Incidents List
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Year Month Day Surname Forenames Location Contractor Client Depth Type of Diving Details -
1893 9 4 Hoy George Australia S/S Air or 'Bendigo Advertiser' -
1893 9 5 Buffett Young Australia S/S Air DEATHS AT THURSDAY ISLAND. THURSDAY ISLAND, Tuesday.-A Norfolk Island diver named Young Buffett, died last week. He had open diving off Darnley Island, and when the face of the glass was taken off he stopped the crew from taking off his sand asked to be laid down, as he was dying. He then expired. He went to the Darnley Island grounds strongly against his friends' wishes. Reported in the Australian Town and Country Journal, NSW -
1893 10 17 Leon Australia S/S Air "Two divers were brought to Thursday Island from Darnely Island paralysed, but both are expected to recover. A Manilla diver named Leon died there on October 17th, making the fourth victim during the few days. The Hon J. Douglas at Darley, is reported to have issued a notice to divers warning them against diving deeper than 20 fathoms. It is asserted that they frequently go down 30 fathoms for a few moments". Wanganui Herald, National Library of New Zealand -
1893 10 20 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air "Two divers were brought to Thursday Island from Darnely Island paralysed, but both are expected to recover. A Manilla diver named Leon died there on October 17th, making the fourth victim during the few days. The Hon J. Douglas at Darley, is reported to have issued a notice to divers warning them against diving deeper than 20 fathoms. It is asserted that they frequently go down 30 fathoms for a few moments". Wanganui Herald, National Library of New Zealand -
1893 11 0 Not Recorded Spain S/S Air Salvaging the wreck of the steamer "Cabo Machichaco" which exploded (Carrying a mixed cargo including dynamite) in Santander Harbour in November 1893. Divers had reported that as they salvaged the cargo they wre getting close to the remaining dynamite but it was supposed that the explosive had lost its power after so many weeks in the water. Three divers were down with a support boat carrying 7 men over the location, around 50 men were working on the nearby docks when the cargo exploded killing the divers and men on the boat, a further 30 were reported as seriously injured. New York Times -
1893 11 0 Corpus Antonie Australia S/S Air "Death of a Diver". Thursday Island, November 6. "A Manila diver named Antonie Corpus died a few days ago from working in deep water at Darnley Island, where the boats are still working, the crews being unaware of the issue of the Government proclamation closing the grounds. He was working as a relief diver on the lugger 'Zanco'. South Australian Register, Adelaide, SA -
1893 12 9 Gray Thomas USA S/S Air Described as 'an inexperienced diver' working on the wreck of the Pelican off Ashtabula (A schooner that sank in May 1893, of the crew of 7, 3 were lost, two injured). Descended to the wreck at 2 pm, sent up distress signals an hour later, but could not be pulled up. Surface crew telegraphed for a rescue diver. Distress signals ceased around 6 pm. Rescue diver, Edwin Welsh, arrived and went down around 9 pm and found that Gray had fallen though a hatch and become entangled in wires. Recovered to surface but found to be dead. “The air connections were all right and there was no water in his suit. Gray either died of fright or chills� New York Times -
1894 0 0 Fairchild USA New York Dock Department S/S Air Killed in an underwater explosion when setting dynamite charges on new pier 14, North River, New York. -
1894 1 22 Nelson David UK S/S Air Yesterday afternoon a diver, named David Nelson, elderly man, residing at Kings Wear met with a singular death whilst engaged in his occupation in Dartmouth Harbour..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1894 4 0 Lynch Ben Australia S/S Air Thursday Island, April 6. "A coloured diver died at Darnley Island last week as a result of diving in deep water". Reported in the South Australian Register, Adelaide, SA. -
1894 5 9 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air "Another Japanese diver was drowned at Thursday Island on Wednesday" Reported in the Colac Herald, Vic -
1894 5 12 Gurr (or Gun?) Alfred Henry UK S/S Air "Shocking accident. A man named Alfred Henry Gurr, living in Buckland, who was employed at new harbour works as a diver, met with..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald/The British Newspaper Archive -
1894 8 0 Not Recorded UK Military S/S Air "Man of War Diver drowned, ..aid of divers, but several divers sent from various ships of the squadron were employed to search for the torpedo from the Benbow..." (HMS Benbow was an Admiral class battleship launched in June 1885 serving with the mediterranean fleet until 1891, held in reserve until 1894, then served as a guardship at Greenock, scrapped in 1909). No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald/The British Newspaper Archive -
1894 8 28 Not Recorded Australia 13 S/S Air "A Thurday Island telegram states that another Japanese diver has been drowned while working in 7 fathoms of water off Bada Island". South Australian Register. "The air pipe burst, and the diver, being inexperienced, failed to come to the surface, and the tender failed to haul him up until it was too late". The Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton. "The pump and piping used were made in Japan" Reported in the Sydney Morning herald -
1895 3 13 Connor? Gibraltar Military S/S Air "Naval diver drowned while searching for an iron chute lost overboard at Gibraltar on the 3rd March" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Portsmouth Evening News/The British Newspaper Archive -
1895 7 18 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air Thursday Island, July 18. "A Japanese diver has died as a result of working in water which was too deep" Reported in the Advertiser, Adelaide. Dual report for Chobe on July 19th? -
1895 7 19 Chobe Australia S/S Air "A Japanese diver named Chobe died from the effects of paralysis while diving in about 20 fathoms of water". Reported in the Evening News, sydney, NSW. -
1895 8 0 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air "A Japanese diver of the lugger 'Pero' was drowned near Ka Moos reef while diving in fifteen fathoms of water. His diving gear fouled at the bottom. It was blowing a heavy south-east gale at the time". Reported in The Sydney Evening News -
1895 9 10 Diegon Australia S/S Air THURSDAY ISLAND, Tuesday. “A Manilla diver named Diegon died at Darnley Island from paralysis, caused by diving in deep water. The Northern Miner, Charters Towers, Qld. -
1895 10 21 Not Recorded Divers and Diving. ..before the divers who could reach the treasure room beneath the three decks. Two diver lost there lives in the vain attempt, the .." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Shields Daily Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1895 11 29 Not Recorded UK "The wreck of the Dorian, diver was drowned whilst assisting the work of removing the cargo.." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Shields Daily Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1895 12 0 Not Recorded Australia 26 S/S Air “The pearling lugger 'Waterlily' returned to port on Saturday with the body of a Japanese diver who had died from the effects of diving in about fourteen fathoms of water off the 'Warrior reef. He was a young diver� The Brisbane Courier -
1895 12 0 Not Recorded Australia Topsides Thursday island. “A diver named John Anderson reported on Saturday that three mainland natives, who formed part of the crew of his lugger Dart, mutinied when anchored out of sight of all land to the westward of Badu. The balance of the crew was composed of two Malays and one Cooktown native. Just before daylight the three Binghies attacked the two Malays and Anderson with shell-knives. Anderson grappled with his man, and both fell overboard, but Anderson got safely back to the lugger. The Cooktown native assisted the Malays, and eventually the two assaulters were either thrown or jumped overboard. The three natives were evidently afraid to attempt to return to the lugger, and relied for deliverance upon the extremely remote chance of reaching some land. If they were saved it would be little short of a miracle�. The Brisbane Courier -
1895 12 14 Grant George Australia S/S Air "A diver named George Grant was drowned whilst proceeding with his occupation at Townsville, Queensland, on Saturday. He went down with the faceplate of his diving suit off". Another report says "through his faceplate somehow becoming detached". Reported in the Northern Argus (Clare, SA). Another report states:-A Diver Drowned. BRISBANE, Monday. — A wire from Townsville states that George Grant, a diver, who has been in Government employ for twenty-seven years, met his death very mysteriously on Saturday. He was engaged in clearing the anchor of a punt, and as he stopped down for more than three minutes without making any sign, his mates became anxious, and hauled him up. He was then found to have been drowned. The face-piece, of his diving suit had either fallen off or been, torn away in some unexplainable away. The unfortunate fellow leaves a wife and nine children. He was a prominent member of the local Naval Brigade, and was accordingly buried with naval honors on Sunday. Evening News, Sydney -
1896 3 6 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air "Japanese Divers - Another killed" By Telegraph to Brisbane, March 6th. "Another Japanese pearl diver near Thursday Island has died from the effects of diving in deep water near Cape Granville". Reported in the Western Star and Roma Advertiser, Toowoomba, Qld. -
1896 3 30 Not Recorded Australia Almond Surface Swimmer On board a cutter owned by Mr. Almond, 11 o'clock at night: "Fearing they would be murdered, the diver gave a signal to the Japanese trader and they both jumped overboard. They swam near each other and when the dinghy approached, the men therein knocked the diver with a paddle so that he drowned. As the dinghy approached the trader he dived, and being an expert swimmer he eluded his pursuers and eventually swam to a small island near West Island after about 11 hours swimming". He lived on shellfish for four days until rescued by a Manilla cutter that took him to Thursday Island. "It is quite possible that he and the diver fancied that they were in trouble, but without any foundation for the belief, for it seems clear that the trader avoided the dighy from false fear. An inquiry is being held". Reported in the Argus, Melbourne. -
1896 5 19 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air “A report from Thursday Island states that a diver of the lugger 'Elen' has died of diving paralysis, off Darnley Island, making the second death from the same cause on the same vessel within three months�. Reported in the West Australian. -
1896 6 15 Ralno Peter Australia S/S Air "Thursday Island, June 15, Peter Ralno, a diver, was drowned today through the air pipe becoming fouled on the bottom". Reported in the Chronicle, Adelaide -
1896 7 13 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air Thursday Island (Provincial Press Agency), July 13. "The lugger 'Muriel' has returned to port with the body of a Japanese diver who had died from paralysis while working in too deep water, making the second death from the same cause". Warwick Argus, Qld -
1896 9 30 Storey William - entry 3 of 3 UK John Gibney and Co. Master Divers, Chapel Street, Liverpool 4 S/S Air er was fast in some way, he called the man tending the air pipe even with his help it was impossible to raise the diver. He asked for assistance from a flatman with the combined efforts of the three of them they managed to raise the diver. Witness rapidly took off the diver's mouthpiece and saw STOREY was apparently dead. The deceased was at about 12ft under the water and from the time the signal came to pulling him up only minutes had elapsed. The Coroner elicited the information that the ship's hull was covered with a perforated metal rose, after the style of a rose on a watering can. Witness said, this rose was normally affixed to the skin of the vessel but in the present case it was affixed to the valve, this was important and the diver ought to have been told of it. Had witness known of it he would have used a wooden plug to stop up the hole instead of a pad to cover it. The hole was six inches in diameter. The post mortem results were that the skin of the deceased was a dusky colour. Blood had oozed from the right ear and there was a large bruise on the upper part of the left forearm and elbow. There were no broken bones or injuries that might have caused death. The vessels of the brain were congested but the brain tissue healthy. The lungs were very much congested and there was a good deal of mucus in the bronchial tubes. The small air vessels of the lungs were ruptured by the efforts to inspire. The heart was flabby and rather fatty, the valves being more or less closed, especially the mitrial and aortic. The blood throughout the body was a dark colour, a marked indication of suffocation. The cause of death was suffocation. The Coroner then addressed the jury, summing up the evidence and pointing out it was for them to decide whether any one was criminally liable for the death of the diver, they could express an opinion as to what led up to the suffocation which according to the medical evidence was the direct cause of death, or they could leave that point alone. After deliberation in private the jury found that death was due to suffocation, but how that was brought about they were unable to say. The funeral was reported as:- The remains of William STOREY, Diver, were interred yesterday morning in Toxteth Park Cemetery in the presence of a large number of friends. The deceased who was an experienced diver unfortunately met his death last Wednesday while working on the steamship Gulf of Taranto in the Hornby Dock. The coffin was covered with beautiful wreaths and the brass shield bore the inscription, "William STOREY, died September 30. 1896, aged 53 years� -
1896 9 30 Storey William - entry 2 of 3 UK John Gibney and Co. Master Divers, Chapel Street, Liverpool 4 S/S Air William Storey, the incident:- Liverpool diver William STOREY, of 8 Toxteth St, a man of middle age and great experience, was engaged in the pursuance of his risky occupation when he met with his death under strange and peculiar circumstances. STOREY was working with two other men at the steamship ‘Gulf of Taranto’ lying in the Hornby Dock. The valve in the hull of the vessel required repair, and to enable this work to be carried out it was necessary that a "pad" should be fixed on the hull, so that the valve might be removed for repair without risking the flooding of the ship. This is the work that STOREY had to accomplish. A platform was lowered alongside the vessel, and STOREY, properly equipped in his diving-suit, went below. He signalled to the man in charge of the life-line to lower the stage. The next signal called for the "pad" A few minutes after the "pad" was lowered, yopsides received the signal "All right" which meant that the valve could be removed any moment. On board the vessel was the superintendent engineer of the Gulf Line of steamers, and as soon as the word was received from the divers the valve was unscrewed he called attention to the fact that the "pad" was leaky. Water was spurting in then the next moment a portion of the pad and the diver's arm were forced through the aperture. About this moment STOREY signalled to be drawn up, but the pressure of the water increased tremendously by the suction through the now open valve, jammed him tight against the vessel, and hauling him to the surface proved a matter of great difficulty. Mr M'KAY forced the diver's arm out through the aperture again, but the combined efforts of three men, instead of the customary one were necessary before the poor fellow was got out of the water. Storey was then unconscious and apparently dead, the sleeve of his diving-dress considerably torn, having been damaged by the violence with which his arm had been forced through the valve hole. When his headgear was removed it was found that he had been bleeding badly from the ears. The Bootle Fire Brigade horse ambulance was promptly summoned and STOREY was taken to Bootle Hospital. Upon arrival he was examined by the house-surgeon, who pronounced life extinct. Appearances hardly point to drowning and it seems more probable the unfortunate diver was either suffocated when his dress was torn open at the sleeve, or that the life was crushed out of him against the side of the vessel when the valve was removed without the "pad" apparently being properly secured -
1896 9 30 Storey William - entry 1 of 3 UK John Gibney and Co. Master Divers, Chapel Street, Liverpool 4 S/S Air Aged 53, experienced diver, initially reported as 'Met his death whilst at wotk'. Hornby dock, Liverpool, working on the vessel 'Gulf of Taranto'. He was placing a sealing pad over a valve inlet diffuser on a vessel hull, differential pressure incident (arm pulled into hull when the valve was removed because the diffuser was mounted on the valve not the hull). They managed to pull him free but he was unconscious when recovered to deck, taken to Bootle hospital, but failed to respond to treatment. Coroner’s verdict:- Suffocated. Reported in the Liverpool Mercury. See following two entries below for more detail.<br />http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/deathsandinquests1896.html -
1896 12 26 Hobbs RN Mediterranean Navy "Death of a Naval Diver. News has been received from HMS Anson (Pre-deadnought battleship commissioned 1889, broken up in 1909 on Mediterranean Station that leading shipwright Hobbs, of that vessel, while diving for a lost anchor..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Worcester Journa/The British Newspaper Archive -
1897 0 0 Olson Peter USA Baltimore Wrecking Company Chamber Salvage operation recovering the cargo of the sunken steamer 'Pewabic' in Thunder Bay off Milwaukee. Working from a bell with partner George Campbell. Both men drowned when one of the glass ports failed -
1897 0 0 Not Recorded USA Tom and James Reid 32 S/S Air Salvage of the Cayuga (Sailing from Milwaukee to Buffalo, sank 10th May 1895 on the Great Lakes after a collision with the wooden lumber hooker "Joseph L Hurd" in fog southwest of Grays Reef light, near the Skillagalee Shoals. No loss of life, both crews rescued by the steamer "Mamola"). Because the "Cayuga" was a new steel vessel, the salvage company spent nearly 4 years and nearly bankrupted themselves trying to salvage her. "One diver was crushed to death so badlythat could not remove his helmet" The wreck now lies in 100' of water still attached to four of the pontoon used in the salvage attempt. shipwreckexplorers.com -
1897 2 0 Madsen C Australia 48 S/S Air Danish, testing new diving gear (Engine driven air compressor ) from the steamer 'Swansea'. Diver keen to get full working depth of 30 fathoms but only had water depth of 29 fathoms. Attempt aborted when current was too strong, relocated inside harbour where there was a maximum water depth of 26 metres. Reduced air supply pressure from 40 psi to 1o 10 psi and then to 4 psi (on instruction from diver). Sank from sight. After no signals for 15 minutes (Although his attendant said he received signals until 3 minutes before he was recovered), he was hauled up (which took another 8 minutes), Unconscious, took another 5 minutes to get him out of his suit which was found to be a quarter full of water. Onboard doctor attending but did not respond. They concluded that 4 psi was not enough to maintain air flow at 26 fathoms (174') and that water had flooded his suit. Nelson Evening Mail -
1897 2 25 Olsen Albert M USA Baltimore Wrecking Company S/S Air “A driver in the employ of the Baltimore Wrecking Company, died suddenly yesterday while he was under water in a diving suit in the channel of the Patapsco river, off Sparrow's Point. "Heart disease is supposed to have caused his death� (Quote from his employer......) -
1897 4 8 Harvey UK " A diver suffocated on Thursday, engaged in diving operations from the drillship 'Beta' in connection with the dredging of Plymouth harbour, had been under..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Portsmouth Evening News/The British Newspaper named Harvey Archive -
1897 6 5 Jurson A UK S/S Air "Diver's death underwater. A diver named Jutson of Ramsgate, who was engaged for a considerable time on Saturday in operations in…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Hull Daily Mail/The British Newspaper Archive -
1897 7 7 Imoto Australia Topsides The "Torres Straits Pilot" says the lugger ‘Mamoose’, owned by Maeshiba was upset in a squall on the morning of the 7th instant, off the island of Moa, and the men on board were thrown into the water. There were six of them, all Japanese, and the diver, Imoto, was drowned. An inquiry into the matter was held before Mr. Douglas, on Thursday, The North Queensland Register, Townsville, Qld. -
1897 10 22 Kitchee Australia S. T. Brown 29 S/S Air Japanese pearl diver aged 25, working off Cape Keith from the steam lugger 'Maggie'. Fell ill on deck, was removed from his diving dress and immediately became worse, died some 12 hours later from 'diver's paralysis'. Quote “At that depth the average good diver would not expect to be paralysed� Reported in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette -
1897 12 0 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air “Another Japanese diver in Torres Straits his died from paralysis caused by deep diving.� No details. Reported in the Brisbane Courier -
1898 0 0 Campbell George USA Baltimore Wrecking Company Chamber Salvage operation recovering the cargo of the sunken steamer 'Pewabic' in Thunder Bay off Milwaukee. Working from a bell with partner Peter Olsen. Both men drowned when one of the glass ports failed -
1898 3 22 Williams Henry Cuba Merritt Wrecking Company S/S Air American, one of the divers on the tug "Chief" died Havana from chronic haemorrhage of the stomach "It was not unexpected. Mr Collins was ill before he left the United States" -
1898 3 29 Richmond? Edwin Arthur UK S/S Air "Fatality to Dock Board Diver. Mr. Samson, City Coroner held inquest today into the death of Edwin Arthur Ruthrrtmd (Assumed to be scanning error, actually Richmond" TC), aged 39, diver..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Liverpool Echo/The British Newspaper Archive -
1898 4 8 Johnson Chief Gunner's Mate USA Military S/S Air Hull inspection dive under the gunboat “Newport�. Reported as “The only exciting incident here today was of a tragic character� “met with sudden death from asphyxiation, exact cause unknown, but it is thought the air pipe became entangled in some way. As he gave no signals he was drawn up, when he was found to be dead�. -
1898 5 0 Nanosaki Hinado Philippines S/S Air Japanese diver died from 'paralysis', no details. Reported in the Brisbane Courier -
1898 7 18 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air "AnotherJapanese diver has lost his life diving in the deep water at Burke Island' Barrier Miner, NSW, Australia -
1898 10 9 Ker Australia Topsides "A pearl diver named Ker was stabbed to death by a Malay at Ciossack, a northern port" Marlborough Express. -
1898 12 6 Brennan USA Military Topsides Headline “SUBMARINE MINE EXPLODES. Four Men Killed in Boston - Three of Them Are Blown Into Irrecoverable Fragments�. Four men were killed and several seriously injured at Fort Independence, on Castle Island, in Boston Harbor this afternoon, by the explosion of a mine which had been removed from the channel. Those killed were Sergt. Morris McGrath, Hiram Vaughn, Private Brennan, (a diver.) and a man named Ryan. The accident occurred about 2 o’clock. Vaughn, Brennan, and Ryan had placed the mine on a cart, and started to take it to the place where the other ammunition was stored, when from no apparent cause the mine burst. The horse and cart and the three men were blown to fragments. Sergt. McGrath was standing fully twenty feet away. He was instantly killed by the concussion. His body does not bear a mark of any sort. As soon as possible after the explosion, a careful search was begun by Lieut. Raymond, who had charge of removing the mines, but not a fragment of the three men or their clothing could be found. Lieut. Raymond says that he cannot explain how the explosion occurred. He says that since the order was issued from Washington hundreds of mines have been handled in precisely the same way as was this one and transported over the same road, and no harm had resulted. Ryan was a civilian, assisting in the work. Vaughn was a member of the Engineer Corps. Sergt. McGrath was the keeper of the island, and was well known throughout Boston and its vicinity. New York Times -
1899 7 17 Richardson UK "The drowning of a Tyne diver. Salvage of a steam wherry ("Borthwick"?) near Breadnell. Yesterday, the body of a South Shields diver named…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Carlisle Patriot/Shields Daily Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1899 8 18 Baldwin William USA 45 S/S Air Second attempt to reach the wreck of the British ship 'Andelana' lying in 190' of water near Tacoma Harbour. “Death was due to some accident in the pumping gear which supplied the air� Reported in the Evening Telegram -
1899 10 23 Gorry UK S/S Air "Manx boating disaster, death of a diver, a diver named Gorry made a search off Port Erin for the bodies of Mr Hassall a Liverpool Stockbroker, his son and 2 boatmen whose boat capsised on Saturday off Port Erin..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Shields Daily Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1899 10 30 Massan Australia 29 S/S Air Paraphrased from an article in the Northern Territory Gazette and Times:- “On Tuesday afternoon the (Sailing) lugger 'Electra' came into port in tow of the launch 'Victoria'. Soon after it was known in town that the diver engaged on board, a Japanese better known as Massan amongst his countrymen, had been drowned. At the inquest, which was held at the Court House, Palmerston, on Tuesday afternoon, it was stated that the 'Electra' was working about seven miles west of the Vernon at about 8 o'clock in the morning when the mishap occurred. A little before eight Massan went down and commenced looking for shell. He had been down about a quarter of an hour when the tender signalled him, but received no answer. This aroused his alarm, and he at once had the diver' drawn up. Massan came up feet foremost, and it was then seen that he had lost his helmet. When drawn up on deck and the dress taken off it was found that he was quite dead. Everything was done that was possible under the circumstances, but all without avail, and Capt. Mugg decided to up anchor and come into Port Darwin. As the wind was not by any means a fair one Mr. C. Hamarau, owner of the launch Victoria, kindly volunteered, to tow the lugger into port. Captain Mugg informs us that the diver was working on a very uneven bottom, the water varying in depth from ten to sixteen fathoms, and it is supposed that in going into a deep hole from the 10 fathom level he slipped and fell, and going down head foremost must have struck the helmet against a rock, knocking it off. The jury found that the deceased came to his death by drowning, and that no blame war attached to any one� -
1900 0 0 Virco Alexander Joseph S/S Air Extraordinary death of a diver. … held an inquiry at Wimbledon concerning the death of Alexander Joseph Virco, aged 37 years..." Report dated Saturday 1st December 1900. No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Illustrated Police News News/The British Newspaper Archive -
1900 1 5 Helfricht Leopold Christian UK " The sinking of the Patria, Helfricht, a German diver, who was drowned in the sinking of the Patria on Thursday, Captain Spruth, who directed the salvage operation near Deal (Kent) said..." "..Chief diver has been drowned and the body recovered. Two of his attendants were drowned, and two Deal.." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the York Herald/The British Newspaper Archive -
1900 3 5 Obashi Seihachi Australia S/S Air "The Under Secretary to the Treasury has been informed that the lugger ‘Nautilus’, which arrived at Thursday Island on the 10th, reports that a Japanese diver named Seihachi Obashi was drowned near Darnley on the 5th instant through the air-pipe breaking while he was diving". The Brisbane Courier, Qld -
1900 5 25 Not Recorded UK "Tragic death of a diver. Last night the steamer 'Fawn', which had been at the steam liner "Dewdrop" of Aberdeen, which was wrecked at the Swarf, Stronsay,..." (Fishing liner 'Dewdrop' went ashore at Linga Sound, Stronsay, in a storm, refloated and put back into service). No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Angus Evening Post/The British Newspaper Archive -
1900 8 14 Not Recorded UK "Diver Killed By Sluice Valve. In the Lady Windsor Dep Dock at Barry Docks. On Tuesday, a diver…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Western Mail/The British Newspaper Archive -
1900 11 13 Roderick John Australia S/S Air "A Death. A well Known Diver, John Roderick, met with his death at Mort's Dock. He was engaged in a .." "..that the diver was in a serious position. He was quickly released, but when pulled to the surface found to be dead, having been.." "A diver drowned, aged 56, a married man with 7 children, employed as a diver at Mort's Dock, Palmain, was working under a steamer yesterday when the air pipe attached to his helmet became jambed and he was drowned" Reported in the Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) -
1900 11 23 Not Recorded UK Military S/S Air "Naval diver's death. Diving in support of the Battleship Howe (Admiral class battleship launched in 1885), died shortly after recovering a…" Presumed to be a report on the death of Alexander Virco (TC) No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Portsmouth Evening News/The British Newspaper Archive -
1901 2 20 Eulogio Australia Topsides "The diving lugger 'Esme' capsised in a squall near Cairncross Island. A Philippino diver named Eulogio was drowned, but the remainder of the crew escaped. Eulogio was on deck with all his diving dress on except the helmet when the squall struck" Reported in the Brisbane Courier. -
1901 3 28 Not Recorded Australia Topsides “Another Chinaman died of dysentery in Palmerston Chinatown on Thursday night last. A Japanese diver died on Thursday from, we believe, the same cause�. No details. Reported in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette -
1901 6 14 Anderson Martin USA Rodgers Salvage 18 S/S Air American, reported as asphyxiated, heavy bleeding from eyes nose, probably nicked hose, lost air, squeeze, differential pressure. -
1901 9 24 Chomatza Australia A. E, Jolly and Co 24 S/S Air Paraphrased from newspaper report at the time in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette “Early this week the pearling lugger "Beryl" returned to port with a sick diver and was dispatched out to the grounds again with a try diver named Chomatza in charge. Strangely enough the same boat again made her appearance in the harbour on Wednesday morning, and the dead body of the try diver, was brought ashore by the crew, and carried to the Japanese lodging house. ~ The 'matter was reported to the police, but it was not considered necessary to hold any inquest. The diving gear was found to be sound and apparently in good working order. According to the crew, the boat was at work off Shoal Bay and the diver, had been down several times in 11 to 14' fathoms of water. He usually stayed down about 15 minutes, but about 2 pm, he gave the signal to be hauled up after being down only about five minutes. He was hauled up very quickly and instructed the tender to take off his dress and after to heave up anchor and go into Shoal Bay. A few minutes later the tender discovered him sitting in his bunk in the cabin, with teeth tightly, clenched, unable M speak. He had not complained of feeling ill and uttered no cry. The tender administered some medicine taken by divers in such cases, but after a comparatively brief interval the unfortunate fellow was found to be dead. There is not the slightest doubt that, many of these diving fatalities are the outcome, of carelessness or ignorance on the part of the men engaged, the implicit instructions given by the best authorities being notoriously neglected in one important particular, i.e., regarding the time to be taken in ascending and descending. As a rule, when divers give the signal to be drawn up, they are rushed to the surface as quickly as two men hauling upon the life line can bring them, and it is this practice, resulting in a rapid change from heavy water to atmospheric pressure, which has caused more attacks of divers paralysis on the local grounds than the depth, which, as a rule, is shallow compared with other places. -
1902 4 18 Lawson Edward UK Mersey Dock Board S/S Air "Diver drowned. A diver, Edward Lawson, in the employ of the Merseydock board met with a terrible death on Friday. He was searching…." "Diver's Fearful Death. Inquest held at Liverpool yesterday upon Edward Larsen, 38, who met his death..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Cornishman/The British Newspaper Archive -
1902 8 20 Not Recorded Malta Military S/S Air "A diver's death. How a missing torpedo cost a life. A few days ago, HMS Barham (Third class cruiser launched in 1899, scrapped in 1914) was at torpedo practice outside the harbour at Malta.." . No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Angus evening Post/The British Newspaper Archive -
1903 5 15 Abdullah Ahamat Australia S/S Air "The Treasury Department has received advice that Ahamat Abdullah, a Malay diver, was drowned at Thursday Island throught the pipeline bursting" Reported in the Morning Post, Cairns. -
1903 6 23 Antisevitch France S/S Air "Death of a diver, Marseilles. While divers were at work on the steamer 'Liban" this morning, one of them, name Antisevitch…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Derby Daily Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
1903 8 1 Gunderson Charles USA S/S Air American, repairing a Boat, Reported as “Dashed to River's Bottom. HELMET IS BENT ON HIS HEAD. Accident While Repairing Propeller of the Disabled Eastland. Engines Are Started Up. Hard to Remove Helmet�. Reported in the Chicago Daily Tribune -
1903 8 14 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air Diving Fatalities. BRISBANE. August 21. “A Japanese diver was killed whilst engaged in diving operations in the Missionary Passage, Thursday Island, through a pipe bursting. This makes the third fatality within a week. Reported in the Western Star and Roma Advertiser, Toowoomba, Qld FATALITIES AT THURSDAY ISLAND. The Treasurer has received a notification from the Inspector of Pearlshell Fisheries at Thursday Island, that the ‘Mabel’ had reported that a Japanese diver named Hiogo Santra was killed whilst diving in the Missionary Passage, through the pipe bursting. This makes the third fatality to Japanese divers in a week. A man from the lugger ‘Clifton’ died from paralysis at Kumusi, Missionary Passage, on 14th, and one from the lugger ‘Ivy’ from paralysis at Stephens Island on The 16th. Reported in the Brisbane Courier, Qld. -
1903 8 20 Santra Hiogo Australia S/S Air Diving Fatalities. BRISBANE. August 21. “A Japanese diver was killed whilst engaged in diving operations in the Missionary Passage, Thursday Island, through a pipe bursting. This makes the third fatality within a week. Reported in the Western Star and Roma Advertiser, Toowoomba, Qld FATALITIES AT THURSDAY ISLAND. The Treasurer has received a notification from the Inspector of Pearlshell Fisheries at Thursday Island, that the ‘Mabel’ had reported that a Japanese diver named Hiogo Santra was killed whilst diving in the Missionary Passage, through the pipe bursting. This makes the third fatality to Japanese divers in a week. A man from the lugger ‘Clifton’ died from paralysis at Kumusi, Missionary Passage, on 14th, and one from the lugger ‘Ivy’ from paralysis at Stephens Island on The 16th. Reported in the Brisbane Courier, Qld. -
1903 9 1 Marling Australia Caisson Sydney, seabed investigation for the proposed North Shore bridge. Three man team working from a bell (Clarke, Dodds, Marling), four hour shift (Midnight to 04:00), at the end of their shift all three complained of feeling unwell, Clarke the worst. Quote:- “About 5.45 a.m. the licensee of the Fig tree Hotel heard someone groaning outside his premises. On investigating he found Clarke lying on the veranda in a critical condition- He carried the sufferer inside. Clarke, however, never rallied, and expired at 8.30 a.m. From the nature of his symptoms it is supposed that he succumbed to excessive air pressure� Adelaide Advertiser -
1903 9 1 Dodds Australia Caisson Sydney, seabed investigation for the proposed North Shore bridge. Three man team working from a bell (Clarke, Dodds, Marling), four hour shift (Midnight to 04:00), at the end of their shift all three complained of feeling unwell, Clarke the worst. Quote:- “About 5.45 a.m. the licensee of the Fig tree Hotel heard someone groaning outside his premises. On investigating he found Clarke lying on the veranda in a critical condition- He carried the sufferer inside. Clarke, however, never rallied, and expired at 8.30 a.m. From the nature of his symptoms it is supposed that he succumbed to excessive air pressure� Adelaide Advertiser -
1903 9 1 Clarke George Australia Caisson Sydney, seabed investigation for the proposed North Shore bridge. Three man team working from a bell (Clarke, Dodds, Marling), four hour shift (Midnight to 04:00), at the end of their shift all three complained of feeling unwell, Clarke the worst. Quote:- “About 5.45 a.m. the licensee of the Fig tree Hotel heard someone groaning outside his premises. On investigating he found Clarke lying on the veranda in a critical condition- He carried the sufferer inside. Clarke, however, never rallied, and expired at 8.30 a.m. From the nature of his symptoms it is supposed that he succumbed to excessive air pressure� Adelaide Advertiser -
1903 10 1 Saki Shiro Australia 26 S/S Air Japanese, aged about 24, pearling grounds at Cape Keith. After a dive lasting about 20 minutes spent 5 minutes on deck before complaining of feeling unwell, died 4 hours later. Reported in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette -
1903 11 12 Kling A Singapore S/S Air Repair to the bottom plates (a problem discovered on her last voyage to Madras) of the SS 'Zamania' at Tanjong Pagar dock 'diver who went down was seized by a shark. His leg and arm were torn off and he died almost immediately' Straits Times -
1904 4 13 Hoar William J USA 23 S/S Air Trapped by differential pressure on the mouth of a pipe in the Bointon resevoir (Jersey City Water Supply Co.), they kept pumping air to him for 96 hours. Led to calls for divers to be given telephone communications instead of signal rope -
1904 4 15 Ride John USA S/S Air The diver who blocked the valve and eventually recovered the body of William Hoar working upstream of it in the water flow. -
1904 6 17 Vessel "General Slocum" USA S/S Air Pleasure paddle steamship, caught fire and sank in east River, New York, 15/6/1904, loss of over 1,000 lives. Two days later, divers recovering bodies were endangered when sister ship, the "Grand Republic" ignored police and harbour official and made high speed close pass almost swamping the rescue boats. Decks full of cheering passengers in spite of groups of relatives on the shore waiting to identify bodies. -
1904 7 11 Not Recorded Australia 21 S/S Air “Diver's Terrible Fate. A diver at Boonton, New Jersey, a small village near Paterson, has met with a terrible fate. At Boonton there is a largo reservoir, and the diver was sent down for some purpose to the bottom of the great basin. He caught his foot in some manner at a depth of 70 feet under the surface, and signalled for help. As soon as possible, assistance was sent to him, and diver after diver went down, staying as long as possible in the hope of effecting his release. By Tuesday, the man had been 24 hours under water, and seven divers failed in their efforts to bring him up. Every effort was made to extricate him, and to cut away the obstruction that held his foot, but all the efforts were in vain, and late in the afternoon the signals that the diver had been making grew fainter, and finally ceased� Reported in The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Parmatta, NSW -
1904 10 16 Baker Frances L USA Merrit and Chapman Wrecking Company S/S Air Niece of a A. P. Baker who died as a result of burns sustained in the sinking of the "Slocum". On his deathbed he told the family that in desperation he had thrown a tin full of valuable papers and bonds overboard. One of the documents was a warrant granted by the British Government for an estate in Scotland valued at $150,000. The girl is reported as being the first to descend in full diving gear (her father was also a diver) to commence the search. The operation was priced at $300 per day. -
1904 12 18 Hatrickichi Sakamoto Australia Topsides Apparently murdered by two Malays. Data to add, TC -
1905 1 21 Leach Charles UK S/S Air Described as a 'Shipwright diver', descended to clear potential obstructions prior to placing a caisson next to No 2 Devonport dock gates. His life line snapped, they tried pulling him up by his airline - which snapped. Second diver could not descend as his helmet would not screw down correctly, they found him another helmet but lost 25 minutes. A third diver also descended from the opposite side of the dock to aid in the search. Downed. Married with three children.. Feilding Star, Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand -
1905 3 16 Beckett Australia Topsides “DIVER INJURED. The work of getting out the propeller of the wrecked RMS ‘Australia’ is proceeding satisfactorily, but during the operation today, a diver named Beckett was washed from the hull into the sea. He was rescued within a few minutes�. Reported in the Border Morning Mail and Riviera Times, Albury, NSW -
1905 6 4 Hayes Daniel USA S/S Air American, town of Keokuk in Iowa, clearing lake drainage pipe, sucked under the refuse and against a boulder, he and tangled hose trapped by differential pressure at around 15:00 hours on the 3rd of June. Rescued by two government works divers 24 hours later and pulled to the surface "unconscious and almost dying" -
1905 8 29 Kitson? (John?) Frederick UK S/S Air "Diver dies underwater. While underwater Hartlepool on Tuesday night a diver named Frederick Kitpsn" (Assumed to be a scanning error, Kitson? TC)." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in The Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1906 1 3 Mathie Jas. UK S/S Air " Diver's tragic death, diver Jas. Mathie, aged 60, while at work in the River Clyde Glasgow, last night, signalled for urgent attention. He…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive -
1906 4 11 May George Australia Topsides VICTORIA. MELBOURNE. April 12. “George May, a diver, residing at Footscray, was killed last night at Williamstown by being run over by a train. His body was found on the line this morning shockingly mutilated�. Reported in the Kalgoorlie Miner, WA -
1906 5 20 Kraming South Africa S/S Air Simonstown harbour, apparently drowned, helmet off (Siebe Gorman?). Captured in colour illustration on the front page of 'Le Petit Journal', now available as a retro-poster (allposters.com). Newspaper report dated 27th June regarding an inquest held in Simonstown into the death of a diver on the breakwater works. "Another diver named MacPhail was down at the same time, and whilst the two men were standing together MacPhail saw Kraming's helmet suddenly fly off. Kraming caught hold of MacPhail and pulled on the lifeline. Both men were drawn up to within 10 feet of the surface when the hauling stopped and MacPhail was forced to let go his hold with the result that Kraming fell to the bottom again and was drowned. It was conclusively proved that the helmet was properly ajusted when he left the boat to descend but there was no evidence to show how it became unfastened. The magistrate, in returning a verdict of 'death by drowning', commented somewhat severely on the methods prevailing at Sir John Jackson's works and expressed the opinion that an extra man should be furnished to each diver and that only reliable men should be employed on the work. It is said that such an occurrence is unparalleled in connection with diving operations". Straits Times. -
1906 5 21 Sajidoko Australia S/S Air Japanese, aged about 26, pearling off one of Captain Edward's luggers to the south of Melville island off Cape Gambier, drift diving, airlines snagged on an underwater obstruction and pulled apart at a coupling by the weight of the boat. The diver suffocated before he was hauled to the surface. Reported in the Northern TerritoryTtimes and Gazette -
1907 1 23 Harper New Zealand 41 S/S Air Off Aukland, attempting to recover gold from the wreck of the Eligamite. ""After three descents and securing 800 sovereigns, died suddenly", reported in the Camperdown Chronicle, Vic -
1907 4 19 Ewing James USA S/S Air Diver from Boston, setting dynamite charges during the construction of the Vaughan Bridge in south Portland. Charge went off underneath him whilst he was still in the water 'which caused his death on the operating table at a hospital two and a half hours later' Lewiston Daily Sun -
1907 7 4 Tacoben or Jacobean UK "Diver named Tacobean (Faulty Scan? TC) died from sudden heart failure while he was underwater exploring the wreck of the Grosvenor, old..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in The Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1907 7 20 Trapnell Walter UK Military 45 S/S Air Reported as “A government diver� at an inquest held in Torquay. Diving operation on the wreck of the RN Torpedo boat 99 sunk off Torbay. Became entangled and was cut free by another diver (Leverett) after 2 hours and twenty minutes. Spent 2 hours at 50' 'staging' brought to the surface alive but 'died as a result of his long immersion' in hospital. Reported in the Nelson Evening Mail -
1907 8 27 Leverettt UK "The torpedo wreck off Berry Head" " …act of diver Leverett, he died the following day. Yesterday the boat was successfully raised by the Deveonport dockyard riggers..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in TheExeter and Plumouth Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1907 11 2 Caley William UK "Hull diver dies mad in the asylum. William Carey, the hull diver who had been engaged in salvage work the…." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in The Hull Daily Mail/The British Newspaper Archive -
1908 0 0 Haldane John Scott UK Topsides Haldane, in conjunction with Arthur Boycott and Guybon Damant, publish "The Prevention of Compressed Airs", largely regarded as the landmark paper on the development of decompresion tables. Tables based on this paper were later adopted by the Royal Navy and used worldwide. -
1908 1 12 Clarke John New Zealand 41 S/S Air Off Aukland, second diver to die (the other was Harper, 1907) working on the wreck of the Eligamite "A telegram from the Elingamite expedition states that the party is returning to Auckland, Diver Clarke having died at 10:30 last night. no further information is given. This is the second diver who has died while engaged in attempting to recover the gold lost in the Elingamite". Hawera and Normamby Star, National Library of New Zealand -
1908 2 9 Clarke Benjamin Ceylon S/S Air Aged 42, From Suffolk in England, arrived in Ceylon late 1907 from Dover with is wife and four year old daughter. In early January burst a blood vessel while working underwater on the Colombo breakwater extension and brought to the surface unconscious. After 10 days was able to walk, but had a relapse and died at the British India Hotel. His wife was in the General Hospital suffering from enteric fever during this time. Straits Times -
1908 4 0 Barringarra Australia Topsides Lugger and three lives lost. "Received following wire from Coxswain Fry, Condon:- Postmaster wires lugger 'Cleopatra' wrecked. Diver and two other drowned, four walking to Port Hedland. Constable leaving immediately to search for bodies. Also other wreckage between Condon and Wallal" Reported in the Daily News Perth, Perth after a big storm in late April that caused havoc with the pearling fleet. Is this the first report of the death of McLachlan (reported on storm article on 1/9/1908?) -
1908 6 0 Not Recorded UK S/S Air "Divers death underwater, fails to answer signal. Caledonian canal fatality. The authorities at Fort william have been appraised of a peculiar fatality which..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive -
1908 7 12 Mogg Joseph Australia McPherson 15 S/S Air Paraphrased from a report in the Northern territory times and gazette. “Inquiry held at the Court House into the cause of death of pearl diver Joseph Mogg, The lugger 'Ada' was anchored off Shoal Bay. His only experience was acquired recently in the Arru I Island pearling fleet. Had been down 30 minutes when the first length of piping, directly connected with the pump, burst on deck. It was about four minutes from the time the pipe burst until on diver was on surface, bleeding from his mouth and eats, possibly "diver was little bit alive." One witness stated that he had complained that the length of piping which burst was not good. The owner denied this (the same length of pipe had been used on the previous tide to 19 fathoms and stated that he had 22 years practical experience of pearling, and attributed present mishap to a flaw in the piping. “The life of piping with steel wires was about 4 years, and this piping had only been in use two and a half seasons. A diver who knew his business would at once close the air escape valve in his helmet. If that were done there was, according to the maker's specifications, enough air in the dress to keep a man alive for 15 minutes). The evidence showed that the valve had never been closed, and, in his opinion, “The diver had never tried to come up. In a precisely similar accident which bad taken place at Cape Keith four years ago, the diver had been brought up alive, and practically unhurt, from 21 fathoms of water.� The Jury found "That J. Mogg's death was caused by suffocation through an air pipe breaking, and that no blame is attachable to anybody." Also added a rider to following effect: " We are of opinion that the system of half yearly tests of diving gear should be carried out at Port Darwin under some responsible Government official." (This is the earliest recommendation for 6 monthly dive equipment inspection witnessed by a third party that I have found, pity it took us 70 or 80 years to catch on! TC..........) -
1908 9 0 Not Recorded Malta Navy S/S Air DIVER FALLS ASLEEP. An extraordinary story of a diver falling asleep underwater is reported from Malta. Some time ago when the battle ship Dreadnought was there, one of her seamen divers went below to clear her propeller of some flotsam but failed to come to the surface again. Signals by telephone and lifeline were sent to him without avail, and when some brushes and other things came to the surface it was feared that the man was dead. Another diver was then sent below, and found the other man asleep seated comfortably upon one of the giant propeller blades. Reported in The Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal, NSW -
1908 9 1 McLachlan Alexander Australia Topsides The ravages of the great blow off La Grange Bay have been repaired, and Broome has practically forgotten the incident. Widespread sympathy was ex-pressed with sufferers by the disaster, and in the case of Mrs. McLachlan, whose husband, the well-known Freemantle diver, was drowned off his own lugger, a sum of £200 was promptly raised and placed at her disposal. It came at a time of sore need, as she had just passed through a maternity ordeal, and the loss of the breadwinner was a terrible blow. Most of the vessels lost during the tornado have been replaced, and pearling operations are now in full swing. reported in The Western Australian, Perth. Suspected named report for diver killed in the storm reported in April of 1908. -
1908 9 12 Newton UK Military S/S Air "Navy diver killed, Air pipe cut by warship cable. Navy diver met his death in a strange manner at Cromarty Firth on Saturday. Chief Carpenter…" "..tide, the diver's gear came into contact with the ship's cable, and was completely severed. Newton must have died immediately from...." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Cheltenham Chronicle/Derby Daily Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
1908 11 7 Lund Martin USA S/S Air Headline "Fight with an Octopus". 'A San Francisco diver, had a desperate fight with a large octopus recently while searching the hold of a sunken vessel. Soon after he had descended the octopus seized his leg below the knee with a tentacle five inches in diameter. Almost immediately another tentacle encircled his thigh. The diver chopped frantically at the beast with his knife, and signaled by the lifeline to be raised to the surface. Two more tentacles slid out of the darkness, one of which gripped Lund’s neck. The efforts of the men on the surface to raise him threatened to drag off his helmet, and he was compelled to signal them to desist. Lund, who had only his left hand free, fought like a madman, hacking at the tentacles until he partially crippled his enemy. With a final effort the Octopus drew Lund to its mouth, and the diver repeatedly drove his knife into its head until it was dead. When Lund was dragged to the surface he was in a fainting condition. The octopus was afterwards raised, and was placed on exhibition'. Straits Times. -
1908 12 14 Smith George USA 15 S/S Air Diving off the wrecking steamer W. H. Morse working on the wreck of the H. M. Whitney, the two sailors working his air pump had a fight over who was in charge ending with one unconscious with a fractured skull, the other rowing away. Other crew members turned out, found the unconscious sailor, started pumping but got no response on the diver's signal line. Pulled him to the surface, unconscious, hospitalised but survived. -
1909 2 1 Crane James UK Topsides Diver James Crane and five others died while trying to remove wreckage of the ketch “Good Hope� on February 1, 1909. The part sunken ketch posed a hazard, Trinity House decided to blow it up from the steamer Argus which reached the wreck on February 1. Conditions were too rough to send down its diver, James Crane, to plant explosives, and instead it was decided to lower and “fire them by electric current,� Diver James Crane and five crewmen used the ship's small boat to reach the site above the ketch and lowered explosives, the fourth charge was to prove disastrous. Unbeknown to the Trinity House men, the ketch Good Hope's cargo was 12 tons of gelignite and three tons of geloxie. The catastrophe left 23 children fatherless. -
1909 3 8 Not Recorded UK Mersey Dock Board S/S Air "Diver drowned. Defective gear. The Liverpool Crown Coroner conducted inquest on Saturday concerning the eath of Mersey Dock Board …. " No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Mancheste Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser/The British Newspaper Archive -
1909 6 14 Not Recorded "One of two divers salving the Russian drowned yesterday.." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser/The British Newspaper Archive -
1909 7 12 Swee Ong Singapore Sir John Jackson S/S Air Chinese diver, working near Johnston's Pier laying the foundations for a new sea wall for the Teluk Ayer reclamation. An iron ladder used for his ascent and descent became detached and fell on him breaking his back and cutting his head. He was pulled up, his diving dress was cut off and he was taken to hospital where he died. Straits Times -
1909 8 3 Hutton Tumbull UK Harbour board S/S Air Aged 60, living at 19 High Street, Burntisland, employed by the harbour board, lost his life while engaged in a diving operation. No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Angus Evening Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
1909 9 16 Not Recorded Italy S/S Air "Delayed Dynamite Explosion causes death of three daring men". Ravenna, Italy, Dynamite placed to destroy old masonry in the harbour failed to explode, divers descended to investigate. The charges then exploded, killing three of them. Warsaw Daily Times (Warsaw, Indiana) -
1909 12 3 Not Recorded UK S/S Air "Fatal Diving accident. Engineer's sudden illness underwater. A sad accident which resulted in the …" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dover Express/The British Newspaper Archive -
1910 3 3 Deers Louis Australia Freemantle Harbour Trust S/S Air Searching for an anchor lost from the Currie liner "Itonus" diving from the launch 'Penguin'. 'Some time after the descent he failed to respond to signals and was at once raised to the surface. His gear was stripped off and he was seen to be in a bad way. A doctor was summoned who on examination of the body pronounced his life was extinct. The deceased leaves a wife and three children. Reported in The Kalgoorlie western Argus. -
1910 4 21 Not Recorded Australia Topsides “JAPANESE DIVER'S FATE� Thursday Island, April 21. “A Japanese diver died to-day from an extraordinary accident. His lugger was changing ground and he attempted to cross the bows of another lugger, with the result that the bobstay of the other lugger caught him across the stomach while he was sitting in his diving dress on the deck-house. His spleen was split�. Reported in the Advertiser, Adelaide, SA -
1910 8 26 Mathewson RN Able Seaman James Edward UK Military 20 S/S Air Diver based at HMS Vernon, diving off the Navy vessel 'Redwing' (Tender, previously the war department's 'Sir Charles Pasley', transferred to the Royal Navy in 1905, sold in 1931) to investigate a seabed obstruction in the solent near the site where the A1 sank in 1904 (First British designed submarine, first of the A class submarines - an enlarged and improved 'Holland' class - sank with the loss of all 11 crew during a practice attack on HMS Juno when the conning tower was breached when she was run over by the Mail Steamer "SS Berwick Castle". She was refloated the same year and returned to service), reached the seabed and the repeatedly signalled for less air, then lost communications. Surface crew tried to pull him up but his lines were fouled (Although only diving in 11 fathoms they had paid out 200' of hose because of high currents and wanting to give the diver freedom to move about). They then manouvred the vessel and freed the lines bringing the diver to the surface 15 minutes later, but he was dead. Believed that his lines caught round the stump of an old mast and in an attempt to free himself had dropped his weights at which time he had floated towards the surface then held upside down by his lines and suffocated from lost air supply. "If he had waited perfectly quiet in deep water he could have been saved". They had a second diving dress on board but only had 50' of hose left so could not reach the diver. Inquest verdict was 'death from misadventure' with the coroner commenting that the diver's shipmates appeared to have done all that was possible in the circumstances. Wanganui Chronicle/Papers Past/National Library of New Zealand -
1910 11 0 Josky Australia 33 S/S Air “CASUALTIES. DIVER'S DEATH. PORT DARWIN, November 17.— The body of a Japanese diver named Josky was brought in yesterday afternoon. It was in an advanced stage of decomposition, the man having died from diver's paralysis on Monday last, contracted while diving in 18 fathoms of water�. Reported in The Register, Adelaide -
1911 1 11 Todd George New Zealand Rise and Shine Dredging Company S/S Air Making an inspection of the Rise and Shine Dredging Company's dredge that sank the previous week off Dunedin. "After he had been down a considerable time, those above realised that he gave no answer to their signals. Then he was pulled up and found to be dead". The inquest recorded a verdict of death from natural causes after medical evidence that his heart valves were affected and he died of the effects of heart disease. Northern Advocate, National Library of New Zealand -
1911 2 1 Caisson incident USA Caisson Newark Bridge construction, lifting failure dropped load of rubble smashing caisson airlocks, 10 fatalities -
1911 6 10 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air "A Pearling Tragedy. Four of the crew Drowned. The pearling lugger 'Neptune', carrying a crew five Japanese and one Manila man capsised while pearling off Melville Island this week and four of the crew were drowned including the Japanese diver who was below in his diving dress at the time of the accident. The 'Neptune', which was owned by Captain Edwards, is supposed to have been carrying too much sail at the time. The pearling season to date has been exceeedingly disappointing, (unreadable) water conditions prevailing throughout. Reported in the Advertiser, Adelaide. -
1912 0 0 Webber RN William Australia S/S Air "In 1912. William Webber, a darling of the British Diving Fraternity, lasted only 4 months in the waters off Broome before he suscumbed, apparently to the bends" One of 9 British Navy divers sent to Broome to "Claim the industry for the white man" White divers were not wanted, not because of goodwill towards the so-called Asiatics but because they threatened the wealth of the pearlers who could employ Asiatics for a pittance. His family were told his air hose had been cut and believe the master pearlers put a price on his head. Reading Eagle -
1912 0 0 Nowry RN Australia S/S Air In 1912, twelve ex-Royal Navy divers and tenders were brought from England to take over the diving from the Asians, whose presence conflicted with the “White Australia� policy in force at the time. William Webber, perhaps one of the world’s most famous divers, headed the group. Before the season was over, Webber, the most reliable of all divers, was dead. Another was paralysed, one had suffered partial paralysis, and all had withdrawn from the pearling fleet. The Japanese and Malay divers, and their employers, were jubilant. The Navy divers felt bitter and betrayed. At the subsequent Royal Commission, one of the Navy divers stated that they had been sabotaged, and that they were often taken to areas where the shells were depleted. That may have been true, but the Asian diver had to raise eight times as much shell as the Englishman, for the same wage. Nowry, the second in charge of the Royal Navy divers, recalled “We did well around the Banks group, but at depths I had never reached before, about 170 foot (51 m). I had a good shift and was back on deck, with the next run not being due for another 2 hours. My arms and shoulders began to ache with intense pain such as I had never experienced before. I went down 50 foot (15 m) or so and hung on by shot line. Gradually the pains left me, as the Malay skipper said they would. But I had diver’s paralysis and could not walk. Six months in hospital and I was back on my feet again, feet that could not get me back to civilisation quick enough.� He subsequently died from decompression sickness in Victoria, testing out a new diving suit. Rubicon Research Repository -
1912 5 8 Not Recorded Australia Topsides DIVER FINED. BROOME. May 8 “A white diver recently imported from England for pearling was fined £20, in default a month's imprisonment for having destroyed a leaf out of a ship's diary�. Reported in The Register, Adelaide, SA -
1912 6 4 Not Recorded France S/S Air "While a diver was engaged in submarine work in the harbour at Toulon on June 4 he was attacked by a giant octopus weighing 135 lbs. The octopus wrapped its tentacles, 25 ft. in length, around the diver, and when the latter was hauled to surface he was unconscious. The diver could not be released until the octopus had been stabbed to death". Straits Times. Another reports states:- DIVER AND OCTOPUS. A Naval Diver at Toulon, in France, was suddenly attacked the other day by a giant octopus while under water in the harbour. He gave the hoisting signal and was hauled to the surface together with the octopus whose tentacles, said to be 25’ long, were wrapped round him. The diver was unconscious. The octopus held fast to the diver until it was stabbed to death. It weighed 135 lbs and the suckers on its tentacles were as big as five shilling pieces. Reported in the Evening News, Sydney. -
1912 7 11 Coem Joseph France S/S Air "Diver killed by pressure. A diver named Joseph Cem has died at Toulon from the effects of too great a…." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive -
1912 8 16 West Edward Canada The Great Lakes Towing Company S/S Air Married with wife and amily in Port Huraon, Michigan, one of two divers in the waters of Lake Erie, four miles southeast of Port Burwell working under the overturned wreck of a sunken scow owned by the M. J, Hogan Company (Sank in May whilst loaded with stone, under tow by the steamer 'Lakeside'). Air was being pumped into the overturned hull, the two divers 'had gone down to see how work was proceeding when the scow, estimated to weigh 150 tons rolled over on top of them. One diver was pulled out by the combined efforts of 10 men but the body of West is still at the bottom of the lake". The Evening Recors -
1913 2 28 Stevenson Frederick Australia S/S Air "South Australia, Two Divers Drowned, Failure of air pumps". "Adelaide, Friday, two divers naned Stevenson and Putris were today drowned at the Wallaroo Jetty Works owing to the failure of thc pumps which supplied air to them". The two men had only been in the water about three minutes when the tender noticed he was not receiving any signals.. Stevenson was brought up and was just breathing but expired immediately, Putris was hauled up dead. Reported in the North Western Advocate and Emu Bay Times. -
1913 2 28 Putris John Australia S/S Air "South Australia, Two Divers Drowned, Failure of air pumps". "Adelaide, Friday, two divers naned Stevenson and Putris were today drowned at the Wallaroo Jetty Works owing to the failure of thc pumps which supplied air to them". The two men had only been in the water about three minutes when the tender noticed he was not receiving any signals.. Stevenson was brought up and was just breathing but expired immediately, Putris was hauled up dead. Reported in the North Western Advocate and Emu Bay Times. -
1913 3 0 Beeseley Australia Robinson & Norman S/S Air “THE LAST ENGLISH DIVER�. Report reached Broome on Wednesday that diver Beesley working on one of Robinson and Norman's boats, and the last of the imported white divers, had died from paralysis at the Grave Yard, Sygnet Bayy and was buried there. It will be remembered that Beesley resolved, in an endeavor to make a success of his search for shell, to abandon the scientific methods in diving, take a colored tender, and dive for shell in a similar manner to that adopted by Asiatic divers. Reported in the Coolgarlie Miner, WA. NB Was not the ‘last white diver’, as Saunders died 5 months later in September 1913. -
1913 6 20 Not Recorded Australia Francis and Co. 9 S/S Air "A Diver Drowned in full dress". "Perth, Friday, The Marine underwriters Assiociation, Perth, have received a wire from Broome to the effect that Francis and Co.'s lugger "Myrtle Olga' had capsised and sunk off Tapper's Inlet in 5 fathoms of water. The diver, it was further stated, was drowned whilst in full dress" Reported in the Bunbury Herald. -
1913 9 28 Saunders Australia 27 S/S Air British, reported as the last of the 13 men 'imported from England' remaining working in the pearling industry. After a dive, collapsed onboard the schooner and died of diver's paralysis. Adelaide Advertiser. Perth, Monday - A Broome telegram States that Saunders, the last of the white divers engaged there, died after working a fortnight in 15 fathoms of water. In that time he only brought up three-quarters of a hundredweight of shell, while the Japanese in the same time secured a ton. The Argus, Melbourne -
1913 11 10 Mitchell Joe USA S/S Air Aged 35, diving off the Dredger “Tampa� off Hooker's Point, called out to recover a piece of the dredger's mooring equipment lost overboard but marked by a buoy. Several minutes into the dive, the maker buoy bobbed indicating the diver was using it as a signal line, surface began pulling on his lines but he was entangled in debris. Eventually bobbed to the surface feet first (Had removed foot weights), his suit was full of water, taken ashore but pronounced dead. “It is believed that he drowned head down�. Reported in the Evening Independent. -
1914 5 24 Not Recorded Australia Topsides "Lugger goes to bottom. Loss of Two Lives. The chief harbourmaster at Freemantle has been advised by the wharfinger at Broome that the lugger 'Eleanor' sank off Wallal after parting her moorings in a south-east gale. Two members of the crew, a Japanese diver and a Malay, were drowned. The balance of the crew, including a white man named Chapman who was in charge of the lugger, were picked up after being in the water 6 hours. Reported in the Kalgoolie Western Argus. -
1914 6 20 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air "Diver Dies from Paralysis". Darwin, 23rd June, "A Japanese diver died from paralysis about midnight on Saturday onboard a lugger in Shoal Bay. He had just previously made three descents, on the last occasion being in the water for 15 minutes". The Bendigo Advertiser, Vic. -
1914 6 20 Not Recorded France Military “DIVERS NARROW ESCAPE. Buried torpedo nearly kills and then saves him. While a diver was engaged today in recovering a torpedo buried in the mud of the harbour (Cherbourg), the mechanism suddenly started, and the propeller severed the air pipe of the diving apparatus. The diver, with great presence of mind, clung to the torpedo, which bore him to the surface. He was dragged into the boat by his astonished comrades, in an almost asphyxiated condition. After an hour or two he was revived.� New York Times -
1914 6 21 Cossoboom Canada Quebec Salvage Company 40 S/S Air American, From New York, working on the wreck of the “Empress of Ireland� (Sank in the St Lawrence Seaway after a collision with the loss of around 800 persons) recovering bodies, lost contact with surface, was recovered unconscious to the schooner “Josephine� by a Royal Navy diver from the Cruiser Essex, failed to respond to treatment, died 30 minutes later. It appears he dropped from the superstructure (80' water depth) to the seabed (130' water depth) and was squeezed. Reported in the New York Times -
1915 0 0 Pearl divers Australia S/S Air In total, more than 800 divers and their support crews lost their lives because of cyclones between 1882 and 1935. In only 3 years, 1912 to 1915, 93 divers died from the bends. These were boom years for the industry, but the price in human terms was very high.' -
1915 1 14 Robinson John Singapore Topham, Jones and Railton 12 S/S Air English (From Southampton) Aged 32. contracted to Singapore Harbour Board during construction of new wharf (Tanjong Pagar section G-F). During underwater lifting/lowering, the diver stopped responding to line pulls and could not be pulled up. They brought up a second diver (named Harvey who was workling 10' to 12' away) and sent him back down to find what the problem was. Harvey went down and then surfaced indicating that they were to pull the diver up but they could not. Harvey went down again and after a signal they managed to pull the diver up. On getting him to the surface they could see the air pipe was severed (Only held by a strand the spiral internal wrap) about 15' from the diver. They attempted artificial respiration which was further continued by arriving doctors, but no response. The investigation concluded that the air line had been caught and severed by the lifting gear due to the strong tide (slack air line) and that the surface crew probably did not understand the diver's signals. Cause of death was given as asphyxia due to suffocation. The coroner observed that "the deceased was dead when brought to the surface". Straits Times. -
1915 2 4 Horry Sydney Australia 10 S/S Air Paraphrased from newspaper report:- “BAIRNSDALE, Thursday. A fatal accident happened on the railway bridge construction site to-day to a diver who was working in the Mitchell River. The air pipe attached to the diver's outfit became disconnected, and an attendant named Reid immediately drew him up. On reaching the surface the diver was dead. There was no water in his dress, but the pressure of water at the great depth had killed him. He recently came .from England and had not much experiences of diving, he had no relatives in Australia.� Reported in the Melbourne Argus -
1915 2 23 Hanson Harry USA Merrit and Chapman Wrecking Company 20 S/S Air Aged 48, third dive of the day on the salvage of a scow sunk at the foot of 57th Street, Brooklyn. Reported that he descended, signalled to be lifted but was entangled, hoses kinked and he suffocated though at the inquiry his erstwhile employers denied that his air supply was cut off or that there was any delay in pulling him up and stated that the inside of the suit was dry and receiving fresh air when he was pulled to the surface, Reported in the New York Times -
1915 3 25 Murphy James Joseph UK Topsides "Death of well known government diver who died in Dover from pneumonia at the …" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dover Express/The British Newspaper Archive -
1915 6 9 Shaw Gilbert UK Military "Gorton diver drowned. Word has been received in Manchester of the death of armourer and diver Gilbert Shaw of HMS Espiegl.." e (A Cadmus class Sloop launched in 1900, sold in 1923). No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Manchester Evening News/The British Newspaper Archive -
1915 8 2 Flannigan Harry UK Military S/S Air "Diver meets tragic death. The body was landed at the Royal Navy Hospital, Haslar, yesterday for inquest purposes of Harry Flannigan, a…"Diver suffocated by air pipe entanglement". No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive -
1915 8 2 Carpenter Charles USA S/S Air Highland Park, Pittsburgh, working in a 51� diameter pipe connecting two reservoirs, a cable snapped and an iron gate dropped behind him. After an hour and no response to signals, a second diver investigated, found the gate shut and worked to raise it. This was achieved some 5 hours after he first entered the water. Reported that he had only died minutes before being rescued. Rescue attempt was witnessed by a large crowd, including his wife and sister. Milwaukee Sentinel. -
1916 0 0 USS F-4 USA 93 S/S Air US Navy divers Crilley, Loughman and Nielson dive to 304' on air during salvage of the US Submarine F-4 using an early version of the Mk V Morse and Schrader dress (Without communications) The finalised version was adopted by the US Navy 1917 and used until introduction of the Mk 12 in the late 1970s -
1916 0 0 Not Recorded UK "Fatal Accident to a Diver. A fatality occurred at Chatham…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Manchester Evening News/The British Newspaper Archive -
1917 10 0 Not Recorded UK "Diver's Terrible Death At Avonmouth Docks. Mr. A. E. Barker (City Coroner) resumed an inquest yesterday (18th October 1917) respecting the death of a ..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Western Daily Press/The British Newspaper Archive -
1918 5 11 Not Recorded USA Military “Plumber� drowned at navy deep sea training school - A training accident, no details -
1919 3 27 Thiemann USN USA Military S/S Air American Navy diver, died whilst diving for a torpedo off St Thomas, Virginia -
1920 0 0 Cram J H USA Porter Brothers American, sued his employers claiming that he been incapacitated for some time after “his hoses were caught� and his air cut off -
1921 6 17 Godfrey Damon S Canada 8 S/S Air Sault Ste Marie, city on the St Marys River, Diver's lines tangled, unable to signal surface, lost helmet seal, gradual flooding of suit, drowned. Reported in the New York Times -
1921 8 39 De Gaetano Vincent USA Merrit and Chapman Wrecking Company S/S Air Harlem river, tangled in lines, did not respond to treatment -
1921 12 2 Not Recorded Australia Morley Pearling 11 S/S Air Pearl Diver Killed. Further information has been received by the Inspector of Police, Cairns, regarding the recent death of a Japanese diver, aged 20 years, off Thursday Island. The deceased was engaged by the Morley Pearling Co. of Thursday Island, and was diver and captain of a ketch named "Dart." He was at work in six fathoms of water when the spring of the pump burst, and he was immediately hauled to the surface. When his head-gear was removed he was found to be dead. The scene of the fatality was at the fishing grounds, 60 miles from Thursday Island, known as Badu. Deceased was-taken to Thursday Island, where death was declared to be due to suffocation while diving in apparatus. Reported in the Cairns post, Qld. -
1921 12 20 Torrance Captain william UK S/S Air "Diver drowned. Through air pipe becoming severed, William Torrance, diver, lost his life while…" "Weymouth diver's tragic end. Asphyxiated underwater through air pipe bursting. Weymouth, Wednesday. Verdict of death by asphyxiation was returned today.." "Diver suffocated. Fatal accident in Portland Harbour while diving operations were in progress from the tug..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1922 1 19 Rufer Alexander R USA Military S/S Air Aghed 32, diver attached to the local US Engineering corps, fatally injured whilst working on the Ohio river dam 5 (Between Rochester and Freedom, just north of Pittsbiugh, PA, striuck by a wicket being moved into place by a crane. The Pittsburgh Press -
1922 8 0 Williams UK "Diver's Accident in Tobermory Bay. While engaged in the search for sunken treasure, Mr Williams, the principlal …" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Evening Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
1922 9 11 Not Recorded Malaysia FMS Railway Company 12 Caisson Pahang province, about 26 miles from the town of Kuala Lipis, railway construction department building a bridge over the Jelai river, a Philippino diver was working at the bottom of one of the two 40' deep coffer dams when "the whole structure was sucked down below the bed of the river. Mr. Snelling, the diving expert attached to Messrs D. G. Robertson Ltd., was telegraphed for, but although air had been pumped through the life lines for the 96 hours before his arrival, no hopes were entertained of recoverimg the body of the diver". Straits Times" -
1922 11 17 Couch Anna USA Rockefeller Institute Chamber Woman undergoing oxygen therapy in a chamber,, fire reported as caused by a short circuit, her bed and bedding erupted into flames. “In the highly oxygenate atmosphere the flames spread so swiftly and burned so fiercely that there was no chance for the patient� A nurse with her in the chamber survived unhurt. New York Times -
1923 0 0 Not Recorded USA Chamber Reported as possibly the first recorded chamber fire, at the Cunningham Sanitorium in Kansas City. The chamber was outside the buildings and heavily insulated to protect the patients from extreme winter temperatures. The nurse inside the entry lock/TUP called "The tank is on fire", the doctor went into the enty lock and saw hazy smoke in the other compartment, he evacuated the pateints and then emptied the other tank. No apparent damage except charring of the wooden floor. They had external naked gas burners under the tanks to keep them warm in winter and it is believed somebody turned up the gas too much resulting in the wooden floor interior scorching. No injuries reported. Sheffield and Desautels “Hyperbaric and hypobaric Chamber fires, a 73 year analysis�, Undersea Hyperbaric Medicine, 1997, 24 (3): 153-164. They missed the fire that killled Anna Crouch 17/11/1922 (TC) -
1923 6 1 Doe Arnold R USA S/S Air Superintendent of bridges of the state highway department, inspecting the East Haddam Bridge, 'died about 2:30 o'clock this afternoon from an internal haemorrhage' -
1924 0 0 US Navy USA S/S Mixed Gas US Navy and Bureau of mines sponsor experimental heliox dives -
1924 7 0 Cappadona France S/S Air STINGRAY ATTACKS DIVER. Cappadona, the well-known French diver had an astonishing encounter with a stingray while repairing the Toulon-Antibes cable. The stingray has a terrific, dagger-like tail, which is poisonous. When it saw the diver it dashed at him, striking with its tail and cutting the diving suit in many places, bruising Cappadona's body, but, luckily, not cutting the skin. Otherwise, the diver would have been doomed. Cappadona had pulled out his dagger and struck the stingray between the eyes, and as he did so tugged the "haul up" signal. This saved his life, the diving suit being useless owing to the holes. He was unconscious when pulled to the surface. Cappadona states that the stingray is even more dangerous than the 50-pound devil fish. Reported in The Horsham Times, Victoria, Australia -
1924 7 3 Smith Cilord USA Military S/S Air US Navy training dive a North Island torpedo base (California? TC), reported as “Hauled up, cause of death strangulation, Navy Board to Review� -
1924 8 25 Laurentic UK 27 Salvage of Gold bars off the wreck of the “Laurentic�, sunk off northern Ireland (off Lough Sully) in 1917 by a German submarine “Despite the perils attending what is said to have been the greatest salvage feat on record, there was only one accident, in which a diver suffered a broken leg� -
1924 9 1 Lovell Reuben UK "A diver for nearly 40 years at Portsmouth dockyard died recently. He brought up 200 bodies from the wreck of the training Frigate 'Eurydice' which foundered near Ventnor in a squall". Papers Past, evening Post, National Library of New Zealand. The training frigate 'Eurydice' sank off the isle of Wight when returning from a voyage to the Caribean with the loss of over 300 lives on 24th March 1878. She was refloated by early September in an extended diving operation using Sieve Gorman divers. -
1924 9 30 MacKenzie Charles Wiliam Hong Kong Topsides Chief diver of Taikoo Docks, appeared at the Central Magistracy having been remanded the previous Saturday. "Defendant was charged with driving his motor-cycle in a dangerous manner; with being under the influence of drink; and with not stopping his machine after the occurrence of an accident in which two members of the police force were knocked down and injured. The judge, in fining the defendent $100 on each of the first and third charges, the second charge being withdrawn, said that the defendant was fortunate that the Captain Superintendent of Police had not asked for imprisonment. The Chinese constable was awarded $10 compensation" Straits Times -
1924 10 22 Gunn Morrison UK S/S Air "Diver drowned in Lyness harbour, ex petty officer Morrison Gunn of Victoria Sreeet, Kirkwal..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Derby Daily Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
1925 3 0 Suketaro Yamakado Australia S/S Air PEARL DIVER SUFFOCATED. PERTH, Tuesday. A Japanese diver, Yamakado Suketaro, lost his life while working on a pearling lugger at sea 200 miles from Broome. He was lowered to the bottom in a diving suit, with an air pipe and life line. When the line was severed by coral rock the air pipe was fully extended, and as the lugger turned to give aid the pipe broke about 100 feet from the engine. When the body was recovered it was found that the Japanese was suffocated inside the diving suit. Reported in the Argus, Melbourne, Vic. Inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. The Age. -
1925 7 5 Woodhead Australia S/S Air Photograph of a diver in standard gear with the caption "Geraldton's Official diver, Mr. Woodhead, who is seen here in his armour about to descend. He is the first diver in Geraldton to be equipped with the latest telephone apparatus". Reported in the Sunday Times, Perth, WA. -
1925 9 24 Okuna Nizo Australia S/S Air Japanese pearl diver aged 33 or 35. “Drowned on the sea bottom�. "Was drowned while pearling near Broome owing to his air pipe snapping on a reef" The Wyalong Advocate and Mining, Agricultural and Pastoral Gazette, NSW, Australia. “JAPANESE DIVER DROWNED� PERTH, Wednesday.— “A Japanese diver named Nizo Okuna, about 35 years, was drowned on the bottom while engaged in pearling 80 miles from Broome in consequence of the snapping of the air pipe attached to his diving suit. Okuna’s line fouled a reef in a heavy sea and broke and then his air pipe went. The diver, later, floated to the surface dead. Another diver saved his life by rising before the reef was encountered�. Reported in The Register, Adelaide -
1925 10 0 Not Recorded UK S/S Air ".. Weymouth diver's death. Crushed by motor engine. A fatal accident occurred Thursday afternoon…"No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Western Gazette/The British Newspaper Archive -
1925 10 1 Not Recorded Bahrain Topsides Persian Gulf Storm, 32 drowned, 35 boats lost. Message received in Bushire from Bahrein Island in the Persian Gulf confirm the statement that the first reports of the cyclone on October 1 were exaggerated and that 32 Pearl divers were drowned and 35 boats are unaccounted for, a further 14 damaged. The town was not damaged. Casualties to boats belonging to other ports are estimated at 50. The duration of the storm was half an hour. The Mercury, Hobart. -
1925 10 30 Not Recorded Persian Gulf "Pearl divers perish in cyclone. Reports of the recent cyclone in the Persian Gulf show that 32 pearl divers were…." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Angus Evening Telegraph/The British Newspaper Archive -
1925 11 0 German Divers S/S Air "German Divers, ..expert divers who claim to have made underwater examinations at a depth of 500 feet. They were out last night with the British Naval..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Western Daily Press/The British Newspaper Archive. (Yeah, right, 1925, on air, 500' Propaganda! TC) -
1925 12 19 Parsons William UK S/S Air Reported as "Death of diver during tests at Collingwood docks, Liverpool" "Divers tragic Death. Death drom misadaventure was the verdict at Liverpool. Saturday on William Parsons, Liverpool, who died after...." "Death from misadventure was the verdict at Liverpool.." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in The Post (Lanarkshire)/Aberdeen Journal/The British Newspaper Archive -
1926 4 0 Not Recorded Australia S/S Air "A message from Broome statyes that a Malay, who was unacustomed to pearling work, decided to try his hand at diving. He went below and 12 minutes afterwards was dragged to the surface dead. He had shut of the air supply in order to sink to the bottom and failed to turn it on again". Northern Star, NSW, Auistralia -
1926 5 24 Devine John USA 12 S/S Air American, aged 40, New York East River, "Friend by mistake cut off his air hose" New York Times. Another report indicates "His lead soled boot was trapped in a cofferdam frame, his airline twisted and tangled, he died a divers death 30 feet under the East River this afternoon". He was recovered to the surface by fellow diver Alexander Hansen but was dead. Survived by 5 children. They were working on the installation of filter screens on the two water inlet tunnels supplying water to the new Edison Company plant being built at the end of fourteenth Street. Montreal Gazette -
1926 7 13 Williams Irving USA 15 S/S Air Described as a native of Kennebunk, working near Harpswell attempting to raise the power sloop 'Bradley A' which went ashore 10 days earlier on Bold Dick, a rocky pinnacle near Ragged Island in Casco Bay with the loss of three of the four crew. Reported as drowned at work, apparently an incident involving his air lines (being tended by his brother) which parted, but no details . Reported in the New York Times -
1926 9 25 Lee John UK 21 S/S Air "Accident to diver. While working on a wreck in Morecambe Bay yesterday, Jihn Lee of Weast Hartlepool..." "Diver's Ordeal. Broken helmet 70 feet below surface interviewed yesterday in Fleetwood hospital, a diver named Lee who almost…" No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Aberdeen Journal/The British Newspaper Archive -
1926 10 15 Archers J M Australia S/S Air “STINGRAY ATTACKS DIVER, An incident, unprecedented in the history of Broome (W.A.) pearling, occurred last week, when J. M. Archers, a diver, was attacked while diving by a 3 cwt stingray, which drove its serrated barb right through his thigh and out at the buttocks through his diving dress and three flannel garments. He was grievously wounded, and suffered agony before the pain was alleviated at the hospital. The poison had now worked towards his spine. This is the first time a diver has been attacked though bathers along the coast are frequently whipped by sting rays' tails�. Reported in The Horsham Times, Vic -
1926 11 0 Not Recorded UK S/S Air “How diver met his death. A Manchester ship canal accident� “How diver lost his life in Manchester Ship canal was described at the inquest in Irlam yesterday (29/11/1926)� “Diver's strange death� No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in The Post (Lanarkshire)/Aberdeen Journal/The British Newspaper Archive -
1927 1 0 Not Recorded France Military 37 S/S Air “NAVAL DIVER'S FATE. While searching for a torpedo which had sunk to a depth of 120 ft near the Salins d'Hyeres, near Toulon, a naval diver fainted. He was at once hoisted to the surface, given medical aid and rushed off in a tug to the land, but he died later in hospital�. Reported in The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder, NSW -
1927 1 28 Romans Louis Australia S/S Air Described as a native of Switzerland, aged 28 drowned at Darwin Jetty. Employed as a diver to fix some piping underwater, "his air pipe became fouled and the diver was dead when hauled up". The Brisbane Courier. Later reported that his airlines were severed by sharp oysters shells on the piles. Later reports went:- “CARELESS DIVER. At the-inquest into the death of the diver, Louis Romans, who was asphyxiated owing to the outlet valve in his helmet being out of order, it was stated that, the gear was in shocking condition. Despite frequent warnings, Romans persisted in using it. The coroner found a verdict of accidental death brought about by deceased's carelessness. Reported in the Northern Star, Lismore, NSW. -
1927 5 4 Madden Charles Australia S/S Air “DIVER COLLAPSES. When he was being brought to the surface after working on a pile cylinder under water at the George's River bridge yesterday afternoon Charles Madden, aged 30, collapsed. The St George District Ambulance was called and first aid rendered. It was found necessary, however, to take the man to the St. George District Hospital. He was suffering from diver's palsy�. Reported in The Sydney Morning Herald. -
1927 5 25 Harrison Edgar USA S/S Air American, from Catalina, speculative search for Aimee Macpherson (faked her own disappearance, but at the time was presumed missing/dead and there was a $25,000 reward for finding her. She had actually run off with her boyfriend). Water pressure acerbated appendicitis and he died. Macpherson re-appeared from the desert, initially claiming kidnap. Harrison's widow tried to sue Macpherson. -
1927 6 7 Not Recorded Italy Military S/S Air "..Diver suffocated, arrest follows tragedy of torpedo search, Rome Tuesday. An under sea tragedy is reported in a message from Fiume today...." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Bristol Mercury/The British Newspaper Archive -
1927 7 29 Hashimoto Hijiro or Bijiro Australia 33 S/S Air "Diver Drowned. Through an air pipe bursting 80 feet from the pump, a 46 year old Japanese diver with 26 years of experience was drowned at Broome, W. A. He was working at 18 fathoms and it was ten minutes before he could be brought to the surface". Reported in the Advocate, Burnie, Tasmania. -
1927 8 0 Not Recorded Algeria "Divers Dynamited Underwater. Paris, Sunday, A message from Algiers to the Matin reports that one diver was.." "Killed by Explosion. Paris, Friday, A message reports that one diver was.." "One diver was killed and four others seriously injured by the preature explosion of some dynamite which they were using for the ..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Aberdeen Journal/The Lanarkshire Post/The British Newspaper Archive -
1927 9 19 Hook Australia S/S Air A huge octopus bearing in its tentacles a human body was forced to disgorge its prize after an hour’s battle 50 feet under the water of Port Townsend with a diver named Hook. Hook had been repairing a fish net when he saw the devil fish making its way along the bottom of the sound with a body in its clutches. The diver, who was armed with spike-pole, forthwith attacked the monster. For many minutes the gallant diver thrust and lunged at the monster which savagely gave battle but grimly held on its prey. Time after time, the fish warded off the spear-thrusts and tried to seize its assailant in its serpentlike arms, while the water became cloudy with the "dust" of battle. At last, concentrating his thrusts upon the creature's spider like body, the diver literally tore it to ribbons before it shrunk back, apparently mortally wounded, and the diver was able to prise its tenticle loose from the corpse. The body was later identified as that of the cook off a tugboat which sank in the harbour when four others were drowned, none of whose bodies have been recovered.' Straits times ' -
1927 10 25 Giorgas James USA 16 S/S Air Aged 28, Greek Sponge diver working out of Tarpon Springs onboard the Porteritisa, signalled to be brought to the surface after his airline parted, hauled aboard and appeared OK, helmet off, announced he was alright then collapsed and died. St. Petertsburg Times. -
1927 11 10 Hawkes C. C. Australia S/S Air “Last week the crack diver of Mr. C. C. Hawkes lost his life when diving for pearl off Gautheaume Point, near Broome, owing to his air pipe becoming fouled with a coral cup. The boat was drifting and the strain on the pipe severed it and the diver was suffocated. It was stated at the inquest, however, that death was expedited owing to the deceased suffering from fatty degeneration of the heart. The fact that a diver was killed in such a manner today led to inquiries being made whether the divers working from the Broome base were using the latest diving equipment, or whether it was perhaps old equipment. It was ascertained from the Chief Inspector of Fisheries (Mr. Aldrich) that it was to the pearler’s advantage to use the latest equipment for their divers, as these men were very valuable, apart from the protection of life aspect. The owners were equipped with the latest diving equipment both in dress and1 hoses. A new diving dress, however, has been invented by Mr. Y. Murakami, of Broome, but it is understood that it has not yet been manufactured locally. He has been working on the invention for the past four years. The equipment is much reduced in weight, and, being highly rubberised, admits of free movement by the diver when on the sea bottom. The usual helmet is practically done away with, except for a plate carrying the face glass and valves. The boots and shoulder leads are reduced to less than half the weight of the ordinary equipment, whilst the air pipes are considerably smaller. It is hoped eventually to be able to manufacture the whole of the new equipment in Perth. Special compressed air cylinders may be carried on the equipment instead of using the usual air pumping machines and pipes. Reported in the Daily News, Perth, WA. -
1927 11 20 Not Recorded USA S/S Air Swedish, searching for 3 bodies after a motor schooner was sunk after a collision, 4th dive, died, no details -
1927 12 24 Caisson incident USA Caisson Caisson work during construction of Hudson river bridge, 3 drowned -
1928 0 0 SDC USA S/S Air Davis introduces his closed bell - the Davis Submersible Chamber (SDC) Diving Bell -
1928 0 0 Kimbel USA S/S Air Died of pulmonary embolism, no details -
1928 7 24 Kakutchi K Australia S/S Air Japanese pearl diver diving off Poit Vicente from a launch with a two man surface crew. Apparently flooded suit but no details. Reported in the Los Angeles Times -
1928 12 3 Not Recorded Brazil S/S Air 3rd of December, build up to big celebration in Rio de Janeiro for the return home of famous airman Alberto Santos-Dumont. A Dornier Wal (Seaplane) carrying Politicians and dignitaries crashed into the sea killing all 14 onboard. A diver died during an operation to recover the bodies from the plane when his air lines became entangled. Reported in The New York Times -
1928 12 6 O'Hara Fumio Australia Topsides Japanese Diver's Death. The death of Fumio O'Hara, a Japanese diver, at Broome on Thursday was reported to the Commissioner of Police (Mr. R. Connell) yesterday by Inspector Leen. O'Hara disappeared from his boarding house in the morning and four hours later his body was found on a derelict lugger on the beach. The stomach had been ripped open, evidently with a razor found near by. O'Hara had been under medical treatment. Inspector Leen stated, and had been suffering from mental depression. The inspector said he thought it was a case of suicide. The West Australian -
1928 12 7 Ali Amat bin Australia Gregory & Castilla 37 S/S Air “PEARL DIVER'S DEATH. Collapsed in 20 fathoms�. PERTH, Friday – “A message from Broome states that Amat Bin Ali, a pearl. diver, collapsed and died in 20 fathoms of water yesterday, when pearling off Lacepede Island. Ali signalled to be pulled up again, then he hastily signalled: "Stage me, quick." He was "staged" at 15 fathoms for five minutes, but when brought up he was dead A doctor certified that death was due to syncope� Reported by the Recorder, Port Pirie, SA -
1928 12 12 Christophe Lambiris USA 18 S/S Air Aged 25, Sponge diver out of Tarpon springs onboard the vessel “Bessie�, 100 miles out, reported as “drowned when his airline parted�. The Evening Independent -
1928 19 3 Ball Frank Australia S/S Air He sustained fractured ribs and injuries to the lungs. His name Is not on the danger list�. Reported in The Daily News, Perth. -
1929 3 20 Lois Helen USA Topsides Photograph in the Paper showing a woman dressed in standard gear with the captions "A WOMAN DIVER. Miss Helen Lois of San Francisco, who is described as the ionly woman deep sea diver in the world. Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald -
1929 5 6 Sabe Kikozo Australia A. C. Gregory 36 S/S Air Reported that a pearling lugger D58 of Captain Gregory's fleet sailed into Darwin port this afternoon with the flag at half mast. The captain reported that while diving for pearl off Shoal Bay a Japanese diver was working in 20 fathoms of water, the air pipe split, and the diver was dead when hauled up. The Sydney Morning Herald/Northern Standard, Darwin, NT -
1929 6 0 Not Recorded UK S/S Air "Scapa diver's death. From our own correspondent, Kirkwall, Thursday 20th June, 1929, Today Sheriff Brown and a jury held fatal accident inquiry into the circumstances attending..." "Diver who was working on the salvaged Kaiser." (Scuttled 21st June 1918, raised in March 1929, moved and broken up in Rosyth in 1930). No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Aberdeen Journal/The British Newspaper Archive -
1929 7 9 Johnstone J E Australia 1 “DIVER'S BRAVERY. When a party of men was blasting in the Yarra at Burnley, a lighted fuse attached to 10 lbs of gelignite caught on the bottom of the boat. The fuse could not be detached, and the diver, Mr. J. E Johnstone, risked his life to go below to cut the fuse. His action probably saved the lives of the men in the boat. One photograph shows the diver entering the water with the charge, and the other is of the "powder monkey� lighting the fuse which caused the trouble These photographs were taken just before the mishap�. Reported in The Argus, Melbourne, Vic. -
1929 9 1 Yasiu Kakaturo Australia Victor Clark S/S Air Pearl diver working off the lugger 'Dona Matilda', 40 miles NorthWest of Bathurst Island, "Suffocated owing to his air pipe coming into contact with the propeller", Inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. Northern Territory Times -
1929 9 10 Nabiki Sligoro Australia S/S Air "Japanese diver drowned, Perth September 17, a Japanese diver named Sligoro Nabiki was drowned while diving off Mardi Island, on the North-west coast, recently". Reported in the Mercury (Hobart) -
1930 1 13 Hoffman or Hofferman Andrew Australia S/S Air Aged 65, from Cardiff, working in Newcastle Harbour, reported that a wire caught his air hose just above his helmet, another diver working with him brought him to the surface but attempts at resuscitation failed. Recorded as suffocated from blocked air pipe. Reported in the Western Argus and Sydney Morning Herald -
1930 1 30 Trans Peter Canada 6 S/S Air 30 year old Danish immigrant, trapped by hoses/differential pressure against a coffer dam at the Ontario Paper Company project at Pointe aus Outardes, recovered after 71 hours, but had died (hypothermia). Working to build new life in Canada for his wife and children still in Denmark. Rescue divers Quesnel Morency and Lewis Begin were flown 200 miles north from Montreal into the remote location on the river Outardes, Quebec, to effect a rescue attempt. The Evening Independent. -
1930 4 7 Higashi Mogatoro Australia Edward McKay 51 S/S Air Japanese, lead diver off the pearling lugger 'Dulcie', Paraphrased from the inquest reported in the Northern territory Times:- 'I was tender for the deceased. I put him down on Sunday 6th at 11.30 am. for the first time this season. The depth was 28 fathoms. He reached the bottom and signaled all right. About five minutes later he again signaled O.K. About 10 minutes later I got the signal to bring up. When he came up to 10 fathoms he signaled ma to wait. That meant he wanted to be staged. Three minutes later the deceased came to the surface and on to the ladder when I removed the face glass. The deceased did not speak. I said 'The water is too deep you should have had a longer stage coming up'. Deceased came on deck and sat down. I was coiling the life line when the engine boy sang out to me 'The diver is falling over.' I put the face glass back and we put him back on to the water and tried to stage him. When we got him to about 17 fathoms deceased used to close the valve and bring himself up to the surface. We tried several times to get him down but every time he would bring himself up�. “We took him out of the diving suit. He was unconscious and breathing feebly. We put him in his bunk in the cabin and came straight away to Darwin. Members of the crew kept massaging the deceased, but he did not regain consciousness and died about 11 am. on the 7th. Verdict returned that death was due to divers paralysis -
1930 4 21 Christopher Chris USA 5 S/S Air From Brooksville, working on the salvage of the luxury steam yatch "Zalophus" (125' steam yatch owned by entrepeneur - land developer - John Ringling en route to Useppa Island's famous 'Collier inn', sank in 12' of water on the night of 4th February 1930 after a collision with an unidentified object punched a hole in the hull. John Ringling was in New York on business and it was unclear at the time just who might have been onboard, Reports in 1958 claimed that then Mayor of New York city, Jimmy Walker - aged 49 and married - was onboard with his 'friend' Betty Compton - A showgirl aged 23). The judge, Arthur R. Clark, who examined the diver's remains decided an inquest was not necessary and that death resulted from natural causes. According to witnesses, the diver had gone down to just 16' when he gave the signal to pull him up. "He was not in the water more than three minutes on the dive. As he stepped on the ladder leading from the water to a floating dock he collapsed. He was dead when fellow workers removed his helmet and sent for authorities. It was stated that the diver had been in impaired health fot the previous two or three weeks suffering from bronchial trouble but had continued to work in his efforts to complete his contract. Operations to raise the yatch were to have been started within a few days. None of the offoicials inquirig into the affair, or employees of Ringling professed to know the diver's name until a press club man supplied it together with the information that he was between 60 and 65 years old, married and had several children. A doctor declared a hemorrhage caused death, undertakers took the body to Brooksville for interment. Searasota Herald-Tribune -
1930 5 0 Kawamot Kumaichi Australia S/S Air "Japanese diver Drowned, air pipe entangled in propeller"; "Dead when hauled to surface" Barrier Miner, Broken Hill, NSW -
1930 6 9 Marumoto Sanzo Australia 38 S/S Air Japanese diver, pearling west of Booby Island (Near Thursday Island), "Air pipe burst in 21 fathoms" The Advocate, Tasmania. “Japanese Diver Drowned. His airpipe bursting in 21 fathoms of water on Sunday, west of Booby Island, in Thursday Island waters, a Japanese diver, Sanzo Marumoto, was drowned. There were no suspicious circumstances. advice to this effect has been received by the Cairns police authorities�. Reported in the Cairns Post, Qld. -
1930 7 14 Meany Pat UK 9 S/S Air News Headline "Diver Fights a Sea Monster". Fishguard (Wales). A fight to the death between a diver under the sea and a monstrous black conger eel occurred here to-day. The man won with the aid of a hammer. a pick-axe. and a jack-knife. Mr. Pat Meany, a diver who is preparing the foundations of a slipway at Fishguard harbour for the use of the lifeboat, was thirty feet below the surface of the water when he saw through the window of his diving helmet a monster more than six feet long and of great girth writhing towards him. The eel attacked the diver by curling itself round his legs. The man, hampered by his heavy suit and by the pressure of the water, was in danger of being thrown on the sea bottom. “I struck the creature with all my strength on the head with a hammer." Mr. Meany told me. "It went of slowly but soon returned to the attack with its mouth open in an alarmingly ferocious manner. “I took a pick-axe and pinned the eel against the rocky side of the confined space in which I was working, and then with a long knife struck it deep under the gills. “It then wrlthed slowly away, leaving a trail of blood.� Straits Times archives -
1930 9 13 Not Recorded France Caisson "Divers suffocated, Two dead and three others in critical condition. Five workers engaed in submarine works at Martiques, near Marseilles were found unconscious when a diving,,," No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Nottingham Evening Post/The British Newspaper Archive -
1930 11 15 Kazusaka Isunegoro Australia Victor Clark S/S Air DIVER KILLED. Paralysis the Cause. DARWIN, Monday. The body of a Japanese diver, Isunegoro Kazusaka, employed in Mr. Victor Clark's pearling fleet, was brought into Darwin on Sunday night. His death was as a result of paralysis. Reported in the Daily News, Perth, WA. -
1930 12 7 Gianni Alberto France Gianni and Co Topsides One of three Italian divers who made the deepest to date salvage dives from the “Artiglio� (134m, wreck of the “Egypt�, summer 1930) before working on the wreck of the Florence (9000 tonnes munitions ship sank of St Nazaire in 1917). Munitions exploded sinking the salvage vessel. They were using explosives to dismantle the wreck and to save time, reduced the stand-off distance from 2 miles to being virtually overhead. -
1930 12 7 Franceschi Aristide France Gianni and Co Topsides One of three Italian divers who made the deepest to date salvage dives from the “Artiglio� (134m, wreck of the “Egypt�, summer 1930) before working on the wreck of the Florence (9000 tonnes munitions ship sank of St Nazaire in 1917). Munitions exploded sinking the salvage vessel. They were using explosives to dismantle the wreck and to save time, reduced the stand-off distance from 2 miles to being virtually overhead. -
1930 12 7 Bargellini Alberto France Gianni and Co Topsides One of three Italian divers who made the deepest to date salvage dives from the “Artiglio� (134m, wreck of the “Egypt�, summer 1930) before working on the wreck of the Florence (9000 tonnes munitions ship sank of St Nazaire in 1917). Munitions exploded sinking the salvage vessel. They were using explosives to dismantle the wreck and to save time, reduced the stand-off distance from 2 miles to being virtually overhead. -
1931 3 30 Woodcock Percy Ingram UK Liverpool Salvage Company S/S Air "Diver's death at Salcombe. Mr Percy Ingram Woodcock, one of the divers working on behalf of the Liverpool Salvage Co. on the SS ….". No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Western Morning News/The British Newspaper Archive -
1931 4 27 Long (or Lang?) Charles UK Gloucester Dock Company Topsides "Gloucester's only diver killed . Motor cycle collision with cyclist Chales Long (43), diver for the Gloucester Dock Company, was killed.." "Diver killed in cycle collision. Gl;oucester's only diver, Charles Lang (43) of Tuffley was killed in a collision near Hempstead..." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Cheltenham Chronicle/The British Newspaper Archive -
1931 6 16 Not Recorded Italy S/S Air "Diver drowned locating wartime submarine" "Milan, June 16, A diver attempting to verify the reported location of an Australian submarine lost in war time at Porto Recanati (South of Ancona, Italian Adriatic Coast), he located the vessel but was suffocated on his third descent". Reported in the Townsville Daily Bulletin, Queensland. -
1931 9 7 Kimoto Tomekichi Australia S/S Air Japanese pear diver aged 45, lugger Mars out of Darwin, diving 40 miles from Bathurst Island, signalled to be drawn to the surface. When hauled up,, it was"found that he was paralysed through working in deep water, and although efforts to revive him continued for 16 hours, he died.� After hearing medical evidence, as well| as the reports of Mr McKay and two Japanese from the boat, a verdict was given of death from divers' paralysis. (Other reports confuse his name as Tomekichi Rimolo) Reported in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette -
1931 9 10 Marf Australia Muramat 35 S/S Air DARWIN, Wednesday. A Japanese diver, known as Marf, employed by Muramat's pearling fleet, died today after becoming paralysed when diving in 19 fathoms of water about 40 miles north-west of Bathurst Island. The Advocate, Burnie -
1932 4 8 Duval William Canada S/S Air Aged 26, New Liskeard, Ontario, reported as river dive (Wabi river) and that he “drowned when his suit burst�. No details. Reported in the Chicago Tribune -
1932 7 28 Riddle Forest USA S/S Air Aged 35 from Hebron, Kentucky, 'repairing wickets at government dam 31 on the Ohio River. Got trapped by a fouled airline for an hour then floated to the surface, dead. Physicians said no signs of drowning or suffocation and expressed the belief he died of heart disease. The Toledo News. -
1932 8 28 Dahl John USA 64 S/S Air Previously the wrecking master and chief diver with the Merritt & Chapman Wrecking Company, “Noted diver dies in Norfolk, Virginia� Salvage operation off the vessel “Salvor�, cargo recovery from the wreck of the Merida (sank after a collision with the Farragut 45 miles East of Cobb Island, Virginia, with reports of treasure onboard in 1911) in approx 200' of water. Diver's death attributed to heart disease but authoriies wanted an autopsy. No other details. Reported in the Sun (Baltimore, Md.) -
1932 9 2 Sanders Jesse USA S/S Air Described as a government emplyee, inspecting a dam on the Ohio river, got his feet trapped in a wicket, after three hours another dier and suit were brought to site from 20 miles away and he was recovered to surface but attempts to reuscitate him were unsuccessful. "He apparently died of suffocation or strabgulation as there was little water in his suit". The Reading Eagle -
1932 9 30 Stevens William Ramsey Hong Kong Hong Kong Government 6 S/S Air Australian diver employed by the Government on the Hong Kong Harbour Pipe. At the inquest, Senior commissioned Gunner George Hamilton RN, the expert witness, gave a demonstration of the working of the diving suit and helmet stating that the exhaust valve could be regulated by the diver to control the pressure of air in the suit. He also examined the topsides pump and found it efficient and 'needing about 25 turns a minute to keep a proper supply of air for working under any conditions'. The diver had only been in the water about three minutes when he ditched his helmet (including the two 40 pound lead weights). It was supposed at the inquest that there had been a mix up in the signals and when he asked for more air, he was actually given less and in desperation tried to ditch his helmet and reach the surface. The expert witness decsribed the diver's last act as "a very desperate act which I think, as an experienced diver, I would never dream of doing. It would drown him and fill up the suit with water. He absolutely committed suicide by taking his helmet off". Straits Times. -
1933 4 19 Sutherland James UK S/S Air Reported as "Divers death on reaching surface, collapse while climbing ladder. A Kirkwall diver collapsed and died. No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Dundee Courier/The British Newspaper Archive. Reported two months later (in June) in the New Zealand Press as "Aged 31, Working on the Kirkwall Harbour extension (Kirkwall, Orkney Isles, Scotland). "After signalling that he had finished the job, collapsed and died at the foot of the ladder before he could be hauled up". Evening Post, Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand) -
1933 7 24 Not Recorded Australia 31 S/S Air “DIVER'S HELMET PULLED OFF�. DARWIN, Monday. – “A diver's remarkable escape from death, while working in 17 fathoms of water is reported by several pearlers from the Aru Islands. The diver signalled to the tender to take up the loaded basket and send down an empty one. As the tender was hauling up, the rope of the laden basket fouled the helmet of the diver, but the tender, considering the extra weight due only to the heavily-laden basket, continued hauling up, and pulled off the diver's helmet. The diver was soon hauled to the surface, apparently drowned, but without signs of the usual paralysis. Other boats, summoned by a distress signal, rushed to his help, and one man used resuscitation methods. After almost an hour's work the diver was revived. Next day he resumed diving as usual�. Reported in the Barrier Miner, Broken Hill, NSW -
1933 9 0 Tacheuchi Sounoske Australia S/S Air Paraphrased report from the Courier-Mail, Brisbane “Japanese, master and diver of the lugger 'Ridgeon' met his death when an air pipe burst while he was diving for pearls near Cook's Reef, about four minutes after he entered the water, he signalled that he had reached the bottom, and almost immediately a distress signal was received. The engineer ordered the crew to haul up the diver. Another sharp distress signal was received. After assisting the diver aboard the crew thinking he was paralysed, after adding an extra length of air pipe, lowered the diver to five fathoms, according to the Japanese fashion of treating paralysed divers. A New Guinea boy went down twice to view the diver, and on the second occasion said he thought the diver was finished." the diver was hauled up and his diving dress was cut off. The body was conveyed to Thursday Island, where a post-mortem examination revealed that death was due to asphyxiation.� -
1933 11 0 Not Recorded USA S/S Air A story of slow death by suffocation six fathoms under the surface of the Gulf of Mexico was told today by the fire charred wreckage of the sponge fishing boat Xios and bones and diving helmets of two members of her crew located on the sea floor 12 miles off Cedar Kevs�. No details, but appears that vessel caught fire and sank, in the process drowning the two divers working at the time. St Petersburg Times -
1933 11 13 Nishi Shotaro Australia Roy Edwards 33 S/S Air Japanese pear diver, aged 48, lugger belonging to Mr Roy Edwards working out of Darwin. 60 miles Northwest of Bathurst Island, spent 6 hours doing in water therapeutic decompression the day before, not fully cured, dived the next day to continue treatment (and gather pearls!). Apparently lost control of his air valve, major squeeze, pulled up bleeding profusely from nose, ears etc, died. Reported in the Courier Mail and Canberra Times -
1933 11 15 Ariuke Hidiji Australia 33 S/S Air LURED ON. YOUNG DIVER KILLED. Another Japanese diver has become the victim of the lure of pearls, and his fate was similar to that of many of his predecessors. The diver's name was Hidiji Ariuke, 29, a native of Erime Ken, Japan. Ushimaku Tamoto, master of the lugger ‘Adiana’, on which deceased was employed states that on November 15, about 6 a.m, he commenced work near Deliverance Island, and continued diving until 3 p.m., when he felt ill. The deceased took his place, and went down in about 18 fathoms. He stayed on the bottom for about 10 minutes, and came to the surface with 15 shells. He had a good rest, and about 4 p.m., he went down again, and stayed 20 minutes. When he returned to the deck of the lugger he appeared to be in his usual good health, but a few minutes later he complained of a pain in his right leg, and then started to lose consciousness. Tamoto said he knew deceased was getting divers paralysis. He immediately put deceased over the side of the lugger with the diving helmet and corselet on. When raised half an hour later deceased was still unconscious. He was then placed in full diving dress and lowered into 18 fathoms. Tarasahuro Umino went down with deceased to regulate the air valve. Deceased was still unconscious when he was brought to the surface at 6 p.m. He was lowered again, and when brought, up at 8 p.m. he was dead. The body was taken to Thursday Island, approximately 80 miles away. The act of submerging a diver suffering from paralysis is used by the Japanese to endeavor to cure the sufferer. It is a matter of-pressure.’ Reported in the Cairns Post, Qld. -
1933 12 14 Evans Lloyd J. USA 34 S/S Air 40 years old from Bremerton, Washington, went to San Francisco to work on the San Francisco - Oakland Bridge project. He "was raised by easy stages for the usual rest period from 112 feet below the surface where he had been removing pins from a caisson. As his heavy equipment was being removed, he collapsed and became unconscious. He was taken to a dockside decompression chamber and treated under the supervision of Dr. J. Minton who entered the chamber to be with the diver. "The diver died after several hours of efforts had failed to revive him". The first death "on the project from the affliction ("the bends") against which officials said every precaution had been taken". Prescott Evening Courier. -
1934 2 27 Not Recorded Tom UK Royal Society Lecture 15 S/S Air During a lecture in London, Sir Robert Davis (Inventor of the submarine escape apparatus) described how a diver "Tom," got drunk 50' underwater. "While salvaging a ship, found himself in a air pocket, free of water. He spotted a case of whisky near by, and promptly unscrewed the mouthpiece of his diving helmet and broached a bottle. He tied his lifeline round a stanchion to avoid his enjoyment being interrupted from the surface. We became anxious as Tom sent up no cargo for two hours. When at last he reached the surface he was dead drunk. If the air pocket had filled with water, or Tom had miscalculated his capacity and failed to replace the mouth-piece of his helmet he would have been drowned." Reported in the Brisbane Courier Mail. -
1934 4 6 Nggeboe Adoe Australia V. J. Clark 16 S/S Air Aged 30, from Koepang, Pearl diver out of Darwin diving Northwest of Bathurst Island, second dive of the day, paralysed in the water, dead when recovered onboard, had been working the pearl boats for about 6 years. Reported in the Courier Mail Brisbane. -
1934 4 22 Sakalvous Antanis USA S/S Air Greek, aged 45, sponge diver on the 'Demetra' out of Tarpon Springs, a few minutes into his dive signalled that he had a problem and was brought up, unconscious, taken ashore but died in hospital. No details. St Petersburg Times -
1934 5 24 Christofis Fotis USA, Florida 27 S/S Air Aged about 52, Sponge diver onboard the 'George Washington', he had been at 15 fathoms for 43 minutes when he was taken ill, brought to the surface, but 'On removing his helmet he was found to be dead'. Vessel spent 24 hours in transit to port (Tarpon Springs) and the body was transferred to the Vinson Funeral home. Cause of death was recorded as 'suffered a stroke'. Funeral service held at the St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, buried at the Cycadia cemetery. St Petersberg Times. -
1934 6 15 Rogall Fred USA Frederick Snare Corporation Aged 45, "Bends attack fatal to Diver". Died at the Greene County Memorial Hospital, no details. New York Times -
1934 6 15 Ota Shigara Australia 18 S/S Air Aged 25, master of the lugger 'Torenia', pearl diving in the Torres Straits. He dived for 25 minures in 10 fathoms, sent up a bag of shell, but then his air line became trapped in rocks, he ditched his gear and surfaced without helmet and corselette, complaining of feeling weary and sick. Another diver, Tomoza Conokawa from a nearby lugger, was called to help as the crew believed he was suffereing from divers's paralysis and took Ota below for two hours. When they surfaced Ota was still ill, fell asleep and died. Later, a doctor concluded he was given incorrect treatment and had actually died from heart failure. The Sydney Morning Herald. -
1934 7 5 Etem Philippines Free diver The ‘Pear of Allah� or “Pearl of Lao Tsu�, the world’s largest known pearl.. Paraphrased from the book by Wilburn Cobb. “A Palawan island tribe on a conch fishing expedition, realised one of the group, Etem, was missing. Suspecting a giant octopus, they unsheathed their knives and dove down in search of their missing comrade. On the fourth dive they found Etem already dead, his left hand trapped between the shells of a giant Tridacna clam. With the aid of ropes, the men hoisted their dead comrade and his deep-sea murderer into one of the canoes. As the death needed to be fully explained to the authorities, they took the boy just as they had found him with his left hand still in the grip of the giant shell to chief who acted as the local notary public. The boy was buried, but three days later as the chief watched his men remove the meat from the shell, he saw an enormous pearl (It weighs over 14 lbs). Two years later it was given to Cobb as a gift after he saved the Chief’s son from dying of malaria. Contrary to some reports, not a Surface Supplied diver but native free diver – a factor which contributed to the tragedy. Also reported by Ocean Watch and others. -
1934 7 21 Pederson Olaf South Africa 9 S/S Air Aged 42, diving in Table Bay from the 'Epaty' salvaging copper ingots from the hull of the 'Hypatia' wrecked on Whale Rock in October 1929. Had been doing salvage work in the are for the previous 10 years . Gave the signal to lower the sling for copper but no ingots when it came to surface. This was followed by erratic line signals 'similar to the emergency signal' and the deck crew began to recover the diver. "Ordinarily done by one man, this task necessitated the combined efforts of four, indicating that the diver was a deadweight and something was wrong. When the diver appeared at the surface, it was seen that the face glass of his diving suit, including the frame, had apparently been unscrewed and was missing. The water had rushed in and filled the suit and the diver was unconscious. A slight movement of the lips was the only sign of life. Artificial respiration was immediately applied but without success. No water, it is stated, emerged from the body". Straits Times -
1934 7 27 Griffen USN Fireman third class James R USA Military 30 Submarine New London Submarine Base, Escape training exercise in a 100' deep training tank, air embolism, died in a decompression chamber several hours later. Reported as lost control of lung and shot to the surface holding his breath. New York Times -
1934 7 31 Bee John UK S/S Air "Diver's death, John Bee, 54, of Queens Road, Portsmouth, a diver employed in salving of the sunken german fleet in the Orkney, died from heart failure on a salvage vessel…" " collapsed and died on deck of salvage vessel 'Bertha' after emerging from air lock." No other details (Pay for access archive) Reported in the Hull Daily Mail/The British Newspaper Archive. “DIVER DIES AFTER A JOKE� Mr. John Bee, a diver, aged 54, of Portsmouth, who was employed in the salving of the sunken German fleet at Scapa Flow for ten years, died suddenly after finishing work on the sunken warship ‘Bayern’ a few weeks ago. The diver had been joking with his comrades in the salvage boat Bertha after emerging from the air lock just before his collapse. The Canberra Times -
1934 8 0 Beebe Dr. William USA 921 ADS DEEP SEA DIVER. Dr. William Beebe, the American scientist, who has established a new record for deep sea diving in his "Bathysphere" by reaching 3,023 feet. He bettered his previous attempt by 518 feet. Reported in The Western Mail, Perth -
1934 8 10 Dramin Does bin Australia Hornsby 38 S/S Air “TWENTY-ONE FATHOMS DOWN. Pearl Diver's Death�. “The Commissioner of Police (Mr. W. H. Douglas) received a message from Inspector Tuohy yesterday that a Malay diver named Does Bin Dramin (30), had died at sea near Broome on Friday last. He had been working at 21 fathoms for a pearler named Hornsby. The body was brought to Broome, where an inquest will be held�. Reported in the West Australian, Perth, WA