Incidents List
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Year Month Day Surname Forenames Location Contractor Client Depth Type of Diving Details -
1998 2 18 Not Recorded Israel Israeli Navy SCUBA One of two divers roped together conducting a mine search under an Israeli cargo vessel, the Zim Adriatic, in Haifa Bay. Reported as being “sucked into one of the ship's propellers, which had been mysteriously turned on�. -
1998 1 16 Woods Damon UK SCUBA Aged 25, from Aukland, New Zealand, had joined the Ullapool based fishing Vessel "Our Hazel' 10 days previously. Only had sports diving qualifications, dived under the vessel to clear the propellor at sea, went down with rope, rope came to surface, diver diasppeared, large SAR exercise but body not recovered. 'At work, employed, diving, died' so included in list, but not qualified, not actually employed as a diver, not a 'diving project' but another example of a 'working diver being killed'. Vessel owner fined just £400 under the HASAWA (person was an employee, sprecifically was not self employed). Inquest in Stornoway in August 2000 described the voluntary dive to clear the propellor, surface rope ttached to SCUBA cylinder with a bowline, as he entered the water he lost a fin and then kicked off the other, came to the suface calling to be pulled in, sank, rope was pulled in but knot came undone, diver was never seen again. Herald Scotland. -
1998 0 0 Levi Sgt. Yuval Israel IDF SCUBA “12 years ago, the unit suffered personal tragedy caused by exactly this type of an incident. Sgt. Yuval Levi (dec.), who at the time was a diver in the unit, went with his partner on a routine mission to check a merchant vessel which has requested to anchor in the Haifa port. After descending into the water, the vessel activated its propellers, and Sgt. Levi was killed. His partner in the mission was saved� Quoted in an IDF article in August 2020 -
1997 11 20 Carriere, RCMP Constable Joseph Francois "Frank" Canada RCMP 10 SCUBA Aged 41, Cape Breton, part of a police team carrying out a drugs search on the hull of a Danish registered bulk carrier (The "Donia Portland", beam 80', length 450') at little narrows on the Bras d'Or akes (Cape Bretn). 5 man diving eam, zodiac and spotter, on AGA masks with micom comms. Ran out of air, tried buddy sharing, got separated, lost in bad visibility, body recovered the day after. Drowned. Leaking mask, gauge 'over-reading, possible contaminated air. RCMP prosecuted and fined. Now they use S/S equipment. Halifax Chronicle. Canadian Coastguard vessel ("CCGS Constable Carriere"), launched 2013 is to be one of nine vessels named after fallen Canadian heroes. -
1997 10 15 Smith Joseph Michael USA SCUBA Aged 34, professional sea urchin harvesting off Swan Island. Failed to surface, body recovered by other crew members. Initial investigation led to USCG issuing a warning to divers regarding contaminated air. This was later ruled out. No further details. -
1997 9 12 Kielty Steve USA Magone Marine SCUBA In September 1997, a 47-year-old experienced commercial diver on an underwater pipeline construction project, who had made no dives during the previous 2-3 years used scuba gear while attaching a mooring line to a buoy anchor line. The equipment was not in good condition, and both the primary and alternate regulator were leaking and in need of repair. Shortly after he submerged, the tether line floated to the surface. After he was signaled without response, the team leader put on scuba gear, submerged, and found the diver on the sea floor with a weight belt on and both tether line and tank high-pressure hose severed. The diver was recovered, and CPR was unsuccessful. The investigation did not determine how the hose was severed, and the cause of death was listed as drowning. OSHA cited the employer for violations including inadequate training in using tools/equipment and in CPR, absence of a ready standby diver, diver not line tended, lack of a reserve tank, and rescue not conducted in a timely manner. NIOSH review of occupational diving fatalities in Alaska -
1997 9 10 Mahady John J USA City Employee SCUBA Aged 39, Two Harbors City employee, described as an experienced diver, apparently had trouble as he was working to attach a buoy to mark equipment near a municipal water intake pipe just off shore in Lake Superior. Drowned. No details -
1997 9 3 Gouyoumjian Gevog USA Underwater Services SCUBA American, aged 25, died inside a 480,000 gallon water tank in La Place, Louisiana, somewhat weirdly described in one report as “presumed hypothermia/severe dehydration� -
1997 8 0 Pickering Stephen UK SCUBA Aged 41, disappeared while salvaging cargo from a wreck off the Dorset Coast. His remains were recovered by a Dutch trawler in 2009, he was cremated in May of 2010 and his ashes laid to rest in the North Sea. Inquest held in September 2010 was told that a combination of heavy equipment and distress contributed to the death of the experienced diver on a salvage expedition on a sunken First World War ship carrying precious metals off the Dorset coast 13 years previously. “He was diving with new, heavier gas cylinders and ignored advice from fellow divers to ditch his weight belt before entering the water to make him lighter, the inquest heard. According to one colleague, Mr Pickering preferred to dive while weighed down heavily to enable him to work better in the depths of the sea. One of the four-strong team on the salvage vessel Marja said Mr Pickering appeared distressed after losing his mask when he jumped into the sea. After returning to the surface, they threw him a replacement, but despite falling a short distance from Mr Pickering, he made no attempt to grab it. They then threw a piece of rope into the water in the hope that he would reach for it. "He tried to grab for it and that's the last I saw of him." The pathologist said a cause of death could not be determined. "This would appear to be a combination of the loss of the dive mask coupled with the excess weight, which would have ended up with someone who has a degree of hypoxia through over exertion which has precipitated his collapse under the water." Dorset Police found nothing suspicious about the circumstances of the death: “The statements from the men, plus the disclosure of the new, heavier cylinders and the buoyancy problems Mr Pickering experienced, led to the conclusion that his death was an accident. Recording a verdict of accidental death, the coroner said: "I am satisfied with the accounts given by the experienced divers. "I will, on the evidence I have heard, rule out any suspicious circumstances." Yorkshire Post -
1997 7 8 Kwan Lee Hon Singapore SCUBA Aged 31, Last seen entering the water at berth K14 at Keppel Terminal to clean the hull of a ship. Body recovered the day after. No other details. Straits Times -
1997 7 4 Tuomey Garry USA Sports diver SCUBA Aged 42, sports diver, drowned after becoming incapacitated from breathing carbon monoxide. Compressor filter (carbon) had exploded at the SCUBA shop, the burning carbon had contaminated his air cylinder. The shop replaced the broken filter but did not drain the tanks. Explosion reported as due to 'spontaneous combustion ignited in part by pressurised oxygen' The medical examiner ruled the death accidental and investigations closed because no state laws were violated'. St Petersburg Times -
1997 6 20 Not Recorded USA Fireman SCUBA A veteran firefighter died Friday following a routine scuba practice dive in Lake Michigan, fire officials said. [The diver], 46, a firefighter for 17 years and an experienced member of the Air-Sea Rescue Unit, was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital shortly before 5 p.m. according to fire department spokesman Patrick Howe. That was about an hour after [the diver] went out on a routine practice dive with [another team member] about 25 feet off Meigs Field, where the water temperature was 62 degrees. ``[The team member] noticed his partner was moving rapidly to the surface,'' said Howe. The member followed [the victim] to the surface, where the victim removed his mask. Other firefighters brought [him] to shore and administered CPR, Howe said. At that time, the victim did not have a pulse and was not breathing, Howe said. Paramedics were subsequently called and administered advanced life-saving techniques before transporting the victim to the hospital, Howe said. [The team member] also was admitted to the hospital as a procedural step and was listed in good condition. An investigation into the cause of [the diver’s] death was underway. ``We don't know if it was an equipment failure, or a heart problem, or what,'' Howe said, adding that the divers were wearing the proper equipment. ``We can't speculate right now.'' An autopsy will be conducted Saturday. Fire officials also said they would examine the scuba equipment being used by [the diver] for any potential malfunctions. [The diver] is survived by a wife and two daughters, ages 13 and 16. Chicago Tribune -
1997 6 19 Not Recorded USA Police 18 SCUBA Quote:- “Two Milford police divers were injured, one critically, in a diving accident during routine training drills in Long Island Sound, authorities said. The officers, ages 34 and 41, apparently became entangled in debris around noon on Wednesday, said a police spokesman. One was submerged at least eight minutes and had no pulse when fellow divers pulled him from the water. He was in critical condition at Norwalk Hospital early this morning. The other officer freed himself, and surfaced to get help, but came up too quickly and suffered from decompression sickness, commonly called the bends. He was in serious condition early this morning also at Norwalk Hospital. Both divers were among eight officers performing routine training about two miles off the mouth of Milford harbor. Police said the divers were training in murky water about 60-feet deep. Visibility was less than a foot. ``This is the first mishap the dive team has ever experienced,'' the spokesman said. The team has been in action at least 25 years. Both men have been dive team members more than five years News Times regional News -
1997 3 18 Mestaz Charlie "JR" USA Yakima Fire Department SCUBA American, aged 37. One of a two man (Hauber) fire team trying to rescue two divers (Rhode/Eberle) from a 2210 long, 13 foot diameter irrigation tunnel, their lights were seen returning to the entrance but they failed to surface, they were pulled out by two stand-by divers. They had run out of air, died in hospital three days later. Qudruple fatality (Rhode, Eberle, Hauber) -
1997 3 15 Eberle John USA Roza Irrigation district 30 SCUBA America, aged 41, employed to remove cars from 2210 feet long, 13 foot diameter irrigation canal tunnel "syphon", trapped by flowing water, ran out of air, drowned. Two man team, no stand-by divers/equipment. Two firemen died trying to rescues them, quadruple fatality (Rhode, Hauber, Mestaz) -
1997 3 15 Hauber Rusty USA Yakima Fire Department SCUBA American, aged 34, One of a two man (Mestaz) fire team trying to rescue two divers (Rhode/Eberle) from a 2210 long, 13 foot diameter irrigation tunnel, their lights were seen returning to the entrance but they failed to surface, they were pulled out by two stand-by divers. They had run out of air, drowned. Quadruple fatality (Rhode, Eberle, Mestaz) -
1997 3 15 Rhode Marty USA Roza Irrigation district 30 SCUBA America, aged 33, employed to remove cars from 2210 feet long, 13 foot diameter irrigation canal tunnel "syphon", trapped by flowing water, ran out of air, drowned. Two man team, no stand-by divers/equipment. Two firemen died trying to rescues them, quadruple fatality (Eberle, Hauber, Mestaz) -
1997 0 0 Ragot Philippe France Recreational diving organisation 9 SCUBA French diver inspecting the upstream side of a leaking valve. Got sucked in and killed.- No safety plan, victim the director of the dive organisation, recreational diving instructor - Court decided the manager of the dam was guilty -
1996 12 15 McFadden Timothy J USA SCUBA American, aged 34, described as “a commercial diver from Ventura", died diving off the fishing vessel "Sea Worthy" harvesting sea urchins, flown to a DDC but died, Daily News, California -
1996 12 4 Engel Yair Israel Navy SCUBA OC Navy has appointed an inquiry committee to determine the cause of the mysterious deaths in a routine training exercise of two IDF frogmen, whose bodies were found yesterday in Haifa Bay 16 hours after they went missing. The two, First-Sgt. Matan Polibuda, 20, from Mevasseret Zion and First-Sgt. Yair Engel, 19, from Kibbutz Ramat Rahel, were veterans of dozens of dives. They were approaching promotion to they were 16 months in the unit and approaching their graduation into the elite Shayetet 13 underwater commando battalion -
1996 12 4 Polibuda Matan Israel Navy SCUBA OC Navy has appointed an inquiry committee to determine the cause of the mysterious deaths in a routine training exercise of two IDF frogmen, whose bodies were found yesterday in Haifa Bay 16 hours after they went missing. The two, First-Sgt. Matan Polibuda, 20, from Mevasseret Zion and First-Sgt. Yair Engel, 19, from Kibbutz Ramat Rahel, were veterans of dozens of dives. They were approaching promotion to they were 16 months in the unit and approaching their graduation into the elite Shayetet 13 underwater commando battalion -
1996 10 8 Richards Jessica Anna Australia Australian Institute of Marine Sciences 10 SCUBA British, aged 19. Volunteer scientific diver, check out dive on Davies Reef, 55 miles NE Townsville. Separated from group near end of dive, low on air, surfaced and screamed for help, some delay in rescue due to fouled anchor on tender. Cerebral arterial gas embolism (CAGE). Investigation concluded inadequate system of competence and experience assessment. Workplace Health and Safety, Queensland. -
1996 7 0 Not Recorded Indonesia Comex/PT Komaritim 20 SCUBA Indonesian diver, vessel sent out to confirm location of a pipeline leak, passed leak and dropped a marker buoy. As the vessel made a second pass, two divers in SCUBA jumped in with a marker buoy on a line to attach to the pipeline near the leak. (Possibly a 10"or 12" pipeline, hole was in the 6 o/c position.). While they were underwater attaching the rope, the leak stopped. It is reported – not confirmed – that the client representative was for some reason not happy that he could no longer see bubbles and radio'd the platform asking them to inject more gas. Whether true or not, the leak did restart, violently. The product was gas plus condensate. One diver was found dead tangled in the marker rope, his face virtually stripped of flesh from where the high pressure gas/condensate had blown off his SCUBA mask, the other diver did not surface, missing, his body was not located at the time (Not reported whether it was found later). PC -
1996 7 0 Not Recorded USA 1 SCUBA In July 1996, a 24-year-old commercial fisherman with no diving certification used scuba gear while attempting to clear a fishing net wrapped around the propeller of a fishing vessel. He became entangled in the net and was unable to free himself. Other crew members were unable to assist because they had no diving gear. He was retrieved approximately 3 hours later, and no attempt was made to resuscitate him. The scuba tank still contained an adequate amount of air. The cause of death was drowning. NIOSH review of occupational diving fatalities in Alaska -
1996 4 27 Binney John L USA SCUBA Aged 28, research assistant at the University of Oregon, hired by the US Army Corps of engineers to inspect a 130' deep shaft at the Hills Creek Reservoir dam. With partner Lavoy went to 90' in basket, Lavoy then went to 130' to inspect the bulkhead, returned to 90' basket and both ascended to 10' and then Lavoy climbed onto the wall to remove his gear. Binney's lifeline went slack and was pulled up, no diver. Lavoy got a fresh cylinder plus pare and went back into the water, down to 90'. After he had been there about 5 minutes, surface team reported that his bubbles suddenly got larger and then stopped. Basket recovered but Lavoy was dead. Binney's body was recovered from 130' by two SCUBA divers from Portland Commercial divers who completed the inspection work the following day. Double fatality. -
1996 4 27 Lavoy Kenneth USA SCUBA Aged 22, owner of a SCUBA supply shop, hired by the US Army Corps of engineers to inspect a 130' deep shaft at the Hills Creek Reservoir dam. With partner Lavoy went to 90' in basket, Lavoy then went to 130' to inspect the bulkhead, returned to 90' basket and both ascended to 10' and then Lavoy climbed onto the wall to remove his gear. Binney's lifeline went slack and was pulled up, no diver. Lavoy got a fresh cylinder plus pare and went back into the water, down to 90'. After he had been there about 5 minutes, surface team reported that his bubbles suddenly got larger and then stopped. Basket recovered but Lavoy was dead. Binney's body was recovered from 130' by two SCUBA divers from Portland Commercial divers who completed the inspection work the following day. Double fatality. -
1996 4 15 Lesley Vincent Charles UK SCUBA Professional scallop diver in Orkney (North of Scotland). No details PC -
1996 3 19 Fahey David M USA 27 SCUBA 31 year old professional scallop harvester, ran out of air trying to carry heavy bag up embankment from depth -
1996 3 17 Teow Yap Hock Singapore SCUBA Aged 45, checking reclamation materials earlier laid on the seabed off Pulau Sakra, 'died after losing his mask and tank'. No other details. Straits Times -
1995 1 0 Kimche Israel SCUBA Israeli commando training dive, lost contact with partner, body recovered the day after, reported as “human error�, Jerusalem Times -
1995 0 0 Not Recorded Canada SCUBA Diver and supervisor clearing a Culvert, penetrated 90' up a 4' diameter pipe, upstream of blockage, dislodged debris, both swept down, supervisor survived, diver trapped in rope and debris, drowned. -
1995 0 0 Not Recorded Canada 6 SCUBA Diver clearing a Culvert, upstream of blockage, dislodged debris, sucked through culvert and ejected but drowned. -
1994 3 23 Sirry Tarek USA Bay Diving Company SCUBA Aged 35, owner/operator of his own diving company, salvage dive off Poole Island in the mouth of the Sassafras River, Chesapeake bay. 20-25 minute dive, reported as drowned 'when he accidentally let his SCUBA tank run low on air and passed out' according to the USCG investigation. Reported by HometownAnnapolis.com -
1994 2 4 Stapp John Quinton USA 2 SCUBA Aged 38, surveying the Hunter's Point Marina on Lake Travis near Cat Hollow to plan repairs to its dock, diving solo, no team. No details -
1994 0 0 Walker Pat USA 24 SCUBA American, aged 24, Tightening a pipeline flange at working pressure, flange parted, gas explosion blew his hat off, body recovered some days later -
1993 11 3 Maxwell David USA SCUBA Aged 25, off Maine, less than two weeks diving experience, trying to untangle catch bag alongside rocks, caught in surf, found 20 minutes later, drowned, boat owner cited for violations of commercial diving standards -
1993 11 1 Knowles Keith B Bahamas UNEXSO SCUBA American aged 22, working for the Underwater Explorers Society , lost at sea of Grand Bahama -
1993 9 7 Rice Matthew USA 9 SCUBA Aged 24, off Maine, sports diver and student gathering sea urchins, first salt water dive, tender lost sight of bubbles, found on seabed 20 minutes later, drowned, boat owner cited for violations of commercial diving standards. -
1993 8 21 Not Recorded USA SCUBA Aged 21, off Maine, commercial diver/fisherman repairing vessel, skiff drifted away, diver drowned after attempting to swim after drifting boat -
1993 8 19 Costain Donald R USA SCUBA Aged 52, off Maine diving in a four man team from a 36' fishing vessel, harvesting sea urchins, heavy fog, surfaced for replacement tank, disappeared, found on the seabed after 30 minutes, drowned. Bangor Daily News. -
1993 7 6 Fassnacht James USA Police 6m SCUBA American police officer aged 42, East Orange, New Jersey. With two other divers clearing intake grill in Weequahic park lake, drowned. Another report states "James Fassnacht, a 42 year old police officer was killed in 15-18 feet of water on 07/06/93. The officer was asked to assist another officer in checking a screen on an intake pipe used for irrigating of a municipal golf course. Officer Fassnacht advised his dive partner that he was "uncomfortable". Officer Fassnacht stayed at the surface while his partner submerged to check the screen intake. After a short period of time, Officer Fassnacht indicated to an officer on the shore that he needed assistance. Officer Fassnacht grabbed a buoy that was on the surface, but the buoy did not support the officer. About fifteen seconds after the officer and buoy sank, the buoy popped to the surface but Officer Fassnacht did not. A search was begun and Officer Fassnacht was quickly recovered. CPR was initiated, but was pronounced dead a Beth Israel Hospital after efforts failed. The cause of death was ruled accidental drowning.". PSDiver.com -
1993 5 1 Not Recorded USA Police SCUBA American police officer, Missouri, attempting to rescue a canoe accident victim in a rain swollen river, swept away and drowned even though he had breathing apparatus. -
1993 1 23 Vognetz David A. USA SCUBA (Surname was Vognetz, not Bognetz, incorrectly reported in early articles). Aged 39, described as an experienced diver, Unami Creek at the Delmont Boy Scout Camp in Marlborough township. "Attempt to rescue diver fails Phoenixville man". The victim and two other men were at the dam attempting to drain water through the pipe to lower the overall water level of the dam and may also have intended to clear the pipe of debris. With a rope tied to him, he descended into the pipe. His co-workers soon realized he was in trouble, Buza said, and called in rescue personnel. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, rescue workers tried to stop the tremendous flow of water through the pipe, without much success. The danger of the strong current prevented any rescue divers from venturing into the pipe. When a plug could not be found to fit over the mouth of the pipe, rescue personnel tried a different idea. His body was finally retrieved from the pipe at 7:20 p.m. after rescue workers built a temporary dam to divert water around the pipe. After diverting the dam water, rescue personnel were able to retrieve the body with the tripod winch. The Morning Call -
1993 0 0 Not Recorded Indonesia Comex SCUBA Indonesian, securing a down line to a leaking gas pipeline, not isolated, caught in the venting gas, double fatality. No details. -
1993 0 0 Not Recorded Canada 18 SCUBA 40 year old Canadian, sports diver hired to carry out a commercial dive to recover a hatch cover from a lake bed. Descended with rope/shackle, rope went slack, surface crew redeployed rope with a ne shackle in the area bubbles last seen. No response. Body found on lake bed. Drowned. -
1992 12 31 Schumacher Arthur E USA SCUBA Aged 46, assistant chief in charge of rescue with with the Liverpool township fire department, searching for victims of a car crash in Plum creek, trapped in a culvert, drowned. Akron Beacon Journal. -
1992 12 0 Truffant David USA SCUBA Aged 28, Harvesting Sea urchins in Casco bay,reported as his first commercial dive, swam to the surface without exhaling properly, a carpenter by trade with no diving training. The Sun Journal -
1992 6 0 Howard Kenneth W USA SCUBA Aged 34, professional tropical fish 'catching' for the aquarium trade. No details -
1992 3 31 Not Recorded USA SCUBA "Baltimore fire officials recovered the body of a diver who apparently got into trouble (failed to surface) while working on the hull of a vessel at Berth 5 of the Dundalk Marine Terminal". The diver may have had a safety line, unclear whether he was trapped under the vessel or injured underwater, on site treatment was carried out, but he failed to respond to treatment. No other details. Reported in the Baltimore Sun -
1992 1 2 Tortorella Franco Italy Drafin Sub 55 SCUBA Italian, aged 43. Ligurian Sea (off Genoa), off a small boat with a partner inspecting (plus cleaning and fishing!) a loading facility. Died during ascent. Unisuit too small, clear signs of haemorrhage on neck and top of shoulder. -
1992 0 0 Not Recorded USA SCUBA Two reported deaths off Maine during professional sea urchin harvesting -
1991 12 3 Beauregard Robert J USA Pioneer Hydroelectric SCUBA American, aged 30, off duty fireman, working for "Pioneer Hydro" of Ware, Massachusetts, down a tunnel inspecting a turbine, got trapped underwater, tugged on his lifeline, but ran out of air. Unclear if there was a standby diver. -
1991 3 13 Wallace Timothy USA 8 SCUBA Aged 27, from Winter Harbour, one of 4 men onboard the scalloper 'Yellow Bird' trying to raise another scallop dragger that had sunk at its moorings in Gouldsboro bay the day before. Reported as diving alone, surfaced, told his companions - which included his father - that he had found the boat and asked for a marker buoy which was thrown to him. He didn't catch it but disappeared below water at around 09:00 and did not resurface. Reported in the Sun Journal. -
1991 2 8 Hynes Master Seaman William Portugal Canadian Navy SCUBA Aged 31, diving off the Canadian destroyer 'Margaree, visiting the Madeira Islands. It was stated that the propeller being started had nothing to do with the death of the two divers who were inspecting the hull who both drowned after being trapped in the engine room cooling water intake pipe. Double fatality (Sub Lieutenant Corey Wells). Reported in the Toronto Star -
1991 2 8 Not Recorded Portugal Canadian Navy SCUBA One of two un-named Navy divers injured and hospitalised in Madeira during the rescue of diver sub-lt Corey Wells and Master Seaman Willian Hynes who both drowned when sucked into the engine cooling intake of the Canadian destroyer "Magaree" when her engines were started whilst they wrre undertakung a hull survey. Reported in the Ottawa Citizen -
1991 2 8 Wells Sub-Lt Corey Portugal Canadian Navy SCUBA Aged 27, diving off the Canadian destroyer 'Margaree', visiting the Madeira Islands. It was stated that the propeller being started had nothing to do with the death of the two divers who were inspecting the hull who both drowned after being trapped in the engine room cooling water intake pipe. Double fatality (Master Seaman William Hynes). Reported in the Toronto Star -
1991 0 0 Howard Kenneth W USA SCUBA Aged 34, drowned whilst collecting specimen fish for aquaria. Unlicensed diver, led to calls for the trade to be regulated. Los Angeles Times -
1990 11 15 Bartholomew Captain Al 'Black Bart' USA USN SCUBA Aged 50, director of ocean engineering for the Navy and supervisor of its salvage and diving operations, died during a diving recertification exercise, disappeared from sight in 200 feet of water. His body was recovered Nov. 17, but the cause of death was not been determined. -
1990 10 4 Parks Michael USA SCUBA From Baltimore, surveying extent of zebra mussels in a 130' long pipe at the Monroe County Water Authority pumping station on Lake Ontario. Body was pulled out some two hours after he lost contact with the surface. "He got trapped and we couldn't get him out". No other details. The Evening News -
1990 8 31 Mortimer Michael USA SCUBA Aged 31, Lake Worth fire fighter, recreational dive for lobster off Juno Beach in the notorious 'mini-season'. Died due to air in this cylinder being contaminated carbon monoxide. Reported in the Miami Herald. Later, it was reported in the Sun Sentinel that “Attorney Tracy R. Sharpe, who represents the victim's widow, said he thought the carbon monoxide got into the tank when [Michael R. Mortimer] filled it with oxygen from a larger oxygen tank that National Weldco of Miami had delivered to his home� (Doubtful it was oxygen for a sports lobster dive, probably decanting air, but still no explanation of where the CO came from, TC) -
1990 0 0 Thomlinson Goeorge USA SCUBA Ex Seal, professional urchin diver, died of an embolism after an ascent in rough water near Depoe Bay. Reported as the only fatality in that industry in Oregon that year. Eugene Register-Guard -
1989 12 0 Not Recorded USA Police SCUBA A 28-year-old member of a fire department dive team lost his life in a lake in Oklahoma in December of 1989. The dive team was conducting a search for the victim of a parasailing accident that had occurred the previous October. While attempting to recover the equipment and the body of the accident victim this diver became thoroughly ensnared in the parachute’s lines -
1989 8 11 Carter Mike USA 4 SCUBA Aged 34, described as an experienced diver, drowned whilst replacing a pond drainage system on a farm three miles north of the town of Marion, 'not entangled or trapped, plenty of air in his tank. Investigators stated that “He might have been tired from work done on the previous day and plan no autopsy or further investigations� -
1989 7 27 Not Recorded USA Russian Navy SCUBA Joint USA/Russian military subsea photographic expedition sponsored by tha National Geographic Society onboard the Soviet vessel 'Keldysh'. Used two Mir submersibles to set bait boxes to attract sharks, but during the expedition a Soviet diver failed to surface. Unclear if his body was ever recovered. No details -
1989 6 5 Lamm William USA Sports diver SCUBA American, aged 45, spear fishing and then sucked into the inlet of a 16 foot diameter inlet pipe. 4 minutes and 1650 feet later later he surfaced inside a canal inside the Saint Lucie nuclear power plant run by Florida Power and Light. Completely unscathed. Ocala Star Banner. -
1989 2 16 Hand Larry USA 12 SCUBA Aged 34, novice sponge diver out of Tampa, recovered from the seabed by a diver from another sponge boat, inference is diving solo from a small boat with one none diving surface crew. Tangled in buoy line, mask flooded, dead on recovery. Third diver to die sponge diving out of Tampa in the last 5 weeks (Russell McIlrath and Scott Gassner) Petersburg Times -
1989 2 14 McIlrath Russell USA SCUBA BAYPORT - A commercial sponge diver died in 40 feet of water off the Hernando County coast Tuesday. U.S. Coast Guard Command Duty Officer Keith Scally said Russell McIlrath, 33, of Parsons, Tenn., died while harvesting sponges from the commercial boat Dream Diver, out of Hudson in Pasco County. Scally said McIlrath was working in the Gulf of Mexico about 25 miles west of Bayport when the accident occurred about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. McIlrath was taken by helicopter to Shands University Teaching Hospital in Gainesville, where he was pronounced dead at 2:51 p.m., according to Shands spokesman Ralph Ives. The fatality was the second sponge-diving death on the North Suncoast this year; on Jan. 15, St. Petersburg sponge diver Scott Gassner died while diving in 40 feet of water off the Citrus County coast. St Petersburg times -
1989 2 11 Wells Timothy L USA Police SCUBA American police officer aged 36, Williston, North Dakota, cold water training dive in the Missouri river, found under thick ice near the shore by colleagues, tank empty, drowned -
1989 1 15 Gassner Scott USA 12 SCUBA Aged 20, diving from the 'Char Lo II' out of Cortez, Had joined the vessel one month earlier (Temporary job, he wanted to join the police force). Had been in the water about an hour, signalled the surface to pull up his catch, apparently stopped breathing. Pulled up unconscious, failed to respond to treatment, reported as 'accidental drowning' but no explanation. Not clear whether it was a three or four man crew, but two divers were in the water simultaneously. St Petersburg Times -
1988 7 13 Hastings Robbie USA SCUBA Sports diver aged 30, died after being stung by a Jellyfish (Portuguese man-of-war). Charlotte Observer -
1988 5 24 Olsen Alan Nigeria Comex SCUBA First dive on an SBM. Competition between the divers ("The best diver is the first in the water"), pillar valve not fully opened and flow restricted, became short of air, made a rapid ascent in the well of a crude oil filled buoy but swam into a cross beam and lost his mouthpiece. Drowned. PC -
1987 11 14 MacMillan Mark T Antarctic SCUBA Aged 22, research dive 50 miles west of the US base at McMurdo Sound on Ross Island. No details. Reported in the San Jose Mercury News -
1987 9 18 Gibson Terry Australia SCUBA Aged 47, described as a professional shellfish diver, diving solo off Marino Rocks, Adelaide, disappeared. Weight belt and ripped vest were found on the seabed, presumed to be a shark attack. No other details. Reported in the Ledger. -
1987 6 0 Not Recorded USA Police SCUBA American police officer aged 45 died while searching the Detroit River for victims of a boat that had capsized. It was later alleged that the malfunction of a valve on a dry suit was a contributing factor to his death. -
1987 4 10 Sherman Paul USA Ocean Survey 18 SCUBA Aged 40, Working one and a half miles outside Hampton Harbour at the Seabrook nuclear power plant discharge vent, trying to re-attach a buoy, reported as surfacing quickly from 60 feet to the surface and signalling to the dive boat that he was in distress. They threw him a life ring 'but he missed it and sank from sight for more than an hour." "When he was brought to the surface, he suffered cardiac arrest". CPR was initiated and he was transferred to Wentworth Douglass Hospital in Dover where he was confirmed dead at 16:10 from hypothermic arrest and drowning. The hospital spokesperson said that "Basically he was so cold he had a heart attack". Water temperature at the time was reported as 41 degrees F. The Lewiston Daily Sun -
1987 2 17 Harknett Ronald Hopkins USA Firefighter SCUBA American, aged 38. Rancho Cordova firefighter and member of the Drowning Accident Rescue Team, one of four diivers searching the Sacramento river for a child and adult lost overboard when a boat sank. Failed to surface, drowned. -
1987 2 0 Not Recorded UK . SCUBA BSAC diver died while working to clear debris fouling the propulsion units of a new ferry. "Water conditions atrocious in terms of visibility and cleanliness. Deceased's air supply had been turned off accidently underwater, it is thought by blow(s) against underside of hull of ship but he was also trapped by a surface rope and a flxed rope around the hull of the vessel. Deceased had been using normal sports diving equipment. No other details, not sure whether this was investigated by the HSE as a commercial fatality. Reported by Dave Shaw in BSAC incidents report fot 1987 -
1986 11 5 Tennant Leroy J USA Roy Tennant Co. 2 SCUBA Aged 62, Owner of the diving Company, inspecting an underwater gas line in the Shetucket river, witnesses on shore observed in trouble but sank below the surface before being rescued. Body recovered 40 minutes later -
1986 5 0 Ananenko Alexei USSR SCUBA Engineer at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Pripyat, Uktraine, 26th April 1986. During tests reactor 4 went into meltdown causing the most significant release of radiation in history. During the immediate aftermath many workers were subjected to fatal doses of radiation in desperate attempts to mitigate the effects. At one stage, in order to reduce the risk of a steam explosion in the flooded baement area, three volunteers (Valeri Bezpalov, Boris Baranov and Alexei Ananenko) entered the flooded area in diving gear to open the sliuce gates manually. All three returned to the surface after completing the work but died later from radiation sickness. GPS Buceo/Wikipedia -
1986 5 0 Baranov Boris USSR SCUBA Soldier, Relief force at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Pripyat, Uktraine, 26th April 1986. During tests reactor 4 went into meltdown causing the most significant release of radiation in history. During the immediate aftermath many workers were subjected to fatal doses of radiation in desperate attempts to mitigate the effects. At one stage, in order to reduce the risk of a steam explosion in the flooded baement area, three volunteers (Valeri Bezpalov, Boris Baranov and Alexei Ananenko) entered the flooded area in diving gear to open the sliuce gates manually. All three returned to the surface after completing the work but died later from radiation sickness. GPS Buceo/Wikipedia -
1986 5 0 Bezpalov Valeri USSR SCUBA Engineer at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Pripyat, Uktraine, 26th April 1986. During tests reactor 4 went into meltdown causing the most significant release of radiation in history. During the immediate aftermath many workers were subjected to fatal doses of radiation in desperate attempts to mitigate the effects. At one stage, in order to reduce the risk of a steam explosion in the flooded baement area, three volunteers (Valeri Bezpalov, Boris Baranov and Alexei Ananenko) entered the flooded area in diving gear to open the sliuce gates manually. All three returned to the surface after completing the work but died later from radiation sickness. GPS Buceo/Wikipedia -
1986 2 3 D'Amato John USA Volunteer police team SCUBA Aged 37, civilian volunteer with the police SAR team, died whilst searching for a 6 year old boy (who was declared dead in hospital 2 hours after being found - he had been under the ice for two hours) who had fallen through the ice on the Ipswich River. The diver was missing for an hour before his absence was noted by the team. Reported in the Boston Globe. -
1986 1 10 Boyle Timothy W USA DiveTech SCUBA Crystal River nuclear power plant run by the Florida Power Corporation, his team mate, Scott Wiker, was sucked 600' up inlet to grid, Boyle died trying to rescue him with the pumps still running at 28.000 gallons per minute. Drowned. Double fatality. OSHA cited the contractor with six violations and 'they were fined nearly $5,000'. Florida Power officials admitted the divers were not warned that the pumps were operating but were not cited because they were not involved in the dive. OSHA stated that had the divers equipment met federal standards they would not have been sucked through the underwater pipe “Should have been attached to lifelines, received their air from the surface rather than SCUBA tanks and been attached to a voice communications line� Also cited for failure to have a standby diver, failure to wear inflatable buoyancy, no person in charge at site, safe practices manual not including a copy of OSHAs diving requirements and no plan to recover an injured diver from the water. Reported in the Gainesville Sun<br />OSHA Report:- Accident: 14346597 -- Report ID: 0420600 -- Event Date: 01/10/1986. TWO COMMERCIAL DIVERS WERE KILLED WHEN THEY WERE DRAWN INTO AN INTAKE PIPE WHICH CARRIED COOLING WATER TO A NUCLEAR REACTOR IN AN ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT. THE PUMPING SYSTEM HAD BEEN MISTAKENLY LEFT RUNNING WHILE THE DIVERS WERE ENGAGED IN CLEANING AND INSPECTING ACTIVIES. DESPITE THE POOR VISIBILITY AND THE RESTRICTED CONFIGURATION OF THE WORK AREA, THE DIVERS WERE USING SCUBA GEAR WITH NO SURFACE LINE TENDING. SINCE ACCESS INTO THE DIVE AREA WAS THROUGH A MANHOLE, NO ONE TOPSIDE COULD MONITOR THE LOCATION OF THE INWATER DIVER. WHEN THE FIRST DIVER FAILED TO REAPPEAR IN A TIMELY FASHION, THE SECOND DIVER ENTERED THE WATER TO BEGIN A SEARCH FOR HIM. THE RESCUE DIVER ALSO BECAME TRAPPED IN THE MECHANICALLY INDUCED CURRENTS. ONLY AFTER THE PUMPS WERE SHUT DOWN WERE THE BODIES RECOVERED -
1986 1 10 Wiker Scott W USA DiveTech SCUBA Aged 26, cleaning inlets of Crystal River nuclear power plant run by the Florida Power Corporation, cleaning filters on the cooling water inlets, pumps running at 28,000 gallons per minute sucked him 600' up inlet to grid, drowned. His team mate, Timothy Boyle, drowned trying to rescue him with the pumps still running. Double fatality. OSHA cited the contractor with six violations and 'they were fined nearly $5,000'. Florida Power officials admitted the divers were not warned that the pumps were operating but were not cited because they were not involved in the dive. OSHA stated that had the divers equipment met federal standards they would not have been sucked through the underwater pipe “Should have been attached to lifelines, received their air from the surface rather than SCUBA tanks and been attached to a voice communications line� Also cited for failure to have a standby diver, failure to wear inflatable buoyancy, no person in charge at site, safe practices manual not including a copy of OSHAs diving requirements and no plan to recover an injured diver from the water. Reported in the Gainesville Sun<br />OSHA Report:- Accident: 14346597 -- Report ID: 0420600 -- Event Date: 01/10/1986. TWO COMMERCIAL DIVERS WERE KILLED WHEN THEY WERE DRAWN INTO AN INTAKE PIPE WHICH CARRIED COOLING WATER TO A NUCLEAR REACTOR IN AN ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT. THE PUMPING SYSTEM HAD BEEN MISTAKENLY LEFT RUNNING WHILE THE DIVERS WERE ENGAGED IN CLEANING AND INSPECTING ACTIVIES. DESPITE THE POOR VISIBILITY AND THE RESTRICTED CONFIGURATION OF THE WORK AREA, THE DIVERS WERE USING SCUBA GEAR WITH NO SURFACE LINE TENDING. SINCE ACCESS INTO THE DIVE AREA WAS THROUGH A MANHOLE, NO ONE TOPSIDE COULD MONITOR THE LOCATION OF THE INWATER DIVER. WHEN THE FIRST DIVER FAILED TO REAPPEAR IN A TIMELY FASHION, THE SECOND DIVER ENTERED THE WATER TO BEGIN A SEARCH FOR HIM. THE RESCUE DIVER ALSO BECAME TRAPPED IN THE MECHANICALLY INDUCED CURRENTS. ONLY AFTER THE PUMPS WERE SHUT DOWN WERE THE BODIES RECOVERED -
1986 0 0 John Johnny UK SCUBA Tenby (South Wales), amateur diver inspecting the moorings of a pleasure craft for a friend. Failed to surface. Cause of death 'aspiration of vomit into lungs'. 'At work'? Yes, but 'at work for pay'? Probably not, just doing doing a favour for his friend. Personal communication, no other details -
1985 1 15 Belleque Arthur A “Jerry� USA SCUBA Commercial fishing operation in the Columbia river, diving to remove snags from the river bed using a drag net and two boats. Pulled from the river alive but died in hospital. Sheriff stated it was possible he had died of natural causes, but an autopsy was planned. No further details -
1985 0 0 Yacob Samsi bin Malaysia BUE Malaysia SCUBA Diving off the DB Thor (8 point anchored crane barge, built 1972 from a 20-year-old vessel (The ‘Veedol’ built 1955) which was cut in half (The stern section was converted to a bulk oil carrier). Its old bow was towed to Rotterdam and used as the basis for a new vessel, ‘WS Thor’, IMO No 8626898, launched in 1974, a diving support derrick pontoon for operation in the North Sea. It was fitted out with, among other things, a diving bell, compression chambers, and pile-driving hammers. In 1982 she was renamed the DB Thor, in 1989 she became the McDermott DB 52, final fate of the vessel is not known ). The diver had swum a line under the barge and was being recovered to deck in a diving basket when it was hit by the swell and he fell out. He had used the line as a lifeline during his swim but had tied it off to the basket. Body never recovered. PC -
1984 12 12 Fusco Quartermaster Seaman Arthur A. Honduras US Special Forces SCUBA Aged 24, Seal team 4 based at Naval Amphibious Base at Little Creek, Va. "Two Navy divers killed blasting Honduran Logjam". Among around 40 special forces dispatched to Honduras to join the Destroyer USS Caron for exercise 'Kings Guard', a coastal surveillance exercise involving the Caron and other vessels from Honduras and El Salvador. As the exercise was winfing down, the Navy dipatched Fusco and Uyedo to the east coast of Honduras for a 'civic action' to help residents of six small villages who had been totally isolated for several years because of log jams on the Amatingri river. The two apparently placed 14 pounds of C4 on a large log jam in a lagoon but they apparently failed to move their small boat far enough away. One man died at the scene, the second died en route to hospital in Comayagua. Shenectady Gazette -
1984 12 12 Uyeda Engine Man 2nd Class Michael R Honduras US Special Forces SCUBA Aged 22, Special Boat Unit 24 based at Naval Amphibious Base at Little Creek, Va. "Two Navy divers killed blasting Honduran Logjam". Among around 40 special forces dispatched to Honduras to join the Destroyer USS Caron for exercise 'Kings Guard', a coastal surveillance exercise involving the Caron and other vessels from Honduras and El Salvador. As the exercise was winfing down, the Navy dipatched Fusco and Uyedo to the east coast of Honduras for a 'civic action' to help residents of six small villages who had been totally isolated for several years because of log jams on the Amatingri river. The two apparently placed 14 pounds of C4 on a large log jam in a lagoon but they apparently failed to move their small boat far enough away. One man died at the scene, the second died en route to hospital in Comayagua. Shenectady Gazette -
1984 11 24 Edie Winfield S USA Police 4 SCUBA American police diver aged 29, Wenatchee, Washington State. First open water training dive, surfaced, yelled for help, sank, resurfaced, yelled again and sank, found on the bottom in 12' of water, could not be resuscitated -
1984 8 19 Siver Ronald J USA Police 23 SCUBA American police diver, Rochester, New York. Attempting to find the body of a man who died in a boating accident, suffered unknown problems, drowned -
1984 2 0 McKerlich Sarge UK ? 12 SCUBA (Elder brother of Jock McKerlich who died in the late 70s). Scallop diving? Ex sat diver, MFV "Boy John", Plock of Kyle. First dive after misunderstanding with diving doctor, he should never have returned to diving after a major deck accident offshore. -
1983 8 18 LaFollette Ricky A USA Police 30 SCUBA American police diver aged 30, Louisville, Kentucky, experienced, night training exercise using new communication equipment, did not respond to calls, believed to have become disorientated in the dark and descended rather than ascended, drowned. -
1983 6 2 Wallace R M UK Mobell Marine 16 SCUBA British, aged 30. Diving from inflatable, body recovered with SCUBA mouthpiece out of mouth, drowned -
1983 4 29 Underhill Ernest USA Police SCUBA Aged 32, Sheriff's Deputy, off duty, Little Muskegon dam, helping village employees replace metal plates/grills over openings in the dam wall but got sucked head first into a 4' wide. 8� high opening. Rescuers tried for 5 hours to pull him out, while his wife watched, eventually breaking his surface line, His legs and feet were visible, but the water pressure kept him trapped. 'He was just helping out'. -
1982 10 27 Clark R. Kelly USA Crom Corporation SCUBA Aged 34, working in a 3 million gallon municipal water tank, looking for a leak, sucked into a pipe at the bottom of the tank, body recovered an hour later. The pipe acted as both inlet and outlest into the tank (balance pipe). "The president of the company said the divers had been in the tank 'for some time' and he had felt water coming into the tank. He said no one knows why water suddenly started flowing out". Gainsville Sun. -
1982 6 25 McCarty Michael USA 14 SCUBA "Navy SCUBA diver died Friday afternoon 45 feet under the waters of Long Beach Harbour under the World War II Battleship 'New …. ?" Reported as a 'valve malfunction'. Los Angeles Times -
1982 3 13 Anderson Doug USA 70 SCUBA American, aged 34. Had chartered the salvage barge “St Peter� out of Port Townsend and were inspecting a sunken oil barge off the West Whidbey Island for recoverable metal when Heavenor's air lines became entangled, Doug Anderson, acting as standby, entered the water to assist on SCUBA. Neither diver surfaced. Heavnor's body was recovered later by commercial divers from the tug “Constellation� which responded to distress calls.. Double fatality. Unclear if Anderson's body was ever recovered -
1982 0 0 Gunderson USA SCUBA Paraphrased from press reports from 19/9/2009- “Jerry Gunderson, 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. -
1981 10 20 Lee Patrick Singapore SCUBA Aged 21, one of a team of 8 divers, he was reported missing during diving operations to clean the hull of the supply vessel 'Chinta' off Clifford Pier. Around noon they began to run low on air and indicated they were surfacing, he signalled them to carry on. When he failed to surface the other 7 dived in to look for him but not locate him. Not clear if his body was ever recovered. Straits Times -
1981 5 11 Jackson Fred Canada SCUBA Aged 30, salvage operation at lower Cove Terminal, St John Harbour, New Brunswick, grounded freighter, MV 'Opal', surface suppled equipment available, but diver decided to run a hog line under the hull using SCUBA, returned to the support vessel, then rolled onto his side and sank from view. Immediate search could not find the diver (harbour up to 80' deep, low visibility, high currents). Body recovered six weeks later. Coroner determined the cause as drowning (body was found underwater). However, he had been having pains in his neck, shoulder and chest over the previous two days but no tests/autopsy were not done to determine if he had had a heart attack. PC -
1981 0 0 Not Recorded Antarctic SCUBA McMurdo research base, American scientist, embolism after using his dry suit as a lift bag to move a piece of steel underwater. He dropped the steel and went straight to the surface. No details. Bonnier Corporation 'SCUBA' News article -
1980 12 2 Franklin John Henry USA Power Plant Maintenance Inc SCUBA Aged 35, diving at the South Carolina Electric and Gas Company power dam on the Savannah River, just upstream of Augusta, clearing obsrructions from the dam's intake grate, found dead inside the power plant the following day. He had been sucked into the turbine - Two had been shut off, he was sucked into the third (live) intake. 6 violations (4 serious, 1 wilful). No lifeline, no in-water diver to maintain visual contact, no safety manual, no person in charge, no stand-by diver, no emergency procedures/equipment. The Albany Herald -
1980 9 25 Ong Ah Lam Singapore SCUBA Aged 53, diver on a fishing vessel (His first trip) which left Singapore on the 16th September, dropped anchor in rough weather but could not lift it when conditions improved on the 24th September. Diver cleared the anchor (depth was not specified at the inquiry) after a 4 hour dive but then complained of stomach pains, weakness in his legs and being unable to urinate. Died the following day 'of acute decompression sickness' whilst en route to Singapore. Coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure. Straits Times -
1980 2 15 Walter Brian Qatar Comex 37 SCUBA Diving untended off Halul Island. Vomited underwater, failed to surface. PC -
1979 0 0 Not Recorded Netherlands 14 SCUBA Dutch diver, preparing to weld, just vanished. Not confirmed, just rumour. -
1978 3 31 Fewer Douglas USA NOAA 14 SCUBA 23 years old, from Broooklyn, diving with a colleague in the New York Bight off Long Island collecting water samplers. His dive partner said that Fewer disappeared while they were working. The diver was found unconscious and picked up by a Coastguard cutter and then transferred to Air Force hekicopter and flown to Groton (Connecticut) for treatment, but declared dead on arrival there. No details. Virgin Islands Daily News. -
1978 0 0 Not Recorded USA 6 SCUBA �The victim was diving alone in 18 feet of water trying to find out why fishing nets were getting fouled on the bottom. He had not been diving for 5 years and the equipment had not been used for equally as long. The victim entered the water and never resurfaced. He was recovered two and a half hours later� Reported in the statistics of the University of Michigan, Michigan Sea Grant Program, 1979. (Not sure whether this is a true professional fatality so it is excluded from the count TC) -
1977 8 20 Sansalone D UK Subsea Oil Services 23 SCUBA Italian, aged 29. Pipelay barge "Semac I", Working on stinger, 2 working divers plus stand-by, lost comms, continued working, Inexperienced in prevailing conditions, drowned -
1977 7 10 Petrecz Paul F USA Harmonville Volunteer Fire Department 15 SCUBA Aged 29, Montgomery County volunteer fire-fighter/diver, one of a team of 30 searching Muddy Run Lake for the body of a 22 year old who drowned whilst swimming. 'Tangled in a guideline and ran out of air' Reported as a veteran diver by fire officials. Beaver County Times -
1976 12 24 Moore M R or H R UK Comex 0 SCUBA British, aged 29. Drill rig "Sedneth 701". Heavy swell, difficulty getting into basket, tried to swim to stand-by boat, presumed drowned, possibly run over by stand-by vessel, body never recovered. -
1976 12 4 Nabusset Norbert France Comex SCUBA Off Brittany coast. Dived from one moonpool to the other in high current, tide took him away, dragged back by lifeline but lost head gear, drowned. PC -
1976 11 4 Meeham C V UK KD Marine 0 SCUBA American, aged 24. Semi-sub drilling rig "Ocean Voyager", night dive to connect anchor pennants, surface tending, rough weather (Outside KD policy, being pushed by Company man on rig), lines entangled in pontoon anodes, knocked unconscious? Double fatality (Spensley) -
1976 11 4 Spensley H W UK KD Marine 0 SCUBA British, aged 24. Semi-sub drilling rig "Ocean Voyager", night dive to connect anchor pennants, surface tending, rough weather (Outside KD Policy, pushed by Company man on rig), lines entangled in pontoon anodes, knocked unconscious? Double fatality (Meecham), drowned -
1976 10 25 Soonee Mohamed bin Amin Borneo SCUBA Aged 48, onboard a Singaporean registered fishing vessel working 100 miles off the North Borneo coast. Propeller entangled with rope and nets, went in to clear it around 15:00 hours. Did not surface. Other crew members spent three hours searching for him before they saw his SCUBA gear hanging on the propeller. As it was dark they abandoned the search until the morning After a thre or four hour search the following day, they recovered his body from the seabed. The coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure, cause of death was certified as asphixia due to drowning. Straits Times -
1976 9 6 Distier Mike USA 12 SCUBA Aged 28, diving for tropical fish of Big Pine Bay, reported as gear failure, breath held to surface, went into a coma, spent 8 hours in NOAA's Miami chamber, died in a Miami hospital. Not clear if this was a commercial dive. Reported in the St Petersberg Times. -
1976 9 3 Critchfield Scott USA Aqua Hut 4 SCUBA Aged 22, Bowling Green Country Club Golf course, working on a submerged pump supplying a sprinkler system, colleague "Turned on the pump at a pre-arranged signal", about 30 seconds later the diver 'came struggling to the surface'. He went to get a rope but when he returned, the diver had disappeared. The diver's body was recovered about 20 feet from the shore. Possible electrocution, but no details. Toledo Blade. -
1976 5 13 Dymott C UK SBM Anglesey 37 SCUBA British, aged 26, drowned. 2 divers reported in trouble, located by stand-by(s) on seabed. Dymott with mouthpiece out, dive time listed as 5 hours? -
1975 10 17 Peterson Barry USA SCUBA Aged 21, sports diver, drowned when he was sucked into the 2,600 foot long cooling water inlet pipe of Southern California Edison power plant. An Edison spokesman commented that he could have surfaced safely in the holding tank 'but police stated he probably didn't realise that'. (On the other hand, it is entirely probable he drowned somewhere inside the half mile long pipe? TC) Google News Archive. Edison settled out of court in 1979 ($100,000). -
1975 8 29 Gates Robert USA Clarmac Marine Construction 4 SCUBA Aged 19, Halifax River at Ormand Beach, Emergency repairs to a 10� water main (Anchor damage) 200 yards to the North side of Granada Bridge, diving with a colleague doing final flange bolting of a new line, the other diver surfaced but moments later, at around 18:00 his bubbles ceased, divers went back in but were unable to locate him. About 20:00 divers on the barge suggested the use of grapples to search from a boat and found the body but it dropped back into the water, finally recovered a short time later, declared dead on site. Daytona Beach Morning Gazzette. -
1975 8 0 Lee David "Tansy" Egypt Solus Schall 78 SCUBA British, ex RN clearance diver. Platform and pipeline inspection programme for AMOCO/GUPCO in the Gulf of Suez. Dive team increased when 'Beaver IV' (Diver lock out submarine) failed to perform. Diving in pairs on SCUBA with mixed gas to 255 feet on the Morgan 55 platform, diver appeared to let go of structure and drifted away. Body never recovered. Fatality thought to have occurred around the month of August. NB. The bad weather/wind period in the Gulf of Suez is from June to September, lump sum contract thought to have lost millions due to 'unexpected poor weather' as contract was bid expecting European style good summer weather. PC -
1975 7 7 Walsh Peter UK Underwater Security Ltd. 37 SCUBA British, aged 25. "Celtic Surveyor", Scapa Flow, double fatality (Carson), shore approach, pigging operation, diver sucked into pipe by wave action or incorrect valve operation, differential pressure, stand-by diver and second stand-by (third diver) also sucked in though second stand-by managed to get out, two divers drowned -
1975 7 6 Carson W UK Underwater Security Ltd. 37 SCUBA British, aged 20. "Celtic Surveyor", Scapa Flow, double fatality (Walsh), shore approach, pigging operation, diver sucked into pipe by wave action or incorrect valve operation, differential pressure, stand-by diver and second stand-by (third diver) also sucked in though second stand-by managed to get out, two divers drowned -
1975 6 14 Turner George W Norway Comex 46 SCUBA British, aged 37. Pipelay barge "Choctaw 1", meant to be doing a survey at max depth of 50m, seabed was 69m, slipped lifeline. Two divers entered water on SCUBA, supervisor returns to surface violently ill, puking, stand-by (also in SCUBA) entered water but also returned to surface violently ill and puking, second standby jumped on band mask, narked but located diver's body on seabed. Official report states 'food poisoning' though nobody else who ate in the galley reported any symptoms.................Bad gas??? -
1975 5 24 Babin Jean Claude Dubai Comex SCUBA Oilfield Dive, extended bottom time but no provision for in-water decompression stops, zodiac outboard engine failed leading to delayed recompression/surface decompression. Doctor refused to enter DDC. PC -
1975 3 20 Cluseau Giry du Gabon Comex SCUBA Oilfield dive. Two divers, both on SCUBA, both unwell at depth and returned to the surface, one diver survived. Possible contaminated air. PC -
1975 3 1 Wilson Kevin UK CUE 43 SCUBA British, aged 20. Southern North Sea installation 49/27B, Leman field, pulmonary oedema caused by cardiac myopathy, heart failure, natural causes (Reported by JW as the last 1974 fatality, TC) -
1974 11 1 Lim Guan Choon Singapore SCUBA Aged 29, diver on the fishing vessel SMF 271. Returning to Singapore, the boat's nets got caught in it's propellers, he went in to free them but surfaced after 10 minutes complaining of giddiness, died an hour later. No other details. Straits Tims -
1974 10 14 Clark John UK Comex 0 SCUBA British, aged 31, married, two children. Drill rig "Waage I", Acting as surface tender during attachment of a towing line. Swept under cowcatcher or cross member by swell, broken rib, vomited, drowned -
1974 7 19 Brening Fred USA 15 SCUBA US Navy dry dock at Brooklyn Navy Yard. Civilian commercial diver entered pump well to repair pump, "a 5 minute job", trapped by differential pressure for 17 hours, body recovered the day after. Reported in the Virgin Islands Daily News. -
1974 4 17 Perry Dennis USA Military 6 SCUBA Aged 27, married with two children. Oil tanker 'Imperial Sarnia' en route to Montreal with 45,000 bbls of crude ran ashore on Whaleback Shoal, estimate 2,000 bbls spill, pollution along several miles of the coastline. Diver was one of three coastguard divers installing lines around the hull in 20' of water, sank to the bottom and disappeared. Ottawa citizen. -
1974 0 0 Not Recorded USA SCUBA Diving alone in a river recovering fish lures, an activity he had been pursuing for three years. The victim would overweight himself with 24 pounds of lead on his waist and a two pound weight on each ankle. The dive site was below a dam where the water was quite swift. |The victim was very fatigued, and witnesses say that he moved closer to the dam than normal, and apparently got drawn against the rocks and lost control. He was seen floating downstream turning over three times as he went. The regulator was out of his mouth the last time he turned over. The victim was recovered with the outside portion of a minnow bucket attached to his chest and a rope from his waist tied to an inner tube and diving flag. The rope was tangled around his body. Reported in the statistics of the University of Michigan, Michigan Sea Grant Program, 1979. (Not sure whether this is a true professional fatality so it is excluded from the count TC) -
1973 10 10 Coelo Dominique Congo Comex 70 SCUBA Oilfield dive. Drowned. PC -
1973 0 0 Not Recorded USA SCUBA The diver was working alone, under ice, installing a bubbler system in a marina. The area between and outside the three docks was ice covered with open water in the boat wells (due to the bubbler system). The victim, stating that he wanted to finish the job that day, entered the water wearing double tanks and a variable volume dry suit. He left a friend on the dock as observer and used no safety line as he feared getting tangled under the docks. The victim surfaced in one of the wells on the center dock and stated that he was going to one of the other docks to do some work. He was not seen again. His body was recovered from under a large ice sheet near the shore of the marina. His back pack and weight belt were still on, but the tanks, which had been wired to the backpack were found 20 feet away. The regulator mouthpiece was floating above the empty tanks. Reported in the statistics of the University of Michigan, Michigan Sea Grant Program, 1979. -
1972 5 1 Taylor Robert UK Strongwork 13 SCUBA British, aged 25. Drillship "Britannia", big meal, vomited underwater, found entangled in a rope 11 hours later, drowned. Possibly no training -
1972 0 0 Not Recorded Tunisia Cocean 57 SCUBA Ashtart field, installation of a shackle on an anchoring pipe. Diving SCUBA/Trimix from SBM Installer I. Descent along the chain - High swell, chain moving in chain direction in upper zone, vertically up and down (4 to 5 meters) below 60 m where it was almost horizontal in reduced visibility water. Chain hits Scuba tanks braking the attachment between tanks. Diver catches the chain to prevent further hit, movement of water removes mask and one fin. After releasing the chain, diver could replace mask and locate the fin and come up, the buddy diver was watching above in a zone with visibility (bubbles still coming up), both returned safely at surface..... -
1971 3 26 Pasquier Jean Pierre Italy Comex SCUBA Oilfield dive. Breathing 50/50 during decompression stops, hyperoxia, drowned. PC -
1971 2 1 Lally Thomas "Mick" Norway Comex 71 SCUBA British (Not, as widely reported, American), aged 32. Noted as the first of 55 North Sea fatalities between 1971 and 1984 by Jackie Warner, “Requiem for a diver� (He had no knowledge of RJ Lyons death in the Norwegian sector in 1967 or the double explosion fatality in 1970 off Great Yarmouth), "Ocean Viking", surface jump in a wetsuit (SCUBA with heliox), no bell, at end of dive partner Bjorn Lilleand shivering violently surfaced 5 minutes early from 3 metre stop, put in single person cage and recovered, Lally died, drowned on surface, reported 20 minute delay in recovering him from the sea, probable hypothermia -
1970 2 19 Palmer David USA Need a Diver Marine Services 3 SCUBA Aged 26, Florida Power Corporation dock on Weedon Island, patching the hull of the tanker “Delian Apollo� (Which had run aground in the bay and caused a pollution incident in Tampa Bay), 40 minutes into the dive, stand-by diver got no response on lifeline, went in and found the diver against the hull of the tanker and brought him to the surface. Regulator and cylinders had been ditched (later recovered from the bed of the dock in 33' of water, reported as “in good working order but low on air supply�), reported as drowned. No real explanation. Reported in the St Petersburg Times -
1970 1 29 Othman Cpl bin Shafie Singapore Marine diver SCUBA Marine corporal, aged 34, one of a three man team aiding investigators into a double murder (mutilated bodies dumped in a car into the pool) in an 80' deep 4 acre pool on Bidor-Tiluk Anson Road. Colleagues noticed that his bubbles had stopped and went in to recover him but he was already dead. Wife and three young children. Straits Times -
1969 6 15 Guagenti Nicholas L USA SCUBA Aged 25, diving for golf balls, Hawrthorne Hills Country Club, died in the water, no details -
1968 12 19 McClung Roger L USA Military SCUBA American police officer aged 32, Virginia Beach, Virginia, drowned in a diving accident -
1968 12 19 Monette Robert R USA Military SCUBA American police officer aged 25, Virginia Beach, Virginia, drowned in a diving accident -
1968 11 9 Joost Berend H. USA University of Miami Marine Sciences 50 SCUBA Two divers, Berend Joost, aged 34 of the University of Miami, and John McGinnis, aged 51 of Ocean-Engineering, were installing acoustic recording equipment at the edge of the Gulf stream off Miami when McGinnis noticed that Joost had dropped to the seabed, he went down to help but Joost had a strong grasp on the rope. Joost's mouthpiece dropped out, McGinnis replaced it but had to surface as had run out of air and suffered from decompression illness (treated, believed OK). A third diver, Jim Nangle, aged 23 and also an Ocean-Engineering technician recovered Joost's body to the surface. Reported in the Toledo Blade -
1968 11 9 McGinnis John USA Ocean Engineering 50 SCUBA Two divers, Berend Joost, aged 34 of the University of Miami, and John McGinnis, aged 51 of Ocean-Engineering, were installing acoustic recording equipment at the edge of the Gulf stream off Miami when McGinnis noticed that Joost had dropped to the seabed, he went down to help but Joost had a strong grasp on the rope. Joost's mouthpiece dropped out, McGinnis replaced it but had to surface as had run out of air and suffered from decompression illness (treated, believed OK). A third diver, Jim Nangle, aged 23 and also an Ocean-Engineering technician recovered Joost's body to the surface. Reported in the Toledo Blade -
1968 3 7 Hill Paul Australia 24 SCUBA “JOINT EFFORT SAVES DIVER� MELBOURNE, Thursday. – ‘A 300 mile dash by car, aeroplane and helicopter saved the life today of an abalone diver who got the bends in 80ft of water. The diver, Mr. Paul Hill, about 25, was diving in Bridgewater Bay, near Portland, 225 miles west of Melbourne, yesterday when he surfaced too quickly and became paralysed with the bends. He was taken by speedboat to Portland Hospital, but the hospital had no decompression equipment to treat him. A light aircraft operated by Esso Standard Oil (Aust) Ltd flew the diver to Apollo Bay today with an Esso diver, and both divers were then flown by helicopter to Esso's Ocean Digger oil rig, 42 miles south of Cape Otway. Decompression equipment was taken by car from Melbourne to Apollo Bay, and flown by helicopter to the rig. The Esso diver put Mr. hill into a decompression chamber on the rig at 10.30 am, and kept him there until after 5 pm. An Esso spokesman at Portland said tonight the diver had improved considerably�. Reported in The Canberra Times. -
1966 6 11 Davidson Russell UKCS North Sea Diving Services SCUBA Aged 28, diving from the vessel 'North Shore" at the site of the "Sea Gem" (BP West Sole, capsised and sank 27th December 1965 with the loss of 13 lives), diving with a partner. Both called to the surface but he failed to come up, his partner went back down and found him unresponsive on the seabed and brought him up. No other details. The Glasgow Herald -
1966 4 27 Binney John L USA Military 40 SCUBA Aged 28, university of Oregon research assistant, hired by the US Army Corps of Engineers to inspect a 130' shaft containing a concrete bulkhead at the Hills Creek water reservoir near Oakridge, with partner (Lavey) descended to 90', partner left basket and went to 130', returned to basket and both divers recovered to 10', Lavey then swam to the top of the dam, left the water and began removing his gear. At this point Binney's lifeline went slack. Lavey went back into the water with a fresh tank plus spare. After about 5 minutes, workers on the surface saw a sudden increase in bubbles after which they stopped. Work basket was recovered, but he was dead when brought to the surface. Binney's body was recovered from 130 by divers from Portland Commercial divers (Who also completed the inspection work). Neither dead diver had air in their tanks when recovered though cause of death was not clear (twin hose regulators, could have vented) Double fatality. Reported in the Eugene register-Guard -
1966 4 27 Lavey Kenneth USA Military 27 SCUBA Aged 22, owner of a Eugene SCUBA shop, hired by the US Army Corps of Engineers to inspect a 130' shaft containing a concrete bulkhead at the Hills Creek water reservoir near Oakridge, with partner (Binney) descended to 90', left partner in basket and went to 130', returned to basket and both divers recovered to 10', he then swam to the top of the dam, left the water and began removing his gear. At this point Binney's lifeline went slack. He went back into the water with a fresh tank plus spare. After about 5 minutes, workers on the surface saw a sudden increase in bubbles after which they stopped. Work basket was recovered, but he was dead when brought to the surface. Partner's body was recovered from 130 by divers from Portland Commercial divers (Who also completed the inspection work). Neither dead diver had air in their tanks when recovered though cause of death was not clear (twin hose regulators, could have vented) Double fatality. Reported in the Eugene register-Guard -
1966 4 1 Millikin George USA Military SCUBA American police officer, Anapolis, Maryland, died during a dive on duty, heart attack -
1965 9 1 Cline Robert Herrick USA Military 8 SCUBA Newspaper employee, part time volunteer diving with Sherrif of Coconino rescue unit. Hired via police contact to recover two chemical tanks from a reservoir at the Navajo Army Depot, Coconino. Arizona. No training, st/by or supervisor, third dive surfaced in distress, swimmers tried to help but he sank, plume of bubbles (twin hose) but drowned. -
1965 4 5 Thomas Lyle E USA Military SCUBA American, aged 38, Navy Deep Sea Diving School, With National Capital Cave Rescue team rescued 4 cavers trapped by rising water from Rowland cave, Ozark mountains, Arkansas, collapsed at end of dive, natural causes, heart attack. -
1965 3 30 Hunt Roy USA Military SCUBA “A SCUBA diver disappeared Sunday while trying to help police recover a car from an abandoned lead and zinc mine. Roy Hunt, aged 23, was presumed drowned. Police believe the car was the one that killed a 13 year old boy in front of his house in Webb city in a hit and run accident last November 18. Divers found the car on a ledge under about 70 feet of water� Reported in the Tuscaloosa News. Not a professional diver, but clearly a diver at work, TC -
1965 1 20 Mihulec Robert W USA Fountain Hill Emergency Diving Team SCUBA Aged 20, volunteered to search under ice for the body of a 9 year old boy who had fallen through the ice into the Lehigh River, entered the water roped together with a 19 year old companion, companion survived (treated for hypothermia), diver drowned. Gettysburg Times -
1963 10 0 Egner Alfred Austria SCUBA Aged 19 from Munich, drowned on a night dive in lake Toplitz. Three German businessmen were charged with his manslaughter in Munich in 1965 – he died during a secret treasure hunt for reputed Nazi treasure dumped in the lake and they failed to try to rescue him, also reported that his downline had been cut (at the surface). A search weeks later by Austrian authorities recovered the diver's body, printing presses and batches of forged British banknotes the Nazis intended to use to cause financial panic in the UK. The Sydney Morning Herald -
1962 11 19 Hayes Darrell USA Columbia River Divers 27 SCUBA Aged 33, Undertaking repairs to the bulkhead gate guides on the Priest Rapids dam. Surfacing after the dive with partner and apparently fell out of the dive basket when changing tanks. Recovered by partner from bed of dam at 110' after 8 minutes. Pronounced dead. It was his first commercial dive. -
1962 4 17 Ingram Petty Officer John Australia Military 9 SCUBA Aged 24, experienced diver, died on a moorings inspection dive in Sydney harbour, failed to respond to signals, was found by searching divers, brought to the surface unconscious, did not respond to treatment, no details. He was one of the team who made a 300' dive to clear a tunnel in the incompleted Eucumbene dam in 1961. Reported in The Age -
1961 7 28 Beghtol Robert G USA Military SCUBA American police officer, Arvada, Colorado, aged 26, died during a training exercise -
1961 2 28 Not Recorded Papua New Guinea Military SCUBA At the preliminary inquest into the death of Leading Able Seaman Allan Smith (Died during a training exercise alongside HMAS anti-submarine frigate 'Quiberon' berthed off Rushcutter Bay at Garden island. (Had been underwater about 15 minutes when he floated to the surface unconscious' Reported as “air embolism� , but no details) it became apparent that another Navy diver, a member of the Papua new Guinea Naval Division, had died under very similar conditions a day later at the Manus Naval Base. No details were given. Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. -
1961 2 27 Smith Leading Seaman Allan Leslie Australia Military 10 SCUBA Aged 24, Diving 'fairly shallow routine dive' alongside HMAS anti-submarine frigate 'Quiberon' berthed off Rushcutter Bay at Garden island. 'Had been underwater about 15 minutes when he floated to the surface unconscious' Reported as “air embolism� but no details. At the preliminary inquest his father asked if the Navy were aware that another Navy diver had died under very similar conditions a day later in New Guinea They were, but no details were given. Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. -
1960 7 15 Burris Sgt. Kiefer C USA Military SCUBA American police officer, Kansas, Missouri, died during a training dive -
1960 7 15 Bybee Herbert E USA Military SCUBA American police officer, Kansas, Missouri, died during a training dive -
1959 12 22 Mielke Donald USA 1 SCUBA Aged 17, diving under ice on the Wolf River at New London with Steven Austen, aged 15, as part of an ongoing search for the body of a three year old boy who apparrently fell into the river a month earlier. Suffocated under the ice when his regulator apparently froze. He was shared regulators with his dive partner, who also nearly sufficated but was rescued by other divers. The Milwaukee Sentinel -
1959 11 21 Gavenman Harold B USA SCUBA “Skin Diver, Hit by Boat, Falls From Copter, Dies�. Skin diving off Santa Barbara Island. one of several diving from a barge (the Villaron) in an island cove. He surfaced in front of an oncoming lobster boat and “was sucked into the propeller.� The lobster boat operator jumped in and pulled him onboard, radioed for help, and took him by boat to the barge. An Air Force helicopter made 30 attempts to secure a line to him. Once they were successful, when he was raised about 100 feet in the liter basket, the cable broke and he was dropped onto the barge and rolled off the side. Those on the barge were able to recover him, then took him by a fast power boat cruiser to Santa Catalina Island, he was then life flighted from to Newport Beach and pronounced dead on arrival at Hoag Memorial Hospital. Los Angeles Times -
1958 6 24 Mott Leonard K Canada Seaboard Marine Divers SCUBA Aged 26. Following the collapse of the new Second Narrows bridge being constructed over Burrard inlet with a loss of 18 lives on the 17th, a commercial diver died two days later during body recovery operations. He had come to the surface to change cylinders, wearing a heavy weight belt, slipped and went down, drowned. Reported in the press on the occasion of the 50 anniversary ceremony in 2008 (CTV.ca). "Mott, formerly of Nelson, BC., worked as a stand-in for actor Peter Lorre in the movie 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. Wife and two children. Calgary Herald -
1955 7 30 Byrnes Michael USA SCUBA Aged 15, SCUBA training in a YMCA swimming pool in San Bernardino drowned when his arm got sucked into an outlet pipe. “The boy's parents watched while three doctors and fire department resuscitator crew worked over the body for an hour after he was pulled from the water�. Reported in the Spokane Daily Chronicle. -
1947 9 19 Fargues Maurice France Military 119 SCUBA From the French Naval Vessel 'Timing' off Toulon. Experimental dive “in connection with the planned Bathysphere dives to the Ocean floor by the Belgian Professor Picard� described as 'Frances leading deep sea diver'. Reported as diving with goggles and three Oxygen tanks on his back. Reached 300' (which set a world depth record)', signalled OK and went on down to 390'. Signals stopped and he was hauled up. A colleague dived down and found him at 200', goggles off, mouthpiece out, apparently unconscious. Hauled to the surface, still unconscious, died in hospital. “Experts“ quoted as saying that “either the lifeline swung against his mouthpiece ripping it from his mouth or Fargues was seized with what divers call 'deep sea drunkenness' Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald -
1947 0 0 Dumas Frederic France 94 SCUBA Using the Aqualung, made an air dive to 307' in the mediterranean. -
1943 10 0 Dumas Frederic France 64 SCUBA During 1943 Cousteau with Philippe Tailliez and Dumas make over 500 dives off the South of France using the 'aqualung' with Dumas reaching 210' feet in October -
1943 0 0 SCUBA France SCUBA Jacues Cousteau and Emile Gagnan develop the first 'demand valve' laying the way for the developmet of the 'Aqualung' and modern SCUBA gear. -
2021 6 16 Rueda Ruiz Eduardo Santos Colombia Gecelca SCUBA Aged 46, diving with his 18 year old son cleaning seawater intake pipes at the Gecelca plant near Mingueo, Northern Columbia. Appears to have been a differential pressure incident, Eduardo pushed son away but was seen pinned on the grill, son surfaced for a rescue rope but on return father had disappeared. Body found 7 kilometres away by coastguard personnel 48 hours later. reported by elheraldo.co and others. -
2021 6 8 Baenziger Robert (Bob) USA SCUBA Aged 54, repairing a broken cable at the bottom of a million gallon anaerobic digester (Methane producer) on a farm in Stockton, Iowa. On comms line, allegedly told his fiancee he was taking his helmet off, she pulled on the line and retrieved his helmet minus the diver. Digester normally operates at 99 to 105 degrees but appears to have been at 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) and had to be cooled with 100,000 gallons of cold water before rescue divers could recover the body 22 hours later. Diver was not in contaminated water gear nor had air back up). As the diver was self employed and working solo he was exempt from OSHA inspections and as the farm has less than 10 employees they are also outwith the worker safety agency remit, so no investigation to take place. Reported by the Gazette (Iowa) -
0 0 0 Not Recorded USA Fireman 9 SCUBA A 41-year-old fire captain carrying out a body search with a newly formed scuba team was retrieved from 30 feet after it was noted on the surface that his regulator was free-flowing. Autopsy showed drowning, but damage occurred before or during the accident, but the description of the event is consistent with ear rupture during the descent. This dive was apparently a first open-water dive. The department team had only just completed its pool training, and was scheduled for open-water check-outs -
0 0 0 Not Recorded USA Police 30 SCUBA 56-year-old sheriff’s department search and recovery team diver. The victim was the training instructor for the department, and was said to have had extensive Navy diving background, as well as Master Diver and Instructor certifications.The victim was making his second dive of the day to a depth of approximately 100 feet in an effort to recover the victim of a boating accident. Visibility on the bottom was reported to have been almost zero. The diver’s buddy stated that the victim apparently experienced difficulty with his air supply, that it had probably run low, and he had attempted a free-swimming ascent. The buddy lost sight of the victim in the dark water, surfaced, and found that the victim had not returned to the surface. A standby diver followed the victim’s safety line, but was unable to bring the victim to the surface. Efforts by surface personnel to pull the victim to the surface using his safety line met with strong resistance. Even though four or more persons were tugging on the line, they failed to bring the victim up. The victim was eventually brought o the surface after fifteen or more minutes of effort. Despite heroic resuscitation efforts, the victim did not survive. -
0 0 0 Not Recorded USA 24 SCUBA American, Vallejo, California. Sewage outfall pipe (1,800 feet long), diver entered via a manhole on SCUBA and a lifeline. Lost lifeline. Body recovered the day after. Following lawsuit awarded significant damages to the diver's widow. No details. Mentioned in a blog on OD. -
0 0 0 Not Recorded USA Parker Divers SCUBA San Francisco Bay Area, Salvage/hull scrubbing contractor. Diver killed by a ship's propeller (body never recovered, only fragments of wetsuit and tissue). No details. Mentioned in a blog on OD. -
0 0 0 Not Recorded Taylor SCUBA American, a diver and his tender had performed a scuba pontoon inspection on the B&R barge M 289 and were at the stern of the vessel exiting the water. Diver and tender were at the bottom of the ladder where Diver removed his swim fins, climbed the ladder and removed his gear. Looking back over the stern for his tender, Diver lost site of him and no more bubbles were present. Diver immediately contacted the tower and ordered all hands to the port hand rails for a man overboard (the current was running towards the port bow). Diver dove back off the stern but could not locate the tender. A deck hand spotted a body off the port and relayed the information via the PA. Diver exited the lay barge and jumped onto the pipe supply barge from which he entered the water swimming toward the lifeless body. The bow crane whip line was lowered to the water to assist in bringing the man back on board. Diver had attempted in water CPR while swimming him back to the barge. CPR was performed on deck without success. Cause of death was drowning. OD -
2014 1 16 Michaud Luigi Antarctica University of Messina SCUBA Aged 40, member of the XXIX Italian Expedition to Antarctica, diving at the Marion Zucchelli Scientific Station to collect bacteriological samples (working on developing new anti-biotics for the treatment of cystic fribrosis). Wife and two children. 'fatal accident while diving'. No details. Reported by Redazione Research Italy -
2014 6 4 Kwok Khee Khoon (Edmund) Singapore Underwater Contractors PTY SCUBA Aged 36,one of a three man team taking photos of weld repairs (Replacement anodes inside a sea chest, external grill removed for access into the seachest) under a comtainer ship near the Marina South Pier (Eastern holding anchorage) at around 18:00 hours when cooling pumps were started up and he was sucked into a pipe inlet inside the sea chest. Had been diving one month. ministry of Manpower (MOM) undertaking an investigation. Straits Times -
2013 11 14 UAE Scamp / Gubunco SCUBA One of two divers employed by Scamp Middle East (The other was Alex Argoncillo who died 1st December) reported as having died in November/December 2013. Initially reported as 'not diving related' but no details, waiting on clarification from Scamp. PC. A later report states that the incident occurred on 14th Novemver, three divers in the water on SCUBA, weather came up, divers sought refuge in the prop area, one diver ran out of gas, removed his cylinders and gave them to the other divers before surfacing, but was swept away. No lifelines. -
2015 2 28 Vella Patrick Malta SalpaSub SCUBA Married, three children. "A 36-year-old diver from Zejtun, died in an accident at Palumbo Shipyards this morning. A spokesman for Palumbo said the company called SalpaSub for assistance when it noticed that a drydock was taking much longer than usual to be emptied. When Mr Vella, a director of SalpaSub, arrived, he dived to see what was wrong but did not return to the surface. This was around 11.45am. Palumbo called for assistance and a search was launched by members of the Civil Protection Department and the Armed Forces. Mr Vella, a marine biologist, was eventually brought up by the AFM and taken to Mater Dei Hospital, where he died soon after. An inquiry is being held. Five divers conducted the search for the missing worker and eventually found him stuck in a gate valve. It has not yet been confirmed how he ended up there, but sources have suggested that somebody who wasn't aware of the diver's presence opened a valve, consequently pulling him into the hole with a great force. A Palumbo spokesman on Saturday denied reports that the diver had been sucked in by the water pressure, saying there was no such mechanism. Sources told this newspaper the diver was called in to measure the diameter of a defective valve whose diameter was about that of a bucket". Reported by the Times of Malta -
2014 12 22 Bermudez Morfy Alex Nicaragua Alberto Woo 25m SCUBA Honduran, lobster diving from the "Lady Di III" (Licensed to sail with 25, sailed with 24 but because several 'registered' divers did not turn up, sailed with additional unlisted crew including the deceased) out of Bilwi. Navy base personnel reported that he died of DCI as "like most lobstermen, the diver was working without the necessary stops" and there was no time to transfer him ashore to the recompression chamber at the New Dawn Bilwi Hospital.Reported to be the sixth lobster diver to die in the northern caribbean in the second half of this year. elnuevodiario.com.ni -
2014 11 11 Harris Kevin USA Aqua Vac Inc 3m SCUBA Aged 23, from Jenison, Michigan, dredging a retention pond in New Albany (Opposite the Discovery Financial services complex) "His co-worker called 911 at 15:47 after he failed to surface, "We're dredging the pond," he told the dispatcher. "I had a SCUBA diver in the water and I noticed his bubbles stopped coming up. I went into the water to find him and he's not anywhere where his equipment was. ... He's still underwater. I don't know where he is...." Body recovered at 16:47 some 50 feet from shore in 12' of water, air cylinder empty. (Aqua Vac were fined $4,500 after the death of Michael Johnson in November 2009). Reported in the Columbus Dispatch. -
2014 10 11 Not Recorded Saudi Arabia INW 31m SCUBA Seabed survey and marking of subsea assets prior to a jack-up workover rig being mobilised in the KJO Oilfield (Al-Khafji Joint Operations). Failed to surface, body recovered 24 hours later. Longstreath/Emirates 24/7, A report in the Saudi gazzette read:- "DAMMAM – Search and rescue teams from the Eastern Province Border Guards recovered the body of an expatriate diver who drowned in the Al-Khafji area while performing routine work laying down electrical cable signs. Spokesman of the guards, Capt. Omar Al-Aklabi, said the victim was working with a fellow worker who returned to the shore after completing his work, only to find his colleague had not returned with him. He added that search and rescue operations lasted two days and the body was finally located 22 miles from the shore. The case has been referred to investigation bodies" -
2014 2 18 Rios Felix Alberto Argentina Trab-Sub SCUBA Aged 59 or 60, ex coastguard diver, two man team cleaning inside a 500,000 litre freshwater cistern, he and his son had completed the work and he went back in for a final survey around 13:30 but was trapped on a 450mm diameter outlet pipe and died of asphyxiation/compression of the rib cage. Reported by rionegro.com.ar -
2014 2 7 Porter Bruce New Zealand The Dive Spot 1m SCUBA Report in Maritime New Zealand dated 10 June 2015 “Whangarei diving company and co-director/skipper fined $75,000 after the death of diver. Reparations of $80,000 are also to be paid. The diver died after being struck by a propeller while on a diving trip to the Poor Knights Islands. Maritime New Zealand prosecuted the company and Mr Barnes under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction at work caused harm to any person. The incident occurred after the anchor of the vessel “Pacific Hideaway” became snagged on the third dive of the trip. The diver was asked to dive down to unsnag the anchor, but a crewman on board the vessel then freed the anchor using the winch. The skipper believed Mr Porter understood there was no need to dive, but due to a miscommunication the diver entered the water and was struck by the propeller when the vessel’s engines were put into gear. Maritime New Zealand Deputy Director Lindsay Sturt said the tragic incident was entirely avoidable. The risk from propellers was not included in the vessel’s hazard register, nor was it mentioned in the briefing for divers on the day of the accident. In addition, the company did not have a clear system of communicating with divers about their entry into the water, nor did it have a clear policy that passenger divers were never asked to dive to free anchors. “Propeller strike is one of the key risks for those operating a dive operation and that risk must be managed through effective safety processes,” he said. “The consequences of having divers in the water when propellers are turning can be catastrophic, as they were in this case. Those operating commercial charter dive operations have an absolute responsibility to ensure they are operating safely. "That includes ensuring that recreational divers are fully briefed before they enter the water and that good communication is maintained at all times” -
2014 7 7 Porter Bruce New Zealand The Dive Spot 1m SCUBA Report in Maritime New Zealand dated 10 June 2015 “Whangarei diving company and co-director/skipper fined $75,000 after the death of diver. Reparations of $80,000 are also to be paid. The diver died after being struck by a propeller while on a diving trip to the Poor Knights Islands. Maritime New Zealand prosecuted the company and Mr Barnes under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction at work caused harm to any person. The incident occurred after the anchor of the vessel “Pacific Hideaway” became snagged on the third dive of the trip. The diver was asked to dive down to unsnag the anchor, but a crewman on board the vessel then freed the anchor using the winch. The skipper believed Mr Porter understood there was no need to dive, but due to a miscommunication the diver entered the water and was struck by the propeller when the vessel’s engines were put into gear. Maritime New Zealand Deputy Director Lindsay Sturt said the tragic incident was entirely avoidable. The risk from propellers was not included in the vessel’s hazard register, nor was it mentioned in the briefing for divers on the day of the accident. In addition, the company did not have a clear system of communicating with divers about their entry into the water, nor did it have a clear policy that passenger divers were never asked to dive to free anchors. “Propeller strike is one of the key risks for those operating a dive operation and that risk must be managed through effective safety processes,” he said. “The consequences of having divers in the water when propellers are turning can be catastrophic, as they were in this case. Those operating commercial charter dive operations have an absolute responsibility to ensure they are operating safely. "That includes ensuring that recreational divers are fully briefed before they enter the water and that good communication is maintained at all times” -
2016 2 20 Hocine Major Rebiha France Police SCUBA Aged 42, four man Noyon River brigade police dive team searching for the body of the third occupant of a car that fell into the Somme in the centre of Amiens late at night (driver - charged tested positive for alcohol and Cannabis, charged - and a woman escaped) diving near a lock gate, failed to surface, taken to hospital with cardiac arrest, died the following day. -
2016 6 6 Long Cpt. Bradley USA SAR Firefighter 25m SCUBA Aged 28, volunteer firefighter and rescue diver with the Sherrills Ford-Terrell fire department diving with two others searching for the body a man drowned a day earlier in Lake Norman. Some kind of incident underwater, two surfaced and taken to hospital, his body was recovered soon after, declared dead at site. Later reported that he left bottom and headed for the surface before signalling that he had run out of air, appeared to panic ripping of his own and another divers masks, the other diver surfaced safely, Long's body recovered later . Reported by WBTV -
2016 6 7 Hill Charles A USA 3m SCUBA Aged 63, Diving with his son for golf balls at the Dogwood Hills Golf Course, Waverly, Ohio, body recovered 50 feet from shore in about 8 feet of water. Reported in the NYPost -
2016 7 14 Austin Sgt. Jason USA Paramedic SCUBA Aged 36, volunteer EMS paramedic with the Washington County-Johnson undergoing diver training at South Holiston Lake, 'working on diver certification', reported as non-work related but it was part of training to do deep diving and he was training with the team. Reported by Johnsoncitypress.com -
2016 9 22 Winters Sgt. Kerry USA Police SCUBA Aged 51, 30 year veteran of the Ulster County (NY) Sheriff's office, died in a dive training exercise at Ashokan Resevoir. No details. Reported the Daily Freeman, Police news -
2016 10 4 Chan Phillip Singapore Haw Par Corporation SCUBA Aged 62, heading a team of divers clearing fish from the 'Underwater World' aquarium (opened 1991 but closing down due to more successful competion), stabbed by a stingray, taken to hospital but died from his injuries. Reported as a similar incident to the sting ray incident that killed conservationist/TV presenter Steve Irwin on the Australian Great Barrier Reef in 2006. Reported by the BBC -
2016 10 9 Carvajal Omar Ugalde Chile Fisherman SCUBA Aged 54, diving for shellfish, at Caleta Totoallilos, Decompression incident, taken to San Pedro de Los Vilos Hospital and then transferred to the Naval hospital at Vina del Mar (they have a recompression chamber) but passed away. Reported by Diaria el Dia -
2016 10 19 Fassler James Calvin USA SCUBA Aged 61, cleaning the hulls of boats at the Joyner Marina, Carolina Beach, North Carolina, reported as 'drowned'. No details Reported by Star News -
2016 11 19 Zambre Jaime Marcello Chile Fisherman SCUBA Aged 42, shellfish diver working the El Sauce cove, Ovalle, decompression incident, transferred to hospital in Coquimbo, suffered cardiac arrest and died. No other details. Reported by Diaria el Dia -
2016 11 29 Araúz Roderick Panama Interpa Holding Corporation, S.A. SCUBA Aged 35, cleaning an inlet pipe to the East Panama hydroelectric power plant on the Chiriqui River in Gualaca. Double Fatality with Jose Garcia. No real details. Reported by La Estrella de Panama. Additional information reported on the Association website: https://goo.gl/fZmALu -
2016 11 29 Garcia Jose Panama Interpa Holding Corporation, S.A. SCUBA Aged 43, cleaning an inlet pipe to the Esti Panama hydroelectric power plant on the Chiriqui River in Gualaca. Double Fatality with Roderik Arauz. No real details. Reported by La Estrella de Panama. Additional information reported on the Association website: https://goo.gl/fZmALu -
2017 1 5 Vazquez Tojeiro Jesus Ramon La Alcaidesa. San Roque. Cadiz. Spain 80m SCUBA Commercial diver 50 years old born in El Ferrol. La Coruna. Spain. Father of two with more of 26 years of diving experience. On Thursday 5th January 2017 at 11:20 a.m. emergency service number 112 received a call informing that the diver had not emerged from a solo red coral collecting dive after descending around 09:50 a.m. Actuation of Guardia Civil, Salvamento Maritimo and private companies with two ROV without success with poor weather conditions hindering the recovery operation . After several days SAR, on Saturday 14th January at 12:30pm the body was found in 80 m.s.w. and recovered by ROV at 14:30 then transported to the port of Sotogrande. Diver was using SCUBA on air. -
2015 12 11 Kuehn Wayne Douglas Jnr USA SCUBA Aged 48. married with a son and daughter, had a full time job, but as a side line sold second hand golf balls at a dollar each. SCUBA diving at night (Illegally) for golf balls at the Star Ranch golf course. Cause of death not reported ('waiting on toxicology reports'). His father reported him missing after finding his car at the golf course, took two days to find his body in the pond. Reported in Mystatesman -
2015 10 19 Jonathon T USA SCUBA Aged 28, From Apollo Beach, Florida, one of a three man in-water team harvesting eel grass on a mill site cleanup at Port Gamble (Puget Sound, Washington State). The other divers surfaced but could not find their colleague, Body located in 20 feet of water 60 feet from the shore some four hours later. Kingston Community News -
2015 10 7 McGrath Dennis USA Eat Local Fish SCUBA Aged 56, From Scarborough, diving in Portland Harbour removing rope from the propellor of the 65' Fishing Vessel 'Jamie and Ashley'. "While he was working, the engine was running and at some point the prop was engaged' said the authorities. Police divers recovered the body. "It is not clear whether the person who engaged the propeller was aware that the diver was in the water". Reported in the Portland Press Herald -
2015 3 20 Rikkers Hernan 'Kakara' Cook Islands Cook Islands Aquarium Fish SCUBA "Paraphrased from the Cook Island News:- ""The 30-year-old Argentinian whose body was discovered over the reef outside Avarua Harbour on Saturday was an experienced diver, says one of his employers: ""Diving alone is common in the company’s line of work, which involves gathering live tropical fish for export. The man had also dived in Hawaii and Noumea and the company had received assurances from people he had worked with previously that he was an experienced diver. Diving with at least one other person is usually considered best practice, but the company’s workers dived alone as diving with another person could scare away the fish they were attempting to capture. Police confirmed yesterday that the diver had a buoyancy compensator, but they were unsure whether he had been wearing it. The Company had made the decision to try and locate the man because of the need to get out to the search area before dusk made water visibility poor. A full scale search was conducted on Saturday and his body was found. The body was recovered from the reef outside Avarua Harbour. An unsuccessful search for him had been conducted the previous evening by the owner of the company Rikkers worked for. A spokesman said it had been about eight years since the last major diving incident in the Cook Islands, where local man Noovao Noovao had a heart attack on the surface of the water. ""There was always something that could be done to help prevent an accident, although taking a buddy when diving was common practice for recreational diving, diving alone, as Rikker had done, was not unusual in the case of commercial diving work. “You don’t pay two people for a job one person can do" -
2015 2 3 Kinuthia Francis Kinuthia Kenya SAR diver SCUBA The body of a Kenyan diver who drowned in Kiambere Dam has been recovered after a four-day search. Francis Kinuthia Kinuthia's body was seen floating on Friday. The 52-year-old, who was based in Kamburu Dam, drowned last Tuesday. He had accompanied other divers to search for the body of 19-year-old Patrick Njue. Njue drowned in the dam while fishing on February 1. His body was recovered last Wednesday. Mbeere South police boss Mathew Ekakoro said Kinuthia's body was taken to Embu Level Five Hospital mortuary. He said the deaths were unfortunate. Ekakoro urged fishermen and residents living near the dam to be careful when carrying out their activities. He urged them not to sit on the banks of the dams or allow children to play in the area as it is infested with crocodiles. The Star/AllAfrica -
2015 4 12 Umudov Kamil Azerbaijan SOCAR SCUBA A diver of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has been killed at about 5 pm today. SOCAR informs that diver Kamil Umudov, 39, died when a pipe was being attached to the jacket at Bulla field. “In 5-10 minutes another diver, who noticed that Umudov does not respond to signals, went down into the water and found him unconscious. Despite the victim was given primary health care, his life was not saved," SOCAR said in a statement. The causes of the accident are being examined by a specially created commission. Reported by ABC.az -
2017 4 18 Hall Daniel USA Fisherman 75m? SCUBA Aged 36, Puget Sound, near Fox Island, commercial Geoduck diver, pulled unresponsive back onto the Squaxin island tribal vessel 100 yards offshore around 14:00 and taken to the nearby US Navy Warfare Center dock and transferred to the St. Joseph Medical Centre in Tacoma where he was confirmed as deceased. Reported in The News Tribune -
2017 5 16 Robert Gregory France Fisherman 75m SCUBA Coral diver on Corsica diving off Arinella beach, Bastia, possibly a training dive to around 75 msw, released a signal buoy from depth to mark ascent point and get his friend in the boat to meet him with a cylinder of pure oxygen at his -9 msw decompression stop. He failed to ascend. His friend alerted the emergency services and initiated a search. The underwater brigade of the gendarmes located his body in 80 msw near the dive site the morning after. -
2017 6 14 Sango Mervin UAE Atlantis Marine SCUBA Ex-Navy diver, hull cleaning the vessel 'Oil Runner' (Panama flagged crude oil tanker, 270m x 46 m) off Fujairah, evening dive (20:00 - 21:00), heavy swell, current running, apparently had a problem and disappeared from colleagues view. Later found floating on the surface, 'lips exploded and tongue bitten'. PC -
2017 6 18 Sakunphong Lakkhana Thailand SCUBA Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) overseeing a team of 25 volunteer divers installing an artificial reef in Kon Kai Bay, 35 year old woman surfaced from a dive but lost consciousness before swimming back to the boat, taken onboard, no pulse, unconscious, given CPR and taken to Chalong pier and on to Chalong hospital but declared dead. No other details. Phuket Times -
2017 6 27 Gorgonio-Ixba Luis Alberto USA SCUBA Aged 34, working on a 164' luxury yacht 'Honey' docked at the Old Port Cove Marina (North Palm beach, Florida), was underwater cleaning the hull 'when someone or something inexplicably turned on the ship’s bow thrusters'. He was drawn in head first and died instantly. two daughters, one aged 6 months. http://www.wpbf.com/article/diver-cleaning-yacht-bottom-killed-when-propeller-turned-on/10231016 -
2017 7 23 Waqa Felix Fiji Triton Marine SCUBA Aged 43, diving 600m from the shore with two other workers 'repairing a submarine pipeline' in Vuda, near Lautoka. 'Discovered lying motionless on the seabed 10 metres from the worksite', did not respond to treatment, conveyed to Lautoka hospital, pronounced dead on arrival. Coroner recorded death due to heart attack, but no real details. Reported by the Fiji Times Online -
2017 10 17 Lehner Craig E USA Police 8m SCUBA Aged 34. Buffalo Police department, Police dive team training exercise in the Niagara river off Bird Island Pier, 12:50, lifeline to surface snagged, pulled from various directions butt stayed snagged, two officers attempted to follow his lifeline down but had to cut themselves free (Reported as 12 knot current!). Slid an emergency air tank down but it would not sink, 45' USCG patrol boat arrived at 13:10, tried pulling the lifeline from other directions but the line snapped. 5 days later his body floated to the surface a mile north with 75 feet of lifeline still attached to him, still with tanks and 40lb weightbelt. Reported in the Buffalo News -
2017 12 17 Gubhela Nhlakanipho South Africa Aqua-tech SCUBA Aged 23, Pier 104, Durban Harbour, Vessel maintenance of the Chinese vessel Rui-Ning 2. "At 18h05, Sunday, 17th December, NSRI Durban duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following a request for assistance from Aquatech reporting a diver missing in the Port of Durban. We believe that the diver reportedly went into the water on a dive to relieve another diver who was already under a ship during dive maintenance operations under a ship berthed in Port. At 17h00, reportedly after it appeared that the diver had not arrived to relieve the diver who was already under water (under the ship), Aquatech divers initiated a search and at 17h15 raised the alarm calling TNPA Port Control. 'The diver went missing while working on the hull of a vessel on Sunday. He was not wearing a lifeline at the time‚ a device that could easily have identified his position in the murky water, his body was recovered on Thursday morning.“He was found in the area where he went missing‚ strong winds blew his partially decomposed body back to the wharf where he was found this morning. “The official cause of death still needs to be investigated‚ but the diver is believed to have died from drowning. “He was dressed in diving gear with his cylinders attached‚ but he was not wearing a mask at the time of recovery.” The police diver said many questions needed to be asked about why proper safety precautions hadn’t been followed. Reported in the Daily News -
2017 12 20 Not Reported Roberto Spain Grambasa SCUBA Aged 34, married with two daughters aged 3 years and 2 months. Fish Farm two miles offshore Guardamar de Segura, near Alicante, run by by Grupo Culmarex. Solo SCUBA dive in a fish cage to between 10 and 27 msw. Surfaced with mask flooded, taken ashore but declared dead by medics 'Under Investigation' www.diarioinformacion.com -
2018 1 5 Not Reported Mandy France Police SCUBA Policewoman aged 27 from Nice, joined the 'Fluv' (Parisienne 'Brigade Fluviale', the elite river police set up in 1900 to guard the Seine for the great exhibition) in 2016, passed her open water qualification three weeks before the incident. Joint diving exercise with the fire brigade at the ile de Cite (Notre Dame), Seine in flood (+3 metres, went to +4.1 m over the weekend, 25 kph, 7 degrees, zero vis), aborted first dive, on second attempt went in and lifeline failed (not attached properly? Parted?). Disappeared (May have had 40 kg of equipment/weight), had not been located three weeks later. French press -
2016 12 23 Not Reported Spain SCUBA Aged 40, cable entangled in propeller of fish farm support boat in Puerto Calero (Lanzarotte, Canary Islands), went in to clear it, surfaced, went back down and 'suffered a series of fatal cuts' with the boat's propeller. Reported by La Voz de Lanzarote -
2018 6 23 Firdaus Mohamed Singapore Marine Diving & Engineering Vopak Terminals SCUBA A 27-year-old commercial diver died after he was struck by a concrete pile while working in the waters off Pulau Sebarok on Saturday afternoon (Jun 23). Mohamed Firdaus was working as a commercial diver for Marine Diving & Engineering (MDE), which specialises in underwater services including marine and underwater construction. On the day of the accident, Firdaus was working on a project developed by Vopak Terminals Singapore on Pulau Sebarok’s Jetty 2. The project's occupier is HSL Constructor, which had engaged MDE for the project. "Two divers were in the water, installing brackets onto a concrete pile, when one of the workers was struck by a concrete pile," said the Ministry of Manpower. Firdaus was unconscious when taken to National University Hospital, where he died from his injuries, added the police, who received a call for assistance at 5.13pm. The police are investigating the unnatural death. Advertisement MOM has stopped all works at the worksite and is currently investigating the incident. In an email to Channel NewsAsia, Vopak Terminals confirmed that a fatal accident happened at its terminal in the port. "We are deeply saddened by this accident. We, jointly with our main contractor and his employer, are providing his family with all possible aid and assistance they need during this difficult time," said Vopak Terminals. Vopak Terminals also said it has started "a thorough investigation to find the root cause" of the accident. On Sunday afternoon, representatives from MDE, HSL and Vopak attended Firdaus' funeral, MDE and HSL said in a joint statement. "No words nor gesture can replace the loss of Firdaus, and we will certainly be here for his loved ones. We truly share the grief of his family, friends and colleagues," said Mr Masahiro Aoyagi, managing director of MDE. "This is the first fatal accident ever experienced by MDE since our incorporation 38 years ago and we are doing our utmost to understand what happened," he added. All related parties are currently working closely with the authorities, the companies said in the statement. Pulau Sebarok is an oil storage and refueling port at one of the southern islands of Singapore. Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mohamed-firdaus-diver-27-dies-waters-pulau-sebarok-concrete-10464340 -
2021 5 9 Villegas Rogel Jorge Chile SCUBA Aged 29, Diving from the 'Genesis II' at a Fish Farm in the Punta Valentino Sector on Dawson Island, South of Punta Arenas, recovered unconscious, did not respond to treatment. Declared deceased on arrival at Punta Arenas. No other details. Reported by subaquaticamadazine.es -
2021 4 19 Teigel Coliague Andres Alejanndro Chile SGM Austral/Aqua Chile SCUBA Aged 41. 'Diver dies at AquaChile salmon farming site/The diver was conducting maintenance at the site (In Aysen) when the accident occurred, Reported by Intrafish. Another diver died on the same site on 20th March 2020 (Juan Ruiz Gallardo). Initial reports said "Cause of death was suffocation by decompression sickness" -
2021 2 25 Diaz Leiva Cristian Chile Servicios Primes SCUBA Aged 58. Married, 8 children. Blumar owned Concheo II salmon farm, Aysen, Southern Chile. Reported as 'accident around 12:30 am', 'suffocation by submersion in the context of a work accident', 'handling counterweights', No other details. Reported by Salmon Business. Diving off the 'LM Don Hector' reported by SagaChile. Later reported that the regulatory 'Chilean Safety Association' (ACHS) said 'not work related' as there was no link between the diver's work and death..... -
2021 1 25 Chiguay Carimoney Remigio Eduardo Chile SCUBA Aged 16 or 17 diving from the 'Eugenia 1' (Registered in Quellon) an hour and a half sailing time from Melinka, surfaced unconscious. Reported fatality, Navy vessel attended site and confirmed fatality. Initial reports centred on his (under) age - minimum age for this type of diving work in Chile is 18 years of age - so was most likely unlicensed and the vessel operating without port authorisation. Reported by eldivisadero.cl, litoralpress.cl, cooperativa.cl etc -
2021 2 9 Iagos Penailillo Alonso or Hector Chile Passub at AquaChile Site 52m SCUBA "Aged 42, diving at the AquaChile Aysen 2 salmon cultivation centre near Puerto Chacabuco. Decompression illness incident compounded by 50 minute transit to Puerto Chacabuco. Then taken to Puerto Aysen Hospital (15km away) to their hyperbaric centre but died the following day. Reported by salmonexpert.cl. A later report quoting his nephew stated that his first name was Alonso, not Hector, that the dive was to 52 metres (not 25 metres as reported by the Company), that when he reached port there was no support and he had to hitch a ride in a truck to Puerto Aysen, that when he arrived at Aysen hospital they made him wait prior to therapeutic recompression, that his treatment was 'only 3 to 4 hours', that afterwards doctors assured the family he was stable and sleeping (03:40 hours) but at 08:00 hours told them he was in organ failure and died at 11:35 Reported by El Tirapiedras. Some reports question why it took 7 hours for him to get to hospital when it was a 50 minute speedboat transit." -
2014 7 11 Setiawan Eko Indonesia PT Primus PLTU SCUBA Expected Delta P. Google translate gives: Two bodies of victims of divers at the Tanjung Jati B Steam Power Plant (PLTU) Jepara were successfully evacuated by Indonesian Navy divers from the Koarmatim Underwater Rescue Service (Dislambair), in the waters of Jepara, Central Java, Friday (11/02). 07). At around 10:00 WIB, the Dislambair Koarmatim Dive Team managed to evacuate the victim's body on behalf of Roni (37), a resident of RT 12 RW 1 Pesisir Village, Besuki, Situbondo, East Java. Previously, the Navy Diving Team also managed to evacuate the victim's body on behalf of Eko Setiawan (25), a resident of RT 04 RW 01 Sidowungu Village, Gresik, East Java, at 12.30 WIB. Eko Setiawan's body was found in the Manhole-5 pipe with a distance of about 30 meters. The evacuation process was very difficult, because the victim was in an underwater pipe with a diameter of 400 cm, with a depth of about 10-16 meters. When it was found the position of the two victims was at a depth of 200 meters from the door of the PLTU cooling pool. For the time being, the exact cause of the accident is not known, but it is suspected that it was caused by ocean currents. The two victims were certified divers who were sent by a third party partner, namely PT. Primus. Kadislambair Koarmatim Marine Colonel (T) Bhirawa Budijuana said, to evacuate the two victims, the Diving Team directly brought diving equipment such as Scuba Set and MK-27 from Surabaya. "This team was sent specifically on direct orders from Pangarmatim Rear Admiral TNI Sri Mohamad Darojatim to assist in the search and evacuation of Search and Rescue (SAR) at PLTU Tanjung Jati," said Kadislambair. Source: https://tni.mil.id/view-63555-dua-korban-di-pltu-tanjung-jati-jepara-berhasil-dievakuasi-penyelam-koarmatim.html -
2014 7 11 Roni Indonesia PT Primus PLTU SCUBA Expected Delta P. Google translate gives: Two bodies of victims of divers at the Tanjung Jati B Steam Power Plant (PLTU) Jepara were successfully evacuated by Indonesian Navy divers from the Koarmatim Underwater Rescue Service (Dislambair), in the waters of Jepara, Central Java, Friday (11/02). 07). At around 10:00 WIB, the Dislambair Koarmatim Dive Team managed to evacuate the victim's body on behalf of Roni (37), a resident of RT 12 RW 1 Pesisir Village, Besuki, Situbondo, East Java. Previously, the Navy Diving Team also managed to evacuate the victim's body on behalf of Eko Setiawan (25), a resident of RT 04 RW 01 Sidowungu Village, Gresik, East Java, at 12.30 WIB. Eko Setiawan's body was found in the Manhole-5 pipe with a distance of about 30 meters. The evacuation process was very difficult, because the victim was in an underwater pipe with a diameter of 400 cm, with a depth of about 10-16 meters. When it was found the position of the two victims was at a depth of 200 meters from the door of the PLTU cooling pool. For the time being, the exact cause of the accident is not known, but it is suspected that it was caused by ocean currents. The two victims were certified divers who were sent by a third party partner, namely PT. Primus. Kadislambair Koarmatim Marine Colonel (T) Bhirawa Budijuana said, to evacuate the two victims, the Diving Team directly brought diving equipment such as Scuba Set and MK-27 from Surabaya. "This team was sent specifically on direct orders from Pangarmatim Rear Admiral TNI Sri Mohamad Darojatim to assist in the search and evacuation of Search and Rescue (SAR) at PLTU Tanjung Jati," said Kadislambair. Source: https://tni.mil.id/view-63555-dua-korban-di-pltu-tanjung-jati-jepara-berhasil-dievakuasi-penyelam-koarmatim.html -
2021 8 3 Lazaroo Calvin Patrick Malaysia SCUBA Aged 27, diving with three others to salvage a boat off Sungai Besar, trying to tie a line to it and went missing. Body still with diving gear found floating on surface on the 8th of August about 9km SW of Sungai Besar. Reported in Maysian Press -
2021 12 24 Williams Rodney Dale USA Canon's Service SCUBA Aged 57, died in a retention pond. OSHA report stated "Investigation Nr: 142251.015, Event: 12/24/2021, Employee Is Killed, Drowned When Diving With Defective Equipment. At 10:20 a.m. on December 24, 2021, an employee who worked as an independent con tract diver was entering a retention pond for a second dive to place a buoy on pipe that was broken. A coworker (the employer) who was observing from the shore noticed about 15 minutes into the second dive that employee's bubble trail had made a circle and then stopped. Coworker #1 called 911 immediately as Coworker #2 entered the water and tried to rescue the employee. Local police and Fire/EMS a rrived on scene, but were unable to rescue the employee. EMS called for the Coun ty Dive Team to assist but by the time the team arrived the rescue operation had turned into a recovery. The employee was retrieved from the pond approximately two (2) hours after he was last seen. The employee was pronounced dead at the sc ene due to drowning. The employee's personal dive equipment was not functioning properly which potentially lead to hypoxia and then death. -
2021 4 14 Dedi Indonesia 72m SCUBA From Pasir Putih village, Situbondo, Java, salvage of a slerek (Traditional Javanese fishing bost) that had sunk on the 6th April, three man dive team secured lines to the boat and it was successfully brought to the surface, diver fell ill and became unconcious, died before he reached Surabaya. Reported as DCI incident. Reported by harianbhirawa.co.id -
2021 7 7 Trahey Brian USA Great Lakes Engineering SCUBA Aged 49, married, two sons. Calkins Bridge dam on the Kalamazoo river/Allegan Lake in Southwest Michigan. Underwater inspection, failed to surface. Body recovered after water levels lowered and dam stopped entirely to prevent current (Suspected differential pressure entrapment). Reported by WXMI-TV. Great Lakes Engineering given maximum fine of £119,000 (No planning, lifeline or comms, repeat offender). Diver's wife was Great Lakes President.... Multiple US news outlets -
2013 3 0 Adams Challenger USA Adams/Epic Divers Saturation Vessel reported (industry rumour in March 2013) to have had two DP run offs, one with bell down and diver deployed (diver recovered to bell and bell to surface safely), one with bell on surface. Initially reported by DPO as computer problem, later confirmed as operator error/cover up. Waiting on official reports. PC -
2013 1 23 HSE Safety Alert UK HSE Saturation Paraphrased and adapted from HSE safety alert: “A serious incident occurred where a diving support vessel's dynamic positioning (DP) system, designated as IMO class 2, failed resulting in the vessel drifting off position while divers were deployed subsea (Refers to Bibby Topaz incident on 18th September 2012 which left saturation diver Chris Lemons isolated on the seabed for 40+ minutes). Investigations have shown that a probable cause of the DP failure was a single fault which caused blocking of the DP system's internal data communications. Many DP systems rely on bus-oriented communications networks. Investigation of the incident referenced above found that communications dependent on a dual bus network can be totally lost because of a single fault. IMO MSC Circular 645 includes the requirement:- "For equipment class 2, the DP-control system should consist of at least two independent computer systems. Common facilities such as self-checking routines, data transfer arrangements, and plant interfaces should not be capable of causing the failure of both / all systems". If the dynamic positioning functions are dependent on a shared communication medium such as a dual data bus network, then the duty holder should ensure that appropriate measures are in place to prevent a single fault causing failure of the DP system. Manufacturers and suppliers of dynamic positioning systems who claim their products satisfy IMO Class 2 or better should investigate the communications architecture for the relevant dynamic positioning systems. If the dynamic positioning functions are dependent on a shared communication medium such as a dual data bus network, then the manufacturer / supplier should check that appropriate measures are in place to prevent a single fault causing failure of the DP system. If such measures are not in place, then the relevant manufacturer or supplier should ensure that the users of the dynamic positioning system are provided with adequate information regarding the vulnerability of the dynamic positioning system to single faults.� Essentially the HSE, regardless of the published data, are warning the industry that there is the potential for a single point failure in any dual bus system utilising any unit connected to both buses (In the case of the Bibby Topaz that referred to each of the three DP consoles on the bridge). In other words, unless addressed, the DP system is actually not DP II but DP I because it has apotential single point failure. -
2013 1 0 IMCA Safety Flash 02/13 UK Saturation Safety Flash regarding a "Serious DP Diving Incident" (Refers to the Bibby Topaz incident on 18th September 2012 that left Chris Lemons isolated on the seabed for 40+ minutes), describes incident, actions taken, ivestigation and reccommendations. One result not mentioned elsewhere was that the DP system manufacturer had developed a CD/software update that would prevent a further or similar incident on a DP similar system. -
2012 9 18 Lemons Chris UK Bibby 91 Saturation DPII DSV Bibby Topaz, built 2008, Kongsberg DP system, diving on the Huntington Field template, at 22:09 RBUS DP alarm activated, 22:11 loss of DP control, divers relocated to top of template, vessel starts to drift off, 22:12 Diver 1 pulled off template by tight umbilical, diver 2 umbilical snagged and parted, 22:17 vessel 240 metres East of template, manual control established, diver 2 beacon at template, 22:34, vessel back on auto DP, 22:40 vessel back at template, diver 1 left stage, bell 18 metres from template, 22:46 diver 2 recovered to bell, unconscious, 23:04 diver 2 conscious, 22:13, BLB, 23:39 BLO. Diver 2 on bailout with planned duration of 10 minutes for between 28 and 34 minutes. Survival believed to have been due to rebreather type bailout, high ppO2 in bailout mix, probably rapid onset of hypothermia/reduced breathing rate. Diver made a full recovery. DP fault not identified/publicised, investigation ongoing. Reported in the Press and Journal, Times etc -
2012 8 1 Yusuke Miura Russia EMAS Saturation Japanese diver working in saturation onboard the "Lewek Crusader" at the Arkutun Dagi platform Gravity Base off Sakhalin. Reported as heart attack whilst in the water installing a flange catcher. NB IMCA member, therefore should see a report in due course. Longstreath/PDA -
2012 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 -
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 20 Chandra Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation Dive team ET onboard the DSV Koosha that sank during sat diving operations in the South Pars gas field, killed during the evacuation -
2011 10 20 Dabbas Rajesh Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
2011 10 20 Gaur Ajesh Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
2011 10 20 Kadian Dhirendra Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation One brother (Parminder) also died in this accident, two other brothers (LSTs onboard) survived.DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. Dulam DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
2011 10 20 Kadian Parminder Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation One brother (Dhirendra) also died in this accident, two other brothers (LSTs onboard) survived. DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. Dulam DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
2011 10 20 Padda JS Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
2011 10 20 Sharma NK Iran Adsun Offshore Diving Contractors 70 Saturation DSV Koosha I, built 1982 in Australia (By Carrington Slipays as the 'Lady Sonia') owned by Darya Koosh, Iranian marine contractor, POB 73, 60 survivors, 6 divers in sat plus 7 others lost when ship sank off Lavan Island in the South Pars field 15 miles off the Iranian coast during pipeline installation operations around 17:30 hours on Thursday 20th October in bad weather. Rumoured to be a 4 man portable sat system with additional chamber to make it 6 man but only a 4 man HRC. Ship was loaded with two cement silos for grouting operations. One silo broke loose in rough weather and slid across deck causing list, this caused a gas rack to follow, increasing list. Sat control van broke off and fell overboard followed by second silo, holds flooded (hatches open) including all below decks compartments. Sank in mnutes. Believed storage depth was 64 metres, sank in 70 metres water depth. DSV 'Providence' on site the morning after, they recovered the bodies from the wreck three days after the sinking. Sat system flooded. Details to be added following investigation. UK Telegraph, Iranian press, PC -
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 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 30 Bradley Richard Australia Technip 240 Saturation Aged 35, Australian from Broome, sat diving operations off the DSV “Oceania Venturer� (Ex CSO 'Venturer', ex Seabex 1'?), marine growth cleaning with an HP water jet. Gun mechanical failure, severe left forearm wounds (water, debris etc). Emergency decompression, medivac, will be off work six months. Reported in the Western Australian -
2011 2 17 Deep Sat Dive India Indian Navy 233 Saturation Indian Navy DSV "Nireekshak" (DP vessel built by M/s Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai, to support ONGC's offshore oil exploration work. Launched in June 1989 on lease with an option for purchase by Indian Navy. The ship was modified and fitted with the diving system and other equipment removed from the Russian Submarine rescue vessel INS Nistar (Decommissioned in 1989). In March 1995 the purchase option was invoked and the vessel was formally re-commissioned on 15 September 1995. The ship is equipped with two Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs), capable of taking 12 men to 300 meters, two six-man recompression chambers and one three-man diving bell. Used for submarine rescue and training saturation divers) set a new National deep diving record. A 5 man team reached 233 metres in a dive off Kochi. ANI -
2010 9 6 Deep Sat Dive China Navy Medical Research Institute 491 Saturation 4 Chinese divers reported to have reached a storage depth of 480 metres with an excursion to 493 metres on heliox. The 'Atlantis' trials (Duke University, USA,) reached 686 metres in 1981, Comex ran a series of deep diving programmes (Physalie, Janus, Sagittaire, Hydra, etc) mostly in France and finally Aurora at the NHC in Aberdeen reaching 470 metres in 1993. The deepest took place in France in Toulon with the Hydra programme reaching 701 metres in 1992 (the diver was Theo Mavrostomos, 20th November 1992) using Hydreliox. Deepest hydreliox working dive is still Comex with a simulated pipeline intervention in the Mediterranean in 1988 with the Hydra 8 dives to 534 metres. -
2010 7 2 Hollifield Chris USA Veolia 76 Saturation Aged 33, former US Marine, Post 'Katrina' remedial works off the 'Normand Clipper', possible u/w oxy/arc diving explosion. Standby diver was deployed and located diver unresponsive on the seabed, did not respond to treatment. No details. Survived by wife and unborn son. Personal communication -
2009 5 4 Wilson Christopher USA Veolia 63 Saturation American, aged 38, Vermillion area, Stingray pipeline, DSV Kingfisher, floating a pipeline 10 miles south of Sabine pass, oversized air bag, no hold back, inverter line tied to inadequate weight, failed air bag rigging, dragged from depth to 22 metres. -
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.