Incidents List
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Year Month Day Surname Forenames Location Contractor Client Depth Type of Diving Details -
2012 6 9 Kurida Pjero UK Topsides Croatian, aged 29, Bosun on the PSV E R Athina. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report highlighted failure by senior crew to follow formal risk assessments, inappropriate emergency response and improper planning of the use of a Fast Rescue Craft (FRC) as a painting platform. The bosun suffered severe internal chest injuries after becoming trapped between the hull and the lifting frame of the FRC whilst repairing a small area of damaged paintwork on the hull whilst at anchor two miles off Aberdeen (“possibly trying to push the FRC away from the supply ship’s hull,� as the vessels collided against each other, caused by the prevailing swell and tidal stream). With no external signs of bleeding (After the incident, he was coughing and breathing heavily, but the second officer did not see any external signs of bleeding. When he was asked about his injuries he replied that his right arm was sore and that he thought his ribs were broken), the crew underestimated the extent of his injuries and a fishing vessel was employed to take him to hospital at a speed of 8.5 knots. They also alerted the ship’s agent, rather than the coastguard, losing “valuable time,� found the report. MAIB Report -
2012 5 22 Deep Sat Dive USA USN Saturation Naval Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU), Panama city, Florida, training dive during testing of the 26 million dollar US Navy Saturation Fly-away Diving System. 4 day sat, 11 day decompression with a 6 man team to 1000' (Reported as "the first USN dive to 1,000 feet since 1974" though USN divers are reported as having dived to 1,148' using the Mk I Deep Dive System in 1975, NEDU to 1,800' in the Ocean Simulator Facility in 1979 and the Duke Medical centre ran a chamber dive to 2,250 in 1981, TC). wjhg.com -
2012 5 17 Cancino Manuel Gomez Gonzalo Mexico SCUBA Aged 28, poaching for sea cucumber 22 miles off Progreso (Yucatan) with two companions off a 25' boat. Inexperienced, probably did not use decompression stops, died before he got to hospital. Autopsy stated death due to decompression illness. Progresohoy.com -
2012 5 12 Thakur Ramesh Singapore Cutech Marine Services Pty SCUBA Aged 35, ex Indian Navy diving instructor (Left the Navy August 2011, had been working for Cutech for several months) from Kanyakumari (Kerala, South India). Hull cleaning on the VLCC "Kokkari" 4 km Southeast of the South Marine Pier. Singapore Maritime and Port Authority received a report that a diver had gone missing at 14:55, a search failed to locate the diver. Married, two children aged 5 and 7, Reported by AsiaOne -
2012 5 4 Dzul Felix Jesus Canul Mexico Fisherman SCUBA Commercial sea Cucumber fishing out of Puerto Chicxulub (Yucatan Penninsula), reported chest pains, taken ashore died in hospital (CMA - Centro Medico de las Americas in Merida). Reported as death due to decompression illness. Progresohoy.com -
2012 4 22 Sprout Brad Robert Mexico Global Diving and Salvage American, aged 29, Working a DP DSV ('Captain Tale'?off Cuidad del Carmen, may have been an umbilical in thruste/lost gas incident, no other details -
2012 4 19 Simonini Lt. Vincent Italy Italian Navy Aged 37, Italian Navy diver working at the helicopter base at Luni (La Spezia), assisting in pool based helicopter ditching/evacuation training. Unconscious in the water, treated by medics on site but failed to respond to treatment. Reported as 'cardiac arrest'. Italian Press reports. -
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. -
2012 4 13 Neve Nigel Gabon Topsides Acting as Company Site Representative on a DSV offshore Gabon, reported as possible stomach heamorrhage, no other etails. Longstreath blog -
2012 3 22 Driifingr Ethan Nigeria DSIT SCUBA Israeli, aged 31, initially reported as installing a diver detection sonar system 'Aquashield' (Built in Israel, owned by an American corporaton, aimed at detecting swimmers, divers, diver delivery vehicles etc) in Lagos harbour and that he failed to surface, body recovered the day after, reported as drowned. Later reports say that he was involved in ship's husbandry (hull cleaning) and 'knocked his head under the hull and died' and that the body was found floating nearby. No confirmed details, Nigerian authorities were disuaded from doing an autopsy after intervention from the Israeli consulate and ZAKA (Autopsy is forbidden under Jewish law unless the procedure is deemed by a rabbinical expert to be 'specifically of life saving value'). Nigerian/Israeli News -
2012 3 17 Shiotsuki Mitsui Japan SCUBA Aged 45, one of three divers (with Saturo Yuge and Taizo Yokoyama) who died on the same dive, removing submerged concrete blocks from a marine farm off Tsukumi in Oita Prefecture. The three entered the water at 09:30, located unconscious underwater at 10:00, all apparently with empty tanks. Coastguard suspect faulty procedures and awaiting autopsy reports. The Japan Times online -
2012 3 17 Yokoyama Taizo Japan SCUBA Aged 45, one of three divers (with Mitsui Shiotsuke and Saturo Yuge) who died on the same dive, removing submerged concrete blocks from a marine farm off Tsukumi in Oita Prefecture. The three entered the water at 09:30, located unconscious underwater at 10:00, all apparently with empty tanks. Coastguard suspect faulty procedures and awaiting autopsy reports. The Japan Times online -
2012 3 17 Yuge Saturo Japan SCUBA Aged 45, one of three divers (with Mitsui Shiotsuki and Taizo Yokoyama) who died on the same dive, removing submerged concrete blocks from a marine farm off Tsukumi in Oita Prefecture. The three entered the water at 09:30, located unconscious underwater at 10:00, all apparently with empty tanks. Coastguard suspect faulty procedures and awaiting autopsy reports. The Japan Times online -
2012 3 15 MacLean Roderick UK SCUBA Aged 33 from Finstown, Scallop diving operation off the Orkney island of Eday, failed to surface from a dive, search for body called off after 5 days. STV. -
2012 3 6 Not Recorded Spain SCUBA Aged 35, working on a tuna farm at San Javier off the coast of Murcia, evacuated from site to port and admitted to the Cartagena hyperbaric unit. "Stabilized by the emergency services and transferred to the hyperbaric medicine unit". No details. GPS Buceo -
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 -
2012 2 23 Cappanera Daniele Italy 41 South Energy SCUBA Aged 41, doing maintenance work on an experimental tidal measurement buoy a mile offshore from Punta Righini (Castiglioncello, Livorno). Saw his colleague (Francis Vezzani) motionless on the seabed (at 'several 10s of metres deep') and went down to recover him, brought to the surface but colleague was pronounced dead when they reached port. Daniele Cappanera was taken to Pisa hyperbaric centre for treatment (suspected DCI). La Republica -
2012 2 23 Vezzani Francis Italy 40 South Energy SCUBA Aged 38, doing maintenance work on an experimental wave measurement buoy a mile offshore from Punta Righini (Castiglioncello, Livorno). Seen motionless on the seabed (at 'several 10s of metres deep') by his colleague (Daniele Cappanera) and brought to the surface but was pronounced dead when they reached port. Daniele Cappanera was taken to Pisa hyperbaric centre for treatment (suspected DCI). La Republica -
2012 2 22 Collins Lawrence Canada SCUBA Aged 49, one of a three man commercial sea urchin harvesting dive team on board the vessel 'Water Queen' working off Digby Neck in the Grand Passage Waterway (Bay of Fundy off St St. John, an area with the highest tides in the world - Mean spring tide 14.5 metres, extreme range 16.3 metres), 30 minutes into the diver, failed to surface with the other team members around 13:00, seen on the surface being swept away by fast currents, vessel crew searched for about 15 minutess then called emergency services about 13:30, RCMP called at 13:45. Ebb tide, Southerly current, air temp 43F, water 42F, 5 foot seas, search hampered by fog. Reported as having just moved to the area from Ottowa and as having held a commercial diving licence since the early 1990s (but had only been in the water about 10 times in the last 10 years) and that it was his first dive harvesting sea urchins. Search called off four days later (RCMP - "There is no reasonable expectation that he was going to be found alive"), body not found. Reported by Postmedia news and others. -
2012 2 19 Diaz Arturo Alejandro Rivas Chile Aquachile SA Aged 33, Beticoi salmon farm, diving accident on site, medivac to Puerta Melinka where it was reported that he died of cardiac arrest due to crush injuries sustained from a large cage of fish. Reported by rin.cl/noticas -
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. -
2012 2 10 Marshall Erica USA KESMARC Chamber Aged 28, died in an explosion at the KESMARC (Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine And Rehabilitation Centre) Farm in Ocla. 12' diameter hyperbaric chamber built in 2009 by New Phase Construction used for treating horses with high ppO2. The horse from Virginia (Landmark's Legendary Affair, a 6 year old thoroughbred gelding), which was being being treated for tissue damage, was killed instantly. Two employees monitoring the horse said that about 22 minutes into the treatment, he became agitated and started to kick (conflicting statements as to whether the horse was sedated on this occasion, though it had received 4 or 5 treatments before without incident), they tried to activate an emergency decompression sequence but the horse had already kicked off a quarter inch thick protective coating. They saw a "massive spark inside the chamber and then flames", Ms Moneley left the panel to call the fire department, Ms Marshall began the decompression sequence. There was then an initial explosion followed by a much larger blast that blew debris 1,200 feet, ripped off part of the roof and the side walls. The horse's steel shoes were not taped or covered "As the chamber had an irremovable protective coating that makes it unecessary". Star Banner, Florida -
2012 2 10 Moneley Sorcha USA KESMARC Chamber Aged 33, from Ireland, at the facility as an observor with an interest in taking the hyperbariv treatment technology to Europe, seriously injured in the same explosion that killed Erica Marshall, airlifted to Shands (University of Florida) for treatment (head trauma). KESMARC (Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine And Rehabilitation Centre) Farm in Ocla. 12' diameter hyperbaric chamber built in 2009 by New Phase Construction used for treating horses with high ppO2. The horse from Virginia (Landmark's Legendary Affair, a 6 year old thoroughbred gelding), which was being being treated for tissue damage, was killed instantly. Two employees monitoring the horse said that about 22 minutes into the treatment, he became agitated and started to kick (conflicting statements as to whether the horse was sedated on this occasion, though it had received 4 or 5 treatments before without incident), they tried to activate an emergency decompression sequence but the horse had already kicked off a quarter inch thick protective coating. They saw a "massive spark inside the chamber and then flames", Ms Moneley left the panel to call the fire department, Ms Marshall began the decompression sequence. There was an initial explosion followed by a much larger blast that blew debris 1,200 feet, ripped off part of the roof and the side walls. The horse's steel shoes were not taped or covered "As the chamber had a irremovable protective coating that makes it unecessary". Star Banner, Florida -
2012 2 10 Sindad I or II Egypt Sinbad Submarine 3 German tourists, (parents and a child) drowned when a sight seeing tourist submarine working out of Hurgada (Tourist resort on the Red Sea Coast) struck a coral reef breaking a porthole leading to water ingress. 13 other tourists were rescued. Reported in the Gulf times and others. The submarine was either the Sinbad I or Sinbad II, built by Mobimar (Turku, Finland) to ABS standards, (No other details that I can find in the public domain, TC) -
2012 2 2 Amaro Canche Victor Mexico Aged 43, sea cucumber harvesting out of Puerto Chicxulub 'out of season' (Fishing season opens on the 22nd February), no permit, boat 'Dumbos' not registered, reported as the first fisherman/diver to die in 2012, came ashore, felt unwell, taken to the American medical centre, but declared dead, apparently died of DCI related injuries, may have cut short decompression stops to shorten dive/avoid detection by Naval patrol boat. SIPSE.COM Yucatan -
2012 1 11 Not Recorded Malaysia Rumoured that two divers were killed on a job in Malaysia but no details, not confirmed (Longstreath) -
2012 1 9 Not Recorded Singapore SCUBA Ship's husbandry, diving in support of locating a vessel into a dry dock. Surfaced with his diving partner but went back down, failed to surface. located (unconscious?) on the bottom of the dock, failed to respond to treatment, (possible cardiac arrest?) -
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 -
2011 12 20 Schock Timothy USA Police SCUBA Aged 41, Chesapeake police dive team training, taking part in a team underwater search and rescue exercise at Oak Grove Lale Park. Buoyancy vest inoperable (fault with inflation button prior to dive, during dive the inflation button fell apart so that vest flooded/would not inflate) surfaced and told his partner that he could not breath, during surface swim to shore slipped away from partner's grasp and sank, recovered by a resue diver but did not respond to emergency treatment. Had been a police officer for 16 years, in the dive team for 8, ex-marine, competitive cyclist. Investigation concluded that there was no stand-by/cover boat immediately available nor emergency responders. Accident initiated by failed buoyancy compensator and compounded by jammed weight belt release (Subsequent testing of the weight releases on the other 12 divers demonstrated that they all failed to release properly). Death ruled as an accident due to to drowning though the medical examiner stated that he had an enlarged heart that contributed to his death. Investigation also concluded equipment should have been serviced by a trained technician "Dive team members lacked the expertise". Post accident, team required to do 'buddy' checks, officers not allowed to dive if equipment is not fully functional. Chesapeake News -
2011 12 9 Not Recorded Tonga S/S Air Aged 43, illegal sea cucumber fishing (season closed in mid October), diving with two other fishermen using a basic hookah equipment near Luanamo island (Ha'apai), experienced severe abdominal pains but died before the health officer from Ha'afeva arrived on the island. Inquest concluded that he died from decompression illness. Police arrested two Asian men (reputed to have bought the sea cucumbers and then left the island and charged them with illegal havesting off-season and use of using illegal equipment) and three Tongan men the day after on the island of Nuku'alofa. Second illegal sea cucumber harvester to die on the island this year in virtually identical circumstances (the previous fatality was on the 1st of September). Vava'a Press -
2011 11 14 Compresor shutdown Canada S/S Air Paraphrased from CDAC report:- �MONTREAL —Quebec’s labour minister said it’s “unimaginable� that wildcat strikers would cut off the air supply to two construction divers on a worksite north of Montreal on Monday. The divers in Trois-Rivieres, about 140 km north of Montreal, were shaken but unharmed when a roving group of union delegates forcibly shut down the waterfront worksite. The revelations were made Thursday in Quebec City during legislative hearings for proposed union reform legislation (Bill-33). The president of the union representing the divers told the Labour Minister that delegates from a larger union demanded the waterfront site be shut down the moment they arrived. When workers refused, one of the delegates shut down a generator which supplied electricity to radios, lights and the air compressor that fed air to the underwater divers. The two divers in the water used their emergency air supplies to resurface safely. A member of the diving team who was on shore when the generator was shut off said that the union reps threatened him. “I told them that there could have been an incident, or something serious, like a death� he said. “They told me that I could also be involved in an accident.� The company running the worksite has not pressed charges. Two larger unions represent 70% of construction workers in the province. They are fighting Bill-33 which strips them of their power to decide which and how many workers are assigned to construction sites. The government argues the two larger unions use this right to intimidate workers who are part of smaller unions by banning them from certain construction sites. The smaller unions, which collectively represent 30% of Quebec construction workers, favour the bill. Meanwhile, the union said Monday’s situation was a misunderstanding. “The version of the incident that I heard, is that one of the workers, in a moment of confusion, stopped the generator,� a spokesperson for the QFL said. “If they shut down the generator on purpose, then that is unacceptable.� CDAC -
2011 11 1 Not Recorded Iraq Leighton S/S Air Diver off the 'Leighton Eclipse' recovered to deck after suffering a leg injury (required knee surgery) from a crushing incident with a DMA whilst working in black water, transferred to hospital ashore for treatment. In a separate incident, dive team DMTs were called in to assist with a deck hand on a tug who suffered a near full leg amputation working wires in rough weather (Reported that the DMT reached into the wound, pulled out the artery and tied a knot in it, an action the Kuwait hospital confirmed as having saved his life). Longstreath. -
2011 10 30 Robinson Russell UKCS ISS Saturation Aged 33, Working at the Balmoral Field. Reported as returned to the bell at the end of his lock out saying he felt unwell, passed out, did not respond to treatment. Waiting on reports. Times UK, PC -
2011 10 18 Castellano Nerio Enrique Vielma Venezuela Cooperativa Buzos Industriales Aged 33 or 34, married, three children. Lake Maracaibo, working on a gas line station repair (Flow station BA-12, Lake Bachaquero Production Unit). Seems to have been an entanglement/dropped object/ umbilical incident, but no coherent details. "Accident under investigation", body recovered 20 minutes after the initial incident and evacuated to Zulima Pier, Lagunillas. Diver had 12 years diving experience with an established diving contractor, became unemployed and joined CBI two weeks before the accident. Diario La Region/Noticia al Dia -
2011 10 17 Safety notice (Differential Pressure) Canada CDAC CDAC (Canadian Association of Diving Contractors) issued "Guidelines for Diving Operations on Dams and Other Worksites where Delta-P Hazards may Exist". 32 pages of detailed guidance on the subject. Available from - and freely distributed electronically by - the CDAC at http://www.CADC.ca -
2011 10 6 Silva Antonio Portugal SCUBA Aged 45, resident in Aveiro, found dead in the evening, in SCUBA gear near his boat anchored in the estuary, assumed to be drowning (pending autopsy) but mask broken and bleeding from the ears. Reported to be completely inexperienced, had a bag with a few clams, alledged to be illegal clam fishing. Wife and two children. News Ralaccionadas -
2011 9 26 HSE Prosecution UK The supervisor of a diving project at Ramsgate Royal Harbour Marina was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs after pleading guilty to a single breach of the Diving at Work Regulations for failing to ensure a standby diver was ready to enter the water in the event of an emergency. Concerns were raised about the standard of his operation by a fellow diving supervisor on a neighbouring quayside. The Health and Safety Executive investigated and found that the standby diver was not in a state of immediate readiness to provide assistance to the diver in the water (The standby diver should have been fully dressed and kitted up to enter the water with his diving helmet in hand or close by. However, he was only in his dry suit, which put the diver in the water at serious risk had he required urgent assistance). DG had previously been served with a Prohibition Notice by HSE in October 2010 for a similar failing as a diving supervisor. His employer had spent time retraining and mentoring him before allowing him to continue in his role, but he ignored the guidance given. After the hearing, the HSE Inspector said: "The diving supervisor has a critical role to play in ensuring that a dive is conducted in such a way that the safety of the divers in the water is protected at all times. It is reasonably foreseeable that a diver may require urgent assistance from a standby diver should an emergency unfold, and therefore, the standby diver should be ready and able to enter the water in seconds. Yet that did not happen on Mr Gill's watch, and this clearly compromised safety. He should have known better having previously been warned about his conduct as a supervisor, but he ignored the trust, training and guidance of his employer to repeat the same failings." HSE Press Release in January 2013 -
2011 9 25 Hussin Hazri Miri or Malaysia Allied Marine (AME) Surface Swimmer Aged 43, riser installation job from the vessel 'Mas Mulia' (Pipelay barge owned by Target Engineering). Diver acting as a surface swimmer, 11:12 PM (Night operation) installing a pneumo hose and cutting mooring lines in the splashzone. Was hit and submerged several times by 1 metre swell. On returning towards the dive basket was seen floating facedown on the surface, stand-by diver recovered him onboard, CPR was administered, flown to Miri hospital by helicopter but pronounced dead on arrival at 02:30. Borneo Post/PC Later (Longstreath website, April 2013!) reported as 'drowned' but no details or report. -
2011 9 9 Not Recorded UK Sheringham Shoal Offshore Windfarm off Norfolk, diver medivac by helicopter to Norwich Hospital with 'broken ribs, broken arm, traumatised". No other details. Norfolk News -
2011 9 7 Juarez Luis Alberto Peru Asociacion La Bocana Aged 48, working at a scallop hatchery, Pichayo, Parachique, found trapped underwater, no other details. This report also referred to a second fatality in the area on the same day, that of 39 year old Eli Perez Becerra "who died of decompression illness, apparently as a result of mechanical failure of his diving equipment". No other details so cannot confirm if the second death was a commercial fatality. Reported by RPP Noticias. -
2011 9 5 Acergy Discovery Canada Acergy Saturation 05:45, DSV on DP with saturation divers deployed, collided with the Deep Panuke gas platform hitting a leg and the riser caisson -
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 -
2011 9 1 Not Recorded Tonga Aged 54, reported as having died from decompression after diving for sea cucumbers near the island of Leleka in Ha'apai on the late afternoon of Thursday, September 1. Police confirmed that the deceased from Ngele'ia in Tongatapu died shortly after surfacing from diving. Tonga News -
2011 8 22 Soto Luis Enriques Cabrales Mexico SCUBA Aged 30 from Guaymas, living in El Desemboque (Caborca), clam diver 'decompression illness'. La Policiaca -
2011 8 12 Alonso Roberto Lopez Moroyoqui Mexico SCUBA Aged 17, living in Colonia Nueva Penasco, possibly his first trip as a working clam diver, diving 10 km off La Cholla, ill when surfaced, transferred to the Penasco hyperbaric centre, reported as having died of 'severe decompression sickness type 2' Nuevodia.com.mx -
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 -
2011 8 4 Cordova Gabriel Humberto Delgadillo Mexico SCUBA Aged 24, clam diving off La Cholla, Puerta Penasca. Reported as 'lost his life by drowning' in 'Los canales de la Choya' (The La Choya Channels). No details. Reported by La Policaca -
2011 8 0 ?? Shafiq Qatar El Safwa Topsides Egyptian diver working on the Pearl Island residential development, working in a confined space, gas leak. Triple fatality with two killed on site, the third died in hospital. Initially not reported in the public domain but Qatari authorities now investigating. PC -
2011 8 0 Himden Ashraf Qatar El Safwa Topsides Egyptian diver working on the Pearl Island residential development, working in a confined space, gas leak. Triple fatality with two killed on site, the third died in hospital. Initially not reported in the public domain but Qatari authorities now investigating. PC -
2011 8 0 William Sabri Qatar El Safwa Topsides Egyptian diver working on the Pearl Island residential development, working in a confined space, gas leak. Triple fatality with two killed on site, the third died in hospital. Initially not reported in the public domain but Qatari authorities now investigating. PC -
2011 7 19 Banaga Carlos Lucero Mexico Baja Acuafarm Aged 42, decompression incident onboard the vessel Buenaventura II 25 miles off the island of Coronado, evacuated by helicopter to the Ensenada Naval hyperbaric centre, successfully treated and discharged. Mexican Press -
2011 7 15 Martinez Edgar Saul Reyes Mexico SCUBA Aged 22 from Hermosillo, Colonia Oriente, clam diver, died at Puerta Penasco on La Cholla beach. No details. Reported in La Policiaca -
2011 6 28 Not Recorded UK Mylor Marine Maintenance SCUBA Falmouth contractor fined £10,000 with costs of £2,000 after admitting breaching r.6(2)(a), 6(3)(a), 6(3)(b) and 6(3)(d) of the Diving at Work Regulations 1997. The prosecution arose from a spot inspection by HSE at underwater maintenance work on moorings in the St Mawes area of the Falmouth estuary during which an inspector observed breaches of the regulations. ‘The dive was being carried out without essential equipment, using only one cylinder of breathing gas, when a secondary supply is mandatory, and the diver only had a mouthpiece demand valve when a full face mask was required. There was no standby diver, a lifeline or a line for voice communications with the diver who was only qualified to carry out recreational dives, not commercial ones. The diver did not possess a valid certificate to prove his medical fitness to dive. He was diving without the benefit of a plan for the work being carried out, which should have included a risk assessment and a project plan.’ Reported in Safety News UK -
2011 6 22 HSE Safety Alert UK UK HSE Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued a safety alert to remind the industry of the essential aspects of safe diving operations after two shellfish divers died in separate incidents (at Methil -Graham Mackie, 11th June 2011 - and Largo Bay in the Forth estuary - James Irvine, 24th March 2011, both fatalities still under investigation, facts surrounding the deaths have yet to be established) in inshore waters in Scotland. Its guidance makes clear that:- “The minimum team size normally required when diving for shellfish is three – a supervisor, a working diver, and a standby diver, and that additional people may be required to operate the boat and to assist in an emergency. The standby diver should be in immediate readiness to provide any assistance to the diver in the water. Those not employed by the diving contractor but who are included in the dive team must also be competent for the work they are going to do. They should be familiar with the diving contractor’s procedures, rules and the diving equipment being used� -
2011 6 21 Surasin Indonesia S/S Air Aged 54, Port of Tanjung Perak, Surabaya, scrap metal diving off Jamrud pier from a small boat with two of his children, compressor may have failed, body floated to the surface, recovered and brought ashore by the children. Surabaya News -
2011 6 19 Kruckenberg Kenny Netherlands Titan Topsides American aged 29, salvage diver. Killed on deck by a chain that parted under load during salvage operations on the wreck of the MV Vincs Gorthon. The Ministry of Waterways North Sea Division, part of the Dutch, Ministry of Waterways, awarded Titan the wreck removal project. The Vinca Gorthon lies approximately 29 kilometers off the Netherland coast at a depth of 24.5 meters in a shipping traffic lane. The vessel protruded 10 meters from the seabed and had become a danger to modern ships with a draft of 15 meters or more. The Vinca Gorthon weighed approximately 19,000 tonnes with cargo, and measured 166 meters long and 23 meters wide. The ship, which was laden with rolls of paper and tank trailers with paper pulp, was enroute from the Swedish port of Oskarshamn to Antwerp, Belgium when she sank. Sources:- Crowley and Dutch press -
2011 6 13 Herrera Victorio Argentina Almiron Y Cia SRL Aged 32, Wife and 6 year old daughter. Pipeline (sewer) blockage work for Aguas Argentinsa (Argentinian public water utility), caught in strong current which pulled him 25 metres up a 50 cm diameter pipe, current prevented rescue. Pulled out alive but died some hours later, no real details but most likely was not in full gear, no life line. Reported by Diario Cronica -
2011 6 11 Mackie Graham UK SCUBA Aged 31, commercially qualified diver, diving for scallops off Methil in Fife. Paraphrased from press reports:- The diver had gone into the sea at the start of his shift, but colleagues became alarmed when no bubbles came to the surface. Crew members on the fishing vessel ‘Rob Roy’ issued a mayday call to Forth Coastguard shortly before 2:30pm. Two divers on a nearby catamaran went down to bring the unconscious man to the surface. A spokesman for the Coastguard and Maritime Agency, which co-ordinated the rescue, said: "The unconscious diver was transferred on to the Kinghorn inshore lifeboat, which had a paramedic and oxygen on board, and was taken into Methil. When the lifeboat arrived at Methil, a decision was made to transfer the diver on to the helicopter and take him to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary." The diver died a short time later in hospital. His identity has not been released. A spokesman for Fife Constabulary said: "Fife Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 31-year-old male, who was diving off the coast of Methil this afternoon. A report is being submitted to the procurator-fiscal’. Reported in the Scotsman. One of two scallop diving fatalities (the other was James Irvine, 24th March 2011) that led to an HSE safety alert (22nd June 2011) -
2011 6 10 Quiroz Edixon Venezuela Topsides Aged 48, Diving supervisor, Flow station 57 on the Rosa Mediano production system near the town of Simon Bolivar on lake Maracaibo. Reported that he was at the bow giving directions to secure a 2" riser to the wellhead platform when the PDVSA diving vessel went out of control (Went full ahead when the clutch control wire broke) trapping him between the vessel and a barge anchor wire. Broken ribs, internal bleeding, crush injuries. The diver was taken to the PDSVA clinic at Tia Juana but was declared dead on arrival. Reported by GPS Buceo, Longstreath. -
2011 6 7 Garrido David Mato Portugal Marcor Xove SRL SCUBA Aged 30, Acuinova Fish Farm in the town of Myra, Coimbra, Portugal. Working for a Spanish Company. Sucked up a cleaning water inlet pipe. Body recovered an hour later by firemen. Reported by GPS Buceo -
2011 5 25 Chavez Angel Lopez Mexico Construcciones Mare Aged 29, diving at the Ensada Marine Terminal. Reports indicate that the Federal Department of Labour laumched an investigation following an accident that was hidden from the authorities and that at that time the construction company had not allowed inspectors from the Ministry to enter the site (Companies are required to notify the authorities within 72 hours, the accident happened on the 25th May and apparently as of 4th August - the date of the report - authorities had neither been informed nor allowed access to the site). Autopsy listed causes of death as due to rib and spine injuries, lacerations to the chest, Accident occurred during cutting operations, injuries caused by a falling metal bar hitting the diver in the chest. No other details. AFN/Ensenada.net etc -
2011 5 25 Not recorded Nigeria Subsea 7 S/S Air Pipeline intervention in shallow water from the "Acergy Hawk", unbolting a pig receiver on a pipeline replacement project. Using air bags, as the pig receiver was freed from the pipeline end flange it rose to the full extent of the hold back line trapping the divers leg resulting in a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula. Although weaknesses were identified in the procedures and RA process, essentially this incidents highlights the risks of of using airbags in shallow water and near zero visibility where the rigging and airbag cannot be fully monitored. Source:- A good and well circulated Oil Company report -
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 -
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 -
2011 5 9 Not Recorded Spain During an audit in Algeciras, a diving contractor discussed 5 incidents that had occurred over the previous 18 months with another diving contractor in the port. As the author commented, “it shows how much we are missing and how important it is to use competent diving contractors�:- 1 Dive on a tanker at night. Tender comes up on divers umbilical and recovers hat and bailout. Diver has jettisoned his equipment and swum to the shore (established later). Algerciras port closed in while search is carried out for diver. 2 Dive carried out following 30’ decompression profile. Diver had worked at 60’ for an hour and profile not adjusted for deeper depth. Diver collapses on deck after dive. Paralysis of lower limbs, tongue and visual disturbances. Type 2 decompression sickness, diver evacuated to chamber to Malaga hospital, 3 day treatment. 3 Diver carrying out propeller polish on Tanker – propeller starts while diver working and pushes him away – ripped shoulder and leg muscles. 4 Diver carrying out our hull scrub wearing Aga mask – tangle with hull scrub brushes/ loose rope and Aga locating straps (spider). Mask ripped from divers head. Diver makes it to surface – partial drowning and hospitalized ( 3 months off work). 5 Three bailout delivery whips blow off the mask on the same day. PC -
2011 5 5 Not Recorded Brazil Navy Diver Navy 6 man team on a training exercise on Petrobras platform 'Cherne I'. Initial reports indicate surface supplied air and that they pulled up the umbilical but the diver was missing. Had a bailout but appears to have ditched his gear. Body recovered early hours of the follwing day. Waiting on further details. PC -
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 -
2011 4 26 Pizanias N Greece Topsides Aged 29, commercial diver/diving school instructor. Throwing dynamite sticks at an Easter clrebration, expolded in his hand, hospitalised in Kalymnos, transferred to Athens but lost his hand and permanently blinded in one eye. Two other men died in similar Easter celebration incidents on Rhodes. Reported by Kalymniansvoice.gr -
2011 4 14 Schneider Louis Cameroun Pecten Topsides Aged 60, Pioneer deep saturation trials diver with Comex (Janus, Aurora etc). Stabbed to death in a late night mugging in Douala. Cameroon.net -
2011 4 10 Mitchell David UKCS Acergy Saturation Aged 49, bell run from the Acergy Osprey, returned to the bell, fell ill and died. Initial reports indicate a heart attack -
2011 3 31 van Delft Anton Lybia Aged 62, dive team leader working for Zwaytina Zwaytina Oil Company near Ajdabiyah. With two diving companions stayed on site rather than evacuating during the civil war. Compound was raided/looted by government supporters, detained two days, all three escaped to Benghazi. Reported that most of his medicines were lost/confiscated, rationed himself but suffered seizures and died of 'epilepsy'. Reported by Nu.nl -
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. -
2011 3 18 Marin Antonio Argentina Aged 43, carrying out underwater repairs to the bow of the "Golestan" moored in the port of Quequen, recovered to deck but failed to respond to treatment. No other details. Reported by DiarioNecochea.com -
2011 3 16 Rosita V Chile Salmon Company owned motor vessel 'Rosita V', registration 1871, sailed from Quellon at 15:00 0n 15th March will 11 persons onboard, shipwrecked on rocks 03:00 on Locos Island (15 miles NorthEast of Melinka) in heavy rain and strong wids, 8 persons survived - including all 5 members of the diving team - two crew died, one missing. Not enough lifejackets onboard for all persons, lights and flares did not work, vessel documentation incorrect (Listed as sailing with a crew of 4 but later confirmed it sailed with 11 onboard). "The Maritime Office has launched an investigation" NB Another crewmember aged 23 who was taken off this vessel when moored in Quellon harbour in October 2010 died in hospital. Chilean Press -
2011 2 23 Garvizo Roberto Rojas Chile Acuinova A shellfish diver, net/cage inspection dive, failed to suface, body recovered by dive team. The incident occurred on the Wednesday evening at Quitralco 7, reported as 'dying after swallowing water underwater' and listed as 'drowning'. No other details. Reported by Radio Santa Maria -
2011 2 19 Coliboro Carlos Isaias Melipillan Chile Aged 50, Shellfish diver onboard the 'Nortwester Matricula' working in the Falcon Estuary (36 hours sailing time from Puerta Natales). Expired certificates, no permit to be at sea, autopsy indicated that he suffocated after vomiting underwater. Reported in El Pinguino. -
2011 2 19 LaClair Patrick J USA Paraphrased from press reports:- “Coast Guard officials said a 54-year-old member of the Skokomish tribe ran into trouble while out on the water with a geoduck boat in the Hood Canal, near Hazel Point The man had two spotters, who saw that he was struggling and called 911 at around 4 p.m. A Navy rescue boat pulled the man out of the water and administered CPR while heading back to shore. Central Kitsap Fire whilst Rescue and Navy paramedics tried to help the man. The Kitsap County Coroner's Office declared him dead at about 7 pm� No other details. Reported by AP, Komo News, Kitsap Sun etc. -
2011 2 17 Clarkson Peter Australia SCUBA Aged 50 with 27 years diving experience, two man commercial abalone boat out of Port Lincoln (200 miles West of Adelaide). Reported as being attacked by two great white sharks as he surfaced. The skipper (who lost diver Danny Thorpe when his boat overturned in 2000 – he risked the long swim ashore leaving Danny Thorpe with the boat but 'when help arrived all they found was Thorpe's shredded life vest and a beat up old lunchbox, but that was all') said 'I saw the beast come up and take him. There was no way he could have survived'. Last August, the diver had described a previous close encounter with a great white during a diving ascent when endorsing a shark deterrent system. 'The search for the victim's remains ongoing'. Reported by the Mail online, Herald Sun etc -
2011 2 9 Rodriguez Norlan Jose Vasquez Nicaragua SCUBA Aged 28, rescue drill training exercise from the vessel "La Novia del Xolotlan" in the port of Managua, came to the surface calling for help but submerged before they could get to him. Body recovered two days later. No details. Nicaraguan Press -
2011 1 27 Not Recorded USA, Washington S/S Air Paraphrased from press reports:- “A 30-year-old commercial diver was taken to a hospital Thursday after his breathing apparatus malfunctioned near Suquamish. The Port Orchard man was harvesting geoduck while tethered with an air hose to a boat, said a North Kitsap Fire & Rescue spokeswoman. The diver was at a depth of 60 feet at about 11:30 a.m. when his breathing apparatus malfunctioned. The malfunction forced the diver to surface faster than recommended to avoid decompression sickness. He was driven by boat to a dock at Kiana Lodge in Suquamish where he was evaluated by medics. The man showed no symptoms of sickness and was transported to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton as a precaution. Reported as the second geoduck diving accident in as many months in the Suquamish area. (Two Bremerton divers were hospitalized Dec. 14 after the support boat they were tethered to drug them into deep water in Port Madison). North Kitsap Herald -
2011 1 25 Castro Policcarpio UAE Amasco, Dubai SCUBA Personal Communication “A diver was killed carrying out a hullscrub on the offshore anchorage Fujairah – date of incident 25th Jan 2011. Filipino diver, one of four using brush carts, crushed on surfacing between dive boat and tanker 'Najm' (Maltese flag, Iranian National Oil Company) in rough seas� PC. Waiting on further details -
2011 1 25 Rouxhet Olivier Belgium Fireman SCUBA Paraphrased from press reports:- Aged 39, a Civil Protection Force Fire Rescue FF/Diver was killed in the Line of Duty during the search for 2 children in the Meuse River. The 12 and 6 year old children had been missing since January 16 when the oldest girl jumped after her sister who fell into the water were swept away by the current of the river in the vicinity of the eastern city of Liège.. The crew-chief of the diving operation over the the previous days got into trouble going down in the man-made barrier (Sluice gate) complex on the river. He gave alarm signals by his security line, but the surface-crew couldn't free him. They immediately started a rescue operation but it was too late. He had been smashed to a pier of bridge by the flow and lost a part of his diving equipment, most importantly his breathing mask. A diver of the Liège Fire brigade was also injured bringing the unconscious diver to the surface. An medical crew start life saving measures but he died on the way to hospital. The diver was divorced and leaves a 7 year old daughter. Reported on Flanders News. -
2011 1 17 Karsky Erkan Georgia Kuzeyin Marine SCUBA Paraphrased from press reports:- “Two Turkish scuba divers were been killed (Double fatality, Murad Oglu) in an underwater explosion working on the salvage of the sunken Ukrainian ship '�Skaldovski� that sank in 2008 during a storm outside the Georgian Black Sea oil-export port of Kulevi. Preliminary probe indicated that the explosion could have been caused by hydrogen accumulated inside the ship The two divers were supposed to use a welder to fix the ship. Representatives from Georgia Petroleum, the owners and operators of the terminal, ruled out the possibility that the leak-out of oil products had caused the underwater explosion saying that the reservoirs on the vessel were emptied.
This has been the second similar incident in Kulevi for recent months. In December 2010, a 25-year old diver was badly injured when working underwater. -
2011 1 17 Oglu Murad Kara Georgia Kuzeyin Marine SCUBA Paraphrased from press reports:- “Two Turkish scuba divers were been killed (Double fatality, Erkan Karsky) in an underwater explosion working on the salvage of the sunken Ukrainian ship '�Skaldovski� that sank in 2008 during a storm outside the Georgian Black Sea oil-export port of Kulevi. Preliminary probe indicated that the explosion could have been caused by hydrogen accumulated inside the ship The two divers were supposed to use a welder to fix the ship. Representatives from Georgia Petroleum, the owners and operators of the terminal, ruled out the possibility that the leak-out of oil products had caused the underwater explosion saying that the reservoirs on the vessel were emptied.
This has been the second similar incident in Kulevi for recent months. In December 2010, a 25-year old diver was badly injured when working underwater. -
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 -
2011 1 12 Not Recorded USA S/S Air Paraphrased from press reports “ Juneau, Alaska. The Coast Guard is investigating the death of commercial diver off a boat southeast Alaska� The 68-foot fishing vessel “Island Dancer� was diving for sea cucumber in Chester bay, off Annette Island. Crew told investigators that the diver surfaced at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, took off his mask and immediately sank. They pulled the diver out of the water using the air hose and gave first aid but he did not respond to treatment�. Alaska daily News -
2011 1 8 Smock Mathew 'Matt' Alexander USA T & T Bisso S/S Air Aged 28, Married with 4 children. The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the death of a diver who was found unresponsive after cleaning a ship's hull, authorities said Monday. The diver, from Houston, was working offshore from a service boat. Crews performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him until the boat docked at Pier 9 in Galveston. Galveston firefighters took over the lifesaving maneuver and an ambulance took the diver to the University of Texas Medical Branch. The incident stemmed from what was believed to be a mechanical malfunction with diving equipment, a fire official said. The diver was pronounced dead at 1:37 p.m, by the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office. He was diving about 10 miles out from the jetties in an area where ships anchor, cleaning the hull of a ship with a scrubbing machine. He was working on the King Arthur, a commercial diving vessel. Galveston Daily News. Other sources indicate he lost his helmet (PC) 2012 USCG/ADCI Safety Partnership Casualty Statistics Paper also reported the incident adding he requested 'Up and out' but surfaced the opposite side of the ship, the supervisor reported that the diver wanted to ditch his hat. Rescue diver found him on the bottom without helmet, unresponsive. -
2011 1 5 Flores Alvaro Hernandez Mexico Aged 28, diving under the fishing boat 'Joisafco III' that had run aground near a packing plant assessing hull damage and preparing to refloat the vessel. The Captain started the engines and the rotating propeller immediately sliced off the diver's left arm. His brother on deck reached in to try to pull the diver out but the propeller dragged him under and inflicted a fatal cut to the throat that virtually decapitated him. Fire department divers recovered the body and severed arm. Reported by Hoy Tamaulipas.net -
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 12 22 Busso Philippe Vietnam Tourist SCUBA French tourist diving off the island of Cu Lao Cau, double fatality (with Russian Alexander Nikolaev). Another diver reported being knocked unconscious by a powerful explosion, local police blamed poachers 'blast' fishing. Voice of Russia -
2010 12 22 Nikolaev Alexander Vietnam Tourist SCUBA Russian tourist diving off the island of Cu Lao Cau, double fatality (with Frenchman Philippe Busso). Another diver reported being knocked unconscious by a powerful explosion, local police blamed poachers 'blast' fishing. Voice of Russia -
2010 12 8 Agustin Mike Nicaragua Alberto Woo SCUBA Diving off the fishing Vessel 'Marco Polo' for Lobster, they lost his bubble trail, diver disappeared/failed to surface, presumed dead. A few days earlier, another fishing vessel sank, the Captain was never found but two crew members got ashore. The search for the missing diver and Captain was abandoned after 5 days. laprensa.com. No other details. -
2010 12 8 Lightfoot, US Army Captain Juan E USA US Army SCUBA Capt. Juan E. Lightfoot, 34, died at Womack Army Medical Center four days after an accident during pre-SCUBA training. The former Marine who had arrived at the battalion in November, commanded a Special Forces detachment of Fort Bragg's 7th Special Forces Group. As the incident was under investigation, no details were available, including the place or nature of the accident and whether it took place in the water, said a spokesman for 7th Group. The training was intended to prepare soldiers to attend the Combat Divers Qualification Course held at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, part of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg. Reported in the Fay Observer. -
2010 12 2 White Danny Williams Nicaragua Pasenic SCUBA Aged 31, diving to retrieve two anchors from the fishing vessel “Lady Sylvia� owned by Pasenic (Nicaraguan Shellfish growers). Solo dive, 30 minutes into the dive was found by colleagues dead on the seabed between the two anchors. Medical examiner stated cause of death was a heart problem. Survived by wife, 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter. Had worked for Pasenic for 11 years. Reported by GPS Diving -
2010 12 0 Not Recorded Georgia Paraphrased from press reports:- “In December 2010, a 25-year old diver was badly injured when working underwater at the oil port of Kulevi�. Reported in the press articles reporting the deaths of Erkan Karsky and Murad Oglu in January 2011 -
2010 11 27 Not Recorded Norway Aged 47, Reports described him as 'A professional diver in his 40s was killed during a working dive at a pumping station at the Husqvarna factory in Sarpsborg, Ostfold on Saturday morning'. Possibly trapped underwater and/or lost air supply, but no details. Checking the factory inlet was an annual job he had done several times previousl. Water was ice covered at the time. The diver appears to have been a volunteer/sports diver from the Sarpsborg diving club but employed to undertake a commercial (water inlet) diving job. Does not appear to fit in with Norwegian regulations. No published incident report found to date. Reported by NTu -
2010 11 18 Nolesolo Roberto Villata Peru SCUBA Aged 38, one of two shellfish divers (Valiente Zapata Wilbert was killed) diving from the scallop boat 'Robert Alexander' off the island 'Lobos de Tierra' involved in a decompression incident. No details. Reported by GPS Diving -
2010 11 18 Wilbert Valiente Zapata Peru SCUBA Aged 38, one of two shellfish divers (Roberto Villata Nolesolo was seriously injured) diving from the scallop boat 'Robert Alexander' off the island 'Lobos de Tierra' involved in a decompression incident. No details. Reported by GPS Diving -
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 -
2010 11 4 Not Recorded Earl'? USA, New York Reicon S/S Air American, aged 35. Paraphrased from reports:- “Commercial diving team working at a restoration project at Chelsea Pier 59 on the Hudson River. End of dive, divers were being pulled back to the barge they were working from, fellow workers saw that one of the divers was in distress. Police said his umbilical had become entangled in the pier and was frantically waving his hands as he was pulled in along the 250’ umbilical and had taken off the mask that presumably because he was not able to get air through it. He was pulled out of the water blue and unconscious about 5:45 p.m. Police said that attempts by his fellow workers to revive the man were unsuccessful, but that emergency crews responding to the scene were able to resuscitate him. He was incoherent at first, but was brought to Bellevue hospital in stable condition, police said�. DNAinfo (Manhattan Local News) Unsubstantiated rumours of no standby diver, no bail out, self tending, pulled out by another (none diver) worker, possibly a 'single man dive team', but no details in the public domain. In hospital recovering, breathing tube removed 5 days later. -
2010 11 2 Tejeda Miguel Angel Molina Chile Chilean Navy Aged 23, Salvage diver, Chief of staff stated that he made a very shallow dive but afterwards reported not feeling well. He was sent to the Naval hospital 'Admiral Nef' in Vina del Mar but during the transfer suffered a possible cardiac arrest. No other details. Reported by GPS Divinig -
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 -
2010 10 19 Alarcon Mario Peru Aged 48, had stopped diving 'but for financial reasons' moved from 'the slums of Lucy Villanueva' to the Island of Parachique (Province of Sechura) to work in the pearl shell extraction industry. Surfaced in a rush and complained of chest pains, died diuring the transfer to Parachique. No treatment equipment on the boat. Wife and six children. Elregionalpiura.com -
2010 10 18 Tiffin CPO Andrew Afghanistan Canadian Navy Topsides Canadian, 42-year-old father of two, naval clearance diver and explosive ordnance disposal technician. (Friend and colleague of Craig Blake - killed 3rd of May - whose coffin he escorted home). He specialized in the analysis of explosive devices, based in Kandahar, working on a seemingly disabled device when it blew apart in his hands. Severely damaged left hand, also arms injuries, medivac to Germany and then onward to Canada. The Star.com. (Included for information, a diver, but not working as a diver so not counted as a diving fatality TC) -
2010 10 15 Allan Stephen 'Darby' Sudan Mine Action Group Landmine British, aged 52, ex marine clearance diver who had spent 30 years with the Royal Navy as a highly commended explosive ordnance expert, before joining MAG in 2006, with whom he led mine clearance teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Underwater Port Clearance), Lebanon and Sudan (Surface ordnance). The chief executive of MAG, said his team had cleared 1,500 explosive items in Sudan since last August and the work of the organisation had saved countless lives. (Included for information, a diver, but not working as a diver so not counted as a diving fatality TC). The News, Portsmouth -
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 -
2010 9 27 Paillacar Victor Javier Chile Fisherman SCUBA Aged 24, scallop diver from the 'Luisa' 30 minutes transit out of Puerta Natales, brought ashore dead after what was described as a 'decompression problem'. No other details. Reported by Polar Radio -
2010 9 24 Not Recorded Croatia Tourists SCUBA A SCUBA cylinder exploded as it was being loaded onto to a diving bost in the Port of Komiza killing a 48 year old Polish woman, three other people were injured and taken to hospital in Split where a 43 year old man who had received head injuries died overnight. They were part of a 12 person group of Polish tourists on a SCUBA diving holiday. AFP -
2010 9 17 Jachal Major Narcis Romania Fireman Aged 33, section leader of three man diving team in the ISU (Emergency services) with two colleagues went down into a well in the village of Radauti Prut to recover a man, overcome by CO fumes from a water pump. One colleague (Sergeant Marius Loghin) died, section leader, Major Narcis Jachal and diver Iulian Todirel were hospitalised first in Darabani City Hospital then transferred to Botsani County hospital. The 33 year old man they went to rescue also died. Discussion after the event centred on apparent lack of training (recognising a contaminated environment) and failure to intiate/use Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment (HBOT) for CO poisoning. Realitea.net -
2010 9 17 Loghin Sergeant Marius Romania Fireman Aged 32, diver in the ISU (Emergency services) with two colleagues went down into a well in the village of Radauti Prut to recover a man, overcome by CO fumes from a water pump, pronounced dead after an hour and a half artifical respiration. Two colleagues (Iulian Todirel aged 25 and the section leader, Major Narcis Jachal aged 33) were hospitalised first in Darabani City Hospital then transferred to Botsani County hospital. The 33 year old man they went to rescue also died. Discussion after the event centred on apparent lack of training (recognising a contaminated environment) and failure to intiate/use Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment (HBOT) for CO poisoning. Realitea.net -
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 -
2010 9 7 Villalobos Roberto Antonio Chile S/S Air Aged 36, one of three brothers (Victor Manuel, Julio Humberto and Roberto Antonio) crewing the fishing vessel "Manchita" out of the port of Ovalle (La Lobera) in Talcaruca inlet harvesting limpets. Victor and Robrto dived, but after 20 minutes it was noticed that Roberto's umbilcal was not moving, pulled to the surface but appeared already lifeless. Taken to port where paramedics confirmed him dead. GPS Buceo -
2010 9 6 Giogine Augusto Brazil Aged 50, diver charging diving cylinders onboard the trawler 'Luz do Dia' port of Saco de Bananal (Near Rio). 04:30 on a Sunday morning, reported as compressor explosion, a splinter of wood hit him in the neck causing massive bleeding. Reported in Angranews -
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 -
2010 8 21 Hussein Mahmoud Ali Egypt Paraphrased from Press Reports:- Port Suez saw a tragic accident that claimed the live of a 40 year old vessel maintenance diver when the crew of a cargo ship waiting to transit the canal started the engines. A team from the Maritime Rescue Police recovered the body which was found to be badly damaged by the effects of the large propellers. The authorities detained the Iraqi Captain and ordered his prosecution (charged with negligence at work and killing the diver). Rosaonline.net -
2010 8 17 Diaz Lt Mejia Honduras Navy SCUBA A Navy diver from Honduras today drowned while trying to salvage a narcotics plane from the Ulua River in Choloma Cortes in northern Honduras. Authorities reported that he and other colleagues had found the twin-engine craft and were preparing to salvage it when his safety rope was caught in the aircraft. Police seized 500 kilos of cocaine which they believe came to Honduras in the aircraft. Reported in Elheraldo.hn -
2010 8 6 Not Recorded Switzerland Aged 47, Conny-Land theme park in Lipperswil, Norther Switzerland, cleaning a dolphin tank on Friday night, apparently pulled from the water unconscious but failed to respond to resuscitation. Later reported that cause of death was a heart attack. No other details -
2010 8 5 Not Recorded Japan SCUBA Japaneses, aged 58, a diving instructor giving tourists a diving lesson off Koki Beach in Nago, standing barefoot in shallow water at 9 a.m. stung by a stonefish. Suddenly felt a sharp pain on the bottom of his left foot and quickly lost consciousness. Another instructor at the beach provided first aid but the victim stopped breathing before an ambulance arrived later died. A spokesman for the Okinawa Health Department’s pharmaceutical team said this was the first reported death caused by the venomous fish in 27 years. Reported in Stars and Stripes (Big American forces base in the Area). Sports SCUBA, but professional instructor and at work. -
2010 8 4 Not Recorded Luis Mexico Rubi Munoz Chan Aged 25 from Seibaplaya, Campeche, diving for sea cucumber off the Rubi V as one of a three man crew. Vessel returned to port at 11:30 with his body, press commented on poor equipment and lack of knowledge of diving, but no details. Second diver to die in 15 days (Luis Torres. 22nd July) Reported by Yucatanalamano.com -
2010 7 27 McCullough Mike USA SCUBA American, mid twenties. Paraphrased from press reports:- “A SCUBA diver retrieving golf balls at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course drowned Tuesday afternoon, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department said. "The lady driving the boat to the green said she had seen him at the back edge of the green diving for balls but hadn't seen him in an hour and half," said one golfer. “We started looking around to see if we could see him and when we looked over the left side of the green, we saw his face down body limp under the water, about 15 feet (offshore). But he wasn't moving and there weren't any bubbles coming out. The witness and a staff member took a boat out, pulled the body aboard and took the victim to an adjacent dock around 4 pm. The witness said the body was without diving gear when it was spotted. He was pronounced dead at Kootenai Medical Center around 5 p.m He was working for a contractor who picks up golf balls and other debris from the lake bottom in the area. Tuesday afternoon his gear was still at the bottom of the lake, said the sheriff's department. “Our divers will recover that and investigate this as the case goes on�. CDA Press. -
2010 7 22 Torres Luis Martin Cohuo Mexico From Celestun but resident in Hunucma, wife and two children aged 14 and 7, shellfish diver, died in a decompression incident. No details. Reported by Yucatanalamano.com -
2010 7 13 Not Recorded Finland S/S Air Reported as a 43 year old diver working at the oil port of Kemi (checking port sonar equipment) became distressed in the water whilst working on Monday 9th July, was pulled to the surface and taken to hospital in a critical condition, died on the following Friday. Dates are confused (Monday was 5th July?) No other details. Reported by hlb.fi -
2010 7 12 Not Recorded Germany 39 year old commercial diver disappeared whilst working on clearing fishing nets from the propeller of the liner 'Noordam' in Bremerhaven (Crew had complained of vibration). Not clear whether propeller rotated or fell off, but diver disappeared in the fast flowing current of the Weser Police report, no other details -
2010 6 19 Nasca Michele Italy Aged 57, 7 o'clock in the morning, snorkel diving with his brother to collect seafood near a pier near in the town of Zapponeta (Foggia, Italian East Coast north of Bari), sucked into into the 1 metre diameter inlet of a pump 2.5 metres below sea level (grill may have been faulty) supplying salt water to the 'Margherita di Savona' natural salt drying pans. Reported as 'shredded' by the impeller which was located only 30cm from the entrance. Apparently there was a sign prohibiting swimming in the area at the head of the pier, but not on the beach either side of it. A local fisherman was reported as saying that many years ago another spear fisherman had died at the same place in the same manner. Reported by Stato quotidiano -
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 6 2 Kumar Krishan India Indian Navy Topsides Aged 26 from Patna, a Navy diver, killed whilst three others, including the pilot and co-pilot, were injured when an Indian Navy Chetak helicopter crashed near the coastal city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The helicopter, deployed at INS Dega, crashed into a stream at Ankapalle, about 50 km from Visakhapatnam, although the cause of the crash was not immediately known, a police officer at the crash site said that the helicopter was on a route familiarization mission. It hit a high-tension wire while flying low to locate a landing spot to be used in case of emergencies, spiralled out of control and plunged into the river. Fishermen and locals informed the police who rescued the four Naval personnel from the wreckage in the water and rushed them to Anakapally hospital but Kumar died as they reached the hospital. Express News Service -
2010 5 31 Not Recorded Greece Press report stating that “a diver working for Hellenic Petroleum in Aspropyrgos (West of Athens) died while working on repairs to a water tank� reported as lost consciousness underwater, taken to hospital but did not respond to treatment. No other details. Ekathimerini.com -
2010 5 23 Eves Stephen James UK Topsides Aged 26, car crash on his way to work at Connah's Quay at 07:35 on a Sunday Morning. Reported in the Liverpool News -
2010 5 22 Smith Gary USA SCUBA Aged 61, founding member and chief officer of the Lacey Township Dive Team, diving off the 'Dina Dee', a 42' charter vessel out of Barnegat Light, not clear if it was a Search and Rescue dive or training dive (He was an SAR diver Instructor), surfaced unresponsive, did not respond to treatment. Atlantic City Press. -
2010 5 18 Carvalho Sgt. Andre Luiz dos Santos Brazil Navy Navy diver, Rio Naval base on the Island of Mocangue, went missing during a diving exercise, body found by SAR team three hours later. No details -
2010 5 3 Blake Petty Officer Craig Afghanistan Canadian Navy Topsides Aged 37, father of two, Navy clearance diver with the Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic based in Nova Scotia, seconded to Afghanistan because of his mine clearance training, killed by a remote operated roadside bomb as he and colleagues were walking back to the Sperwan Ghar forward Operations Base having successfully defused another IED in Panjwai, 25 miles South west of Kandahar. Wife and two sons, had only been in Afghanistan a couple of weeks, he was the first sailor to die in Afghanistan, killed the day before the Canadian navy celebrated its centennial. He was the 143 member of the Canadian forces to be killed there since 2002. (Included for information, a diver, but not working as a diver so not counted as a diving fatality TC). Reported in the Canadian Press -
2010 4 24 Sims Christopher USA Louisiana Oilfield Divers Topsides Aged 39 from Florida, returned onshore due to bad weather, went for a motorcycle ride, crashed off the road into a bayou, body found a day later after reported as missing. Reported as accidental drowning, not wearing a helmet. Houma Today. In March 2011 it was reported in the Louisiana Record that:- The family of a deceased seaman has filed a lawsuit against the man's employer for allegedly allowing him to drive a motorcycle while heavily intoxicated. “He was employed as a seaman, commercial diver and crewmember. When the vessel was ordered to return to shore because of inclement weather, he, along with his co-workers, were taken to the home of a Louisiana oilfield diver's supervisor where they were to remain on call and "on the clock" for further instructions'. The lawsuit claims that the diver's supervisors served their employees alcoholic beverages while waiting to return offshore. A supervisor allegedly supplied him with the keys to a motorcycle despite knowing that he had been drinking heavily. The defendant is accused of negligence for failing to properly plan for the evacuation, bunking and quartering the crew, providing alcoholic beverages to its crew, allowing and providing him with the keys to a motorcycle knowing that he had been drinking and failing to provide him with a safe and nonhazardous workplace� -
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 -
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. -
2010 3 24 Canales Rodrigo Varas Chile Surface Swimmer Aged 28, shellfish diver off Caldera (El Morro), disappeared. Not counted as a commercial diver for our purposes as this was free diving. Noticia Relacionada -
2010 3 22 Medina Daniel Choquehuanca Renzo Peru Aged 21, from La Bocana, shellfish (Scallops) diving operation off the island 'Lobo de Mar' (Or Isla Lobo de Tierra) 8 hours out of Parachique from the vessel 'Brandon IV', reported as a long dive, surfaced with a pulmonary embolism and died. Body brought ashore and taken to the central morgue in Piura, pronounced cause of death as lung collapse. Reported in La Primera, Peru -
2010 3 17 Not Released Australia Tasmanian Seafoods Aged 45, diving for trepang (sea cucumber) off the Cobourg Peninsula when the crocodile struck. Working from a Tasmanian Seafoods boat with a group of divers in Knocker Bay, about 112 miles north-east of Darwin. The saltwater crocodile, which police said was believed to be anywhere from 6 feet, 5 inches to 9 feet, 8 inches long, and managed to escape. It bit him on the head, neck, shoulders and arms, the Northern Territory News reported. A district Ranger said the man's diving companions rescued him and took him to the Black Point ranger station “Another person on the boat... dragged him out of the water," he said. "He'd got bitten a few times by the croc. He's just been in the wrong place at the wrong time." The man was flown by helicopter to Royal Darwin Hospital. He is in a stable condition and doctors say he won't need significant surgery. Saltwater crocodiles are considered extremely dangerous, and although rare, most attacks by adult 'salties' are fatal given the animals' strength and size. Tasmanian Seafoods Darwin manager visited him and said he was recovering. "He's going all right," he said. “He was an experienced diver who had requested anonymity�. Sky News on-line -
2010 3 2 Dongwoon Kim Philippines Conclinic SCUBA Aged 34, Korean, Doosan Heavy Industries, working as the site manager at a power plant in Cebu (Not employed as a diver, expired work permit and visa). Apparently he 'insisted on fixing a a leak in the cooling water pump area himself' 'with the pump running'. Quote from colleague:- 'When we tested the pump (with the diver still in the water...) he was probably taken by the vacuum to the water pond which is really deep, he must have lost his oxygen in his tank and drowned'. After 15 minutes and he had not surfaced, the crew started to get worried and stopped the pump to carry out a search. Body recovered and taken to hospital but declared dead on arrival. ABS CBN News -
2010 2 16 Woodle PO Ronald Tyler USA US SEAL SCUBA Known as Tyler, Aged 26, Enlisted in 2007, Special warfare operator 2nd class (SEAL) died during a diver training exercise near Key West. Found unconscious in the water, failed to respond to treatment. Citizen 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 -
2010 2 11 Gonzales Enrique Atila Avalos Mexico Police Federal police dive aged 35 taking part in a search pf the river Tuxpan in the area of La Florida, Jungapeo, for workers of the National Water Board (Conagua) who disappeared when their dredger sank whilst working near a dam (Four workers on the dredger, the supervisor survived and one person drowned but was recovered at the time, two others disappeared). During the search two police officers were swept away, petty Officer Eduardo Lledis Aspiro, aged 41, managed to struggle ashore, bur Gonzales disappeared. His body was found two days later. Reported in El Sol de Morelia. -
2010 2 8 Not Recorded Kuwait Quote from the Arab Times “An Egyptian diver in his 40s died while doing maintenance work on a huge gate in Al-Zour, reports Alam Alyawm daily�. However, the Al-Seyassah daily said �The diver fell off a boat and drowned. The corpse was fished out of the waters by divers from the Coast Guard� No details though this potentially conflicting description brings to mind a significant reporting issue in that I have heard several unofficial rumours that diver fatalities are regularly being reported as 'sailor in the sea, drowned' rather than 'diver killed at work' – a rather convenient tactic for avoiding investigations, bad press and awkward questions. (Though for 'half a story', the events on the pearler 'Dart' off Australia reported in December 1895 take some beating!) .............................TC -
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 -
2009 12 8 Kelly Stephen Australia Arafura Pearls Arafura Pearls pearling (farm) operation at Elizabeth Bay, about 50km northwest of Gove in Arnhem Land, 3.15pm on Tuesday. Aged 36, "He had come up from Victoria� (reported as new to the job, had started less than 12 months previously) and “was performing routine farm maintenance work, the water wasn't exceptionally deep but he went down, came up six minutes later, went down again and then when they pulled him back up he wasn't breathing." Transported 48 km to Gove Hospital failed. Doctors declared him dead on arrival in the emergency ward. Awaiting incident report. Reported by NT News.com.au -
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 -
2009 11 30 Jao Peter Philippines CJMS Diving Services Topsides Dive team working at the gas powered power plant in Limay. Paraphrased from press reports:- “A diver died while a colleague is in critical condition after they entered a nine-meter chlorination tank inside the power plant in Alangan, Limay, Bataan, last Monday. The newly designated police chief reported that Peter Jao, a diving expert of the CJMS Diving Services, did not reach the hospital alive. He suffered broken ribs and skull. The police report stated that the cause of the falling incident was due to a foul odor that the victim inhaled while climbing the ladder on his way out of the chlorination tank. As Jao fell into the cemented flooring of the chlorination tank, his companion identified as Nenito Quintana, also a diver, went down the tank and tried to rescue him. Quintana was assisted by other employees using a crane. As Quintana was climbing the ladder on his way out, he also fell. Rescuers rushed Quintana into the St. Michael Hospital in Orion town. Investigation showed that the two victims proceeded to the chlorination tank at around 9 a.m. Monday to open the water intake valve from the sea. After opening the valve, Jao climbed the ladder but fell after he allegedly inhaled a poisonous substance inside�. Reported in the Manila Bulletin. NB. The power plant uses LPG from the local refinery which reported a death and two unconscious at the sour water treatment plant in September and a vessel chief officer and two seamen injured when a loading hose parted in August (Manila Times) -
2009 11 30 Quntana Nenito Philippines CJMS Diving Services Topsides Dive team working at the gas powered power plant in Limay. Paraphrased from press reports:- “A diver died while a colleague is in critical condition after they entered a nine-meter chlorination tank inside the power plant in Alangan, Limay, Bataan, last Monday. The newly designated police chief reported that Peter Jao, a diving expert of the CJMS Diving Services, did not reach the hospital alive. He suffered broken ribs and skull. The police report stated that the cause of the falling incident was due to a foul odor that the victim inhaled while climbing the ladder on his way out of the chlorination tank. As Jao fell into the cemented flooring of the chlorination tank, his companion identified as Nenito Quintana, also a diver, went down the tank and tried to rescue him. Quintana was assisted by other employees using a crane. As Quintana was climbing the ladder on his way out, he also fell. Rescuers rushed Quintana into the St. Michael Hospital in Orion town. Investigation showed that the two victims proceeded to the chlorination tank at around 9 a.m. Monday to open the water intake valve from the sea. After opening the valve, Jao climbed the ladder but fell after he allegedly inhaled a poisonous substance inside�. Reported in the Manila Bulletin. NB. The power plant uses LPG from the local refinery which reported a death and two unconscious at the sour water treatment plant in September and a vessel chief officer and two seamen injured when a loading hose parted in August (Manila Times) -
2009 11 3 Johnson Michael USA US Aqua Vac Inc SCUBA Aged 45, specialist lake and pond clearing contractor working at the Baxter health Care campus where there are a string of retention ponds. Diver got into difficulty, a co-worker went in to aid him (hospitalised with hypothermia) but unable to pull him out. Recovered from the pond bottom 45 minutes later by fire department rescue divers, helicopter to hospital but pronounced dead. "Air hose had broken",. Chicago Daily Herald -
2009 10 27 de la Cruz Luis Benavides Peru Scallop diver S/S Air Aged 28, married with three children, in the afternoon, diving site was about three hours transit from El Dorado beach, compressor failed, boat came back to port with his body. No details, but appears no bailout or DDC on site. Reported in Diario de Chimbote -
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. -
2009 9 22 Chandrashekhar Petty Officer Clearance Diver 1 India Indian Marine Commando Topsides Paraphrased from press reports:- “A clearance diver attached to the Indian Navy marine commando (Marco) in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district to control the infiltration of terrorists from across the border to Jammu and Kashmir through Wullar Lake, a 65 sq km freshwater lake, in Baramulla. Terrorists attacked the marcos camp. In retaliatory fire, one terrorist was killed and one marco died,� a senior Indian Navy official said. “He is survived by his wife and two children�. Sporting long beards and toting AK-47 assault rifles, marcos can be mistaken for militants and they follow in letter and spirit the adage of the counter-terrorism doctrine: ‘Fight a militant like a militant'. Dubbed as the ‘bearded force’ by the militants, Marcos have a knack of executing covert operations. Officially known as the Indian Marine Special Force, the unit was raised in 1987 out of naval divers to lead amphibious operations. Personnel volunteering for the force have a two-year training programme with a pass rate of only 10-25 percent. “They operate sporting beards and wearing ‘pheren’ (Kashmiri suit), thus making them indistinguishable from the locals,� another navy official added. The Marcos have gained a fearsome reputation among terrorists who refer to them as the Dadhiwali Fauj (bearded army) since Marcos are the only non-Sikh personnel allowed to grow beards, or ‘Jal Murgi’ (water hens) for the speed in which they assault from the water and even ‘Magarmachh’ (crocodiles) for their amphibious capability. OK, not a diving accident, but a diver on site, at work, so included, TC. Reported in the Thaindian News -
2009 9 21 Reeves Larry USA SCUBA A Houston Attorney's website quotes the following regarding Jones Act compensation. “A commercial diver died in such an accident in Florida last week. The diver was at work near a wreck site, about four miles east of Rodriguez Key when he fell unconscious. He was brought onto the boat, and the other crews alerted the Coast Guard. The CG rescue boat arrived at the scene, and personnel administered CPR, but the diver never recovered. Investigations into the accident are still going on.� However, this comment appears to link to the death of Larry Herman Reeves, a 67-year-old tourist from Maryville, Tennessee, who died while scuba diving with his wife off Key Largo, Florida. The scuba diver was pronounced dead by the US Coast Guard paramedics who arrived at the scene in response to a call by witnesses. Unless further clarified, this fatality is excluded from the 'count' of working diver fatalities, TC. -
2009 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. -
2009 9 16 Heastie Charles Bahamas Royal Bahamas Defence Force Surface Swimmer Paraphrased from press reports: “A 21 year old Royal Bahamas Defence Force marine is clinging to life in a coma after nearly drowning during a training exercise at the community pools in South Beach. The male marine seaman was swimming laps in one of the pools during a scuba diving lesson along with several fellow officers. As his colleagues surfaced at one end of the pool, someone noticed that the marine was motionless at the bottom. His colleagues pulled him out and performed CPR until an ambulance arrived. "It was a dive course. They were taking scuba diving lessons at the Betty Kelly Kenning pools and they were doing breathing exercises, breath holding and snorkel clearing. "When (the other officers) got to the other end, someone shouted out to them that one of their divers was underwater and that's when they got him surfaced and administered CPR until the ambulance arrived," It is unclear if the marine - who has been on the Force for less than five years - had any pre-existing health issues but like all his colleagues, would have taken part in an annual physical last January. A brief press release issued by the Force said the marine was admitted to Doctor's Hospital "following a diving exercise" at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex. The statement added that the marine was in critical, but stable condition. Reported in the Tribune. -
2009 9 5 Renner Robert “Robbie� USA J. H. Reid SCUBA Aged 42. Paraphrased from initial press reports:- “State police have recovered the body of a SCUBA diver who disappeared while looking for some missing construction equipment in a Monmouth County river. Robert Renner was part of a (Dock builder) crew that's constructing a 65-foot fixed span bridge to replace the aging Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge, but was off duty when he entered the Shrewsbury River on Saturday. He was trying to recover a jack that had fallen from the bridge earlier in the week. Diving solo from a 20' flat bottomed boat, went in with a downline tied to his arm. The rope came loose and he failed to resurface, the two people who were with him in a boat notified authorities shortly before noon. His body was recovered about six hours later. Officials say the area where Renner was diving is filled with debris and known for swift currents, and rescuers had to wait a few hours until they could safely enter the water. The cause of death was not immediately known.� Reported in the Star Ledger, NJ.com.. (OK, Not strictly “at work� so not included in the 'count', a weekend dive, unasked, just trying to do his boss a favour, but included here as a tragic example of why we have commercial standards. TC) -
2009 9 2 Guerro Giovanni Ecuador Inepaca SCUBA Aged 37, Wife and two daughters, Died in a diving accident onboard the fishing vessel 'King'. Had worked 8 years as a diver for the company, had been onboard two months. Family informed but vessel would not be back in port for another 4 days. No details. Eldiario.ec -
2009 8 30 Not Recorded Kazakhstan Kazair Services SAR exercise Basic details reported as an air rescue exercise in which three local divers were dropped into the water from a Helicopter. A body has now been found with the life jacket uninflated. The recovery crew pulled the jacket inflation on recovering the body and it functioned correctly. Additional, but as yet unconfirmed reports, indicated that Kazair services employed three divers from a local diving contractor who were deployed from the helicopter, that a vessel in the area decided it was a good opportunity to launch its FRC during the exercise.(Not planned) and it was that FRC which recovered the second diver (it is assumed the first diver was recovered by helicopter), the third diver disappeared under the water and his helicopter lifejacket failed to inflate. Personal communication, TC -
2009 8 16 Amor Murray Australia South West Rocks Dive Centre SCUBA Aged 62, lost a hand and leg when a cylinder being charged exploded. Paraphrased from official reports “A SCUBA cylinder ruptured causing serious injuries to the person who was filling the cylinder. The cylinder was an 88 cu ft aluminium manufactured to Australian Standard by CIG in 1983/84 and was in current test. The cylinder had a working pressure (WP) 224 bar (3248.84 psi) and a test pressure (TP) 352 bar (5105.328 psi). A number of SCUBA cylinders that had been filled during the same time were checked and were gauged at 220 bars (3190.83 psi). The compressor had a blow off (safety valve) fitted and set at 285-290 bars (4133.575 – 4206 psi) which was tested during the investigation and blew at 282.68 bar (4100psi) on the compressor gauge. The investigators concluded that the cylinder could be over filled by a person not taking notice of the pressure showing on the fill panel gauge, however this pressure is below the test pressure of this cylinder, and based on the fact that 10 other cylinders in this same group of cylinders all showed a pressure of 220 bars (3190.83 psi) there was no reason to believe that this cylinder was in fact over filled. The cylinder when it ruptured exploded into 4 pieces and the valve. In 2 of the pieces there was evidence of cracks through the neck and threaded area of the cylinder. The investigators noted that there were records available showing a number of aluminium cylinders manufactured world wide prior to 1990 from 6351-T6 alloys that have ruptured, in some cases with serious consequences. workcover.nsw.gov.au, dol.govt.nz -
2009 8 3 Kasikcilar Taner Asian Turkey Aged 40, Salvage diving operation on the wreck of the Ro-ro ferry 'Hayak N' (Sank 300 metres off Bandirma as it left port en route to Istanbul on the14th September 2008 with the loss of 5 truck drivers), injured in an underwater explosion during cutting sheet metal that killed diver Rasul Kasikcilar, second diver (Tamer Kasikcilar). Reported in Netgazete.com -
2009 8 3 Plateau Rasul Turkey Aged 40, Salvage diving operation on the wreck of the Ro-Ro ferry 'Hayak N' (Sank 300 metres off Bandirma as it left port en route to Istanbul on the14th September 2008 with the loss of 5 truck drivers), killed in an underwater explosion during cutting sheet metal, second diver (Tamer Kasikcilar) was injured and taken to hospital. Reported in Netgazete.com -
2009 7 24 Not Recorded Australia Peter Cunningham Holdings 17 metre Cray fishing vessel 'Wave Crest' (with 1500 litres of diesel fuel onboard) was blown ashore and then sank in Waubs Bay, near Bicheno. The salvage company raised the boat and sealed the fuel leak but Workplace Standards Tasmania prosecuted. “The diver was not properly qualified to be involved in that process," The diver was fined $300 dollars and the company fined $600. ABC News, Australia -
2009 7 12 Nevmatov Rafik Azerbaijan Caspian Diving and Rescue Topsides MI-8 helicopter coming in from the block 4 off Chilov island, crashed into the sea in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, wreckage located at a depth of 85-89 meters.. Three man crew survived and one passenger survived, two passengers missing, presumed dead - crane operator Viktor Mostavenko and commercial diver Rafik Neymatov. -
2009 7 11 Sparks David USA Orion Marine Commercial diver died on a pipeline diving operation in Lake Lanier, Georgia, rumours of entanglement, but no details -
2009 7 6 Brown Darren UK Shell Seekers SCUBA Aged 41, Gathering scallops in Lulworth cove. Diving solo from a RIB with a boat handler who was collecting the scallops in bags marked by surface buoys . She raised the alarm when she came to the last marker buoy and the diver was missing. Three Coastguard teams scoured the shoreline, Weymouth inshore and all weather RNLI lifeboats and Coastguard helicopter searched at sea joined by RN mine hunter HMS Middleton (on exercise in the area) but it was a safety boat from the Army's Lulworth range which found him three hours later, swimming with the tide three miles away. “Diver was difficult to locate because he was not carrying a surface detection aid, however the fact that he was wearing a dry suit increased his survivability� (in the water for about four-and-a-half hours). Quote:- "That's the risks we take to supply shellfish to these top celebrity chefs, it highlights the dangers we take and we depend on getting paid reasonably for our efforts�. He said that he will now always carry day and night flares and other aids. -
2009 6 16 Hassan Alabi Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department SCUBA Aged 41, working for the Setiu Fire and Rescue Department, part of a team undertaking a search for a missing person who had fallen from a boat into lake Kenyir. Entangled in the branches of a submerged tree, drowned. Body recovered by colleagues some 7 hours later. Inference is no comms/lifeline. Wife and three children awarded 25,635RM (£4,400) compensation.. -
2009 6 14 Cylinder Explosion USA Panama City Dive and Ski Centre Topsides A storage bank tank used to fill smaller scuba air cylinders exploded knocking holes in the wall and roof of a dive shop. No one was injured by the blast. A co-owner of the business said the tank was not overfilled and he did not know why it exploded with the proper amount of pressure in it." -
2009 6 8 Popov Andrei Vasilii Italy SCUBA Aged 28, Bulgarian, diving off a Spanish flagged commercial coral harvesting vessel 28 miles West of the Island of Marettimo (off Sicily). "Plunged into the sea and never resurfaced. The prosecutor's office of the Sicilian town of Trapani has ordered that an investigation is conducted into the disappearance". No details -
2009 6 5 Not Recorded Greece Aged 61, professional diver killed in the gulf of Thermaikos (Thessalonika) in an industrial accident, appears to have been crushed between floating units of some kind, body transferred ashore by Coastguard, "constrictive suffocating death". No other details. Reported by Enet.gr -
2009 5 20 Sheffield David Anthony USA SCUBA Aged 44, volunteer member of Itawamba County dive team, searching Buttahatchie River for a missing teenager, spent two hours in the water, surfaced saying that he was unable to breath, taken onboard the boat and transferred to hospital but failed to respond to treatment, declared dead on arrival. Fatal heart attack. The body of the teenager was found three days later half a mile down river from where he disappeared. Media reports, PSD diver -
2009 5 18 Not Recorded Finland Aged 24 or 34, Bridge on a (hydro-electric?) dam at Ilomantsi in North Karelia, underwater repair works, trapped by differential pressure, body was dug out. No other details, reported in Journals Archive -
2009 5 7 Shellenberger USN Eric F USA USN Aged 36, SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) team 1 based at Pearl City, Hawaii, very experienced US Navy SEAL, night training exercise in Puget Sound, “encountered difficulty in the water and did an emergency ascent�, treated in a DDC but failed to respond to treatment -
2009 5 5 Smith Dewey USA Aquarius Underwater Laboratory Rebreather American, aged 36, Scientist working at the Aquarius underwater laboratory (Florida Keys), operated by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, (part of NOAA) at the laboratory (a teaching facility), 'assisting military divers with a saturation mission', found unconscious on the seabed, did not respond to treatment, autopsy reported as inconclusive. -
2009 4 16 Not Recorded Canada S/S Air South Thompson river, Lafarge bridge, Campbell Creek, near Kamloops. Press report says “ “Emergency crews were called in to rescue four people after a barge overturned, trapping one person underneath, “It sucked,� said one of the four workers stranded in the water. “We flipped and when we got up top, the boss called (the emergency services) and they were there in about five minutes.� The workers were doing regular maintenance of a water intake in the river when one of the ropes securing their barge snapped, the second line securing the barge remained intact, keeping the vessel stationary in the water. The operations manager said it’s unsettling to see workers in the water when they’re not supposed to be — especially at this time of year. All the workers were out of the water before the emergency services arrived and none suffered serious injuries.� No mention of diving, but the accompanying photograph shows two guys on the overturned hull of the barge dressed in dry-suits pulling a commercial, helmeted, surface supplied diver out of the water. Was this an overturned diving operation? No other details. -
2009 4 5 Connor Melvin 'Chippy' Anguilla Fisherman SCUBA Aged 64, self employed diver/fisherman "He never worked for a man yet, from the time he was a boy all he did was dive", had been diving for lobster, conchs and welks since he was 16 (in 1960), described as a 'fit bachelor who had a plywood and fibreglass fishing boat (built by a relative) named the boat Victoria after the British Queen Victoria because his birthday, 24th May, fell on the same date as hers'. He was diving solo off Blowing point with matker buoy and flag and appears to have been run over around 09:00 hours by a 'Fun Time' charter vessel and died of propeller injuries. The Anguillian -
2009 4 4 Daniel Yvon France SARL Kerioica SCUBA Aged 50, commercial diver and the manager of SARL Keroica, under contract to Armour Travaux Sous Marins, La Trinite sur Mer harbour, Pontoon inspection, solo, no stand-by, -
2009 4 1 Stevenson David “Luey� UK Technip Topsides Aged 44, working as a rigger onboard the DSV, died from injuries on board the DSV Wellservicer off the coast of Aberdeen. During fitting of a new active bell cursor system, he was working on top of the diving bell when the winch for the active bell cursor failed and fell on top of him. A report by the government's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) stated: "He was on top of the bell with his inertia reel fall arrester attached to his safety harness preparing for buoyancy block removal as the cursor was raised. A few seconds later, the winch rendered and the cursor fell uncontrollably. He attempted to get clear of the falling cursor but his inertia reel fall arrester locked in place, preventing any chance of escape. The cursor continued to fall, trapping him between it and the diving bell." The report said the winch failure was caused by a faulty valve in the winch control system, which prevented the brakes from applying once hydraulic power was removed. They further stated "The installation team failed to apply the most basic of safety principles while working under the suspended load. Regardless of whether the winch had been commissioned and declared fully functional, the cursor should have been supported by additional means, before anyone went underneath it." Reported in the Scotsman. -
2009 3 29 Not Recorded Vietnam SCUBA Professional oyster fisherman. Phu Cu District, central province of Binh Dinh. Fishermen on their boat spotted bubbles and movement in the water. Assuming he had spotted a large fish, the boat's senior fisherman packed a small can with dynamite and tossed it overboard. When he jumped into the water to harvest the fish, he found the body of a dead diver who had been diving for shellfish. They attempted to escape but were captured by coast guards who responded to the sound of the explosion. The fishermen were charged with killing the diver and destroying aquatic resources with the illegal use of explosives -
2009 2 25 Mirabella Maurilio Honduras Waihuka Adventure Divers SCUBA Diving business owner on Roatan island selling shark feeding dives to tourists. Allegedly tried to kill a competing dive operator underwater at a shark feeding site. Witnesses said he attacked another dive guide who took a group of tourists to the shark feeding site, apparently attempting to prevent the competing dive operator from profiting off of "his sharks". He tried to shut off his air supply. The authorities have charged Mirabella with attempted murder (He declined to comment on the charges, but said he sells shark feeding dives because "without sharks, scuba diving in Roatan isn't worth much"). -
2009 2 17 Not Recorded USA Veolia Joliet, Illinois, diver rumoured to have lost a hand in an incident with a fire pump No details -
2009 2 5 Arriagada Ramon Riquelme Chile SCUBA Aged 41, died after being sucked into a water collection pipe while doing cleaning, at the Licancel cellulose plant (Wood pup) in the Region of Maule. The inlet pipe he was clearing connects the Mataquito river to the plant. Reported by Cooperativa.cl -
2009 2 3 Not Recorded India HHI Topsides BG Field (Mumbai High area) Platform collapsed during installation, people in the water but no fatalities, lift barge holed, apparently not reported in the press. Jacket recovered to surface April 2009, later re-installed -
2009 1 31 Greenfield Sapper Sean Afghanistan Canadian soldier Topsides Aged 25, died after his armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb about 40 kilometres west of Kandahar. He was a member of 24 Field Engineer Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment serving with the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment battle group. He was described by Padre Roy Laudenorio as a dependable combat engineer and diver. His Commander described Greenfield as an exceptionally fit soldier who recently completed a combat diver's course and aspired to join Canada's elite JTF2 special forces team. (Included for information, a diver, but not working as a diver so not counted as a diving fatality TC) Reported by CBC.ca -
2009 1 0 Not Recorded USA Global Seattle Deck Dalles dam, Oregon, crane collapsed over dive spread, damage to dive control cabin and compressor, no injuries reported. Dalles Chronicle -
2008 12 9 Cuppini Alexander Italy SCUBA Aged 47 years died, maintenance of the Enel dam in San Pellegrino. Contractor prosecuted - diver had no medical, there was no risk assessment, there were no emergency procedures, inadequate diver training, diving equipment in poor state of repair and maintenance (using non-original parts that caused the failure of the regulator's first stage, dirt inside the first stage restricting gas flow) No back up equipment, no communications, no stand-by diver. Cause of death put down to a combination of “hypothermia and respiratory distress with accumulation of carbon dioxide." He appears to have died before anybody on the surface realised he had a problem. Reported in L'Eco di Bergamo.it -
2008 12 2 Sanchez Carlos Julio Ecuador Paraphrased from press reports:- “Aged 28, Diver died in a sewer in the town Manta, Manabi, trapped in a sewage pipe and was overcome by fumes. 
The victim spent more than seven hours inside a manhole until his body was rescued by personnel from the National Police, the Fire Department and Civil Defense, which initially had to use hydraulic drill, and then a bulldozer to dig down to the pipe where the diver was trapped. The head of the Fire Department said that apparently when the diver was in the culvert and pulled out what prevented the passage of water "We believe the current pushed him, prompting him to lose control and stay in a sitting position Four divers entered the pipeline, but all effort was in vain. Eldiario.ec -
2008 11 21 Grewal Satpal Singh India ONGC Topsides Indian, aged 52, diver was working on deck of the MSV “Hal Anant� with a grinding machine, wheel disintegrated, pieces entered his left eye/scalp, medivac ashore but declared dead on arrival at hospital. -
2008 11 21 Not Recorded Argentina Navy Topsides Navy tactical diver undergoing training, died in a parachute accident -
2008 11 18 Not Recorded Greece Shellfish diver off the vessel 'Agios Dimitrios' with two other crew in the Palaiomanas Gulf, working 2 to 12 metres for two or three dives a day up to two and a half hours each (No decompression). Diver apparently recovered unconscious from the water. Vessel returned to Kalamarias Port and diver transferred to hospital where he was pronounced dead. 'Relevant Port Authorities investigating'. No details. Divers Union of Thessalonika website -
2008 11 14 Cordoba Cayetano Mexico Potable Water Inspection (Canadian contractor) Aged 43, one of two divers (With Manolo Diaz) who went into the three metre diameter Cutzamala fresh water pipeline system, suffocated and swept away by the water. Bodies (and those of the two resuce divers) recovered two days later. "There was no intentional homicide in the death of the divers who technically died of lack of breathable air" - they entered the confined space without using diving gear. Quadruple fatality. El Siglo de Torreon.com.mx -
2008 11 14 Diaz Manolo Mexico Potable Water Inspection (Canadian contractor) Aged 45, one of two divers (With Cayetano Cordoba) who went into the three metre diameter Cutzamala fresh water pipeline system, suffocated and swept away by the water. Bodies (and those of the two resuce divers) recovered two days later. "There was no intentional homicide in the death of the divers who technically died of lack of breathable air" - they entered the confined space without using diving gear. Quadruple fatality. El Siglo de Torreon.com.mx -
2008 11 14 Hernandez Raciel Mexico Potable Water Inspection (Canadian contractor) Aged 36, one of two rescue divers (with Juan Camal Yan) 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 -
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 -
2008 11 13 Barklay S. USA Global Industries Saturation DSV “Sea Lion� sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4 divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred to “Global Pioneer� and locked onto Pioneer sat system. Transfer took 90 minutes. -
2008 11 13 Bell R USA Global Industries Saturation DSV “Sea Lion� sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4 divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred to “Global Pioneer� and locked onto Pioneer sat system. Transfer took 90 minutes. -
2008 11 12 Brumlow Leonard USA Global Industries Saturation DSV “Sea Lion� sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4 divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred to “Global Pioneer� and locked onto Pioneer sat system. Transfer took 90 minutes. -
2008 11 12 Hanson Eddie USA Global Industries Saturation DSV “Sea Lion� sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4 divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred to “Global Pioneer� and locked onto Pioneer sat system. Transfer took 90 minutes. -
2008 10 21 Stecco Frank J USA Police Surface 42 year old police diver or trainee police diver, surface exercise wearing a dry suit, lost, body recovered 4 days later. Reported as 'drowned'. -
2008 10 20 Lazaro Rodel Philippines Gaspar Salvage & Lighterage Part of a 20 man diving team cutting up wreck of the 'Ocean Papa' which sank off Malalison Island in Culasi, Antique, Philippines “The vessel exploded on Oct. 20 during salvage operations, injuring 2 salvage divers� “Trapped air explosion knocked divers off their feet� Hospitalised with breathing difficulties, later released. (Prob oxy/arc incident, TC) -
2008 10 20 Morales Primitovo Philippines Gaspar salvage & Lighterage Part of a 20 man diving team cutting up wreck of Ocean Papa which sank off Malalison Island in Culasi, Antique, Philippines “The vessel exploded on Oct. 20 during salvage operations, injuring 2 salvage divers� “Trapped air explosion knocked divers off their feet� Hospitalised with breathing difficulties, discovered to have “diabetes and previous respiratory ailment� (Prob oxy/arc incident, TC) -
2008 10 16 Hartley Paul USA SCUBA Aged 51, commercial sea urchin harvester diving from the F/V Sunshine, found floating on surface, unconscious, failed to respond to treatment -
2008 10 11 DSV Mareverma Spain 114-ft diving support vessel “Mareverma� (former beam trawler LT 526) beached at the Playa del Rincon in Algeciras on Oct. 11. The incident was caused by the same storm which also grounded the Fedra and Tawe. -
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 -
2008 10 0 Not Recorded Egypt SCUBA Abu Quir harbour, novice diver with a single tank sent to work under a 20 metre beam vessel, lost his way, ran out of air, drowned. No details, though same diving contractor is reported to have had fatalities in March 2004 and November 2007. -
2008 9 17 Not Recorded Spain Saipem Topsides S7000, 60 miles off Almeira, MEDGAZ project (Spain to Algeria) J-lay, 24� pipe, 4 dead, 4 injured. Controls failure dropped two off quad sections. See IMCA SF 18-08 -
2008 9 4 Jolly Brendan Australia Oz Reef Connections S/S Air Australian, aged 31. Diving off Arlington Reef off Cairns. Professional aquarium fish collection (Family business) from the "Shearwater II'. No supervision. Compressor failed to kick in. Recovered unconscious by being pulled aboard. Hookah, no harness, airline under weight belt, no bail out. Torn mouthpiece. Solo aquarium diver, no emergency breathing supply, history of epilepsy. Significant undiagnosed cardiac medical condition and history of epilepsy. Fatal arrhythmia. Queensland Workplace Health and Safety. -
2008 8 22 Buang Abdul Hamid Singapore Dive tech Marine Services SCUBA a 7m diameter propeller (at Singapore Anchorage) on the tanker “Shetland Spirit�- when the engine/propeller was turned on. Buang suffered a broken left keg, ribs, collapsed lung and bruises, two months in hospital. About noon, the captain ordered the engine generators and fuel pumps be started because a nearby ship was drifting and it appeared that there could be a collision if the Shetland Spirit was not moved. Chief Engineer, who assumed that the diving operation was over, also began 'blowing the engine' - without permission - to ensure that there were no leaks or debris in the engine cylinders. The process also caused the propeller to rotate. (He would normally have been required to make a request to the bridge and receive orders from the captain before 'blowing the engine'). Blowing the engine', or turning the engine's drive shaft which is linked to the propeller, has to be done before the engine is actually started. Pleading for leniency, the lawyer stated 'It was reasonable for the accused to assume that there was an emergency.' Chief engineer fined $7,000. -
2008 8 22 Malubag Ryan Jay Carino Singapore Dive tech Marine Services SCUBA Filipino, aged 22, One of three divers working on a 7m diameter propeller (at Singapore Anchorage) on the tanker “Shetland Spirit�- when the propeller was turned on, cuts and bruises, one week in hospital. About noon, the captain ordered the engine generators and fuel pumps be started because a nearby ship was drifting and it appeared that there could be a collision if the Shetland Spirit was not moved. Chief Engineer, who assumed that the diving operation was over, also began 'blowing the engine' - without permission - to ensure that there were no leaks or debris in the engine cylinders. The process also caused the propeller to rotate. (He would normally have been required to make a request to the bridge and receive orders from the captain before 'blowing the engine'). Blowing the engine', or turning the engine's drive shaft which is linked to the propeller, has to be done before the engine is actually started. Pleading for leniency, the lawyer stated 'It was reasonable for the accused to assume that there was an emergency.' Chief engineer fined $7,000. -
2008 8 22 Not Recorded Singapore Dive tech Marine Services SCUBA One of three divers working on a 7m diameter propeller (at Singapore Anchorage) on the tanker “Shetland Spirit�- when the propeller was turned on, the two other divers were injured, he escaped with first aid injuries only About noon, the captain ordered the engine generators and fuel pumps be started because a nearby ship was drifting and it appeared that there could be a collision if the Shetland Spirit was not moved. Chief Engineer, who assumed that the diving operation was over, also began 'blowing the engine' - without permission - to ensure that there were no leaks or debris in the engine cylinders. The process also caused the propeller to rotate. (He would normally have been required to make a request to the bridge and receive orders from the captain before 'blowing the engine'). Blowing the engine', or turning the engine's drive shaft which is linked to the propeller, has to be done before the engine is actually started. Pleading for leniency, the lawyer stated 'It was reasonable for the accused to assume that there was an emergency.' Chief engineer fined $7,000. -
2008 8 15 Not Recorded USA Fisherman SCUBA The body of a missing diver was located by fellow divers underwater after an extensive search by the Coast Guard and Navy crews 38-miles east of St. Augustine, The crew of the commercial fishing vessel 'Animal Control' sent a second diver in the water who located the missing man's body. The crew radioed the Coast Guard rescue coordinators at Sector Jacksonville for help after the missing diver did not resurface from what was supposed to be a 45-minute dive. The diver's body is being transported by a Coast Guard rescue boat crew to Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville where it will be turned over to the Duval County Medical Examiner later this evening. The fishing vessel Animal Control is headed back to St. Augustine. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the accident. Reported by the USCG in Military.com. No other details/reports -
2008 8 11 Tiznado Marco Antonio Parra Chile Marine Harvest Aged 21, salmon farming, died in Achao hospital after an accident around noon whilst repairing nets, was working with a partner but went back into the water solo to rectify a fault with the netting. Harbourmaster was alerted around 14:00 hours. Boat then had engine failure on the way in to port so company sent a rescue boat plus paramedic, arrived at hospital with vital signs but declared dead at 15:15 hours. No real details -
2008 8 7 Perines Bernardo Garcia Chile Pesquara San Jose Aged 37, recovering a capsised boat at a fish farm -
2008 8 5 Nalin Indonesia Fisherman S/S Air Aged 60, Tidung Island, suffered leg paralysis fom decompression incident and died a week later. Reported as being a 'compressor' diver (Used a tyre compressor for diving), survived by his wife, four sons and three daughters. Reported by www.pulauseribu.net -
2008 8 3 Leduc Lt. Gerald R USA Fireman SCUBA American, aged 52, commencing a SAR dive (missing boater), apparent heart attack. A NIOSH investigation revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.25 (Rhode Island state law defines legal intoxication at 0.08 percent) and that he ignored two colleagues who urged him not to dive. Underlying cardiac condition, but the medical examiner found that “acute intoxication� contributed to his death (“primarily attributed to physical condition and inadequate capacity to perform a technical SCUBA diving operation�). He was off duty when he responded to the incident at Stafford Pond with his personal watercraft and dive gear, moments after he began his dive, firefighters in a nearby boat noticed a diver's tank valve floating on the surface of the water and radioed a mayday call. Divers were unable to resuscitate him after pulling him from the water, and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The medical examiner found that he likely died from abnormal heart activity and had an enlarged heart, high blood pressure and an acute blood ethanol level of 0.25 percent. NIOSH investigators recommended a number of measures including a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol, developing written policies and procedures to enforce the zero-tolerance policy, putting in place an effective incident management system that supports technical rescue operations, properly training, equipping, and supporting public safety divers, ensuring a safety officer properly trained in the technical rescue field being performed is on scene and integrated into the command structure, appropriate annual diver medicals, fitness programmes. NBC News -
2008 7 26 Not Recorded S/S Air Shell safety flash, complete failure of stand-by diver basket main lift wire, basket caught by clump weight. Report in preparation -
2008 7 24 Fournier Christophe France Hydrokarst S/S Air French, aged 39, Marseilles port, cutting up a sunken boat, underwater oxy/arc explosion -
2008 7 16 Huenante Samuel Arturo Nahuelhuaique Chile Fish Farm Chilean aged 38, Samuel Arturo Nahuelhuaique Huenante died after diving on a Mainstream salmon farm in Calaco near Calbuco, south of Puerto Montt. Dive should not have taken place (The port was closed for diving operations by the authorities for bad weather). According to the Santiago-based NGO Ecoceanos, he was the 56th salmon industry worker to perish in the past two and a half years (includes 17 divers), he was the 5th diver to be killed in 2008. Overall the industry employs an estimated 4,000 such divers. No details Patagonia Times -
2008 6 20 Not Recorded Canada S/S Air Lake Eyrie, 4 man dive team out of Port Colborn, well head location dive, live boating Captain told tender he was going to manoeuvre the boat, tender made no umbilical adjustment, when propeller was started it severed the umbilical. Both engines shut down, diver ascended safely on bail-out. Excessive umbilical in the water -
2008 6 19 Nasca Michele Italy SCUBA Paraphrased from various press reports- “An amateur diver aged 57 diving with his brother 'died after coming into contact with the suction pump connected to a dock.' ' The body, horribly mutilated, and was recovered by police divers.' 'The judiciary is investigating the hypothesis that there is no protection grill on the turbine plant.' -
2008 6 12 Qadar R. N. Abdul UAE SCUBA Kenyan, married with two children Gulf-news: Quote at the time :Sharjah: “A scuba diver working on a ship at Hamriya Port was killed while checking the ship's engine. The engineer was unaware that the scuba diver was working and switched on the engine, causing the scuba diver to get caught between the propeller blades. Police were unable to find most of the body parts and gave up the search after three days. The people involved in the incident were arrested, including an engineer and two assistants, who claimed that it was an accident and that they had no intention of killing him�. The Ukrainian engineer on the supply vessel 'Orel' who started the engine was found responsible and fined £34,000 'blood money' even though he claimed that he did not know the diver was in the water and had been instructed to start the engine by the chief engineer. Xpress online Note. The Ukrainian marine engineer was prevented from leaving Sharjah until he paid about US$73,000 “diya�, blood money, and a Dh6,000 fine. “I’m very sorry for the death of the man, who I know has two children. I feel for them as I am also a father of two,� He said the accident – which took place when he started the main engine – was not solely his fault as he was ordered by the chief engineer to start it not knowing Abdul Qader was still working astern. “Due to incomplete and inaccurate information and the lack of a translator [during court hearings], all responsibility was laid on me. I am not in a position to pay the amount. I cannot get a job as I don’t have my documents. My wife in Ukraine earns just $120 (Dh440) a month. He started working for the Sharjah-based Whitesea Shipping Company and Supply LLC in March 2007. “I haven’t seen my family since then. I want nothing more than to be home with them,� In August 2009, he received help from the local Russian speaking community, and was allowed home. -
2008 6 9 Plaian Catalin Romania Military Paraphrased from reports:- “A military diver aged 36 died on Monday morning at Constanta County Emergency Hospital. Fleet Command in Constanta said they could not yet provide details of the circumstances in which he was injured. He said that he was in training at sea and the ship returned to port. The injured diver brought to shore and taken by ambulance to Hospital but could not be saved. Doctors said the diver has died after a cardio-respiratory arrest and that he had a severe acute head trauma. 

Health professionals say that the first information received shows that the diver was submerged in water and was injured in collision between two boats. Reported in Realitatea.net. Alternate press reports:- “Divers torn to pieces by a propeller. A military diver aged 36 died and three others were injured yesterday morning during a training exercise at sea outside the port of Constanta. It seems that the tragedy took place after an inflatable boat did not respond to commands and simply passed over a similar one, in which there were many divers. He was married, had a 2 year old daughter and had served under the banner of the Romanian Navy for almost 10 years�. Reported by Libertatea Romania. -
2008 6 2 Santibanez Roberto Orlando Chile Fish Farm Chilean, aged 43. Died after diving on a fish farm near Chonchi, on the island of Chiloé. After morning work, the diver went to his cottage for a nap but after lunch was found lying on his bed cyanotic, taken to hospital but died. Initially the company had claimed that the diver had died in his cabin hours after diving to 5 metres and the Navy reported that the person had not died as a result of diving. However, an investigation by the Provincial Labour Inspectorate concluded that this was a diving accident. The state agency fined the company 180 UTM (5.5 million pesos) for various breaches of the Labour Code. However, an investigation of the Provincial Labour Chiloé determined that it was an industrial accident,:- They did not have the authorization granted by the Maritime Authority for diving work at the Cucao center, the company had not established a series of mandatory measures (there was no contingency plan), the head of center had no safety training for managers of floating fish farms and the center did not have a monthly schedule of activities. The company was additionally fined because the center where the fatal accident occurred "does not have checklists before and after the teams involved in the tasks of diving and non-compliance of planning risk training (Non compliance with audit dated one month earlier). No details of the accident. Chilean press reports elcuidadano.cl -
2008 6 1 Le Sauteur Peter UK Alderney Marine Trust SCUBA Aged 55, Surveying the wreck of an Elizabethan gunship that sank in 1592 with a view to recovering two cannon. Fell ill after finishing a dive, unconscious, taken to hospital but pronounced dead. -
2008 5 23 Not Recorded Yemen Muhibbah Baltic Taucher Topsides German, aged 42, deck Supervisor – (Was he the diving supervisor? TC) was fatally injured on the Muhibbah B9 Barge. Demobilising an air spread, attempting to remove an air receiver tank from the deck of the barge with a 150T crane. The signalman signalled the crane operator to lift the vessel. As he was lifting the vessel it did not move or rise. The signalman instructed the crane operator to stop lifting (but not slack tension) and the Deck Supervisor started checking on what was the problem. As he was checking around the air receiverl it suddenly popped loose and struck the Deck Supervisor in the head causing major injuries to the back of his head. -
2008 5 22 Rudakov Roman Maldives Touring Maldives SCUBA Russian tourist, aged 41, diving off the “Baani Adventurer� died from contaminated air (reported as 150ppm CO in his tank), 9 others ill with 80ppm CO in their tanks. Complaints from previous day and requests to change filter ignored (cheap none-CO absorbing filter fitted on compressor), Medical O2 cylinder onboard dive boat was empty. -
2008 5 12 Smith Othel D USA International Diving Services S/S Air American, aged 24, one year out of diving school, died while working in a potable water storage tank in Paris, Texas. International Diving Services of Arlington, TX. "Pumps still running, sucked onto an inlet" Possibly no bailout or stand-by rig, body recovered by fire brigade (on SCUBA!) -
2008 5 10 Not recorded Sri Lanka SCUBA Tamil Tigers attacked a Sri Lankan navy ship "Invisible" with an underwater explosion at about 2:15 a.m. and the vessel sank, said navy spokesman Cmdr. D.K.P. Dassanayake. The 213-foot (65-meter) craft was empty of cargo, he said. "We suspect the blast was carried out by a suicide diver" he said. BBC News. -
2008 4 28 Monreal Dwight USA SCUBA Aged 62, professional golf ball diver, Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club, attacked by an alligator while retrieving balls from a lake near the 13th hole. Dislocated left shoulder and puncture wounds to his left arm. Officials said the 13th hole would be closed until the alligator was captured and killed. -
2008 4 1 Edwards Darryl New Zealand SCUBA New Zealander, aged 54. Wellington harbour, inspecting the hull of a commercial charter vessel he had just hired. Reported as natural causes (a heart attack). Not a commercial diver. -
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 3 12 Not Recorded USA Chet Morrison Topsides Injured in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison", medivac but released from hospital after treatment -
2008 3 12 Not Recorded Netherlands Fire Brigade volunteer SCUBA Dutch, aged 38, member of the voluntary fire brigade from Terneuzen, died while recovering a car from the Gent-Terneuzen canal, apparently he did not surface as expected, was recovered alive but in critical condition and died later in hospital. The autopsy report stated "drowning". The driver of the car apparently committed suicide by driving into the canal. He was being sought by police in connection with the murder of his 2 children 24/02/2008. -
2008 3 11 Altland Matt USA Chet Morrison Topsides Diver onboard the DSV "Jillian Morisson", Explosion knocked him into the water, fractured shouder, crushed elbow, collapsed lung, scalp injuries. Medivac to hospital in Lafayette. -
2008 3 11 DSV "Jillian Morisson" USA Chet Morrison Tuesday evening, engine room explosion on board the vessel, 1 missing, 6 to hospital, 3 later released. Boat had a 12' x 20' hole in deck and sank in 30' of water, later salvaged and taken to New Orleans boatyard -
2008 3 11 Not Recorded USA Chet Morrison Topsides Injured in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison", medivac but released from hospital after treatment -
2008 3 11 Sievers Andy USA Chet Morrison Topsides Killed in explosion, blown into water, search called off 3 days later, body recovered offshore Ecuador -
2008 3 11 Sonia Michael USA Chet Morrison Topsides Aged 43, crewman in the engine room, seriously injured in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison", died in hospital three days later -
2008 3 11 Stevenson Robert USA Chet Morrison Topsides Aged 39, crewman in the engine room. Injured in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison", medivac seriously injured, died in hospital -
2008 3 8 Gallardo Obando Victor Chile Bibisier diving Died performing work on a fish farm in Aysen when no diving should have been taking place (Closed by authotities due to bad weather) Reported by Ecoceane -
2008 2 11 Not Recorded ADCI DDC ADCI safety alert relating to failed viewport due to heat from fluorescent lightbulb -
2008 1 26 Casanova Gines Acosta Spain Spanish Navy Spanish, aged 29, warrant officer, training dive at the Spanish Naval Diving training establishment, Caratagena, diving from the Neptuno, training dive, two others (Cortina and Paz) injured. -
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). -
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). -
2008 1 18 Hanson Ola Norway SCUBA Aged 25, from Karlskrona in Sweden, 4 man commercial scallop diving operation off a small fishing community of Froya in Southern Norway, found unconscious on the seabed attached to a scallop bag containimg 70Kg, cause of death not reported. One year old daughter, his mother said his dream was to work on the oil platforms. Reported by Dykarna.nu -
2008 1 0 Johnson Chris USA Veolia Oxy/Arc explosion Injury, no details. Offshorediver.com -
2008 0 0 Bartee Daniel USA Bo Mac Maritime law blog, working as a diver, injured whilst working on the Mississippi, 6th March (2008??), injuries to heart, lung and others organs. Law suit under Jones act, no details -
2008 0 0 Not Recorded USA Seamar Divers We are pleased to announce that one of our clients, a commercial diver who works offshore, has obtained a settlement against his employer and a lift boat company following serious injuries he sustained while diving offshore. Our client was employed by Seamar and worked on a lift boat. According to their websites, Seamar Divers provides offshore commercial divers, subsea construction, and subsea fabrication services to the oil and gas industry. Montco Offshore provides lift boats to the offshore industry. Our client was hurt when the Seamar supervisor failed to monitor the dive properly, resulting in our client getting "the bends." The Montco crane operator brought him up too quickly and dropped him too hard on the deck of the lift boat, resulting in severe orthopedic injuries. Vujasinovic & Beckcom (Injury Lawyers) website -
2007 12 29 Ernesto Silva Olguin Mexico Pemex Aged 35, Diving off the drilling rig 'Pride California' -
2007 11 5 Not Recorded Poland Tri-Marine Diving services Polish diver working on an unmanned PetroBaltic platform north of Wladyslawowo, described as 'during ascent, taken ill underwater'. Died. No details. NB, it was a Petrobaltic survey vessel (the St Barbara) that found the lost wreck of the second world war German aircraft carrier 'Graf Zeppelin�in 87 metres water depth off the port of Leba in 2006 (She went missing in transit to Russia in 1947). Reported by dlavego.co m.pl. -
2007 10 25 Myers Mathew USA Sealife Centre SCUBA American, aged 44, Resurrection Bay, Alaska, training dive to become a Sealife centre scientific diver, "ran out of air, may have panicked trying to take off his weight belt" drowned. -
2007 10 23 Rig 'Usumacinta' Mexico PEMEX Jack Up, drilling well KAB-103 in the Bay of Campeche, caught in a storm, rig moved hitting a producing christmas ttree, blow out, major hydrocarbon release. 22 fatalities. Investigation has not been made public, speculation that the rig suffereda structural or jacking mechanism failure.