the Missionary Passage, Thursday Island, through a pipe bursting. This makes the third fatality within a week. Reported in the Western Star and Roma Advertiser, Toowoomba, Qld FATALITIES AT THURSDAY ISLAND. The Treasurer has received a notification from the Inspector of Pearlshell Fisheries at Thursday Island, that the ‘Mabel’ had reported that a Japanese diver named Hiogo Santra was killed whilst diving in the Missionary Passage, through the pipe bursting. This makes the third fatality to Japanese divers in a week. A man from the lugger ‘Clifton’ died from paralysis at Kumusi, Missionary Passage, on 14th, and one from the lugger ‘Ivy’ from paralysis at Stephens Island on The 16th. Reported in the Brisbane Courier, Qld. -
1898 5 0 Nanosaki Hinado Philippines S/S Air Japanese diver died from 'paralysis', no details. Reported in the Brisbane Courier -
1952 8 1 Malone Hilary Australia DIVER FREES ‘MALOJA'S’ PROPELLER. The services of a diver were required at Fremantle yesterday before the liner ‘Maloja’ could sail for the Eastern States. Her port propeller blade was fouled by a steel towline from the tug ‘Uco’ when she berthed from London in the morning. The ‘Uco’ was immobilised to prevent further tangling, and the ‘Maloja’ - which had more than 1,000 passengers on board - berthed with the aid of two other tugs. Summoned from Garden Island, a Fremantle diver, Mr. Hilary Malone, went down from the vessel ‘Agnes’ at about 5.15 p.m., and using a special underwater oxy-acetylene torch had the blade cleared by about 6 o'clock. The liner sailed at 7.45 p.m. two hours late. Reported in The West Australian, Perth -
1927 7 29 Hashimoto Hijiro or Bijiro Australia 33 S/S Air "Diver Drowned. Through an air pipe bursting 80 feet from the pump, a 46 year old Japanese diver with 26 years of experience was drowned at Broome, W. A. He was working at 18 fathoms and it was ten minutes before he could be brought to the surface". Reported in the Advocate, Burnie, Tasmania. -
2008 2 29 Heng Hii Teck Miri Not Reported 13 SCUBA Aged 42, professional ship repair divers working under the hull of the "Bunga Kelana 6' five miles off Bintulu, entered water, failed to surface, SAR diver located bodies two days later on ship's water inlet grill, but failed to recover divers due to currents. -
1933 11 15 Ariuke Hidiji Australia 33 S/S Air LURED ON. YOUNG DIVER KILLED. Another Japanese diver has become the victim of the lure of pearls, and his fate was similar to that of many of his predecessors. The diver's name was Hidiji Ariuke, 29, a native of Erime Ken, Japan. Ushimaku Tamoto, master of the lugger ‘Adiana’, on which deceased was employed states that on November 15, about 6 a.m, he commenced work near Deliverance Island, and continued diving until 3 p.m., when he felt ill. The deceased took his place, and went down in about 18 fathoms. He stayed on the bottom for about 10 minutes, and came to the surface with 15 shells. He had a good rest, and about 4 p.m., he went down again, and stayed 20 minutes. When he returned to the deck of the lugger he appeared to be in his usual good health, but a few minutes later he complained of a pain in his right leg, and then started to lose consciousness. Tamoto said he knew deceased was getting divers paralysis. He immediately put deceased over the side of the lugger with the diving helmet and corselet on. When raised half an hour later deceased was still unconscious. He was then placed in full diving dress and lowered into 18 fathoms. Tarasahuro Umino went down with deceased to regulate the air valve. Deceased was still unconscious when he was brought to the surface at 6 p.m. He was lowered again, and when brought, up at 8 p.m. he was dead. The body was taken to Thursday Island, approximately 80 miles away. The act of submerging a diver suffering from paralysis is used by the Japanese to endeavor to cure the sufferer. It is a matter of-pressure.’ Reported in the Cairns Post, Qld. -
2011 1 13 Araya Hernan Alvarado Chile Aged 40, died in the regional hospital of Copiapo (Where there is a hyperbaric centre) at 11pm. He was suffering from acute decompression illnesss after working at the Seafood site of Caleta La Ovillina, 30 km north of Caldera. Press report inicated that he might have survived if there had been a DDC on site. Reported by GPS Buceo -
2015 3 20 Rikkers Hernan 'Kakara' Cook Islands Cook Islands Aquarium Fish SCUBA "Paraphrased from the Cook Island News:- ""The 30-year-old Argentinian whose body was discovered over the reef outside Avarua Harbour on Saturday was an experienced diver, says one of his employers: ""Diving alone is common in the company’s line of work, which involves gathering live tropical fish for export. The man had also dived in Hawaii and Noumea and the company had received assurances from people he had worked with previously that he was an experienced diver. Diving with at least one other person is usually considered best practice, but the company’s workers dived alone as diving with another person could scare away the fish they were attempting to capture. Police confirmed yesterday that the diver had a buoyancy compensator, but they were unsure whether he had been wearing it. The Company had made the decision to try and locate the man because of the need to get out to the search area before dusk made water visibility poor. A full scale search was conducted on Saturday and his body was found. The body was recovered from the reef outside Avarua Harbour. An unsuccessful search for him had been conducted the previous evening by the owner of the company Rikkers worked for. A spokesman said it had been about eight years since the last major diving incident in the Cook Islands, where local man Noovao Noovao had a heart attack on the surface of the water. ""There was always something that could be done to help prevent an accident, although taking a buddy when diving was common practice for recreational diving, diving alone, as Rikker had done, was not unusual in the case of commercial diving work. “You don’t pay two people for a job one person can do" -
2021 12 12 Sawiran Herman Indonesia 11m S/S Air Palembang, South Sumatra. Family diving team of two bothers and a brother-in-law (the victim) led by father installing a PDAM pump (high volume unit weighing 3 tons). Diving on an air compressor with a 100 metre hose hookah set up to check pump status. Hose went tight then broke, stand-by dived in. Diver had gone head first into the pump, head and torso missing, hips and legs recovered to surface. Divers questioned why the pump was running whilst they were doing the inspection. Reported in Indonesian Press. -
1960 7 15 Bybee Herbert E USA Military SCUBA American police officer, Kansas, Missouri, died during a training dive -
1982 5 28 Bin Henry Lim Kim Indonesia Oceaneering Topsides Singaporean, aged 26, 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. He was coming ashore to be married two days later, his fiancee was 22. Straits Times -
2010 2 15 Usimewa Henry Fiji High San Trading Aged 19, had been employed as a diver for three years, diving off the 'Grace III' on Nara reef off Yadua island for sucuwalu (beche-de-mer or sea cucumber). His crew members reported that he was dragged under by an unseen creature leaving only his diving gear behind (Hookah? TC). Search called off two days later, body not recovered. Presumed shark attack. Reported by the Fiji Times online -
1898 3 22 Williams Henry Cuba Merritt Wrecking Company S/S Air American, one of the divers on the tug "Chief" died Havana from chronic haemorrhage of the stomach "It was not unexpected. Mr Collins was ill before he left the United States" -
1878 6 27 Shervell Henry New Zealand "Henry Shervell, a diver, was committed for trial today for stealing guns from the wreck of the Ann Gambles" Evening Post, National Library of New Zealand. (The 'Ann Gambles' was an iron barque built in 1862 by Harrington and Williamson. She sailed from Gravesend in England in January, was lost in heavy weather at the entrance to Bluff Harbour on the 16th May 1878, the crew were all saved. An Inquiry suspended the master's certificate for six months after concluding that he had been reckless in attempting to enter the port at night without a pilot). -
1876 0 0 Fleuss Henry UK Rebreather Development of the firsrt working self contained oxygen rebreather using compressed oxygen and a closed circuit and caustic potash to absorc CO2 -
2012 2 14 Delauze Henri Germain France COMEX Died aged 83, Henri DeLauze founded COMEX in 1961. He was awarded a degree in engineering from the Ecole Superieure des Arts et Metiers in Aix-en-Provence (1946/49) and a Master of Science in Marine Geology at the University of California (Berkeley) in 1960. From 1952 to 1955, he cooperated on a voluntary basis with Captain Cousteau's team as an engineer and as a diver in Marseilles (OFRS). From 1956 to 1961 with the big international contractor, Grands Travaux de Marseille, he was responsible for several major large construction sites, including the motorway tunnel under Havana's bay in Cuba (1956/57). At the end of 1961, back in France, he joined the CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research) as head of the "ARCHIMEDE" Bathyscaph Submersible Laboratory in which he carried out a dive to a depth of - 9,650 metres, off the coast of Japan in 1961. He thus became the "Deepest Frenchman in the world" (the deepest human dive was sponsored by the US Navy with Ct Don WALSH and Jacques PICCARD in the Bathyscaph "TRIESTE" to 10.700 m. in 1960). He married in1953 and has three children, Michele, Marc and Beatrice. -
2002 6 19 Leoni Helga Italy Marine Consulting 25 S/S Air 33 year old female NDT diver, daughter of the owner of the diving company. DSV "Palinuro II" diving on/near the Agostino B platform. No stand-by diver. Engine "mistakenly" started, Umbilical caught in propellor.