submssion by the australian diver accreditation scheme (adas) 1

INVITATION TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE DRAFT MODEL WORKPLACE HEALTH AND
SAFETY REGULATIONS 2010
SUBMSSION BY THE AUSTRALIAN DIVER ACCREDITATION SCHEME (ADAS)
1. INTRODUCTION
The draft Model Work Health and Safety Regulations contain specific provisions for the regulation of work
diving that are intended to apply to all work diving activities conducted in Australia.
This submission is intended to identify what the Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme (ADAS) considers
to be defects in the draft Model Regulations and to propose constructive alternatives that in our view will
serve to avoid them.
ADAS, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Maritime Union of Australia have analysed the draft
regulations and feel that they are deficient in a number of ways that effect diver safety. In fact, we feel that
the draft regulations result in a lower level of safety and efficacy than those that currently exists, and will
adversely affect competitiveness and the adoption of good practice within the construction diving industry.
ADAS has conferred widely regarding the draft diving work regulations with divers, diving contractors and
employers of diving contractors and divers, including those involved in onshore and offshore construction,
military, police, aquaculture and scientific diving operations.
There has been substantial interest and concern shown by this very significant section of the diving industry
as to the potential impact of the draft regulations.
In the broad, we have significant concerns about the effective opening up of general diving work to
recreational scuba divers allowed by the draft regulations. We have long argued that recreational scuba
training is NOT appropriate to prepare divers for the hazards of occupational diving.
2. SUPPORT FOR THE REGULATION OF DIVING WORK
ADAS and the industry in general strongly support the development for the first time of national harmonised
regulations to provide consistent arrangements to ensure the safety of workers undertaking diving work.
We would make the point however, that from our viewpoint, there are many flaws in the draft as presented
for public comment.
In our view, current regulation in regard to diving work is inconsistent and insufficient in many places across
Australia. We feel that the nation has been very lucky not to have had a much grimmer record of casualties
resulting from the operations of this high risk industry sector including as it does aquaculture, scientific,
police, military and construction diving operations.
Fundamentally, humans are adapted to living in air and at one atmosphere of pressure. All diving involves
operating in a non-respirable environment and exposure to risk of drowning and injury or death from a
number of diving maladies caused by the vastly increased pressure experienced underwater by divers
(hyperbaric pressure).
With occupational diving, additional risks can also result from the work being undertaken, either by the diver
himself or from other activities undertaken in support of the diver (overhead lifting and lowering, blasting
etc).
We ask the SIG-OHS to note that occupational divers:
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operate in a non-respirable environment, a long way from the surface and any hope of ready
access to air, and are mostly dependent on the surface support crew to maintain their safety and
to rescue them in an emergency;
often work in limited or zero visibility, coping with current and numbing cold and encumbered by
protective thermal suits and life support equipment and will often be using potentially dangerous
power tools and equipment;
are subject to a range of pressure-related conditions which can cause their death or result in
serious, long term debilitating injury;
die, even in benign tropical waters, as a result of running out of air, experiencing equipment
problems, interacting with dangerous marine animals or making safety critical errors.
Yes, outside influences do change depending on the task the diver is undertaking and may increase the
degree of risk, but ALL workers undertaking diving work are subject to high risk.
The SIG-OHS Policy Paper “Model Occupational Health and Safety Regulations Occupational Diving Policy
Proposal” notes that “Occupational diving is a ‗high severity‘ risk with any incident likely to result in either
death or a diving ailment that is extremely costly to treat and likely to result in permanent incapacity.”
The Safework South Australia discussion paper “Review of the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare
Regulations – Amendment proposals for Part 5 (Hazardous Work) June 2009 on page 33 notes that
“...all forms of diving present an extreme hazard‖
The UK regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (http://www.hse.gov.uk/diving/how.htm) notes:
Diving is considered by HSE to be ―high hazard‖. The fatal accident rate for the Offshore and
Inland/Inshore sectors has typically been in the region of 20 – 40 per 100,000 - considerably higher
than construction or agriculture. The fatal accident rate for all diving at work activities is estimated at
6 – 7 per 100,000.
In the 8 year period from 1996/97 to 2003/04 there were 24 fatal accidents
The Dutch Labour Inspectorate () www.arbeidsinspectie.nl) in its report Diving Work: Managing the Risks Working safely above and under water (September 2008) notes:
The obligatory reporting of accidents since 2000 underlines this fact: of the 19 accidents (10 in the
commercial sector, 8 in the public sector and 1 in other companies) at least 8 resulted in fatalities.
This is a very high figure for a group of 2,250 divers
Accidents and defects which look innocent at first glance may well lead to serious consequences
underwater. When a scuba diver gets into difficulties underwater, the lack of breathing gas soon
becomes a problem. Likewise, the decompression procedure may not work as planned in an
emergency situation. Immediate medical assistance may not always be possible. With saturation
diving and surface decompression, there will be some delay before the doctor or nurse reaches the
required pressure level or is able to provide medical assistance or treatment.
It should be noted that, significant amongst the developed nations, the USA has no national arrangements
for occupational diving. There are no national operations or training standards nor any national diver
certification scheme. The industry is to a large degree self-regulated and develops, and works to, its own
standards.
The U.S Government‟s „Centres for Disease Control and Prevention‘ (CDC http://www.cdc.gov/MMWR/preview/mmwrhtml/00053331.htm) reports that of the 116 occupational diving
fatalities reported by OSHA (i.e., for onshore diving) for 1989-1997 (13 deaths per year), 49 (5 per year)
occurred among an estimated 3000 full-time commercial divers in the U.S.A, (OSHA, unpublished data,
1998). The average of five deaths per year corresponds to a rate of 180 deaths per 100,000 employed
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divers per year, which is 40 times the U.S national average death rate for all workers (1) and some 5 times
the rate for inshore/onshore diving for the UK as per the reference above.
The report notes that this group, which accounted for most of the commercial dive time underwater in the
USA for the period, includes divers involved in construction, maintenance, and inspection of vessels and
structures such as oil rigs, bridges, and dams. The remaining 67 deaths are essentially recreationally
trained and included seafood harvest divers, search and rescue divers, scientific divers, dive instructors,
and non-military federal agency divers.
The USA occupational diving accident rates are an object lesson in what happens when the industry
is not robustly regulated.
2.2
A sad history of the high risk nature of occupational diving
An appreciation of the sad history of the high risk nature of occupational diving can be gotten from a review
of the attached document “Incidents 950”. This record - acknowledged as being very substantially
incomplete - is a brief account of the information available on the death of each of 950 plus occupational
divers who known have been killed around the world. It is a sad reflection on the failure of safety
management and the regulation of occupational diving over the years.
2.3.
Continuing Risk from occupational diving
The risk from occupational diving is still with the Australian community. A few examples to illustrate this:
Safe Work Australia reported in January 2010:
In 2007 the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) undertook a preliminary needs
analysis of occupational diving. The preliminary needs analysis identified that:
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the incidence rate of fatalities related to diving at 109.6 per 100 000 is much higher than the
3.5 per 100 000 for the workforce generally
Diving accident statistics are notoriously scant around the world and Australia is no different. The
Diver Alert Network Asia Pacific, a not-for-profit organisation specialising in providing first aid and
medical services to divers, maintains the nation‟s only diving accident data base comprised of what
data there is. As best can be ascertained, there have been at least 39 occupational diver deaths in
the period 1972 – 2010. This is approximately 1 death per year. Of those deaths, only one diver
was an ADAS trained and certified diver.
The Queensland Government notes in justifying the need for amending legislation in its 2005 The
Workplace Health and Safety Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 2005 Regulatory Impact Statement for
SL 2005 No. 70 made under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995
(http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/legisltn/sls/ris_en/2005/05sl070r.pdf ), citing that in the recent period before the
RIS was released, there had been 5 deaths and 7 cases of serious injuries resulting from
occupational diving in Queensland. Of the deaths, 3 were harvest divers on hookah, 1 was the
ADAS construction diver illicitly diving on scuba (mentioned above) and the other was a volunteer
scientific scuba diver.
On December 12, 2009, the Northern Territory News
(www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/12/12/108841_ntnews.html ) reports the death of a pearl diver at the Arafura
Pearls pearling operation at Elizabeth Bay, about 50km northwest of Gove in Arnhem Land. A
source told the Northern Territory News the man was only new to the job.
"He had come up from Victoria and was performing routine farm maintenance work," he said. "The
water wasn't exceptionally deep but he went down, came up six minutes later, went down again and
then when they pulled him back up he wasn't breathing."
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In February 2011, a 36 year old highly experienced offshore diver was undertaking what might be
termed a fairly routine onshore work dive in a Victorian reservoir (one which would be considered as
a „general work dive‟ under the formulation proposed by the current draft regulations). The dive was
to 42 metres and was a planned decompression dive. The dive was uneventful, but following
mistakes in the dive planning leading to the provision of inadequate decompression, the worker
suffered a severe spinal bend on surfacing. He was effectively paralysed from the waist down.
Despite ongoing treatment at a specialist hospital-based hyperbaric facility, he is still not fully
recovered and has been told by medical specialists that due to the risk of another more even severe
bend, his diving career is ended (personal communication from Alfred Hospital to P Butler).
In March 2011, an abalone diver in Victoria was treated for decompression sickness (the bends)
after inadequate decompression following a series of work dives (personal communication from (personal
communication from Safework Victoria to P Butler).
In March 2011, a recreationally crayfish diver from North Queensland undertook a highly excessive
series of dives to 18 metres of depth in quick succession over one day and consequently
experienced decompression sickness. He required a series of treatments at a hospital-based
hyperbaric facility. (personal communication from Townsville Hyperbaric centre to P Butler).
2.4
Recreational diving at a workplace
We note that the SIG-OHS process has decided to exclude recreational diving at a workplace from the
scope of occupational diving, although it falls within the general definition of diving work and those
undertaking it are exposed to the same basic risks as those in other occupational diving sectors.
In our view, this is an anomalous decision when considering the occupational health and safety risks
associated with the activity.
We ask the SIG-OHS to note that ALL divers are subject to the same basic laws of physics and physiology
and to the same fundamental unfriendly environmental conditions.
We also ask the SIG-OHS to note that recreational diving at a workplace is the only diving industry
sectors where members of the public are directly exposed to the risk of occupational diving whilst
under the control of working divers.
ADAS and the industry consider this to be an opportunity to actually improve the standard of diving for all
occupational diving activities. Whilst this issue is not central to our concerns regarding the deficiencies of
the draft regulations, in our view, the workers undertaking recreational diving at a work place should be
included in the scope of the regulations.
3. ADAS
ADAS is the national occupational diving accreditation and certification scheme for Australia and New
Zealand. It was developed as a joint Commonwealth/State government initiative in the 1980‟s and was
administered as part of various state and Commonwealth portfolios until 2003. It now functions as a notfor-profit Incorporated Association under Memorandums of Understanding with the Commonwealth
Department of Resources Energy and Tourism and the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority.
ADAS has been licensing divers on behalf of the Commonwealth Government for high risk occupational
diving activities since 1988.
ADAS certification was called up by the New Zealand (NZ) government in 1998 and is a requirement for all
construction, police, military, customs and specialised search and rescue diving groups as they are
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considered subject to the highly hazardous nature of this underwater work and the frequent involvement in
construction diving activities.
ADAS is an organisation which wholly specialises in ensuring the delivery of safe and effective best
practice training, assessment and certification of occupational divers throughout Australia and NZ through
quality assured accredited training providers.
ADAS has in the last decade developed a comprehensive and professional program to prepare divers for
the role of dive supervision. Australia leads the world in dive supervisor training, particularly in preparing
supervisors adequately in the management of diving emergencies through comprehensive practical
exercises and simulations.
To this end, ADAS has recently developed and produced under Commonwealth funding, highly
sophisticated mechatronics simulators to train offshore supervisor candidates in dive supervision and
emergency management procedures. The ADAS Dive Supervisor Training Simulators are developed from
aviation and maritime simulator technology and their development is a world first for ADAS and Australia
(see www.adas.org.au/simulator ).
Over the period since 1988, ADAS has assumed a role as a de facto voice of the majority of the
occupational diving industry in Australia. It has a number of key roles including:
providing quality assured accreditation of diving and hyperbaric training establishments;
ensuring the delivery of quality assured and accredited diver and hyperbaric specialist training
courses through quality assured accredited training providers;
awarding nationally and internationally recognised certification for successful graduates of ADAS
accredited training establishments;
providing secretariat functions for the national Committee for Occupational Diving of Standards
Australia (SF/17);
representing Australia in a number of critical international forums including the International Diving
Regulators Forum (IDRF), the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) Industry
Reference Group and the European Diving Technology Council (EDTC);
through its status as the national occupational diving certification agency, acting as the signatory for
mutual recognition agreements with the members of the IDRF, the Netherland‟s National Diving
Council and the International Marine Contractors Association.
ADAS has currently some 7,500 active divers, supervisors and hyperbaric support personnel on its data
base. It has some 3000 other inactive divers etc who have not at this time demonstrated the continued
proficiency required to maintain their certification.
As noted, ADAS does NOT deliver training itself – it accredits external training providers to undertake
this role. It quality assures the delivery of the training by robust auditing of content, delivery and
competence assessment. Any proponent training organisation that meets the reasonable quality
requirements for ADAS accreditation will be accredited.
ADAS also notes that it has worked with specific industry sectors and the regulatory authorities to develop
and accredit training courses purpose designed for those industries and also to meet the regulators needs.
Although it delivers no training of itself, ADAS is accredited as an RTO under the Australian Quality
Training Framework arrangements. Such was undertaken by the Commonwealth Government (and
continued by the ADAS Board) for the purposes of:
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protecting the intellectual property rights of the ADAS courses through the AQTF copyright protection
arrangements;
providing additional external quality assurance for the Scheme through a vocational education
specialist 3rd party arrangement;
gaining academic recognition for successful ADAS graduates in addition to the vocational skills and
ADAS licensing.
More detailed information regarding ADAS can be found in Appendix 1.
4. CONCERNS RE DRAFT REGULATIONS
ADAS and the industry are critical of many aspects of the draft Model Regulations. In particular, we are of
the view that they fail to adequately ensure a safe place of diving work in that they:
do not provide a robust set of standard operation practices to set appropriate benchmarks and guide
industry in appropriate work practices;
do not provide adequate enforceable measures to undertake appropriate regulation of diving work
safety;
appear to accept that recreational diver training and qualifications are appropriate to undertake
general diving work;
de-regulate construction diving;
substantially compromise the standard of dive supervision;
encourage free diving for undertaking diving work.
Additionally, the draft regulations fail to maintain the current national diver certification system and to
provide any replacement measures.
ADAS and the industry make the following points in support of these contentions. In our view, the
draft Model WHS Regulations for dive work are unsatisfactory in that they:
4.1
Fail to provide a robust set of standard operation practices
Whilst not used by some peripheral diving industry sectors (particularly the wild catch seafood sectors such
as the abalone and pearl harvesting), the vast majority of diving work in Australia (and all diving work in
New Zealand) is undertaken in compliance with the Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 2299.1
Occupational diving operations - Part 1: Standard operational practice (2299.1).
Most of the risks resulting from occupational diving can be managed adequately by the implementation of
sound practices and procedures, already well identified and available to all through 2299.1.
Experience has shown though that, human nature being as it is, unless subject to regulation and
enforcement, many divers, contractors and even industry whole sectors will (through ignorance or in an
attempt to save money or time) ignore or shortcut safe industry practice.
The Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 2299.1:2007 (Occupational diving operations — Part 1:
Standard operational practice) is nationally recognised as providing the core standards and general
guidance for the conduct of all forms of occupational diving and could very credibly claim to reflect world
best practice.
Detailed guidance is provided for the training of occupational divers through the Australian Standards 2815
series.
These Standards have been developed as consensus standards by a comprehensive panel of industry
experts drawn from across the various sectors. The drafts have then been circulated widely for public and
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industry review and comment, final drafts produced and then published. These standards are therefore
widely accepted by the various sectors of the diving industry as defining the minimum standards of good
industry practice.
AS/NZS 2299.1:2007 in particular sets the bar for minimum requirements for training and certification,
supervision, medical and fitness requirements, team sizes and composition, risk management,
decompression management and operational procedures.
Failing to mandate the safe practice provisions of 2299.1 or to put in place an equivalent alternative has a
number of critical impacts:
firstly, it does not set a safety benchmark against which operations in the high risk sector are to be
undertaken. It thus a failure on the part on the part of regulators to ensure a safe place of work for
workers in this acknowledged high risk sector;
secondly, it creates a climate where divers and contractors who are committed and have established
systems to observe good practice must compete with less scrupulous individuals who will cut costs by
avoiding its provisions. Such „dodgy‟ contractors will be able to underbid „good‟ contractors and this
will undoubtedly reduce the overall levels of safety in diving work and the competiveness of high
quality contractors;
thirdly, it completely removes any substantive guidance with which safety inspectors can regulate the
industry - especially given that it is likely that they will have little if any specialist diving training;
finally, it also fails to provide non-diving employers with a standard of benchmark by which they can
ensure the safety of diving work conducted on their behalf.
The 2299.1 Standard has been in print since 1965 and has over the subsequent years been developed and
refined by successive comprehensive committees of occupational diving experts.
It is regarded by the industry in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere in the South East Asia region (and is
cited by regulators, courts and Coroners) as the reference document in matters regarding industry standard
operational practice for the undertaking of diving work.
2299.1 provides comprehensive guidance to the industry as to what are acceptable practices in regard to
such vital safety issues as the competence and selection of dive team members, the minimum sizes of dive
teams, selection of life support equipment, safe diving practices and the purity of breathing gases.
The SIG-OHS agreed that the requirements for standard operational practice would be provided through
2299.1 and this is reflected in the definitions in Part 1.1 of the draft regulations.
The draft regulations, however, call up only a few of the comprehensive risk management provisions
contained in AS2299.1 but completely ignore the majority of its provisions which are critical to diving safety.
This anomaly results in an unacceptable reduction in the current safety standards of working divers.
We acknowledge that there are compliance provisions in the draft relating to general matters concerning
the fitness of workers, proof of qualifications, undertaking risk assessments, dive planning and undertaking
free diving and also, in regard to competence requirements for some limited cases of diving personnel, to
have knowledge and skills in relation to standard operational practice.
The draft regulations, however, make NO requirement at all for divers, supervisors or persons
conducting a business or undertaking to comply with the majority of acknowledged good industry
practice also detailed in 2299.1.
This includes a complete absence of requirements in relation to such critical issues as:
duties of diver, attendants and dive supervisors;
selection of breathing apparatus;
first aid training and medical equipment for dive teams;
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provision of protective equipment;
equipment standards;
ascent rates;
diving in polluted waters;
communications;
maximum depths for air diving on scuba and surface supply breathing apparatus (SSBA);
restrictions or guidance on the use of gas mixtures other than air;
standards for diving equipment;
requirements for scuba reserve arrangements and SSBA emergency and reserve breathing gas
supplies;
dive site requirements;
decompression diving procedures;
restrictions on the use of scuba equipment;
standards for diving equipment;
standards for breathing gas quality;
requirements for gas testing to ensure appropriate air quality;
use of pneumatic and hydraulic tools;
availability of decompression chamber to support diving operations;
conditions under which a recompression chamber shall be located at the site of a diving operation;
standards for recompression chambers;
contents of diving operations manual;
minimum team sizes for scuba and SSBA operations;
These very substantial gaps concerning standard operational practice effectively make diving work
operations impossible to regulate.
Such a comprehensive deficiency in the draft regulations is, in the view of the industry, unsupportable. It
deprives the regulator of substantial compliance and enforcement tools necessary to ensure that workers
are provided with safe systems of diving work, puts worker health and safety at risk and results in a work
environment where current safety standards are significantly reduced.
4.2
Accept that recreational diver training and qualifications are appropriate to
undertake general diving work
In our view, the competence requirements for general work diving are unnecessarily differentiated and in
part set at much too low a level.
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The provisions of Regulation 4.8.5 provide for two methods for being deemed competent for general diving
work.
Regulation 4.8.5(1)(b) allows general work diving to be undertaken by a diver who has a qualification that
has been issued by a training organisation published on the Safe Work Australia website and that has
diving experience relevant to the work that is to be carried out.
As this is a complete alternative to a somewhat more robust arrangement in Regulation 4.8.5(1)(a) requiring the training to be delivered by an RTO and the training course to be against a specified unit of
competency - and as the previous draft of the diving work regulations (10-906SR.D5-6/8/2010 ) stated
categorically for this provision -
“a certificate or other qualification document, for an endorsed unit of competency for general
diving work, issued by a recreational scuba training organisation approved by Safe Work
Australia for the purposes of this regulation.”
– it seems obvious that Regulation 4.8.5(1)(b) is aimed at making provision for recreational scuba training
agencies to undertake training for general work diving.
This seems to us an incredibly loose arrangement which sets no standards for the training to be delivered
or for the training deliverers and one that will be effectively impossible to regulate. Issues that need to be
considered and answered include:
under what conditions will training providers be eligible for placement on the Safe Work Australia
website and against what standards will the training be delivered?
who will make the decisions as to what organisations are listed and which are not?
who will review the diver‟s experience to determine that it is „relevant‟ or not and what standards will
the experience be reviewed against to determine adequate competency?
How much diving experience and how relevant are highly subjective aspects to say the least and we are
not aware of any specialist expert resources that can undertake this process for all Commonwealth, State
and territory jurisdictions.
In our view, recreational scuba training is completely inappropriate for undertaking diving work other than
recreational diving at a work place.
ADAS argues that there is lack of a consistent rational approach to OHS requirements for a universally
recognised high risk activity such as occupational diving.
We feel that in part this results from OHS authorities being unaware of the significant differences in the
skills and knowledge required to undertake diving as a recreational activity and those required to safely
perform work underwater.
Examples include Tasmanian Salmon(1) and South Australian Tuna Farms(2), both of which in the
early 1990‟s experienced problems with diving which were due to using recreational divers and
recreational diving practices.
In the early 1990s the fledgling tuna farming Industry in Port Lincoln began to employ significant numbers
of divers. Almost all of the divers were recreational trained SCUBA divers.
By late1994, the South Australian WorkCover Corporation had received more than 30 diving-related
workers compensation claims, many for decompression illness which left some divers with long term
injuries. Diving claims alone for this period, have been estimated to have cost the WorkCover
Corporation approximately $M1.6.
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―By 1995, WorkCover Corporation (South Australia) had received 39 diving related claims from this
industry, A$600 000 had been paid in compensation, and 17 divers had been treated for
decompression illness (DCI) at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Many of these divers did not recover
completely and compensation has since escalated …….‖.
With the support of the Tuna Boat Operators Association, a government intervention encouraged
the introduction of occupational rather than recreational diving practices. Over a 12 month period
the intervention, based on the introduction of occupational diver training practices and equipment,
lead to an 80+% reduction in the number and cost of diving accidents.
The diving work undertaken in support of the Tasmania Salmon farms has a similar history. There was a
very high rate of diving injuries in the first years of the implementation of the industry. The number of divers
treated annually for decompression illness between 1988-90 was 5.5 per 2100 dives.
Consequentially, a review of the industry lead to the introduction of broad-based changes to diver training,
operations and procedures and to the introduction ADAS occupational diver training. These changes
resulted in a reduction in of decompression injuries to 0.5 per 8768 dives in 1996-98.
The industry now has a decompression illness incidence of 0.57 cases per 10,000 dives and is in line
with world‟s best practice.
But this is not just an Australian issue. For example, the United States Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) records:
During 1990-1997, nine persons in Alaska died in work-related diving incidents (four were
investigated by OSHA); only one had training beyond a recreational diving certificate, and three
lacked any certification. (3)
This failure to make clear and unambiguous distinction between recreational and occupational diving
practices and training in our view leads to confusion on the part of regulators, employees and employers.
Much of this confusion comes about because diving is one of the few hazardous workplace activities to
have a recreational equivalent. There is for example no recreational equivalent for abrasive blasting.
Where recreational equivalents exist in other areas, a clear and legislated distinction is drawn between the
two activities.
For example, a clear distinction is drawn between private and commercial pilots.
No such distinction is made for diving. As has been noted elsewhere, most of the problems that
recreational divers bring to occupational diving tasks result from their ignorance of, and lack of training in,
good occupational diving practices.
Recreational diver training is, to state the obvious, set up to teach divers to participate in a pleasure activity
and therefore to dive in conditions and at locations that maximise that pleasure.
The essence of recreational diving is freedom: freedom to enjoy the visual spectacle; freedom to cast off
gravity and enjoy the weightlessness of swimming freely in „inner space‟. Recreational diving techniques
are optimised to provide this freedom and are the antithesis of those employed in occupational diving. Dive
instructors can only teach what they know and divers can only do what they have been taught.
In occupational diving, divers are generally tethered firmly to the surface by bundled umbilicals of hoses
and communications cables. They are overweighted so as to stay anchored to the work task. They grub
around on the bottom in the silt and muck; they operate in cold and dark places in which no recreational
diver would sensibly contemplate diving. They operate in teams with what to the recreational divers would
be redundant personnel and with heavyweight equipment. They are strictly managed and controlled by a
professional supervisor who checks and directs in detail their diving and work practices.
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Recreational divers can‟t implement what they don‟t know. They bring a recreational mindset to the
workplace where the risks are higher due to the additional complications of occupational diving
(particularly decreased visibility and the additional task and stress loading of using heavy powered
tools in tasks that may themselves be of high risk etc).
Recreational divers are not trained in the use and application of risk assessments and Job
Hazard/Safety Analysis procedures. They are conditioned to diving using scuba equipment and
diving without being tethered to the surface by a safety line so that they can communicate with the
dive team and be located in an emergency. They are not trained to work as a team in support of the
diver.
They have no experience in undertaking and implementing risk controls for coping safely with nil and
limited visibility conditions, they do not have the mindset that requires that they put in place a
dedicated standby diver, fully dressed-in and equipped to enter the water on immediate notice and an
experienced supervisor to manage the team and implement the emergency management plan and
arrangements when required.
Because they are neither trained nor conditioned to implement good diving practices, they therefore
compromise on the implementation of necessarily more complex and expensive risk controls and
practices.
Recreational divers who engage in occupational diving are often recreational instructors who come
from the highly competitive and often cut throat recreational training industry, where course prices are
usually cut to the bone. History has demonstrated that they implement cost-cutting diving practices
that allow them to compete to advantage with the smaller professional dive contractors who are
complying with good industry practices in trying to establish themselves in the industry.
We provide one final example of the inadequacy of recreational dive training to undertake occupational
diving work.
Included with this submission as an attachment is a short video report of a diving accident involving
recreationally trained divers undertaking what, under the provisions of these draft regulations, would
be general diving work. It graphically portrays the tragic outcomes of a mix of a high risk diving task
and recreational divers. It involves a situation where a leak occurred in the wall of a dam in Victoria.
The dam owner approached a construction dive contractor to stop the leak. The dive
contractor inspected the dam and told the dam owner that the force of the leaking water made
the job was too dangerous for diving.
The dam owner then approached the local scuba shop and recruited two scuba divers to do the job.
One of the divers entered the water on scuba without any safety line and took a mattress with him to
plug the leak in the dam wall. As soon as he approached the leak, the suction force of the escaping
water pinned him against the dam wall. His buddy on the surface was not dressed-in to dive and in
any case could not have helped the victim without suffering the same fate. He called for assistance
and police divers were called. They took an enormous risk to attach a line to the diver. It then took
the combined efforts of more than 20 bystanders to pull the victim‟s body free of the breach.
The danger to divers from differential pressure (Delta P) in underwater operations is well known to
construction divers as it has resulted in many deaths over the years. All ADAS divers in the first week
of their initial theory training are taught specifically about the risk of Delta P.
In our view, the continued use in occupational diving of the significantly lower diver training standards,
organisational structures, operational procedures, task ethos and emergency management skills of
recreational diving results in employee safety being very adversely affected.
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4.3
De-regulate construction diving
The draft regulations divide diving work in two classes – general diving work and construction diving work.
General diving work is defined as all diving work other that construction diving work. Two special subsets
of general diving work are created (incidental and limited scientific diving work) which are subject to lesser
competency provisions. In particular, divers undertaking these subsets of general diving work are restricted
to limited diving. Limited diving is defined as general diving work that does not:
go deeper than 30 meters
require decompression,
require the diver to go beneath anything that would require the diver to move sideways before being
able to ascend
entail using surface powered plant
use mechanical lifting equipment or buoyant lifting device
diving over a period of more than 28 days during a 6 month period.
The import of this provision is that it implies that a general work diver undertaking „unlimited’
general diving work can do any of these things (i.e., can dive to any depth, can undertake
decompression and penetration diving, can use surface powered tools and lifting devices, dive
more than 1 in month in 6!).
It should be noted the diver death shown in the attached video would meet the criteria of
limited general work dive as proposed by the draft regulations.
There seems to be a strong presumption in the Regulations that categorising diving work into these two
classes („general diving work‟ and construction diving work‟) results in a situation where there is a
substantially lesser risk (and consequently reduced need for diver training, competency and certification
requirements), for the class of „general diving work‟.
As the regulations are formulated, however, there are a number of high risk and demanding aspects of
diving work that will fall clearly into the class of „general diving work‟. These include:
extreme depth
decompression diving
low visibility, strong current and cold water conditions
breathing mediums other than air
penetration diving
differential pressure situations
simultaneous operations including mechanical lifting and buoyant lifting
using powered tools, especially cutting tools
Construction diving work is defined as diving work that involves construction work. Construction work is
defined as meaning any work carried out in connection with the construction, alteration, conversion, fitting-
12
out, commissioning, renovation, repair, maintenance, refurbishment, demolition, decommissioning or
dismantling of a structure.
However, there are some exceptions to this definition, most importantly:
testing, maintenance or repair work of a minor nature carried out in connection with a structure; or
mining or the exploration for or extraction of minerals
There are therefore a number of key aspects where the various provisions of the regulations are unclear
and will be open to interpretation in line with the specific interests of the employers and contractors. These
include:
what is „minor‟ in relation to large complex construction projects? E.g.; is the deep non destructive
testing of a steel offshore wind turbine structure „minor‟? Is the change-out of a small control valve at
80 metres of depth „minor‟? Is the same or similar task undertaken 200 metres up a desalination
plant inlet „minor‟;
does “Construction work‟ include „salvage‟? E.g.; is the recovery of a semi-trailer submerged in a
river, weir or the sea after driving off, say, a bridge “construction work”?
is the salvage of a large car ferry submerged in a fast flowing river or channel „construction work‟?
does „construction work‟ include inspection tasks?
is a riverbed or bank, waterway, the seabed or a shipping channel a „structure‟?
is a „mooring‟ (of any size – say 20 tonnes) a „structure‟?
what are the „types‟ of construction work‟ referred to in Reg 4.8.8?
are structures in flooded subterranean or open cut mines „construction work?
In our view, therefore, as the regulations are formulated, “general diving work” will be interpreted to
include:
hull cleaning including of large freighters, passenger liners, gas tankers and cargo ships (note these
can be anything up to 50 metres in beam, so the diver may be 25 metres from being able to ascend
to the surface);
anode installation and replacement on vessels, wharves and other structures etc (large vessel or
under the framework web of a major wharf with associated vessel movements);
salvage of any boats, vessels, motor vehicle or aircraft (say a 30 metre trawler at 70 metres of depth
and in a fuel polluted environment as would normally be the case in these situations);
search and recovery tasks at any depths and in any conditions;
cleaning, Denso taping or inspecting piles;
inspection tasks at any depth, potentially involving penetration diving. This can include deep
inspections of dams, wharves, locks, tunnels, mine shafts etc, using underwater video, photographic
or visual at any depth using equipment, bridge inspections;
Non Destructive Testing (NDT) tasks, potentially involving deep and/or penetration diving;
13
plugging holes in dams and weirs with extremely dangerous differential pressure situations;
underwater maintenance or change-out of components at any depth such as changing foot valves or
swapping out pumps;
tank cleaning and dredging, including overhead penetration dives and confined space entries;
dredging of channels or the seabed;
erosion control of riverbanks or bottoms involving the installation of concrete mattresses or
underwater retaining walls;
diving in toxic or contaminated environments to undertake inspections or minor maintenance tasks.
We note that nothing in the draft regulations mandates any depth limitations or any limitations on
the breathing gas mixtures or limits the type of diving equipment that must be used.
Presumably, therefore, this work could be undertaken by a diver with a recreational scuba training
qualification on scuba, or a general work diver using heliox on hookah at 70 metres.
4.4
Deregulate work diver training
As noted in Section 4.2 above, Regulation 4.8.5(1)(b) of the draft regulations allows general work diving to
be undertaken by a diver who has a qualification that has been issued by a training organisation published
on the Safe Work Australia website and that has diving experience relevant to the work that is to be carried
out.
We noted that as this is a complete alternative to a somewhat more robust arrangement in Regulation
4.8.5(1)(a) - requiring the training to be delivered by an RTO and the training course to be against a
specified unit of competency - and as the previous draft of the diving work regulations (10-906SR.D56/8/2010 ) stated categorically for this provision -
“a certificate or other qualification document, for an endorsed unit of competency for general
diving work, issued by a recreational scuba training organisation approved by Safe Work
Australia for the purposes of this regulation.”
– it seems obvious that Regulation 4.8.5(1)(b) is aimed at allowing recreational scuba training agencies to
undertake training for general work diving.
Furthermore, Regulation 4.8.8 of the draft regulations specifies the conditions relating to the competence of
a worker for construction diving.
This draft regulation makes NO reference to any standard for the construction diving training to be
delivered nor does it require that the construction diver training be delivered in conformance with any
quality standard. The training organisation does not even have to be identified on the Safe Work
Australia website.
In view of this, it would appear entirely possible for a recreational scuba training organisation to provide
training for all forms of general diving work and for construction diving.
It is our view and the view of the general industry, that the draft regulations for diving work therefore
effectively deregulate training for occupational diving.
As noted earlier, occupational diving is universally accepted to be a high risk activity.
We would make the strong point here that occupational diver training is an even higher risk
activity.
14
Unlike recreational diving, occupational divers must be trained to cope with essentially uncontrolled diving
environments. Occupational divers, whether operating in the aquaculture, scientific or construction sectors,
can find themselves operating in zero or very limited visibility, in cold water which numbs the diver‟s hands
and mind, amongst entangling obstructions, using power tools, losing direct access to the surface, and at
depths where judgement and coordination are impaired by the narcotic effects of the breathing gases at
pressure.
Occupational dive students must therefore learn to cope with this range of diving environments and
conditions. This means that student divers, who are still learning their craft and still gaining full competence
and confidence, must at some stage be committed to working in such high risk conditions.
Such students are learning to dive and they often make mistakes and do illogical and unexpected things.
ADAS provides a comprehensive and integrated highly specialised system for the safe and effective
training of occupational divers. It has been specialising in ensuring the high quality delivery (through
accredited professional diver training establishments) of basic and advanced occupational diver training for
the past 23 years.
As part of its quality system, ADAS requires that ALL accidents and incidents be reported by training
establishments and that they be subjected to Root Cause Analysis so that lessons may be learned and
trends identified to the benefit of all ADAS schools and specifically to reduce the risk to trainees.
In 2010, a total of 41 reports were received. The following excerpts are typical and are included to
demonstrate the level of risk to students.
Student diver was conducting a 42 metre dive to undertake work on a workbench. When he reached
20 metres depth, visibility became zero. The descent was normal until it was discovered that the
workline had become entangled with a tree at approximately 30 metres depth. The diver had
encountered this problem on an earlier dive and knew that he could proceed to bottom if it was safe
to do so. While continuing to bottom, diver started to become very nervous and experienced
breathing difficulties and was heavily affected by nitrogen narcosis & carbon dioxide build-up. The
diver reported that he was extremely dizzy and losing strength in his arms and hands. He called to
the supervisor for help and then lost consciousness. The standby diver was immediately dispatched
to render assistance and found the diver entangled in two places, breathing but unresponsive. The
standby diver then freed the diver and started to recover him to the lazy shot. He regained
consciousness at about 9m, undertook decompression and was recovered to the barge. He was
asymptomatic after treatment.
Student diver carried out night dive on SCUBA. At 6 minutes into the dive, the student diver surfaced
by himself without warning or any communication to the dive supervisor. Diver was pulled towards
the exit point and reported that he was not feeling well as he had swallowed small amounts of salt
water due to a flooded facemask. Diver reported that he panicked when he was not able to clear his
flooded mask and he made the ascent and swallowed small amounts of salt water. He reported that
he was not comfortable with the Scubapro full face mask.
While doing a first bell rescue the student diver panicked when he became trapped in the bell and
could not move while hooking diver on new to the bell. Probable cause - Inexperience and a lack of
awareness of the confined space inside the bell.
During a 6m dive the student diver surfaced and removed his full face mask without warning or any
communication to the dive supervisor. Attendants immediately commenced pulling diver back to the
shore via his comms line/umbilical and assisted the diver back to shore. The staff supervisor advised
the student diver to inflate his BC, which the student diver did not do. Student reported rapid onset of
panic attack.
15
During a 36m dive, two student divers left bottom on schedule to undertake surface decompression in
the chamber on oxygen. During the ascent Diver 1 got entangled with hydraulic tool at 26 meters. The
Panel operator ordered the tool to be raised. Diver 2 arrived on ladder at 5min but was exhausted and
could not climb ladder. Diver 1 made it to ladder after entanglement issue was cleared at 7 min.
Both divers made it to chamber at 11 minutes, therefore not making the mandatory maximum 7 min
surface interval. Divers blown down to 12m on O2 in chamber and checked but were asymptomatic.
Informed medical officer of incident.
Student was completing a progressive circular search in zero visibility tethered to a surface float.
During this activity the float line tangled around a boulder that was on the bottom of the lake. The
student panicked and cut the float line. The diver kept hold of the float line and ascended to the
surface safely. On surface the diver was sent back down to complete an omitted decompression
stop.
Student left surface and commenced undertaking circular search. Around 12 min into the dive the
student‘s voice showed signs of stress, his voice level was raised and he could not be understood.
Then without instruction the student commenced an emergency ascent. The Supervisor attempted to
communicate with diver but could not get an acknowledgement. The student came directly to surface
and exited to the vessel. At this time the student appeared both stressed and fatigued.
Recompression treatment commenced. On inquiring to how the situation developed, the diver
reported that air got tight when water flooded through demand valve on the KM 27 helmet. He
panicked but found an air pocket in the helmet and immediately ascended. The helmet was later
inspected and checked by the Maintenance Supervisor; it was found to be serviceable. Had the Diver
effectively operated the free flow/bailout control then the situation would have been avoided.
During a rescue dive, student accidentally inflated Buoyancy Compensator resulting in diver
undertaking uncontrolled ascent to surface. An extra 5 @ 6 was given with the usual 5 @ 3 safety
stop as a precaution. Students were reminded that in very low visibility conditions ascent rates are
extremely difficult to monitor while attempting to rescue an injured diver. While no injuries were
sustained, students are again told of the dangers of rapid uncontrolled ascents.
A 41MSW dive was planned for 20minutes using hydraulic rock drill. When student was told to leave
bottom, it was discovered he was entangled in the hydraulic hose. He eventually freed himself but
substantially exceeded his bottom time and had to undertake additional in-water decompression.
Diver was asymptomatic on surfacing but given 100% oxygen and kept on bends watch.
As noted above, occupational diving – and particularly construction diving – is by its very nature essentially
conducted under uncontrolled conditions. The dive work takes place at the dive site where the job is, in the
environmental and working conditions which pertain at that time. A risk assessment in most instances
cannot identify all the hazards extant on the bottom at the site until it has actually been dived. The diver
must be competent to cope with whatever is found when he or she arrives at the work. Additionally, the job
itself and the tools used to undertake the work add substantially to the risk. ADAS accredited courses are
based directly on the essential diving and work competencies identified by the industry.
The ADAS system is a dedicated and highly specialised and mature arrangement for assuring the reduction
of risk to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) for all ADAS activities.
All training establishments must use the ADAS-provided standard instructional material and training
programs
all training aids, resources and venues must be pre-approved against published criteria.
16
All training staff must meet mandatory instructional and subject matter standards and all training is
supervised by an approved Training and Assessment manager.
All training must be conducted with minimum safety measures and with risks reduced to ALARP in
accordance with the ADAS formal Administration and Operational Procedures.
A fully qualified standby diver must be at immediate readiness throughout the high risk training.
All diving equipment, training and operational arrangements are subject to an onsite audit on at least an
annual basis and all student training records are desktop-audited on a course-by-course basis.
The types of incidents detailed above occur in spite of the best efforts of ADAS and its comprehensive
quality-assured training arrangements. We ask the SIG-OHS to consider what the outcomes of the above
incidents could have been had it not been for the highly professional and comprehensive training and risk
management imposed by ADAS.
In failing to specify any training standards and any training delivery standards, the draft regulation
completely ignore the very high risk of occupational diver training and the extreme vulnerability of
occupational dive students.
The draft regulations make NO provision for ensuring the safety of dive students.
RTO status does NOT provide any guidance or specific control of specialist training activities such as
occupational diving. The AQTF system focuses on administration and systems quality.
ADAS argues that what is needed is NOT RTO status (or at the very least, not ONLY RTO status) but
stringent, purpose-designed quality control imposed by an external body that specialises in ensuring that
the risk of providing occupational diver training is reduced to ALARP.
We ask the SIG-OHS to note that once a trainee graduates from the training environment, there is no
control over where they will end up or what under sort of operational conditions they will undertake
diving work.
4.5
Fail to maintain the current national diver certification arrangements
The majority of Australian occupational diving currently operates under a consistent national set of
arrangements that essentially comprise:
industry practice set by the AS/NZS 2299 series Standards;
divers and dive supervisors being trained by ADAS accredited training establishments;
divers verifying competence through relevant ADAS certification.
These arrangements are central to the operations of the substantial majority of Australian and NZ
occupational diving industry sectors. They result in Australian (and New Zealand) divers having access to
a comprehensive and integrated career structure and to diving work around the world.
As noted elsewhere, the Scheme has been undertaking the training, assessment and licensing of divers to
conduct high risk occupational diving activities for some 23 years under its directive from the
Commonwealth and State governments. ADAS certification is a requirement for construction diving in all
Commonwealth, State and Territory jurisdictions (either directly within OHS regulations or by government
policy) and ADAS certification is accepted as proof of competency for all other forms of occupational diving.
.
17
Whilst ADAS does NOT claim that it has certified every occupational diver in Australia (for instance, the
fringe seafood wildcatch sectors of abalone, crayfish, pearl and beche de mer sectors and some scientific
institutions do not implement ADAS certification), we do purport that the some 7500 ADAS certified
personnel comprise by far the vast majority of onshore and onshore construction, aquaculture, scientific,
military and police divers.
In compliance with the mission mandated by the Commonwealth and States on its implementation in 1988,
ADAS has functioned for the past 23 years as the Australian national occupational diver accreditation and
certification agency. It has developed and maintained a comprehensive and cohesive system of
occupational diver training and certification that is integral to all mainstream diving.
The Scheme provides a range of functions that are central to occupational diving in Australia, including:
quality assured initial accreditation (and the 5 yearly re-validation of accreditation) of diving and
hyperbaric training establishments;
the ongoing quality assurance of the activities of accredited training establishments against
mandatory administration, training, assessment and operational standards;
ensuring the delivery of quality assured and accredited diver and hyperbaric specialist training
courses through the accredited training providers;
awarding nationally and internationally recognised certification for successful graduates of ADAS
accredited training establishments;
implementing a continued proficiency process to ensure the ongoing competency of all diver etc
certificate holders;
the development (and ongoing moderation and validation) in consultation with relevant industry
sectors, of accredited training programs to meet industry and regulatory requirements;
providing secretariat functions for the national Committee for Occupational Diving of Standards
Australia (SF/17);
representing Australia in a number of critical international occupational diving forums including the
International Diving Regulators Forum (IDRF- the national diver certification agencies of the UK,
Norway, France, South Africa and Canada) ), the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers
(OGP) Industry Reference Group and the European Diving Technology Council (EDTC);
through its status as the national occupational diving certification agency, demonstrating equivalence
across all training, accreditation and certification activities and acting as the signatory for mutual
recognition agreements with the members of the IDRF, the Netherland‟s National Diving Council and
the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA);
demonstrating on an annual basis compliance with ongoing quality assurance processes necessary
to ensure the continuation of all mutual recognition agreements;
maintaining the accuracy, credibility and privacy requirements that provide confidence in the national
occupational diver data base;
providing verification of competence information on ADAS certified personnel to regulators and
industry;
providing, via its quality assured certification and accredited training, the foundation for meeting the
verification of competence and quality assurance needs of employers of divers.
18
Regulation 4.8.8 of the draft regulations provides the competency requirements for persons to carry out
construction diving work. As noted earlier, it mandates NO standards for the diver training to be provided
nor for the organisations who provide the training. Additionally, it cites a statement of attainment issued by
ADAS as an example of a qualification that would meet the requirements of the regulation.
ADAS, through Regulation 4.8.8, will now only be one of a number of organisations who can provide
certification for construction diving. Unintentionally or otherwise, then, this provision in the draft regulations
effectively prevents ADAS fulfilling the mandate set by the Commonwealth as the national certification
agency. ADAS is required under its charter with the Commonwealth to maintain high levels of certification
and accreditation that continue to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth. Under the proposed new
arrangements, ADAS training establishments will have to compete with unaccredited dive training providers
who, under the unfair playing field created under the draft regulations will not be required to conform to
ANY standards.
ADAS membership of the IDRF and its mutual recognition agreements with the member countries,
and similar with the Netherlands and the International Maritime Contractors Association are founded
on ADAS being the national certification agency for Australia and New Zealand. If it ceases to be
able to function as such, the mutual recognition agreements cease to be valid.
ADAS is required as fundamental conditions of charter with the Commonwealth to:
o
ensure that the Scheme continues to deliver its full range of onshore and offshore diver
certification functions at the level of best practice and acceptable to the Commonwealth;
o
accredit appropriate diver training establishments to undertake the training and assessment
of divers;
o
issue an appropriate ADAS Certificate of Competency to those divers that ADAS deems
competent;
o
ensure the maintenance of the ADAS international recognition agreements.
In our view, under the proposed draft regulations, ADAS accredited training establishments will not be able
to remain competitive in the market place, ADAS will not be able to comply with its commitments to
government and will not be able to maintain is functions.
ADAS ceasing to be the national diver certification agency for Australia will have a number of implications
for current and future construction and other ADAS divers.
Primarily, ADAS will cease to be able to comply with its obligations to the Commonwealth Government.
Current offshore safety regulations requiring ADAS certification for divers and supervisors will, at the very
least, be called into question and may cease to be valid. New certification arrangements for offshore divers
will then need to be developed. More broadly:
ADAS will cease to be a member of the International Diving Regulators Forum and current ADAS
international mutual recognition agreements (dependent on continuing membership and compliance
with quality assurance requirements of the IDRF) will become invalid;
Current effective national arrangements for the training, certification and renewal of certification of
Australian and NZ onshore and offshore construction divers will cease;
Some 7500 divers and supervisors, together with a number of other ADAS qualified specialists,
currently working nationally and/or internationally on the strength of their ADAS licence, will have the
validity of their current qualifications and licence to undertake work called into question.
19
ADAS accredited training establishments will lose their training delivery status.
The current comprehensive career path provided by ADAS or workers in hyperbaric industries will
cease;
The quality assurance and verification of competence currently offered to employers and regulators
through the ADAS system will no longer exist;
The national data base of diver qualification and currency information currently maintained by ADAS
and used by contractors and regulators will cease to exist.
New certification arrangements for offshore divers will need to be developed.
ADAS will have to cease its activities as the SF-17 Secretariat and the finalisation of the AS 2815
series will not be able to be completed.
New arrangements will have to be developed for the continued development of the ADAS Supervisor
Simulators.
The NZ government will have to find another basis for its diving certification requirements.
Under the highly differentiated arrangements proposed in the draft regulations, employers will not
readily be able to determine the actual competence of a diver.
4.6
Substantially compromise the standard of dive supervision
As has already been noted more than once, diving work is universally recognised as a high risk activity.
Diving work takes place in a non-respirable environment, is totally equipment-dependent and subjects
workers to a range of pressure-related conditions which can cause their death or result in serious, long
term debilitating injury.
The dive supervisor is the person specifically responsible for ensuring the safety of the diver. This is firmly
recognised in the provisions of 2299.1 which require that the dive supervisor be:
trained in accordance with AS 2815.5 (Training and certification of occupational divers: Part 5: Dive
supervisor) for supervision of the type of diving operation being conducted and hold a certificate to
that effect;
experienced in the diving techniques to be used, and in the equipment and procedures used in the
diving operations to be performed;
familiar with any legislative requirements which may be applicable to the diving operations;
trained in the recognition and management of diving emergencies;
trained in first aid and in the recognition and first aid management of diving related medical problems,
and in communicating findings to medical personnel;
Undertaking the supervision of diving work requires the dive supervisor to have the maturity, experience,
skill, ability and specific training to ensure that:
the breathing gases selected are appropriate and meet the required purity standards;
the life-support diving equipment is fully operational and appropriate for the diving job and is checked
for safety before the diver enters the water;
all hazards involved in the diving and the diving work are identified and appropriate controls are
implemented;
20
a comprehensive dive plan is developed that takes into account all environmental, diving and work
task conditions and brief the dive team to that effect;
all aspects of the diving operation are controlled to ensure the continued safety of the diver and that
the diving task is performed effectively and efficiently. This includes constant monitoring of the diver
and the dive system to ensure:
o
that the diver is not becoming stressed,
o
that the diver does not exceed the planned depth,
o
that air flow rates are adequate throughout the dive,
o
that adequate breathing gases are available to the diver(s) throughout the dive,
o
that other simultaneous operations such as overhead crane operations, welding, cutting or
blasting are monitored and coordinated so that they do not imperil the diver,
o
no changes occur in the diving environment (currents, tides, visibility, temperature, sea state,
o
that the diver leaves the bottom at the planned time and/or that any variation to the dive
profile is taken into account in the decompression calculation,
o
that the decompression of the diver is controlled to minimise the risk of decompression
illness and that any decompression symptoms are managed to minimise their impact on the
diver;
o
that the diver leaves the bottom at the planned time and/or that any variation to the dive
profile is taken into account in the decompression profile, that the decompression of the
diver is undertaken against the correct
o
diving emergencies are recognised immediately, appropriate corrective actions are taken in
a timely fashion and that the emergency and the rescue of the diver is managed in such a
fashion as to maximise his chances of survival and minimal impact on support personnel.
The draft regulations do place significant responsibilities on the dive supervisor in regard to hazard
identification, risk assessment, risk management; dive planning, dive briefing and record keeping.
The draft regulations most certainly do NOT, however, require that the dive supervisor be specifically
selected for the role or have any training in hazard identification, risk assessment, dive planning or in the
detection and management of diving emergencies. Such responsibilities are inherent in the requirements
on dive supervisors detailed in the draft regulations and even more comprehensively in 2299.1 and AS
2815.5.
The regulations do NOT identify any of the dive supervisor's emergency management roles.
When considering all of the factors (physiological, environmental and task related) that contribute to the
high risk status of occupational diving, it is arguable that the single most effective and critical risk control for
improved safety is the presence of a competent supervisor on the dive site. The dive supervisor is
essential:
as a frontline supervisor in the management and administration of the general dive team activities,
including human resource issues, fulfilling the mandatory risk assessment, dive planning, briefing
,debriefing and maintenance of records requirements;
as a mentor in regard to the safe, effective and efficient achievement of the diving task(s);
in maintaining a careful and comprehensive overview of surface and underwater operations and
monitoring communications for any changes in the diver(s) breathing rate or voice tones;
21
in the event of an emergency, making judgments as to the most appropriate immediate response(s)
and implementing appropriate emergency actions to ensure the safety of the diver(s) and the surface
team;
In most, if not all, of the many diving deaths and near deaths which have occurred in Australia and
elsewhere, a thorough analysis will identify as the root cause the breakdown in the system of supervision of
the operation, This will usually be due to the absence, token nature or incompetence of the person
appointed to be the dive supervisor.
In fact, the current draft of the regulations effectively allow for a newly qualified 17 year old
worker, with the minimal skill and knowledge provided by a recreational scuba training course,
to be placed in control of a dive team undertaking diving work. This is a reversion to diving
practice as it was twenty or more years ago when unscrupulous contractors would place their
experienced workers underwater at the job site where their expertise will enable the job to be
done quickly, and have the least experienced member of the dive team „supervising‟ the diving
operation.
The role of the dive supervisor is to provide the primary risk control and risk management for high risk
diving work activities.
The requirements for the appointment, training, certification, role and competencies of the dive supervisor
are detailed at length in AS/NZ 2299.1:2007 and Australian Standard AS 2815.5: Training and certification
of occupational divers – Part 5: Dive supervisor.
4.7
Encourage free diving for undertaking diving work
The draft Regulations provide for diving using breathhold technique to be used in both general and
construction diving work. Unfortunately, by specifically providing regulation for free diving, the regulations
can be seen to be going out their way to encourage this technique instead of the use of safer alternatives.
Working without a self-contained respirator or an external air source is deemed to be totally unsafe and
unacceptable for any other activity where there is a risk to the worker from a toxic or non-respirable
atmosphere (for example, in operations involving work in toxic or asbestos contaminated atmospheres or
for confined space entries).
The draft regulations specifically provide that a standby diver is NOT required to safeguard workers
undertaking free diving operations. Workers undertaking free-diving work are always susceptible to being
snagged and running out of air or suffering from shallow water blackout on ascent.
Only within the last two years, a worker undertaking diving work on a tuna pen in South Australia was
pulled unconscious from the water after undertaking free diving work.
In our strong view, free diving work is in most instances an unacceptable technique for undertaking
either general or construction diving work under the arrangements provided in the draft regulation.
Unscrupulous employers will be tempted to use this provision as a cheap and dirty way to undertake
general and construction diving work;
Whilst we acknowledge that in a limited range of circumstances, breathhold diving can be a legitimate
technique to undertake some diving work, we would strongly advise that its use should not be
encouraged.
5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECTIFYING THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE DRAFT
REGULATIONS FOR DIVING AT WORK
After having been so negative about many aspects of the current draft, ADAS is of the view that w should
constructively propose means for rectifying the deficiencies we perceive in the regulations. To that end, the
following recommendations are made.
22
5.1
Recast the existing Regulation 4.8.1 Purpose
In our view, the purpose of this part ought to be recast to place the primary emphasis of the regulations on
ensuring the safety of the workers involved in diving work rather than just to impose duties on PCBUs.
We recommend the following formulation.
The purpose of this Part is to ensure the health and safety of persons who undertake diving
work by defining the requirements for:
5.2
(a)
the fitness and competence of persons who carry out diving work; and
(b)
appropriate operating procedures for undertaking diving work; and
(c)
the duties imposed on a person carrying out a business or undertaking
involving diving work.
Mandate the safety provisions of AS/NZS 2299.1 (2299.1)
It is the very firm view of ADAS and the diving industry in general that the regulations for the undertaking of
diving work MUST mandate the essential industry developed, industry agreed and industry implemented
safety-critical provisions of 2299.1.
As noted earlier, whilst 2299.1 is mentioned in the definition of standard operational procedures,
compliance with the majority of its safety-critical diving operations provisions is not detailed or mandated in
the body of the draft Model Regulations. This, we feel, both substantially reduces the efficacy of the
regulations in ensuring the safety of workers undertaking diving work and makes it virtually impossible for
inspector to enforce safe diving practices. We propose the following two options to resolve this issue.
5.2.1 Call up 2299.1 in the model regulations
ADAS and the industry at large would very strongly prefer that 2299.1 be called up within the model
regulations, as is currently done in other existing state occupational diving legislation.
This could be done by directly mandating in the Model Regulations that all diving work must be
conducted in compliance with the provisions of 2299.1.
Alternatively, it could be done by mandating in the Model Regulations that all diving work must be
conducted in compliance with standard operational practices and then changing the definition of
standard operational practices to refer only to 2299.1
We recommend this as the simplest, most straight forward and best solution.
The industry is very comfortable and familiar with 2299.1 and is committed to implementing its provisions.
In particular, it should reduce industry concerns that:
(a) the provisions of 2299.1 might be watered down in the process of redrafting them to fit into a
supplementary code of practice;
(b) industry members will have no voice (as they do in regard to maintaining the currency of 2299.1)
in any future changes to the standard operations practices;
(c) some other currently unknown Standard relevant to diving work (that needs only to be published
on the Safe Work Australia website) may be imposed on it at some time in the future;
We strongly recommend that AS/NZ 299.1 be called up by the Model Regulations as
mandatory standard operating practice.
23
5.2.2 Compromise model
We understand however the concerns of SIG-OHS in relation to the COAG determination in regard to
calling up Standards in regulations. If, and only if, it should prove impossible to call up 2299.1 directly into
the Model regulations, ADAS would suggest the following compromise solution:
(a) call up essential safety critical elements of 2299.1 in the model regulations. This approach is
already modelled in the Queensland regulations (although ADAS does NOT agree with the
restriction of these provisions to only construction diving in those regulations) and should specify
the detail from the relevant provisions from 2299.1 as follows:
i.
Requirements for an onsite recompression chamber (Clause 4.1.2, Qld Regs 86AP and
86 AQ);
ii. Restricted use of Scuba (Clause 6.2 , Qld Regs 86AR);
iii. Depth limited to 50 metres (Clause 1.1 and 1.2, Qld Regs 86AS);
iv. Minimum personnel required (Clauses 5.2 and 6.3).
(b) specify in the Model Regulations that all diving operations should be under taken in compliance
with Standard Operational Practice or an equivalent that provides equal or better standards of
safety for workers;
(c) provide the remainder of 2299.1 in the form of a documented standard operational practice;
(d) provide a consultative mechanism to allow for relevant industry representatives to participate in
the process of drafting and reviewing the standard operational practice.
5.3
Re-define the requirements of worker competence to carry out diving work
As was noted above, ADAS and the industry are deeply concerned at the way the draft regulations have
formulated the requirements for deeming divers competent to undertake diving work.
5.3.1 Require that qualifications for general diving work ONLY be awarded against training
undertaken against specified Units of Competency and that the training must be provided by an
RTO
In particular, we are concerned that the draft regulations specify two alternative methods for deeming
competency for general work diving. As noted earlier, it seems obvious that regulation 4.8.5(1)(b) is
intended to provide for recreational scuba qualifications be recognised as appropriate for undertaking
general diving work.
We strongly recommend that this alternative method be disallowed and that competence for
general diving work ONLY be recognised when it is delivered by an RTO against specified
Units of Competency.
5.3.2 Require that qualifications for construction diving work ONLY be awarded against training
undertaken against specified Units of Competence and that the training must be provided by an
RTO
ADAS and the industry have noted with extreme concern the deregulation of construction diver training in in
Regulation 4.8.8 of the draft regulations.
We strongly recommends that this provision be redrafted to ensure that competence for
construction diving work ONLY be recognised when it is delivered by an RTO against
specified Units of Competency.
24
5.4
Call up ADAS certification for all dive training to maintain national certification
system
ADAS and the industry are particularly concerned that the current national certification arrangements are
being overturned and that ADAS divers and contractors and employers are being significantly
disadvantaged by the removal of the essential underpinning national and international recognition, quality
assurance and comprehensive and integrated career structure it provides.
ADAS and the industry have argued strongly in support of the need to continue to provide the benefits of
such a national certification scheme, most particularly for construction diving work (where it is central to
diver career arrangements and due diligence measures for contractors, employers and contractors) but
also in support of the national benefit it provides across the spectrum of occupational diving.
A review of the functions (detailed in paragraph 4.5 above) which ADAS currently undertakes
supports the contention that there should be a national certification agency;
ADAS was specifically set up by the Commonwealth government with the sole purpose of providing
best practice occupational diving training, assessment and certification;
Currently some 7500 divers, supervisors and specialist hyperbaric workers are actively participating
in the scheme, with another 3000 entitled to renewal of certification pending demonstration of
continued proficiency.
Maintaining such a national certification system is consistent with the practice of all mainstream
countries
o
Essentially, with the exception of some peripheral industry areas, all occupational divers in
Australia are already within the Scheme. This includes workers who dive to support offshore
oil and gas exploration and construction, onshore construction on dams, ports and harbours,
seafood harvesting, aquaculture, science, police and military activities.
o
Regulators throughout Australia and NZ currently accept the ADAS certification as proof of
diving competence and a licence to undertake diving work.
We strongly recommend that the Model WHS regulations for diving work call up ADAS
certification as a mandatory requirement and that all diver training establishments providing
occupational diver training be accredited by ADAS.
5.4.1 The issue of monopoly
We are aware that there are concerns about creating a monopoly in calling up ADAS as the sole provider of
diver certification. We make the following points in regard to this concern:
(a) ADAS certainly agrees that creating a monopoly in regard to a training provider could not be
warranted. We argue though, that creating a monopoly for a national certification agency is
actually necessary and of considerable positive benefit for all the reasons detailed in paragraph
4.5.above;
(b) We ask you to note that ADAS is NOT a provider of training. It is a certification and
accreditation scheme - developed by the Commonwealth and State governments to accredit any
training provider that can demonstrate that it meets the entry level requirements considered
necessary to provide quality training;
(c) We also ask you to note that all licensing and certification schemes (especially those for high
risk activities such as occupational diving) are almost without exception, monopolies. We cite
AMSA, CASA, motor car driver licensing authorities as examples;
25
(d) ADAS has been acting for the past 23 years as the sole licensing provider for occupational
diving - universally acknowledged as a high risk activity. Its certification has been accepted by
all national and international industry organisations and by all national and federal jurisdictions;
(e) ADAS certification is currently required by all state, territory and federal jurisdictions (either
directly in regulation or through policy) as a licensing requirement to undertake construction
diving;
(f) The high risk licensing provided by ADAS for the last 23 years has removed the need to have
state by state licensing, with consequential resource implications and is more akin to a
harmonisation model;
(g) As noted, ADAS provides all the requisites of a licence provider including:
a national data base which provides verification of competence functions to regulators and
industry
QA systems and processes which ensure transparency and accountability
tamper-proof photographic identification licence cards;
(h) The latest state OHS regulations regarding diving (the Queensland Workplace Health and
Safety Regulation 1997 were reprinted as in force on 1 February 2008. They specify ADAS
certification as a mandatory prerequisite for construction diving and supervision and
acknowledge it as an acceptable qualification for all other occupational diving.
(i) ADAS certification for divers and supervisors is mandated in the Offshore Petroleum and
Greenhouse Gas Storage (Safety) Regulations 2009. This is current Commonwealth legislation
last reviewed and last updated in 2009. ADAS operates for the Commonwealth under a
Memorandum of Understanding specifying the roles and responsibilities of the Scheme.
5.5
Re-define construction diving work
Whilst the definitions of construction work and construction diving work in the draft provisions integrate
neatly with Chapter 6 of the main regulations, as noted above, they result in a number of serious
unintended consequences. The definition of construction work being hinged on „structure‟ does not cover a
substantial number of underwater operations that are quite obviously construction diving. In our view, it
would be much more sensible to replace the existing definition of construction diving with that from the
Queensland regulations. This has the benefits of:
comprehensively covering all facets of construction diving work including those not covered in the
original formulation;
removing the unintended narrowing of the scope of construction diving work and exposing a set of
non-construction divers to hazardous underwater conditions for which they are not trained.
meeting the needs of Queensland for special measures to meet the needs of their tourism and
scientific etc divers who operate on the relatively benign conditions of the Great Barrier Reef.
77 Meaning of construction diving work
(1) Construction diving work means underwater diving work to assemble, construct,
demolish, dismantle, install, clean, inspect, maintain, remove, repair, salvage, sample,
search for, photograph, film, video or make a sound recording of a thing, or part of a thing,
mentioned in subsection (2).
(2) For subsection (1), the things are as follows—
(a) a building;
(b) a bridge;
26
(c) a pile or a structure supported by piles;
(d) a jetty, pontoon, wharf, mooring or slipway;
(e) a navigational aid;
(f) a pipe, cable or tunnel;
(g) scaffolding, whether or not for use with a building;
(h) a drilling rig;
(i) an oil or gas well platform;
(j) a weir or the structure or machinery of a dam or other artificial water storage,
other than a swimming pool or aquarium;
(k) a craft or vehicle for use in, on or above water or land.
(3) Construction diving work includes underwater diving work associated with dredging,
reclamation of land or other earthworks.
(4) However, construction diving work does not include underwater diving work—
(a) for inspecting, sampling, photographing, filming, videoing or making a sound
recording—
(i) for the entertainment or publishing industry; or
(ii) for tourism; or
(iii) for the print or electronic media; or
(iv) for art; or
(v) for genuine scientific research; or
(vi) for scientific management of natural resources; or
Example of subparagraph (vi)—
scientific management of the Great Barrier Reef or fish stocks
(b) for inspecting, sampling, photographing, filming, videoing or making a sound
recording of—
(i) a protected object under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992; or
(ii) an object to decide its cultural heritage significance under that Act; or
(iii) an historic relic or historic shipwreck under the Historic Shipwrecks Act
1976 (Cwlth); or
(c) for photographing, filming, videoing or making a sound recording while and for the
purpose of conducting recreational diving or recreational technical diving, or training
to go recreational diving or recreational technical diving; or (d) for photographing,
filming, videoing or making a sound recording of persons doing recreational diving or
recreational technical diving if the photographing, filming, videoing or sound
recording is to be used for a souvenir; or
(e) done in a marina or the ocean for cleaning, inspecting, maintaining or searching
for a vessel or mooring solely or mainly used in the tourism industry.
Examples of vessels used in the tourism industry—
• glass bottom boats used for tours of a reef • boats used to transport tourists to a reef or island •
yachts hired to sail around islands • fishing charter boats
(5) It is immaterial whether or not a thing mentioned in subsection (2) is floating or wrecked.
We strongly recommend that the current definition for construction diving work be replaced
by the definition from the current Queensland OHS regulations
27
5.6
Require that Dive Supervisors be trained and certified
The deficiencies in the draft regulations in regard to NOT requiring dive supervisors to be competent to
undertake their responsibilities result in a substantial reduction in the safety provided by requirements of
2299.1.
We strongly recommend that the requirements for dive supervisors be amended to mandate
that dive supervisors must be competent persons within the meaning of the regulations and
have received appropriate training in line with the extensive guidance provided in AS 2815.5
as to the competences and training required of dive supervisors.
5.7
Remove the provisions for free diving work
We strongly recommend that the provisions in the draft regulations as regard the undertaking
of free diving be removed and that the regulations are either silent on the issue or prohibit the
use of free diving techniques for undertaking diving work.
6. 6. CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1
Conclusion
ADAS and the industry in general strongly support the regulation of diving work in the Model WHS
Regulations. We are, however, of the strong view that the draft regulations in their present form are
deficient in many instances .that those deficiencies in fact reduce the existing levels of safety for diving
workers and therefore must be rectified.
We have in this submission summarised our concerns in detail and noted the unintended consequences
and the strong negative impacts of proceeding with the draft regulations as currently drafted.
We have proposed a number of alternatives to rectify the deficiencies and these are summarised below.
We ask the SIG-OHS to take these recommendation in the constructive spirit in which they are offered.
and to note that they have the strong support of the occupational diving industry in general.
Both ADAS and the industry are very prepared to further consult on these issues.
6.2
The following recommendations are proposed.
6.2.1
That the Purpose of Part 4.8 be changed as follows:
The purpose of this Part is to ensure the health and safety of persons who undertake diving
work by defining the requirements for:
(a)
the fitness and competence of persons who carry out diving work; and
(b)
appropriate operating procedures for undertaking diving work; and
(c)
the duties imposed on a person carrying out a business or undertaking involving
diving work.
6.2.2 That AS/NZS 2999.1 be called up by the Model Regulations as mandatory standard operating
practice.
6.2.3 That competence for general diving work ONLY be recognised when it is delivered by an
RTO against specified Units of Competency.
28
6.2.4 That competence for construction diving work ONLY be recognised when it is delivered by
an RTO against specified Units of Competency.
6.2.5 That ADAS certification is called up as a mandatory requirement and that all diver training
establishments providing occupational diver training be accredited by ADAS.
6.2.6 That the current definition for construction diving work be replaced by the definition from the
current Queensland regulations.
6.2.7 That the requirements for dive supervisors be amended to mandate that dive supervisors
must be competent persons within the meaning of the regulations and have received appropriate
training in line with the extensive guidance provided in AS 2815.5 as to the competences and
training required of dive supervisors.
6.2.8 That the regulations are either silent on the issue or prohibit the use of free diving
techniques for undertaking diving work.
References
1. Tasmania’s Aquaculture Industry: A Ten Year Review of Improved Diving safety(David Smart, Sean
Rubidge, Peter McCartney and Corry Van Den Broek; Papers and Proceeding of the Royal Society of
Tasmania Volume 133 (1) 1999.
2. Whyte P, Doolette DJ, Gorman DF, Craig DS. Related Articles, Links: Positive reform of tuna farm
diving in South Australia in response to government intervention, Occup Environ Med. 2001 Feb;
58(2):124-8. http://oem.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/58/2/124
3. Deaths Associated with Occupational Diving -- Alaska, 1990-1997
http://www.cdc.gov/MMWR/preview/mmwrhtml/00053331.htm
29
Information Paper
Appendix 1 to ADAS Submission to Safe Work Australia
THE AUSTRALIAN DIVER CERTIFICATION SCHEME (ADAS)
BACKGROUND, CONTEXT AND PURPOSE
The following paper is intended to relevant information about ADAS.
WHAT IS ADAS AND ADAS CERTIFICATION?
ADAS is the national occupational diving accreditation and certification scheme for Australia and New Zealand.
Currently some 7500 divers, supervisors and r hyperbaric support staff are participating in the scheme
In recognition of the high risk status of occupational diving, the Scheme implements a 5-year renewable
certification process that is conditional on demonstration of continued proficiency.
Virtually all occupational divers in Australia are within the Scheme, including workers who dive to support offshore oil
and gas exploration and construction, onshore construction on dams, ports and harbours, wild catch, aquaculture,
science, police and military activities.
Genesis of the Scheme
ADAS was established by the Commonwealth and State governments in the 1980‟s to ensure that oilfield divers were
appropriately trained and certified. This was undertaken to ensure that the enormous fatalities and serious injuries
which had characterised North Sea oilfield operations did not happen in developing the Bass Strait and North West
Shelf Australian oilfields
Although comprehensive figures offshore diver casualties are not available, the fatality numbers alone are indicative of
the potential risk of the industry.
Figures for the period 1971 - 1987 for North Sea petroleum diving operations indicate that 55 divers were killed over
this 17 year period, out of an average diving workforce of 1600 divers (at the lowest 200 in 1971, greatest in 1983 at
2400).
The highest fatality figures were experienced during the mid 1970s, when about 1 diver a month was being killed out
of an average population of 1100 divers.
North Sea safety authorities (Norway and the U.K) then implemented strict safety regulations, and fatality figures
declined substantially. Even so, about one diver per year was killed throughout the 1980's, with 6 divers killed in one
accident in 1983.
The risk to diving personnel still remains high, and offshore underwater operations depend for safety and success on
highly developed procedures, extensive training and commitment to very high safety standards, underpinned by active
regulation by the safety authority.
Since inception of ADAS and offshore diving regulations, diving practices have markedly improved and
significant reductions in injury and incidents have resulted;
There have been zero diving fatalities in the Australian offshore industry since the Scheme‟s inception.
30
National coverage
Although ADAS was established primarily to improve diving safety in the offshore industry, it was recognised at the
time of its inception that the offshore diving industry relies on a feeder base of certified onshore occupational divers to
provide the experience for divers to move into offshore diving operations.
In view of this, the Commonwealth and State governments and the unions agreed at that time that the
Scheme should provide a comprehensive and integrated framework to cater for the whole spectrum of
occupational diver operations across all Australian states and territories.
ADAS therefore provides for the entire spectrum of occupational diving training and certification requirements
from restricted occupational scuba to closed bell saturation diving.
Supporting personnel such as dive supervisors, diver medical technicians and life support technicians are
also included and the Scheme meets the needs of all sectors of the occupational diving industry.
This type of scheme is replicated in many other professions and trades for the benefit of employers, workers and
regulators.
Structure and status
ADAS is structured and operates on a not-for-profit, cost recovery basis. It provides a comprehensive, noncommercial and best practice service to the Commonwealth and State/Territory governments and to the occupational
diving industry and its employees.
ADAS diver certification is currently a mandatory requirement for undertaking onshore construction diving in
all Australian jurisdictions, all onshore and offshore diving in New Zealand, and Tuna Farm diving in South
Australia.
ADAS certification is accepted as a demonstration of competency for all non-construction occupational diving
activities.
ADAS diver and supervisor certification is called up in Commonwealth offshore legislation as a mandatory
requirement for undertaking offshore construction diving.
To be eligible to undertake offshore diving, a diver must first be certified as an ADAS onshore unrestricted
surface supply diver. This involves ADAS accredited training and certification in compliance with AS 2815
Parts 1-3 and approximately 2 years onshore construction diving experience.
CURRENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADAS AND THE COMMONWEALTH
ADAS was a program of the Resources Portfolio of the Department of Industry Tourism and Resources (DITR - now
called the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism – RET)) until 2003, when the Commonwealth devolved the
responsibility for its day-to-day administration to an independent industry Board, with its structure and responsibilities
defined under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
As a not-for-profit industry Board comprised of occupational diving and associated industry experts, the ADAS Board
is responsible to the Commonwealth government for the effective continuing management of the Scheme. Under the
terms of the MOU, ADAS must:
ensure that the Scheme continues to deliver its full range of onshore and offshore diver certification functions
at the level of best practice and acceptable to the Commonwealth;
accredit appropriate diver training establishments to undertake the training and assessment of divers;
issue an appropriate ADAS Certificate of Competency to those divers that ADAS deems competent;
ensure the maintenance of the ADAS international recognition agreements.
See Appendix 1 for a detailed extract of the relevant clauses from the MOU between ADAS and RET/DITR. The
MOU demonstrates the Commonwealth‟s intent and the extent of the responsibilities of the ADAS Board
Under the agreed arrangements, ADAS is subject to audit by the Commonwealth government. The last audit was
undertaken on the behalf of the Commonwealth by an independent third party auditor over a 3 month period during
2008. The audit found that:
31
while the Scheme was primarily set up to improve diving safety in the offshore industry, the scheme provided
an effective national framework for occupation diver operations across all Australian states and territories;
the occupational diving certification and accreditation services being provided by the ADAS Board were
supported by a strong governance framework which meets the key elements of better practice corporate;
the Scheme was complying with its statutory requirements and that the ADAS Board was administering the
Scheme, and applying the relevant Australian/New Zealand Occupational Diving Standards, as required by
the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) (Diving Safety) Regulations 2002;
the services the ADAS Board was providing in administering the Scheme were adequate and appropriate;
and
in the longer term, the Department should work with Safework Australia to include occupational diving
standards in “model OH&S legislation”.
ADAS ROLE IN DIVER TRAINING
ADAS was structured by the Commonwealth to deliver all of its training through external accredited training
establishments (ATEs) which are subject to stringent initial and ongoing audit requirements and robust quality control.
In 2001, DITR successfully undertook the registration of ADAS as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) under the
national Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) and accredited all the ADAS courses under the Australian
Qualifications Framework (AQF).
These arrangements provide the following features and benefits:
ADAS does NOT deliver training itself – its mission is to provide direction, set standards and ensure the
quality controlled delivery of ADAS training and assessment;
all training is delivered by ADAS accredited ATEs that are subject to a far higher level of dedicated quality
control than can be achieved through the standard AQF and AQTF auditing processes;
the Scheme is open to application for accreditation from any training provider;
courses are aligned with the national VET arrangements and graduates receive an AQF qualification in
addition to their ADAS licence to undertake occupational diving;
the AQF accredited status for all ADAS courses also provides ADAS with protection of its intellectual property
rights;
the AQTF Registered Training Organisation (RTO) status provides an additional external quality assurance
regime which complements the Commonwealth and ADAS internal governance arrangements and enhances
the Scheme‟s credibility and transparency.
It should be noted that ADAS is an RTO only for the benefits noted above and that RTO status is not necessary to the
continued functioning of the Scheme.
See Appendix 2 for further information concerning ADAS diver training
ADAS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
ADAS certification has been a mandatory requirement for all occupational diving in New Zealand (NZ) since 2004.
As the Commonwealth-appointed national certification body for occupational diving for Australia and NZ, ADAS has
been able to develop and to maintain mutual recognition agreements with national certification agencies and peak
industry bodies throughout the world. These agreements enable ADAS divers to undertake both onshore and offshore
occupational diving across a range of regulated national diving jurisdictions.
These international mainstream jurisdictions include:
Canada;
France;
Netherlands;
New Zealand;
32
Norway;
South Africa;
United Kingdom; and
United States of America
Additionally, ADAS has a mutual recognition agreement with the peak international offshore diving industry body (the
International Maritime Contractors Association - IMCA) whose industry guidance effectively regulates activities in
international regions not subject to national legislation.
ADAS certification is therefore accepted by IMCA contractors in offshore oil and gas operations all around the world,
including Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the America‟s and Europe.
These combined mutual recognition arrangements effectively give ADAS divers access to global diving
operations.
COMMON QUESTIONS
ADAS provides the following points on other matters concerning occupational diving.
ADAS Commercial ATEs
ADAS currently has 5 Australian commercial training establishments – in NSW, West Australia, Tasmania, South
Australia and New Zealand. We would note that the market for occupational diver training is small, that training is
expensive and that the clientele for training is limited by the need for occupational divers to have workplace skills.
ADAS has worked with industry and training providers to provide accreditation for specialist niche markets to satisfy
specific industry sector needs.
Australian Military Diving
ADAS has current arrangements with the Navy and Army as below, and ADAS is happy to work with the Defence
Department to accredit additional training and certification for any specialist areas should the need arise.
Navy
The Royal Australian Navy Diving School at HMAS Penguin is an ADAS accredited training establishment (ATE) and
RAN graduates are entitled to ADAS certification on application.
All NZ Navy divers are required to be certified by ADAS and the NZ Navy Diving School at HMNZS Philomel
is an ADAS ATE. All RNZN divers are awarded ADAS certificates.
Army
The Army Dive Wing at HMAS Penguin is an ADAS ATE and all Army graduates are entitled to an appropriate ADAS
certificate.
All NZ army divers are required to be certified by ADAS and all NZ army divers are awarded ADAS
certificates.
Police
All Australian police divers are ADAS certified.
The Victoria, NSW and SA police diving squads are ADAS ATEs and their training is available to all police
forces. A number of police dive squads have been trained by commercial ADAS ATEs.
Scientific Divers
Significant numbers of scientists from universities across Australia have undertaken ADAS Scientific Diver certification
courses with commercial or scientific ADAS ATEs. Increasingly, scientists undertaking environmental consultancies
are required to have full ADAS certification in order to meet employer demands.
33
The University of Queensland, the University of Tasmania and the NZ National Institute of Water and
Atmospherics are all ADAS ATEs for scientific diver training and their graduates are awarded ADAS
certificates.
CONCLUSION
Specific inclusion of ADAS in the current Commonwealth and State regulations provides an integrated comprehensive
national training arrangement to ensure the maintenance of nationally and internationally recognised quality trained
occupational divers.
ADAS provides seamless, comprehensive and integrated training and certification that meets the needs of all
sectors of the occupational diving industry and provides global portability for Australian divers.
Inclusion of ADAS in the new Model regulations will continue to provide certainty to all employers who require
employees to be competent to dive and presents those employees with clear and comprehensive career pathways.
The quality and credibility of ADAS training and certification are key elements to this certainty.
Significant additional value is provided to employers and employees by the comprehensive range of training and
certifications that ADAS has developed and continues to develop. These provide a broad range of career
opportunities and alternatives for ADAS certificate holders. Their enhanced professionalism, skills, knowledge and
abilities and credible certification increases their value to employers.
Through the strenuous efforts of unions, employer associations and state and commonwealth governments over the
past 25 years, the ADAS system has become a central part of the Australian occupational diving sector.
The development of the new regulations provides an ideal opportunity to build on the existing effective and efficient
national system that currently provides the necessary high quality training and credible certification required to
manage this high risk occupational area.
Paul Butler
Executive Director, ADAS
22 October 2010
34
APPENDIX 1.
The current governance arrangements for the administration of ADAS are reflected in the Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU between DITR and the ADAS Board. A number of the clauses in the MOU relate to the transition of the administration of
the Scheme from DITR to the ADAS Board including thee transference of assets, inventory, intellectual property, records and one
off funding as part of the set-up costs of the organisation.
The following extract from the MOU details the essential operative clauses concerning the administration of the Scheme.
“This MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING is made this twentieth day of June 2003
BETWEEN
The COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, represented by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources, (DITR)
AND
The AUSTRALIAN DIVER ACCREDITATION SCHEME BOARD (ABN 208 741 894 45.), an incorporated association, having its
registered office at 526 Duncan Road, Dunoon, NSW, 2480, (ADAS Board)
Article 1 Consultation
1.
DITR will consult as necessary with the ADAS Board on policy and legislation relating to diving operations under the
jurisdiction of the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967 and the ADAS Board will inform and/or consult with DITR as
requested on standards and guidelines pertaining to diver certification as they may impact on the competency of offshore
occupational divers.
Article 2 Concept Of Operation Of The MOU
1.
DITR has a requirement under the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967 that occupational divers working in the waters
under Commonwealth jurisdiction are competent to dive safely. DITR does this by:
(a) regulating the standards mandated for the training and experience of divers undertaking operations in the offshore
petroleum industry; and
(b) ensuring that the diver training and assessment activities delivered by ADAS to those divers and the underpinning base
of occupational divers from which they are derived is conducted in keeping with the requirements for maintaining the
international recognition of the ADAS occupational diver certification and at the level of best practice.
2.
The parties acknowledge that, with the execution of this MOU:
(a) DITR will terminate all responsibility for day to day administration of ADAS; and
(b) ADAS Board will undertake all responsibilities in relation to the development and implementation of policies,
procedures and practices for the training and assessment of occupational divers and, in particular, will accredit
appropriate diver training establishments to undertake the training and assessment of divers and will monitor their
activities to ensure that they are undertaken according to ADAS requirements.
3.
Divers deemed to be competent when assessed against the standards set by the ADAS Competency Standards and the
Diving Standard will be issued an appropriate ADAS Certificate of Competency by ADAS certifying the level and scope of
the competency of the diver.
Article 3 Responsibilities
1.
DITR will:
35
(a) transfer to ADAS Board those existing policies and procedures, general records, lists of accredited divers and other
material which relate directly to the administration of ADAS to ensure that they enable the activities carried out by
ADAS pursuant to those policies and procedures to result in a standard of diver certification acceptable to DITR;
(b) consult from time to time with ADAS Board as necessary or as requested to review proposed changes to those policies
and procedures which relate directly to the administration of ADAS to ensure that they enable activities carried out by
ADAS pursuant to those policies and procedures to result in a standard of diver certification acceptable to DITR;
2.
ADAS Board will:
(e) ensure that ADAS delivers and continues to deliver its full range of diver certification functions;
(f) ensure that ADAS is conducted so that its administrative, operational, training, assessment and diver certification
standards, policies, procedures and practices are, and remain, at the level of best practice and result in a standard of
diver certification acceptable to DITR and enable the maintenance of the ADAS international recognition agreements;
and
(g) in administering ADAS, ensure that its systems, policies, procedures and administrative means remain integrated and
cohesive so that, if thought to be necessary and desirable by either party, it may, with the agreement of the parties, be
resumed or relocated;
Article 5 Consultation and Communication
1.
The ADAS Board will report to DITR on an annual basis with respect to
(a) the financial status of ADAS, and
(b) the fees paid by divers; and
(c) the administration of ADAS”
36
APPENDIX 2
2.1.
ADAS AS AN RTO
In 2001, ADAS, the Commonwealth Department of Industry Tourism and Resources successfully undertook the
registration of ADAS as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) under the national vocational education and
training (VET) arrangements and accredited all the ADAS courses under the Australian Qualifications Framework
(AQF).
Registration and accreditation was seen to have the following benefits to the Scheme:
ensuring that all ADAS courses were aligned with the national VET arrangements;
providing copyright protection to Commonwealth government intellectual property;
to provide ADAS graduates with a VET qualification to provide an academic addition to their licence
to undertake occupational diving;
allowing ADAS to apply for government funding; and
subjecting ADAS to an additional third quality control regime which it was considered would
improve the Scheme‟s governance arrangements, its credibility and its and transparency.
When it assumed management of the Scheme, the ADAS Board felt that these benefits continued to apply and
therefore has until now chosen to maintain national VET registration and accreditation. It should be noted, however,
that
ADAS does not itself conduct training;
all ADAS training is conducted through accredited external training providers;
ADAS is an RTO only for the benefits noted above and that RTO status is not necessary to the
continued functioning of the Scheme.
2.2.
DELIVERY OF ADAS TRAINING
As is apparent from the terms of the MOU with Commonwealth Government, ADAS has been specifically formed as a
national certification and accreditation body for occupational diving. It is also apparent that ADAS delivers all of its
training courses through external training providers that are accredited by ADAS after they have been audited
against robust accreditation criteria.
These external training providers must meet, and continue to meet, ADAS accreditation requirements.
Organisations applying for accreditation must comply with a range of clearly defined and transparent requirements
including organisational structure and financial probity, training and assessment experience, occupational diving
industry expertise, staffing, plant and equipment, safety and emergency management and dive sites.
They are subject to stringent initial and ongoing quality control requirements (including regular onsite and desktop
audits) to ensure that they met and continue to meet the accreditation standards.
ADAS accreditation is open to all interested training organisations who can demonstrate that they
meet the accreditation requirements that underpin the quality and credibility of ADAS training and
certification.
2.3.
ADAS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
The New Zealand government has accepted ADAS certification as proof of offshore diving competence since 1988.
In 2004, the NZ government Department of Labour implemented measures that formally required ADAS certification
for all divers undertaking any onshore and offshore occupational diving in NZ.
37
ADAS has over the past decade worked actively to achieve and maintain a prominent international standing. This
strategy has been based on the desire to provide:
ADAS certified divers with a global passport to undertake occupational diving;
the occupational diving industry with a more flexible and portable workforce arrangements to serve
what is, after all, a global industry;
ADAS with a mechanism to identify, acquire and exchange industry and training best practices;
ADAS with the capacity to benchmark its services and activities against international best practices.
To this end, and based on its Commonwealth and national certification agency status, ADAS has lead in the
formation of the International Diving Regulators Forum (IDRF – comprised of the mainstream national occupational
diving regulatory and certification agencies of Australia, Canada, France, Norway, South Africa and the United
Kingdom).
The charter of the IDRF notes that it is a forum of authorities who have like roles in undertaking for their national
governments the certification of occupational divers and the accreditation of appropriate organisations to train and
assess those occupational divers.
These national authorities have agreed to voluntarily and informally meet together to exchange information for their
mutual benefit and to improve the safety and effectiveness of diver certification and training and assessment for
their countries. The IDRF meets annually to report on member activities and to exchange best practice learnings.
The Forum provides a mechanism for ADAS to undertake the validation and moderation of its training standards and
procedures across the mainstream international agencies.
For the reasons expressed above, ADAS extends its international activities to include regular and continuing liaison
with the leading industry peak body (the International Maritime Contractor’s Association – IMCA) and the European
Diving Technology Council (EDTC- representatives of all EU nations).
As the national certification body, ADAS has developed and is able to maintain mutual recognition agreements with
national certification agencies and peak industry bodies throughout the world. The agreements provide ADAS divers
with acceptable qualifications to undertake occupational diving across a range of regulated diving environments.
Within these jurisdictions, an appropriate ADAS certification is accepted as a licence to undertake both onshore and
offshore occupational diving. These international jurisdictions include:
Canada
France
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
South Africa
United Kingdom
United States of America
Additionally, ADAS has developed an MOU with the peak international offshore diving industry body (the
International Maritime Contractors Association - IMCA) whose industry guidance effectively regulates activities
across the vast majority of offshore oil and gas operations around the world.
Through this MOU with IMCA, ADAS diver, Offshore Dive Supervisor, Diver Medical Technician and Life Support
Technician certifications are recognised in all regions where IMCA contractors operate (effectively the whole world).
38
2.4.
QUALITY OF ADAS TRAINING
ADAS diver and associated training is based on the Australian national standards for occupational diver, supervisor
etc training. These standards are based on international best practice standards and developed and consolidated by
an expert group representing the broad cross section of the occupational diving industries and technical specialists.
The drafts produced by this group are subject to an extensive public consultation process and must be held to
represent good industry practice.
The ADAS training delivered according to these standards is undertaken by accredited external training providers
acting under a comprehensive ADAS Quality Management System.
The national status of ADAS has allowed for the development of a highly representative Industry Reference Group
(IRG) which includes expert representatives from all occupational diving industry sectors. ADAS training standards
are validated and moderated through the IRG and ADAS international benchmarking activities.
ADAS training is delivered against a portfolio of detailed assessment tools to ensure that the knowledge, skills and
abilities produced are consistent across the range of ADAS accredited external training providers.
2.5.
ACCESSIBILITY OF ADAS TRAINING
ADAS currently has 5 accredited commercial diver training schools providing occupational diver training and is in the
process of accrediting another three schools. Two of those applicants have indicated that they would be located in
Queensland (one in Brisbane and the other in the Townsville/Airley Beach area).
These schools provide training to students who are already employed in one of the occupational diving industry
sectors and who are upgrading their skills, or are providing initial training for would-be occupational divers who wish
to start a career in the occupational diving industry.
ADAS has another 9 accredited schools that provide non-commercial training at various levels to specialised
government etc organisations. These organisations include the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Regular Army,
the Royal New Zealand Navy, the NSW, Victoria and South Australian Police, and the University of Queensland, the
University of Tasmania and the NZ National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.
None of the commercial schools are working at capacity at this time. They are obliged to work to the strict ADAS
requirements and therefore are not in a position to cut corners or speed-up the training, but they are certainly in a
position to meet a reasonable upsurge in demand for diver or dive supervisor training.
In the broader sense of accessibility, ADAS provides training and certification arrangements across the full range of
occupational diving, from Part 1 Restricted Scuba training for scientific divers and the like through to Part 4 Closed
Bell training, with more specialist training and qualifications for Diver Medical Technician, Life Support Technician,
Remotely Operated Vehicle and Atmospheric Diving Suit Pilot/Technicians, and onshore and offshore Dive
Supervisors.
ADAS where possible is also responsive to particular industry needs and will work with the industry, the regulators
and Standards Australia to develop specific diving industry training to meet those needs. Scientific diving and
aquaculture diving are examples where ADAS has facilitated the development of industry-specific qualifications.
39
This spreadsheet is a personal compilation of information gathered from the public domain, incident reports and personal communications. Although it focuses on 'divers at work', there
are many entries that are included that provide additional information relevant to working divers and others entries simply because they are interesting (to me!) in terms of putting diving
in perspective.
Although I have tried to verify details, accuracy is not guaranteed. There are omissions, typos and errors, and it is incomplete. Clarification, input, corrections welcome.
* Sheet 1 is the full chronological listing, sheet 2 an alphabetic index
* Format is an unlocked Microsoft Excel (tm) spreadsheet so you can sort, delete, manipulate as you wish for your own use
* Colour codes etc defined at the top of the list, summary numbers at the bottom (On sheet 1).
* New or significantly updated entries since that last circulation have the information box infilled in brown for quick browsing (If you want a 'clean' list, just highlight the column and
select 'no Fill')
* You may need to play with cell sizes. columns and rows - being unlocked means it will lose some formatting in transmission (The alternative is to send it out in locked pdf format,
but then it isn't so easy to manipulate).
The intention is NOT to apportion blame or responsibility but to record the basic information on accidents, injuries and fatalities to divers at work - though some entries are of more
general interest.
What has become clear during the gathering of this information is that very many incidents have been forgotten, lost, or simply not reported
The only reason for gathering this information is that we owe it to all those affected in any way by any incident not to be judgemental but to remember the facts, understand the causes
and put in place measures to ensure it doesn't happen again. Hopefully, for those new - and not so new - to the industry, it will put modern diving standards in perspective and give a
better understanding of just why we have modern regulations and guidance.
KEY
Column A
Surnam
e
Fatality
Injury
Incident
Column H
Incident
details
In the process of being expanded with as much detail as possible., plus working on including key source
references in the individual boxes.
Use of background fill indicates that this is new or significantly updated data from previous version of the list.
NB. After each circulation the background will be set to neutral and only data new to the subsequent circulation
will be coloured. And so on.
Surname
1
Forena
mes
MacDonald
Only has a number if this data is included in the working diver
fatality count at the bottom of the table.
Date
Locatio
n
1853
USA,
Lake
Eyrie
Tope
John
1/6/1854
USA,
Lake
Eyrie
Barrett
Lucas
19/12/1862
Jamaica
Contrac
tor
Depth
Type of
Diving
Standard
gear
Wells,
Gowan
and
Green
40'
Experimen
tal
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Details
Reported as having died in an incident similar to that of
John Tope who died a year later in 1854. ―The accident at
the wreck of the ―Eric‖ last year, when MacDonald lost his
life, was similar to this (Tope), though the victim in that
case had but little experience as a diver. Too much care
cannot be observed by those who follow this hazardous
business.‖ No details, but presumably another 'squeeze'.
American, from Boston, testing a new diving suit (―It
was in complete working order, and one of the most perfect
ever manufactured‖) in preparation for salvage operations.
First and second dives went to 15 or 20 feet and signalled to
be lifted out. After both dives he reported that "Foul air did
not escape quickly enough for him to breath freely". He
then removed the helmet exhaust valve and re-entered the
water. Tenders reported confused rope signals and then
him getting heavier. Pulled him to surface, ― On opening
the helmet , the unfortunate occupant of the armour was
found to be quite dead, presenting a horrible spectacle,
blood oozing from from his eyes ears, nose and mouth.
Wife and four children. Classic 'squeeze' - Differential
pressure, straight syphon connection via rigid exhaust hose
to surface atmospheric pressure.
English, Aged 25, The first director of Geological
Survey of Jamaica. He used mollusc shells for fossil
dating, Started collecting living shells underwater from the
Port Royal Cays, south of Kingston Harbour. On his
second dive collecting shells on a reef, closed air valve and
inflated suit to surface, floated to surface some distance
from his boat, dead before brought ashore. J B S Haldane
―suggested that this rapid ascent was the cause of death due
Fatality
Column I
1
1
1
to a pulmonary air embolism ('the bends') ―. A shell, now
in the natural history museum in London, found on his
body is one of only two known specimens of a smooth
shelled micromorphic brachiopod Argyrotheca
woodardiana.
Burton
Jurgens or Ingen
Charles
Louis
Collins
Grelee
Harry
W
9/9/1868
New
Zealand
1869
USA
New
York
10/12/1872
USA,
Virginia
##########
#######
USA,
Massach
usetts
88'
Neptune
Submari
ne
Telegrap
h
Compan
y
Standard
gear
Surface
explosion
Standard
gear
12'
Standard
gear
Diving from the SS 'Lady Bird' assessing the wreck of
the SS 'Taraniki'. Apparently entangled and Helmet came
off, drowned. Excellent contemporary article of the fatality
in the Wellington Independent and description of the
subsequent salvage operation in Transactions and
Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 18681961. The inquest (described in some detail in the
Wellington Independent) 'was held at the Crown and
Anchor Hotel before L. Boor Esq., Coroner, and a
respectable jury', after mature deliberation, they gave the
verdict "Accidental death by drowning whilst in
performance of his duties as a diver at the wreck of the
Taranki".
Working on demolishing the wreck of the steamer
―Scotland‖ which sank off New York in about 30' of water.
Set charges but the submarine detonation apparently set off
a sympathetic explosion of a second charge on the diving
boat. Four killed including the diver who had previously
set the charge. One of the survivors was a man by the name
of Sterne who had been a gunner on the ―Monitor‖ during
the battle with the ―Merrimac‖. New York Times.
American, formally a member of the 99th Regiment of
New York Volunteers, searching for a propeller lost off a
Navy steam launch at Norfolk, Virginia. ―About 1 o'clock a
diver by the name of Collins met his death by suffocation
while engaged in diving‖. Pulled to the surface and found
to be dead. New York Times
Town of Lowell, swept under a projecting timber by fast
current, air hose kinked, signalled surface that he was in
trouble but they were unable to pull him out. ―His lifeless
body was extricated and brought to the surface by his
brother‖ Reported in the New York Times.
1
1
1
1
Steele
H
Manchester
Horace
Not Recorded
Jenkins
Not Recorded
Ker
James
Walter
##########
#######
USA,
Californi
a
24/3/1879
USA,
Rhode
Island
Standard
gear
##########
#######
USA,
New
York
Standard
gear
66'
Standard
gear
30/7/1879
USA,
New
York
Standard
gear
7/1/1880
UK
Standard
gear
190/9/1888
Australia
English, aged 40. Had previously assisted in recovering
treasure from the ‖City of San Francisco‖ and raised
schooner ―Mabel and Edith‖ in 1877. 15 minutes into a
diver was recovered to surface by tenders as they received
no signals. Unconscious, died 15 minutes later. The owner
of the apparatus, A. W. Von Schmidt, found that the diver
neglected to close the end of a hose. ―The apparatus is for
two divers and when used by one only the other end should
have the cap screwed on. After reaching a depth of 11
fathoms he received no fresh air and had only the air in the
helmet to breathe‖.
Drowned, after the event, it was claimed that ‖the diver
who was drowned on Monday deliberately committed
suicide on account of financial and domestic troubles which
had been preying on his mind for a long time"
40 years old, living on Staten Island, working off the
wrecking schooner ―Thomas Sivlin‖, ―suffocated‖.
Recovering an anchor lost from the ―Barbarossa‖ in a
collision with the ―Italy‖ some weeks earlier off New York
Harbour, pier 1, North River. Assistant called attention to
blisters in the air pipe, but ―Jenkins only laughed and said
the pipe would probably last as long as he would‖.
Assistants protested that the hose was unsafe ―but the
daring engineer would not hear of it and went to his death
with apparent gaiety‖ He had reached seabed when the
pipe burst on deck. Pulled up immediately. ―Upon
removing the helmet the man's face and head presented a
horrible appearance, being swollen to fully twice their
normal size and purplish black. The tongue, swollen,
discoloured and protruding was nearly bitten in two, blood
trickled from the nostrils and ears, the arms were extended
and rigid while the spasmodically closed fingers had buried
their nails deep in the horny skin of the palms of the hands.
Gasped once and expired with a long gurgling sigh‖.
Unemployed for two years, desperate to support his family,
basically, a quick dive for "cash in hand" of 10$. reported
in the New York Times.
London Times article on divers recovering bodies after
the Tay Bridge disaster (Reproduced in the New York
Times 26/1/1880)
'A pearl diver by the name of Ker was stabbed to death
by a Malay at Cossack, a Northern Port' (NB Cossack is a
port in Western Australia, formerly a pearling station).
Reported in the Archives of the Marlborough Express
1
1
1
1
1
courtesy of the New Zealand National Library.
3/1/1889
USA,
Philadel
phia
1889
USA,
New
York
Luciano
##########
#######
Australia
Fairchild
##########
#######
USA,
Californi
a
##########
#######
Australia
Wolter
Woods
George
John
James
W
Adrian
Standard
gear
Merritt
Wreckin
g
Compan
y
60'
Standard
gear
Putting a patch on a vessel that had hit a shoal. Lost air
supply (hose came off helmet). Pulled up by deck crew feet
first but the two guys were unable to lift him into the boat,
dropped him back to the bottom, got more help and dragged
him out. When recovered was black in the face and
unresponsive, thought to be dead. They unscrewed his face
plate, "poured whiskey down his throat and rubbed him
vigorously". 15 minutes later he recovered consciousness.
American, drowned under the wreck of the "Iberia"
(Sank three miles off New York, 10th November 1888,
collision in fog) whilst salvaging cotton, his helmet flooded
through a tear in his suit near his neck. His signal line was
tied off to a stanchion some distance from the worksite.
Quote from proprietor of the salvage company, Israel J
Merritt, who was ―of the opinion that the death was due to
Wood's own carelessness‖.
Reported in the Australian press, no details
Standard
gear
168'
Standard
gear
―Adrian Fairchild, for forty years a diver In the employ
of the city of Los Angeles was at work on the north bed of
the river ramming a charge of dynamite........‖ No other
details, Los Angeles Times
Paraphrased from a report in the Brisbane Courier. ―A
native of Samoa, diving from the pearling lugger 'Rotumah'
in very deep water, the line showing twenty-eight fathoms.
He had previously been down thrice, (very rich shell bed,
TC), and the temptation to go down and gather many more
was so very great that George cast aside the terrible
warnings which had been given by the fatality with so many
previous drivers. George thought he was strong and healthy,
and could withstand the pressure of water at great depths.
When George rose, to the surface on the fourth occasion he
showed signs of distress and asked to have his dress taken
off. This was immediately done and he asked for a drink of
water and some painkiller. The latter was speedily obtained
from the cabin and a few drops of it placed in a cup of
water. This George took with the intention of drinking. The
unfortunate victim only succeeded in clicking the cup
against his tooth. Then he fell back on to the cabin-house in
a death like swoon. Poor George never regained
consciousness, but about 5 o'clock, or three hours after
1
1
1
1
leaving the briny for the last time, he gave three long gasps
and died‖.
Christianson
Captain
John
##########
#######
USA,
Washing
ton
Wahoo
Johnnie
##########
#######
Australia
>120'
Standard
gear
Rosa
Ullalio
##########
#######
Australia
>120'
Standard
gear
Allen
Harry
May 1893
Australia
May 1893
Australia
Mateo
196'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Elliot Bay, Seattle, ―He plunged into the waters of Elliot
Bay and after 20 minutes returned with the lead line and a
bucket from one of the hatches of the tug ―Majestic‖ lying
at a depth of 196 feet. He apparently suffered no great
inconvenience‖
From Honolulu, diving off the Thursday Islands from the
pearling lugger 'Premier' After 5 dives on deck, removed
gear, but 30 minutes later complained of feeling unwell. In
spite of vigorous massage, after about 12 hours became
unconscious and died two hours later. Inquiry concluded
that he died of diver's paralysis. Reported in the Brisbane
Courier
Diving off the Thursday Islands from the lugger
'Monday' owned by the Wal Wear Station. After 5 dives
removed gear and immediately complained of feeling
unwell. Lay in bunk with a cup of tea having a smoke but
his condition suddenly deteriorated, became unconscious
and finally died. Inquiry concluded that he died of diver's
paralysis. Reported in the Brisbane Courier
Native of Norfolk Island, no details , reported as a third
fatality in the report of the deaths of Johnnie Wahoo and
Ullalio Rosa as ―A well known and esteemed diver‖ who
died later that same week, but gave no details. Reported in
the Brisbane Courier
Reported as a fourth fatality in the report of the deaths of
Johnnie Wahoo and Ullalio Rosa as ―Late last evening, and
after the above was in print, another case was reported, the
victim in this case being Mateo, the diver of the 'Myrtle‖
who died later that same week, no details. Reported in the
Brisbane Courier
1
1
1
1
Gray
Not Recorded
Fairchild
Thomas
##########
#######
USA,
Ohio
Standard
gear
##########
#######
Spain
Standard
gear
1894 or
earlier
USA,
New
York
Not Recorded
##########
#######
Australia
Not Recorded
##########
#######
Australia
New
York
Dock
Departm
ent
Standard
gear
Mutiny'?
84'
Standard
gear
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
Salvage divers working on the wreck of the SS Cabo
Machicaco which sank in Santander harbour after it caught
fire and exploded killing scores of people in November
1893 (It was carrying a large amount of dynamite). During
the salvage operation with three divers in the water, there
was a large explosion which killed the three divers, 7 of the
ten support vessel crew and injured 30 others. New York
Times
Killed in an underwater explosion when setting dynamite
charges on new pier 14, North River, New York.
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 shellknives. 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
―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
1
3
1
1
Not Recorded
Storey
Madsen
Olsen
William
C
Albert
M
##########
#######
Australia
Standard
gear
1896
UK
Standard
gear
Australia
Experimen
tal
Standard
gear
##########
#######
##########
#######
USA,
Marylan
d
Kitchee
##########
#######
Australia
Not Recorded
##########
#######
Australia
26 fathoms
Baltimor
e
Wreckin
g
Compan
y
Standard
gear
96'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
―A report from Thursday Island states that a diver of the
lugger Ellen 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.
'Diver of 8 Toxteth Street who met his death on
Wednesday afternoon while at work'. No other details,
reported by old-merseytimes. co.uk,,
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
―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......)
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
Paraphrased from the Northern Territory Times and
Gazette:- ―The Pearling lugger 'Nebraska' in the harbour
off Point Emery, when the anchor by some unaccountable
means became foul. The diver, a Malay, at once went down
to clear it. Upon reaching bottom he signaled for more
chain, and another fathom was paid out. After a
considerable interval, and. receiving no sign, from the
diver, the crew took it upon themselves to-haul him to the
2
1
1
1
1
1
.surface, and upon doing so, and unscrewing the- helmet,
h:j was found to b« quite dead.‖ The evidence went to
show that he died from suffocation. An inquiry was
dispensed with. This gear used' was all in first-class order,
and no blame could attach to anyone.‖
Not Recorded
December
1897
Australia
Ker
9/10/1888
Australia
Williams
Henry
22/3/1898
Cuba
Standard
gear
Merritt
Wreckin
g
Compan
y
Standard
gear
Johnson
Chief
Gunner'
s Mate
##########
#######
USA,
Florida
Nanosaki
Hinado
##########
#######
Australia
Standard
gear
Campbell
George
##########
#######
USA,
Wisconsi
n
Bell port
leak
incident
Olson
Peter
##########
#######
USA,
Wisconsi
n
Bell port
leak
incident
##########
#######
USA,
Massach
usetts
198/8/1899
USA
Wisconsi
n
Brennan
Baldwin
William
Standard
gear
USN
Mine
Explosion
USN
150'
Standard
gear
―Another Japanese diver in Torres Straits his died from
paralysis caused by deep diving.‖ No details. Reported in
the Brisbane Courier
"A pearl diver named Ker was stabbed to death by a
Malay at Ciossack, a northern port" Marlborough Express.
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"
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‖.
Japanese diver died from 'paralysis', no details. Reported
in the Brisbane Courier
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
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
Boston Harbour, Castle Island, at Fort Independence.
Mine clearance operation, had placed a mine recovered
from the channel on a cart and were moving it to the sorting
area when it exploded. No remains of the three men, their
clothing or the horse pulling the cart were located. A fourth
man standing 20' away was also killed - but without a mark
on his body. New York Times
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
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Massan
Not Recorded
Anderson
Martin
##########
#######
Australia
28 March
1901
Australia
14 June
1901
USA,
New
York
Standard
gear
96'
Dysentery
Rodgers
Salvage
60'
Standard
gear
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‖
―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
American, reported as asphyxiated, heavy bleeding from
eyes nose, probably nicked hose, lost air, squeeze,
differential pressure.
1
1
1
Chomatza
Gunderson
Charles
24
September
1901
Australia
1 August
1903
USA,
Illinois
A. E,
Jolly
and Co
80'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
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.
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
1
1 September
1903
Australia
Standard
gear
Dodds
1 September
1903
Australia
Standard
gear
Marling
1 September
1903
Australia
Standard
gear
1 October
1903
Australia
Clarke
George
Saki
Shiro
Hoar
William
J
15 April
1904
Ride
John
15 April
1904
USA,
New
Jersey
USA,
New
Jersey
84'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
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
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
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
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
Trapped by differential pressure, they kept pumping air
to him for 96 hours. Led to calls for divers to be given
telephone communications instead of signal rope
The diver who blocked the valve and eventually
recovered the body of William Hoar working upstream of it
in the water flow.
1
1
1
17 June
1904
Vessel "General Slocum"
USA,
New
York
Standard
gear
Merrit
and
Chapma
n
Wreckin
g
Compan
y
Baker
Frances
L
16 October
1904
USA,
New
York
Hayes
Daniel
4 June 1905
USA,
Iowa
Standard
gear
Not Recorded
20 May
1906
South
Africa
Standard
gear
Sajidoko
21 May
1906
Australia
Standard
gear
19 April
1907
USA
Standard
gear
20 July 1907
UK
Ewing
Trapnell
James
RN?
Standard
gear
150'
Standard
gear
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.
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.
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"
Simonstown harbour, no details, though 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)
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
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
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 a 50' 'staging' but 'died as a
result of his long immersion' Reported in the Nelson
1
1
1
1
Evening Mail
Harper
Clarke
Mogg
1907
John
Joseph
12 January
1908
12 July 1908
New
Zealand
New
Zealand
Australia
134'
134'
48'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Died diving on the wreck of the Eligamite.
1
Died diving on the wreck of the Elingamite.
1
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
hid 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..........)
1
Not Recorded
24 July 1908
Australia
Standard
gear
Smith
George
14
December
1908
USA,
New
York
Crane
James
1 February
1909
UK
explosion
1 February
1911
USA,
New
York
Caisson
Caisson incident
Webber
Saunders
William
1912
Australia
298/9/1913
Australia
50'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Northern Territories, Pearl diver, hose burst, recovered
after 4 minutes, died. Inquiry in July, date of death
unknown, no details
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.
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.
1
1
Newark Bridge construction, lifting failure dropped load
of rubble smashing caisson airlocks, 10 fatalities
"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 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
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
1
1
10
November
1913
USA,
Florida
Cossoboom
21 June
1914
Canada,
Quebec
Not Recorded
20 June
1914
France
4 February
1915
Australia
Mitchell
Horry
Joe
Sydney
Standard
gear
Quebec
Salvage
Compan
y
130'
Standard
gear
32'
Standard
gear
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.
American, From New York, working on the wreck of the
―Empress of Ireland‖ (Sank in the St Lawrence Seaway
after a collision) 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
―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
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 drewhim up. On reaching the surface the diver
was dead. Thine 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
1
1
1
Carpenter
Charles
Pearl divers
Hanson
Harry
Not Recorded
Thiemann USN
Cram
JH
Godfrey
Damon
S
De Gaetano
Couch
Vincent
Anna
2 August
1915
USA
Standard
gear
1912 to
1915
Australia
Standard
gear
23
December
1915
USA,
New
York
Merrit
and
Chapma
n
Wreckin
g
Compan
y
11 May
1918
27 March
1919
USA
USN
USA
Virginia
USN
1920
USA
Porter
Brothers
18 June
1921
Canada,
Ontario
29 August
1921
17
November
1922
USA
USA,
New
York
65'
Standard
gear
25'
Merrit
and
Chapma
n
Wreckin
g
Compan
y
Rockefel
ler
Institute
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
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.
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.'
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
―Plumber‖ drowned at navy deep sea training school - A
training accident, no details
American Navy diver, died whilst diving for a torpedo
off St Thomas, Virginia
American, sued his employers claiming that he been
incapacitated for some time after ―his hoses were caught‖
and his air cut off
Lines tangled, unable to signal surface, lost helmet seal,
gradual flooding of suit, drowned. Reported in the New
York Times
Standard
gear
Harlem river, tangled in lines, did not respond to
treatment
Chamber
fire
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
1
1
1
1
1
1
Doe
Arnold
R
1 June 1923
USA,
Connecti
cut
Smith
Cilord
3 July 1924
USA
25 August
1924
UK
Australia
Laurentic
Okiiua
Nizo
24
September
1925
Devine
John
24 May
1926
Williams
Irving
13 July 1926
Harrison
Edgar
25 May
1927
USA,
Californi
a
Hashmoto
Hijuro
29 July 1927
Australia
20
November
1927
24
December
1927
USA,
New
York
USA,
New
Jersey
24 July 1928
Australia
Not Recorded
Caisson incident
Kakutchi
K
USA,
New
York
USA,
New
York
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
USN
90'
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'
US Navy training dive a North Island torpedo base
(California? TC), reported as ―Hauled up, cause of death
strangulation, Navy Board to Review‖
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‖
Japanese pearl diver aged 33. ―Drowned on the sea
bottom‖. No details
40'
Standard
gear
50'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
108'
Standard
gear
American, aged 40, New York East River, "Friend by
mistake cut off his air hose" New York Times. (Data to
enter TC)
Near Harpswell, reported as drowned at work, apparently
an incident involving his aire liness (being tended by his
brother), but no details . Reported in the New York Times
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.
Pearl diver out of Broome, off Mangrove, air hose burst,
squeeze. Reported in the Northern territory Times and
Gazette.
Standard
gear
Swedish, searching for 3 bodies after a motor schooner
was sunk after a collision, 4th dive, died, no details
Caisson
Caisson work during construction of Hudson river
bridge, 3 drowned
Standard
gear
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
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Early
December
1928
Not Recorded
Christophe
Lambiri
s
Kimbel
12
December
1928
1928
Standard
gear
Brazil
USA,
Florida
60'
Standard
gear
USA
Yasiu
Kakatur
o
1 September
1929
Australia
Standard
gear
Hoffman or Hofferman
Andrew
14 January
1930
Australia
Standard
gear
Trans
Peter
30 January
1930
Canada
20'
Standard
gear
Higashi
Mamga
toro
7 April 1930
Australia
168'
Standard
gear
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
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
Died of pulmonary embolism, no details
Paraphrased from a report in the Northern Territory
Times and gazette, ―While at work diving for pearl shell on
Friday last, a Japanese diver was suffocated owing to his air
pipe line coming in contact with the propeller. The pipe was
severed and before the unfortunate man could be hauled to
the surface he was suffocated. The lugger was the Dona
Matilda and was at work 40 miles north west of Bathurst
Island. An inquest was held on Monday, when a verdict of
accidental death was returned‖.
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 Sydney
Morning Herald
30 year old Danish immigrant, trapped by
hoses/differential pressure 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
flown 200 miles north from Montreal into remote location
on river Outardes, Quebec, to effect rescue
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 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
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Gianni
Alberto
7 December
1930
France
Gianni
and Co
Standard
gear
Franceschi
Aristide
7 December
1930
France
Gianni
and Co
Standard
gear
Bargellini
Alberto
7 December
1930
France
Gianni
and Co
Standard
gear
Kimoto
Tomeki
chi
7 September
1931
Australia
Standard
gear
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
1
1
1
1
confuse his name as Tomekichi Rimolo) Reported in the
Northern Territory Times and Gazette
8 April 1932
Canada,
Ontario
Standard
gear
John
29 August
1932
USA,
Virginia
Standard
gear
Tacheuchi
Sounos
ke
September
1933
Australia
454'
Standard
gear
Nishi
Shotaro
13
November
1933
Australia
108'
Standard
gear
54'
Standard
gear
Duval
William
Dahl
Nggeboe
Sakalvous
V. J.
Clark
6 April 1934
Antanis
22 April
1934
USA,
Florida
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
―Noted diver dies in Norfolk, Virginia‖ Salvage
operation off the vessel ―Salvor‖, cargo recovery. No
details. Reported in the Sun (Baltimore, Md.)
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 ah
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.‖
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
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.
Greek, aged 45, sponge diver on the 'Demetra' out of
Tarpon Springs, a few minutes into his dive signalled that
1
1
1
1
1
1
Etem
Griffen USN
Firema
n third
class
James
R
Bee
John
Not Recorded
5 July 1934
Philippin
es
27 July 1934
USA,
Connecti
cut
27
September
1934
UK
Standard
gear
27
September
1934
Australia
Standard
gear
Free diver
USN
100'
Submarine
Escape
Training
Kanada
Nichiro
27 April
1935
Australia
50'
Standard
gear
Sistakis
Georgio
s
4 July 1935
USA,
Florida
36'
Standard
gear
he had a problem and was brought up, unconscious, taken
ashore but died in hospital. No details.
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.
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
British, aged 54, from Portsmouth, worked for 10 years
in Scapa Flow operation salving the German fleet,
collapsed and died on deck of salvage vessel 'Bertha' after
emerging from air lock.
Salvage dive from the vessel 'Bertha'. No details
Japanese, aged 35, tangled lines, air cut off, slowly
suffocated. Brought to the surface alive but died on deck.
Canberra Times
Greek, aged about 63, ex-Mediterranean sponge diver,
had been working the sponge beds off Tarpon Springs for
30 years, diving off the sponge diving boat 'Azaimis'. Break
in air hose, lost air (Squeeze), recovered to surface but died.
St. Petersburg Times
1
1
1
1
Standard
gear
Not Recorded
7 July 1935
Australia
Martin
12 July 1935
Indonesi
a
30 July 1935
Australia
J&T
Murama
ta
13 August
1935
USA
Navy
Mitsui
Kioshic
hi
Siegel
102'
Standard
gear
138'
Standard
gear
Johnson
Julius
4 September
1935
USA,
Californi
a
Standard
gear
Sukarmi
Maso
25 October
1935
Australia
Standard
gear
Makai
Chukur
o
6 November
1935
Australia
Standard
gear
17
November
1935
Australia
Standard
gear
Not Recorded
Reported as Malay, Pearl diver out of Darwin diving near
Bathurst Island, 'attacked by paralysis and died' ―When he
first gave distress signals, he was hauled to the surface, and
was in great pain. He was then
lowered to ten fathoms to allow him to become accustomed
to the change in pressure, but he was dead when he reached
the surface again.‖ Reported in the Canberra Times
Pearling diver out of Darwin on the lugger 'Flying Cloud'
working off the Aru Islands (Indonesian waters due north of
Darwin). Standing in as the second diver (who was off
sick), When pulled up from decompression stop, was found
to be dead. ―Diving gear in perfect working order‖.
Inquest returned a verdict of accidental death by suffocation
(Essentially blaming the diver for adjusting his air valve
and shutting off his own air). Reported in 'The Age'
Japanese pearl diver aged 54. Lugger 'Cleve' out of
Darwin, working the beds off Bathurst Island diving to 18
and 23 fathoms both morning and afternoon. On surfacing
in the afternoon, complained of paralysis, was put back into
gear and lowered to 120' before being brought in stages
towards the surface. After 35 minutes he came to the
surface by himself was hauled onboard but found to be
dead. Reposted to be the third diver employed by
Australian pearling companies to have died and been
brought ashore in Darwin but that two others on foreign
boats had also died but been taken ashore in the Dutch east
Indies bring the Total to 5 fatalities in July. Reported in the
Sydney morning Herald
Chief ship fitter on USS Falcon, ―Died of the bends‖. No
details
―Davy Jone's locker, whose dark and silent depths he had
explored fearlessly for years, claimed the life yesterday of
Julius Johnson, veteran Long Beach deep sea diver‖ Lost
air supply, hose either kinked or severed, no details,
Reported in the Los Angeles Times.
Japanese, aged 23, Bathurst island, died 2 hours after
being dragged from the water
Japanese pearl diver, became paralysed underwater and
died later. No details, but reported as the 7th diver that
season to have died, the majority of paralysis, one from a
bite from a coral snake. Reported in the Canberra Times
Japanese pearl diver, reported as 'became paralysed in the
water and died later'
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
November
1933
USA,
Florida
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Miyao
Shitaro
Dec 1935
Australia
Yamamoto
Gonzab
aro
17 March
1936
Australia
Not Recorded
10
November
1936
Australia
Standard
gear
Not Recorded
24 May
1937
Australia
Standard
gear
Not Recorded
August 1937
Australia
120'
210'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
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
Diving off the pearl lugger 'Aladina', apparently
contaminated air. Paraphrased from the Sydney Morning
Herald ―At the inquest on Thursday island on the Japanese
diver, Dr. Nimmo said that he had experimented with
guinea pigs, placing them in a diving helmet into which
fumes could enter, and they died in 20 minutes. There was
the possibility that other diving fatalities had occurred
through divers inhaling fumes through the air pipe. The
captain of the lugger, said that when he went down to
ascertain what was the matter with the diver, he felt himself
suffocating, and but for the arrival of lugger Hespia , which
sent its diver down, there might have been another death‖
Japanese, aged 28, diving from a pearling lugger ―near
Darnley Island diving at 20 fathoms when his air lines
became entangled. Discarded his helmet but dead when he
got to the surface‖
Pearl diver out of Darwin, reported as ―15 th death
recently‖. No details
Pearling luggers arrived in Darwin with flags at half
mast, bearing the body of a Japanese pearl diver who had
died after his air hose burst. Reported as the fourth fatality
so far in that season
Pearling lugger out of Darwin, diving to 35 fathoms of
Elcho Island, had been down 20 minutes when there was a
vigorous tug on the lines they floated to the surface, no sign
of diver, helmet boots etc. . Reported that a few fragments
of clothing were seem floating on the surface the day after.
Presumed to be an attack of ―a 'white death' shark. Same
article refers to this being the 7th diver fatality in the
previous few weeks with the other fatalities being put down
to 'diver's paralysis'. (This list has reference to just one
other fatality in the previous 8 months, guess there is a bit
of under-reporting? Earliest shark attack on a diver that I
know of and that was some dive - 20 minutes at 210' and
still working. TC) The Milwaukee Journal
2
1
1
1
1
5
Fujii
Tohikaz
u
3 April 1938
Australia
Samarkos
Manuel
28 June
1938
USA,
Florida
Maeda
Makota
1 July 1939
Australia
Whipple
W. O.
31 July 1940
USA,
Washing
ton
Passaris
Emanue
l
24
September
1940
USA,
Florida
Tawnm RN, DSM, BEM
Robert
George
6 March
1941
UK
Tesei
Major
Teseo
26 July 1941
Malta
Hamilton
Bernard
O
18 April
1942
USA,
Virginia
Wyben
Pearling
Compan
y
126'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Japanese pearl diver, 10 miles off Darnley Island diving
off the lugger 'Panten' Apparently his air lines fouled on
seabed and he ditched his gear, floating to the surface dead.
Paraphrased from the Sydney morning Herald:- ―He had
been down 25 minutes when the tender signalled him to
rise. The reply was ―Wait a minute‖ the tender kept
pumping but the life line became taut. Almost immediately
Fijii's body came to the surface near the lugger. He was
placed in a suit and lowered to 12 fathoms and then brought
up to the surface by stages but he was dead‖. Sydney
Morning Herald
Diver off the sponge vessel 'Elini' owned and operated by
his brother, suffered appendicitis whilst diving, brought
ashore and taken to hospital, but did not survive the
operation. St Petersburg Times
Japanese, aged 18, diving from the Japanese lugger
Daikoku Maru off Bathurst island. Lugger out of Darwin.
Became paralysed and appeared to recover somewhat but
after 10 days bunk-ridden, collapsed and was brought into
Darwin, transferred to hospital 'seriously ill'. Reported as
the 9th Japanese diver to be stricken by diver's paralysis
since the recently started season, the other 8 died. No
further details. Reported in the Age.
Aged 32, rigger/diver employed at the Puget Sound Navy
Yard, sucked 75' into a 24‖ pipe on a dry dock (dive was to
cap the outlet of the pipe on the new dry dock). Spokane
Daily Chronicle
Greek, aged 60, sponge fishing out of Tampa in the Gulf
of Perry, no details
Standard
gear
Italian
Navy
Human
Torpedo
20'
Standard
gear
British, aged 24, able seaman at HMS Vernon, killed in
Falmouth inner harbour whist trying to defuse an
unexploded parachute land-mine dropped by the Luftwaffe.
6 other men also died in the explosion
Italian human torpedo attack on Valletta harbour resulted
in the death of one of the co-founders (With Major Elios
Toschi) of the human torpedo unit of the Italian Navy (1
Flottiglia Mezzi d'Assalto) founded in 1938, re-organised in
1940 as the Decima Flottiglia MAS (10th light Flotilla of
Assault Craft).
Aged 32, trapped under mud and fallen pilings in
Chesapeake Bay for 9 hours, rescued by Navy divers,
unhurt except for minor leg injuries.
1
1
8
1
1
1
1
Lt.
James
Stewart
13 August
1942
USA
USCG
Standard
gear
Davis
Owen
12
November
1942
USA,
New
York
Merrit
and
Chapma
n
Standard
gear
Visintini
Lt Licio
8 December
1942
Gibraltar
Italian
Navy
Human
Torpedo
Magro
PO
Giovan
ni
8 December
1942
Gibraltar
Italian
Navy
Human
Torpedo
Leone
Sgt
Salvato
re
8 December
1942
Gibraltar
Italian
Navy
Human
Torpedo
Freeman
Helmet came off and he drowned, no details, Chicago
Tribune
American, aged 26 or 28, diving in Newtown Creek (leak
in an oil pipe crossing the creek), long island,'Lost helmet'.
Son of Captain W. N. Davis, US Navy Salvage Corps. No
details
Three Italian Navy divers were killed by depth charges
by British harbour defences at Gibraltar during an attack by
―Human Torpedoes‖ from a mother ship (the ‗Olterra‘).
Among the dead were Lt Licio Visintini, commander of the
torpedo unit, Petty Officer Giovanni Magro and Sergeant
Salvatore Leone, from Sicily. Sgt. Leone's body was never
found, he was awarded the Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare
and a memorial was erected in the Community Gardens in
Taormina (his home town in Sicily) on the 50th anniversary
of the attack. The memorial includes a rebuilt torpedo
('maiale', Italian for 'pig', a reference to it's poor handling)
and a description of the events. Wikipedia and other
historical sources
Three Italian Navy divers were killed by depth charges
by British harbour defences at Gibraltar during an attack by
―Human Torpedoes‖ from a mother ship (the ‗Olterra‘).
Among the dead were Lt Licio Visintini, commander of the
torpedo unit, Petty Officer Giovanni Magro and Sergeant
Salvatore Leone, from Sicily. Sgt. Leone's body was never
found, he was awarded the Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare
and a memorial was erected in the Community Gardens in
Taormina (his home town in Sicily) on the 50th anniversary
of the attack. The memorial includes a rebuilt torpedo
('maiale', Italian for 'pig', a reference to it's poor handling)
and a description of the events. Wikipedia and other
historical sources
Three Italian Navy divers were killed by depth charges
by British harbour defences at Gibraltar during an attack by
―Human Torpedoes‖ from a mother ship (the ‗Olterra‘).
Among the dead were Lt Licio Visintini, commander of the
torpedo unit, Petty Officer Giovanni Magro and Sergeant
Salvatore Leone, from Sicily. Sgt. Leone's body was never
found, he was awarded the Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare
and a memorial was erected in the Community Gardens in
Taormina (his home town in Sicily) on the 50th anniversary
of the attack. The memorial includes a rebuilt torpedo
('maiale', Italian for 'pig', a reference to it's poor handling)
and a description of the events. Wikipedia and other
1
1
1
1
1
historical sources
6 June 1943
USA,
Rhode
Island
USN
December
1943
USA,
Washing
ton DC
USN
Not Recorded
6 June 1944
France,
Norman
dy
beaches
Royal
Navy
Not Recorded
1944?
Egypt
Royal
navy
Standard
gear
Not Recorded
11
September
1945
USA,
New
York
Army
DDC
Novak
Not Recorded
Philip
John
10'
Standard
gear
American navy diver aged 24, died after a torpedo
severed his lifeline, diving operations off Gould island, near
Newport
Naval diver, Deep Sea Diving School, Washington Naval
base, training tank, welding, apparently electrocuted, only
reported case of USN diver electrocution (Article by Robert
Murray, US Naval Sea Systems Command).
From the Obituary of Lt Cmdr Robbie Robinson:- ―As a
member of a landing craft obstruction clearance unit, Petty
Officer Robinson had the task of opening a path through the
booby-trapped obstacles on the beaches below the high
water mark. This meant defusing improvised and
unfamiliar deadly explosives on the shore and underwater
while being sniped at and sprayed with machine-gun fire.
The unexpectedly heavy surf made his task all the more
tiring, but after opening an initial path his team had cleared
a gap in the enemy defences 1,000yds by 400yds by the end
of the first day. Eventually, he helped to clear more than
2,500 obstacles. Two other naval divers were killed during
these operations and 10 injured. Robinson himself was
knocked out when six feet underwater by an explosion that
left him paralysed for several hours. A Royal Engineer
working close by was killed outright, but Robinson was
saved by a specially designed Kapok jacket under his
diving suit. Although he was left with back trouble ever
after, he returned to work on the beaches and harbour of
Cherbourg a couple of days later‖. Reported in the
Telegraph (UK).
RN Salvage diver, inspection/repair of cruiser ASDIC
dome, dropped off down line and sank a reported 40 extra
feet, giant squeeze (pushed into helmet by differential
pressure) and died instantly. Reported in ―Ordeal by Water‖
a description of WWII Salvage operations, by South
African Lt-Cmdr Peter Keeble RN.
Brooklyn Navy Base, 1 dead, 4 injured during chamber
training (simulated dive) onboard a Salvage vessel off Bay
Ridge, Brooklyn, no details of the accident, death attributed
1
1
2
1
1
to caisson's disease
Donovan
Fred
Carlson
Andrew
Anthon
y
Not Recorded
Eargues
Not Recorded
Mauric
e
16 April
1946
USA,
New
York
26 August
1946
USA,
Florida
Standard
gear
5 February
1947
Australia
Standard
gear
36'
19
September
1947
France
French
Navy
Researc
h
1947
USA,
Hawaii
USN
390'
Standard
gear
SCUBA
Standard
gear
American, aged 48, veteran of the first world war, diver
for 18 years, trapped underwater for three hours, 'hauled up
dead' from Lake Moraine State Reservoir. Although not
feeling well, descended to repair a dam (Valve in a large
pipe) , stopped responding to signals but then could not be
pulled up. Eventually pulled out by surface crew. Survived
by wife and 11 year old son. Schenectady Gazette.
Aged 27, sponge diver out of Tarpon springs diving off
the 40' boat 'Kaliopi' North West of Big Banks. Began
working as a diver in 1942, joined the army in 1944,
worked on the clearance operations of the river Passig in
Manila, left the army in March 1946 and moved to Dunedin
with his wife and three year old son. Air hose severed by
boat's propeller. St Petersburg Times
Contract diver out of Brisbane, no details
From the French Naval Vessel 'Timing' off Toulon.
Experimental dive ―in connection with the planned
Bathysphere dives to the Ocean floor by the Belgian
Professor Picard‖ described as 'Frances leading deep sea
diver'. Reported as diving with goggle and three Oxygen
tanks on his back. Reached 300' (which set a world depth
record)', signalled OK and went on down to 390'. Signals
stopped and he was hauled up. A colleague dived down
and joined him at 200', goggles off, mouthpiece out,
apparently unconscious. Hauled to the surface, still
unconscious, died in hospital. ―Experts― quoted as saying
that ―either the lifeline swung against his mouthpiece
ripping it from his mouth or Fargues was seized with what
divers call 'deep sea drunkenness' Reported in the Sydney
Morning Herald
After the bombing of pearl harbour, 7 th December 1941,
it was estimated that the Navy and civilian divers spend
about 20,000 hours underwater in about 5000 dives on
major salvage operations lasting over two years. Two
divers died on operations cutting into the wreck of the
Arizona (referred to as 'due to air pockets' but probably
underwater oxy arc explosions, TC) and after consultation
with relatives it was decided not to attempt to recover any
more bodies 'Enough were dead, it wasn't right to risk any
more lives' and she remains a war grave. They removed
parts of the superstructure and some guns, but the hulk still
lies where she sank, atop the wreck is a white marble
1
1
1
1
2
monument (Fund raising was pushed by Elvis Presley) The
Arizona monument is widely reported, the deaths of the two
divers was reported in the Deseret News in 1963. (As far as
I can tell, these divers actually died in 1947 during
operations to investigate the possibility of savaging the
wreck TC) No other details of the divers or other diving
incidents.
Ingle or Ingles
Floyd
25 March
1948
USA ,
Michiga
n
Christiansen
Edward
23 April
1948
USA,
New
York
Boosinger
Harry
'The
Monk'
2 July 1948
USA,
Californi
a
Roberts
Bernard
19 October
1948
USA,
Florida
117'
Burnett
George
E
30 April
1949
USA,
Californi
a
30'
4 June 1949
USA
26
September
1949
USA,
Californi
a
Not Recorded
Jorgensen
Robin
Claude
Soren
30'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
50'
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Aged 22, From Rhode, Michigan, working in a 23'
cistern at the Consumer's Power Company 'John C
Weadock' Power plant at the mouthy of the Saginaw River.
Had been underwater for about 10 minutes then failed to
respond to signals, was brought up but failed to respond to
treatment. ―drowned when his face mask apparently
knocked off‖. Oswosso Argus Express.
American, aged 49, in the Kill Van Kull, a channel in the
bay between Staten Island and New Jersey, cutting a
telephone cable trench, it collapsed trapping him
completely by cave in for three and a half hours, guided
rescuers by phone. Rescuers largely a USN diving team.
During the rescue had to flag down a passing tug and send
it to a nearby dredger to tell not to set of underwater
explosives. St Petersburg Times.
Aged 48, from Santa Catalina islands, professional diver,
undertaking a dive described as a film stunt man. ,
apparently air lines fouled lost mask. No details. Reported
in the Los Angeles Times.
Aged 27, 'Stricken with severe headaches after making a
series of dives' on the 11th October, taken to hospital with a
cerebral haemorrhage, died 9 days later. St Petersburg
Times
Aged 20, professional kelp fisherman with two years
working experience, diving off San Pedro Pier, body
recovered from under a rock ledge, drowned, no other
details. Los Angeles Times
Navy diver died after some kind of diving experiment,
burns, passed out, did not recover consciousness. No
details. Chicago Tribune
Aged 20, professional abalone diver, was drowned in 50
feet of water in Little Harbor on the west side of Santa
Catalina Island when his air compressor failed. No other
1
1
1
1
1
1
details.
Borden
Ralph E
21 April
1950
USA,
New
Jersey
Otari
Keichi
7 May 1950
Japan
Clark
Roy T
7 May 1951
USA,
Michiga
n
Saunders
John
Alfred
24/8/1951
India
Fleig
Peter
1951
Corsica
10
September
1952
Not Recorded
Albert
Bernard
1 November
1952
15'
USN
Disappear
ed
USA
Australia
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Standard
gear
Unemployed war veteran, aged 40. Reported as :- ―Four
boys aged about 13 were looking for a swimming hole
along the Muddy Run Creek when they came across the
veteran standing by the bank with a diving suit and pump.
He told them he had heard a tale from an old man about a
barrel of gold bars lying under 15' of water. The boys
agreed to operate the pump but after about 15 minutes got
tired and pulled him up but he was dead.‖ . He was
pronounced dead of drowning. The Evening Independent
Hiroshima. Diver aged 48, found a Torpedo. He hit it
with a hammer and it exploded killing him and 7 others.
No real details. Reported in the New York Times.
Lake Michigan, small salvage boat (LCVP – Landing
Craft, Vehicles, Personnel) overturned drowning 1
crewman and the Navy diver trapped underneath who ―was
just emerging from the water in full regalia‖ . Two other
crewmen missing. Chicago Tribune.
Aged 25, Described as "Born in Bombay, a deep sea
diver who died in an accident whilst working for the
Bombay Port Trust. No details.
Czech professional diver, last known survivor of the
party that was actually on site when Erwin Rommel's
treasure was hidden underwater off Bastia in 1943.
Frequenting local bars boasting that he had discovered the
treasure. Disappeared in strange circumstances, whispered
to have been 'The Mafia'. See 1961, Andre Mattel
Surfaced at end of dive, either unscrewed face plate or
took off helmet, sat on gunnel of small dive support tender
boat, it capsised. Diver drowned. No details. Reported in
the Chicago Tribune.
Aged 26. Pearl diver working out of Broome, ―Died in
Broome hospital from diver's paralysis. He was diving in
13 fathoms on Tuesday when he became afflicted. He had
previously worked only in five1 to six fathoms‖. Reported
in Canberra Times
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Owen, RN, DSM
Norman
Warden
1952
UK
Not Recorded
4 April 1953
France
Not Recorded
10 June
1953
Australia
Not Recorded
10 July 1953
Malta
Not Recorded
1953
Australia
Not Recorded
1 June 1954
USA,
New
Jersey
24
September
1954
Australia
Motlop
Fred
British
Rail
Standard
gear
Chamber
explosion
RN
O2 set?
Maritos
Brothers
102'
Standard
gear
Holyhead, pier demolition using a hundred ton crane,
sent in to unsnag wire, trapped two fingers of his right hand
between pile and crane wire. "Unable to reach his exhaust
valve to adjust the pressure in his suit or speak to the
surface. With no chance of cutting the heavy wire, Owen
reached for his diver's knife with his left hand and began to
saw off his fingers, but as the blood billowed up past him
he could not cut through the bone. In desperation Owen
signalled to be pulled to the surface and two of his fingers
"came away like pegs from a cribbage boar". He collected
his tools and surfaced, where the men in the tender
complained about his late arrival at the surface. Owen was
rowed ashore and walked to the hospital 500 yards away:
He remembered being told not to drip blood on the floor".
Le Havre, Three divers were killed and two missing,
presumed dead, after dynamite exploded in the port of Le
Havre. The men were preparing to blast a channel leading
to the docks.
Report of a Japanese diver who died at sea being
cremated. No details
Four Naval ratings, 3 British and 1 Indian, killed in a
explosion in the decompression chamber of the RFA
Salvage vessel 'Sea Salvor' during diver training. No
Details. The Glasgow Herald
Japanese. Reported as dying of diver's paralysis. Buried
at Piper's Head on Melville Island alongside the bodies of
two other diver one who died in 1955, the other Satihel
Iwanoto who died in June 1957. Assumed to be a separate
fatality to the fatality reported in June 1953 as that diver
was reported as cremated.Reported in The Age.
Brown Mills, Mirror Lake, ―A member of the volunteer
first-aid squad died here today during an underwater dive to
test a new oxygen rescue device‖ No details
Aged 32, diving off the pearl lugger ―Fram‖ off the
Arhem coast. ―A deck-hand lost his balance n heavy seas
and in an attempt o save himself dragged the tender
operator overboard with him. The tender lost Motlop's air
and life lines and the diver sank to the 'bottom. Before he
could be raised again he tore off his helmet and rocketed to
the surface. The crew did not realise his lungs had burst.
They fitted another helmet on him and lowered him to the
bottom to "stage' him. (Staging is a treatment to prevent
"bends," a form of paralysis, caused by bringing a diver to
the surface too quickly.) The crew 'staged" Motlop for
about an hour, (but they found he was dead when they
5
1
4
1
1
1
raised him to the deck)‖. As reported in the Canberra
Times
30 July 1955
USA,
Californi
a
Not Recorded
11 August
1955
Germany
Not Recorded
1955
Australia
Byrnes
Michael
SCUBA
sports
diver
Joost
Russell
23 March
1956
USA
US
Navy
Commander Crabb, RN, GC
Lionel
"Buster
"
19 April
1956
UK
MI6
Kontoyiannis
Hristos
May 1956
Australia
O2 CCR
(SEBA)
Standard
gear
Aged 15, SCUBA training in a YMCA swimming pool in
San Bernardino drowned when his arm got sucked into an
outlet pipe. ―The boy's parents watched while three doctors
and fire department resuscitator crew worked over the body
for an hour after he was pulled from the water‖. Reported
in the Spokane Daily Chronicle.
―Wilhelmshaven. An Underwater explosion today killed
a diver working on the wreck of the submerged German
cruiser Koln in the harbour here‖ Reuters
Japanese. Reported as dying of diver's paralysis. Buried
at Piper's Head on Melville Island alongside the bodies of
two other diver one who died in 1953, the other Satihel
Iwanoto who died in June 1957. Reported in The Age.
US Navy diver training, taking a test one month into his
course, died, no details. Chicago Tribune
British Royal Naval diver, aged 46, disappeared in
Portsmouth Harbour, rumoured to be spying on the visiting
Russian navy cruiser "Ordzhonikidze" that had brought
Khrushchev to the UK for cold war talks. Headless body
washed up on Chichester beach 14 months later assumed to
be Crabb. In 2007, Eduard Koltsov, retired Russian diver
claimed to have killed him and cut his head off after he
caught Crabb placing a mine on the hull. MOD admitted
previous underwater surveys by RN divers on visiting
Russian vessels. Other memos released in 2007 indicate
that MI6 recruited Crabb for a separate mission and that he
was not alone.
Greek sponge diver from post war depressed
Mediterranean island of Kalymnos, diver in one of two
teams of Greek divers transported to Australia at
government expense to replace the Japanese divers working
off Australian pearl luggers out of Darwin and Broome.
Air line was cut by the propeller of the lugger 'Postboy' and
he drowned. His death highlighted the bad feeling between
the lugger operators (who resented losing their cheap
Japanese divers) and Greek divers. There were rumours
1
1
1
1
1
that the death may not have been accidental.
Jacoo
Bull
Hassan
Bin
Not Recorded
2 October
1956
Australia
12 March
1957
Mexico
Standard
gear
90'
Standard
gear
Smith
Eldon
W
April 1957
USA,
Californi
a
Standard
gear
Iwanoto
Satehel
25 June
1957
Australia
Standard
gear
Williamson
Stephen
I
11 October
1957
USA,
GOM
Daspit
Bros
Marine
Divers
11 March
1958
USA,
Massach
usetts
Boston
Naval
Base
Not Recorded
12'
Malay, aged 26, pearl diving out of Broome, surfaced
with paralysis on Saturday, still ill Sunday, lugger made 80
mile dash to Port but he died. 'Third pearl diver dive that
year to be killed on the luggers working out of Broome
(Konjtoviannis,in May, the other? Unknown, TC)'
Acapulco, a diver, described as an ex-Olympic diver and
trainer of navy frogmen, died on a dive into Acapulco bay
in a search for the bodies of two wealthy American tourist
thought to have been murdered on a glass bottomed boat.
No other details. Reported in the Los Angeles Times.
American, aged 31, diving off Southern California from
the Oil Exploration Vessel "Submarex", end of dive,
ascending, suffered apparent in-water decompression
illness, brought to surface and transferred to US Navy DDC
at naval base (inference is no DDC on the vessel), died 8
hours into 165' therapeutic treatment, Diver Bill Biller who
went into the DDC as assistant had to share the chamber
with the body for another 30 hours of decompression.
Japanese, diving off the pearling lugger 'Hakucho Maru'
out of Darwin. Reported as dying of diver's paralysis.
Buried at Piper's Head on Melville Island alongside the
bodies of two other diver who died in 1955 and 1953.
―Modern equipment and methods now used prevent the
fearful loss of life experienced off Broome and in territory
waters before the war‖. Reported in The Age.
American, court case quote "engaged in the clearing of a
pipe line of debris in navigable waters,and that an employee
of Daspit was lifted too rapidly, causing a release of his
diving mask and belt, that the vessel and its appurtenances
were defective and unseaworthy and that these
circumstances were the cause of decedent's death"
A civilian diver employed by :contractor working for the
Navy at the South Boston Naval Shipyard became wedged
at the bottom of piling, twelve feet below the surface within
inches of rescue, but drowned. No details. New York
Times
2
1
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
19 June
1958
Canada,
Vancouv
er
SCUBA
S/S Air
Sambo
Kallu
23 August
1958
Australia
Curray
Frankly
n
Dwight
5 February
1959
USA,
Florida
Gause
George
25 April
1959
USA,
Florida
Mathews
Raymo
nd
21 August
1959
USA,
Californi
a
Hart
James F
21 August
1959
USA,
Californi
a
30
November
1959
USA,
Florida
Not Recorded
Florida
Power
and
Light
42' or 84'
S/S Air
Following the collapse of the new Second Narrows
bridge being constructed over Burrard inlet with a loss of
18 lives on the 17th, a commercial diver died two days later
during body recovery operations. He had come to the
surface to change cylinders, wearing a heavy weight belt,
slipped and went down, drowned. Reported in the press on
the occasion of the 50 anniversary ceremony in 2008
(CTV.ca)
Torres Strait Islander, diving off the Native Affairs
Department lugger 'Macoy' died on 'death Reef, off Darnley
Island. 120 miles north-west of Thursday Island. Described
as the fifth diver fatality off Darnley Island that year, all
fatalities put down to 'diver's paralysis'. Reported in The
Age
Aged 26, reported as swept away by the current.
Witnesses reported 'He bobbed to the surface, tore off his
breathing gear and fought off three other swimmers who
attempted to rescue him'. He had been working on a
submerged cable. The search for him continued the day
after. Unclear from the reports whether his body was ever
recovered. Miami News
American, aged 56 (or 57), professional sponge diver
(Most sponge divers at this time were of Greek descent)
with 23 years experience, diving some 30 miles North of
Big Bank off the St. Nicholas V, air hoses severed by
support vessel propeller (Guard basket had been damaged
earlier in the trip ―but repaired to the skipper's satisfaction‖.
Recovered to surface dead. Ruled as 'accidental death'.
Reported in the St Petersburg Times.
Commercial Abalone diver off the vessel 'Ray Rock' off
Point Loma, presumed drowned after being found on the
seabed with his mask off. Second diver (Hart) treated for
DCI aboard the Submarine tender USS 'Nereus'. Lodi
News sentinel
Commercial Abalone diver off the vessel 'Ray Rock' off
Point Loma, treated for DCI aboard the Submarine tender
USS 'Nereus' after recovering the body of partner Raymond
Mathews from the seabed. Lodi News Sentinel
Comment is the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in an article
referring to a state weekend death toll of 20, ―Florida
traffic accidents killed 13, a professional diver drowned and
two men were fatally shot in hunting accidents‖. No other
details or reports.
1
5
1
1
1
1
Shaw
Burris
Bybee
Smith
Clarenc
e
Sgt.
Kiefer
C
Herbert
E
Leading
Seaman
Allan
Leslie
Not Recorded
Missa
Roy
Beghtol
Robert
G
9 January
1960
USA,
Washing
ton
Merritt
Chapma
n and
Scott
Standard
gear
Aged 53, working on the downstream side of the Priest
Rapids dam construction site on the Columbia River.
Confused reports, but appears to have been trapped
underwater for two hours by a falling object. When pulled
to the surface his helmet was off, drowned. Falling object
may have severed or blocked his air line. Reported in the
Freelance Star
15 July 1960
USA,
Missouri
Police
SCUBA
American police officer, Kansas, Missouri, died during a
training dive
15 July 1960
USA,
Missouri
Police
SCUBA
27 February
1961
Australia
RAN
28 February
1961
Papua
New
Guinea
RAN
15 June
1961
Australia
28 July 1961
USA,
Colorado
34'
SCUBA
204'
Police
SCUBA
Standard
gear
SCUBA
American police officer, Kansas, Missouri, died during a
training dive
Aged 24, Diving 'fairly shallow routine dive' alongside
HMAS anti-submarine frigate 'Quiberon' berthed off
Rushcutter Bay at Garden island. 'Had been underwater
about 15 minutes when he floated to the surface
unconscious' Reported as ―air embolism‖ , but no details.
At the preliminary inquest his father asked if the Navy were
aware that another Navy diver had died under very similar
conditions a day later in New Guinea They were but no
details were given. Reported in the Sydney Morning
Herald.
At the preliminary inquest into the death of leading Able
seaman Allan Smith (Died during a training exercise
alongside HMAS anti-submarine frigate 'Quiberon' berthed
off Rushcutter Bay at Garden island. (Had been underwater
about 15 minutes when he floated to the surface
unconscious' Reported as ―air embolism‖ , but no details) it
became apparent that another Navy diver, a member of the
Papua new Guinea Naval Division, had died under very
similar conditions a day later at the Manus Naval Base. No
details were given. Reported in the Sydney Morning
Herald.
Aged 36, Torres Strait Islander, diving in the Darnley
Deeps, 150 miles off the island, got into difficulties at
depth, apparently ditched his helmet, surfaced, paralysed
from the waist down, died in hospital. ―He also received
damage to the brain from water pressure after removing his
diving helmet to help himself surface‖ Reported in The
Age.
American police officer, Arvada, Colorado, aged 26, died
during a training exercise
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Matel
Andrew
December
1961
Corsica
Ingram
Petty
Officer
John
17 April
1962
Australia
HMAS
30'
SCUBA
Hayes
Darrell
19
November
1962
USA,
Washing
ton
Columbi
a River
Divers
90'
SCUBA
Small
Peter
3 December
1962
USA,
Californi
a
1000'
Bell
Whittaker
Christo
pher
3 December
1962
USA,
Californi
a
1000'
Bell
Foulks
Layne
10 July 1963
USA,
New
Jersey
Shot
Donjon
Marine
Frequenting local bars boasting that he had discovered
the fabled sunken treasure of General Erwin Rommel.
After a couple of nights of such behaviour his bullet riddled
body was found in a field near Propriano. Whispered that it
was 'the Mafia'. (See 1951, Peter Fleig, another diver who
disappeared in strange circumstances)
Aged 24, experienced diver, died on a moorings
inspection dive in Sydney harbour, failed to respond to
signals, was found by searching divers, brought to the
surface unconscious, did not respond to treatment, no
details. He was one of the team who made a 300' dive to
clear a tunnel in the incompleted Eucumbene dam in 1961.
Reported in The Age
Aged 33, Undertaking repairs to the bulkhead gate guides
on the Priest Rapids dam. Surfacing after the dive with
partner and apparently fell out of the dive basket when
changing tanks. Recovered by partner from bed of dam at
110' after 8 minutes. Pronounced dead. It was his first
commercial dive.
British, professional journalist, aged 35, record deep dive
with Hans Keller, experimental dive to test new breathing
mixture, Peter Small died in the bell (reported as 'bends'
which he had suffered from in a previous dive, two days
earlier), safety diver, Christopher Whittaker, disappeared
whilst checking the bell externally at depth and was never
found. Keller survived after a safety removed a fin jammed
in the bell hatch allowing it to seal. Reported by multiple
sources. His 21 year old wife, Mary, was found dead in her
gas filled apartment two months later.
Aged 19, safety diver, record deep dive with Hans Keller,
experimental dive to test new breathing mixture, Peter
Small died in the bell (reported as 'bends' which he had
suffered from in a previous dive, two days earlier),,
Christopher Whittaker disappeared whilst checking the bell
externally at depth and was never found. Keller survived
after a safety diver removed a fin jammed in the bell hatch
allowing it to seal. Reported by multiple sources.
American, civil engineering job, New Jersey, off crane
barge 256, crushed between jetty and crane bucket, right
shoulder, multiple fractures, collapsed lung
1
1
1
1
1
Egner
Alfred
Not Recorded
Oct 1963
Austria,
Lake
Toplitz
17 February
1964
USA
Washing
ton DC
US
Navy
DDC
SCUBA
Harrison
Gerald
P
25
September
1964
USA,
Florida
US
Navy
DECK
Geiger
Leroy
1964
USA
US
Navy
Rebreather
USA,
Pennsylv
ania
Fountain
Hill
Emergen
cy
Diving
Team
Mihulec
Robert
W
Hunt
Roy
Thomas
Lyle E
20 January
1965
SCUBA
30 March
1965
USA,
Montana
Police
voluntee
r
SCUBA
5 April 1965
USA,
Arkansas
USN
SCUBA
Aged 19 from Munich, drowned on a night dive. Three
German businessmen were charged with his manslaughter
in Munich in 1965 – he died during a secret treasure hunt
for reputed Nazi treasure dumped in the lake and they failed
to try to rescue him, also reported that his downline had
been cut (at the surface). A search weeks later by Austrian
authorities recovered the diver's body, printing presses and
batches of forged British banknotes the Nazis intended to
use to cause financial panic in the UK. The Sydney
Morning Herald
―A flash fire inside a decompression chamber killed two
Navy deep-sea divers and injured two others today during
an experiment at the Washington Navy Yard‖ No other
details. New York Times
Maryport naval station, repair operations to flooded
pontoons damaged by hurricane 'Dora'. Harrison and
another diver from the destroyer tender 'Yellowstone' were
killed by the 90' boom of the crane barge they were rigging
to lift out damaged pontoons when it collapse onto the
small boat they were diving from. Two other navy
personnel were seriously injured.
US Navy, UDT 21 (Underwater Demolition Team,
precursor to SEALs). Died when his Emerson O2
rebreather rig malfunctioned. Body recovered. PC
Aged 20, volunteered to search under ice for the body of
a 9 year old boy who had fallen through the ice into the
Lehigh River, entered the water roped together with a 19
year old companion, companion survived (treated for
hypothermia), diver drowned. Gettysburg Times
―A SCUBA diver disappeared Sunday while trying to
help police recover a car from an abandoned lead and zinc
mine. Roy Hunt, aged 23, was presumed drowned. Police
believe the car was the one that killed a 13 year old boy in
front of hos house in Webb city in a hit and run accident
last November 18. Divers found the car on a ledge under
about 70 feet of water‖ Reported in the Tuscaloosa News.
Not a professional diver, but clearly a diver at work, TC
American, aged 38, Navy Deep Sea Diving School, With
National Capital Cave Rescue team rescued 4 cavers
trapped by rising water from Rowland cave, Ozark
mountains, Arkansas, collapsed at end of dive, natural
causes, heart attack.
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
Cline
Robert
Herrick
Not Recorded
1 September
1965
USA,
Arizona
21
September
1965
Vietnam
Volunte
er police
team
25'
SCUBA
Newspaper employee, part time volunteer diving with
Sherrif of Coconino rescue unit. Hired via police contact to
recover two chemical tanks from a reservoir at the Navajo
Army Depot, Coconino. Arizona. No training, st/by or
supervisor, third dive surfaced in distress, swimmers tried
to help but he sank, plume of bubbles (twin hose) but
drowned.
Japanese diver killed and 11 other persons injured in an
explosion during salvage operations on the Saigon River.
No details. Reported in the Chicago Tribune.
First coloured US Navy ship's diver, (Oct 1954) lost left
leg from knee down in a deck accident off Spain during
search for lost Atomic bomb, returned to diving, retired
1979, died 25/07/2006
1
1
Brashear, USN
Carl
Maxie
23 March
1966
Spain
USN
DECK
Millikin
George
1 April 1966
USA,
Marylan
d
Police
SCUBA
American police officer, Anapolis, Maryland, died
during a dive on duty, heart attack
1
SCUBA
Aged 28, university of Oregon research assistant, hired
by the US Army Corps of Engineers to inspect a 130' shaft
containing a concrete bulkhead at the Hills Creek water
reservoir near Oakridge, with partner (Lavey) descended to
90', partner left basket and went to 130', returned to basket
and both divers recovered to 1o', Lavey then swam to the
top of the dam, left the water and began removing his gear.
At this point Binney's lifeline went slack. Lavey went back
into the water with a fresh tank plus spare. After about 5
minutes, workers on the surface saw a sudden increase in
bubbles after which they stopped. Work basket was
recovered, but he was dead when brought to the surface.
Binney's body was recovered from 130 by divers from
Portland Commercial divers (Who also completed the
inspection work). Neither dead diver had air in their tanks
when recovered though cause of death was not clear (twin
hose regulators, could have vented) Double fatality.
Reported in the Eugene register-Guard
1
Binney
John L
27 April
1966
USA,
Oregon
US
Armry
Corps
130'
Aged 22, owner of a Eugene SCUBA shop, hired by the
US Army Corps of Engineers to inspect a 130' shaft
containing a concrete bulkhead at the Hills Creek water
reservoir near Oakridge, with partner (Binney) descended to
90', left partner in basket and went to 130', returned to
basket and both divers recovered to 1o', he then swam to the
top of the dam, left the water and began removing his gear.
At this point Binney's lifeline went slack. He went back
into the water with a fresh tank plus spare. After about 5
minutes, workers on the surface saw a sudden increase in
bubbles after which they stopped. Work basket was
recovered, but he was dead when brought to the surface.
Partner's body was recovered from 130 by divers from
Portland Commercial divers (Who also completed the
inspection work). Neither dead diver had air in their tanks
when recovered though cause of death was not clear (twin
hose regulators, could have vented) Double fatality.
Reported in the Eugene register-Guard
Clearance diver, night training exercise off Jervis Bay.
Both he and his dive partner (Jeffrey Hales) died.
Controversy at the inquest over autopsy report of alcohol in
their bodies (Could have formed naturally), but no details of
the accident. Reported in 'The Age'.
Clearance diver, night training exercise off Jervis Bay.
Both he and his dive partner (Kenneth Hislop) died.
Controversy at the inquest over autopsy report of alcohol in
their bodies (Could have formed naturally), but no details of
the accident. Reported in 'The Age'.
Newspaper Headline ―Air line cut, diver drowns‖ Tarpon
Springs, Florida, ―Aged 72, retired Greek (Town of
Calymnos) sponge diver drowned during an exhibition dive
before a boatload of tourists when the boat 'Plastisras'
turned in the wind and the propellers cut his air hos and life
line. He was demonstrating sponge diving techniques in the
Anclote River. The Spokesman Review
Lavey
Kennet
h
27 April
1966
USA,
Oregon
US
Armry
Corps
Hislop
Kennet
h John
10 August
1967
Australia
Australi
an Navy
Hales
Jeffrey
Thomas
10 August
1967
Australia
Australi
an Navy
Billis
George
23
September
1967
USA,
Florida
Lyons
RJ
2 October
1967
Norway
British, aged 23. "Wrong decompression, burst lungs"
USA,
Texas
Aged 35, president of the Ark-La-Tex divers association,
fishing competition in lake Caddo, Marshall, Texas. Spear
fishing, he surfaced near a tree stump and was then shot by
a hunter with a shotgun who mistook the diver in a black
wetsuit for an alligator
Clark
James
4 December
1967
90'
SCUBA
Standard
gear
1
1
1
1
1
Two divers, Berend Joost, aged 34 of the University of
Miami, and John McGinnis, aged 51 of Ocean-Engineering,
were installing acoustic recording equipment at the edge of
the Gulf stream off Miami when McGinnis noticed that
Joost had dropped to the seabed, he went down to help but
Joost had a strong grasp on the rope. Joost's mouthpiece
dropped out, McGinnis replaced it but had to surface as had
run out of air and suffered from decompression illness
(treated, believed OK). A third diver, Jim Nangle, aged 23
and also an Ocean-Engineering technician recovered Joost's
body to the surface. Reported in the Toledo Blade
Two divers, Berend Joost, aged 34 of the University of
Miami, and John McGinnis, aged 51 of Ocean-Engineering,
were installing acoustic recording equipment at the edge of
the Gulf stream off Miami when McGinnis noticed that
Joost had dropped to the seabed, he went down to help but
Joost had a strong grasp on the rope. Joost's mouthpiece
dropped out, McGinnis replaced it but had to surface as had
run out of air and suffered from decompression illness
(treated, believed OK). A third diver, Jim Nangle, aged 23
and also an Ocean-Engineering technician recovered Joost's
body to the surface. Reported in the Toledo Blade
Joost
Berend
H.
9 November
1968
USA ,
Florida
Universi
ty of
Miami
Marine
Sciences
McGinnis
John
9 November
1968
USA ,
Florida
Ocean
Engineer
ing
McClung
Roger
L
USA,
Virginia
Police
SCUBA
American police officer aged 32, Virginia Beach,
Virginia, drowned in a diving accident
1
Monette
Robert
R
USA,
Virginia
Police
SCUBA
American police officer aged 25, Virginia Beach,
Virginia, drowned in a diving accident
1
USA,
GOM
Taylor
Diving
and
Salvage
19
December
1968
19
December
1968
Edwards
John
Cannon
Berry L
17/02/1969
Guagenti
Nichola
sL
15 June
1969
Palmer
David
1968
29/2/1970
USA,
Californi
a
USA,
Ohio
USA,
Florida
USN
Need a
Diver
Marine
Services
165'
SCUBA
165'
SCUBA
610'
9'
Saturation
SCUBA
Underwater Oxy Arc Explosion, seriously injured but
recovered after a year in hospital, never dived again.
Second diver burning on a damaged conductor, improper
vent. PC
American Navy diver aged 33. Sealab III, CO2
poisoning, Mark IX semi closed rebreather, soda sorb
cannister was empty, human error?
Aged 25, diving for golf balls, Hawrthorne Hills Country
Club, died in the water, no details
Aged 26, Florida Power Corporation dock on Weedon
Island, patching the hull of the tanker ―Delian Apollo‖
(Which had run aground in the bay and caused a pollution
incident in Tampa Bay), 40 minutes into the dive, stand-by
diver got no response on lifeline, went in and found the
diver against the hull of the tanker and brought him to the
surface. Regulator and cylinders had been ditched (later
recovered from the bed of the dock in 33' of water, reported
1
1
1
1
as ―in good working order but low on air supply‖), reported
as drowned. No real explanation. Reported in the St
Petersburg Times
Chorinsky
Not Recorded
Wojcik, RAN
CD
Bogdan
Kazimi
erz
Bielanski
John
2 May 1970
Australia
Ocean
Systems
15 May
1970
Israel
Navy
21 June
1970
Vietnam
Royal
Australi
an Navy
19
September
1970
USA,
Wisconsi
n
200'
S/S Air
Reported as dying on offshore operations in the Bass
Strait after being employed less than two weeks. Allegedly
no medical and previously sacked by another diving
contractors after panicking in deep water. Working on a
pipeline at 200' with only one dive to 120' the previous
week, rapid ascent. 'Weight belt attached to air line, no bail
out, no first stage regulator, died 25 minutes after entering
the decompression chamber'
Elath, salvage operations on a Naval Axillary Vessel
sank three months earlier in an attack 'by underwater
raiders' One diver killed, three others injured in an
explosion reported as being due to a mine planted by
Egyptian frogman on the worksite. No other details. St.
Petersburg Times
In May 1966 Clearance Diving Team 1 spent a short
period in Vietnam working with US Navy Divers.
Clearance Diving Team 3 was deployed from February
1967 until May 1971 for clearing rivers and shipping
channels of mines and booby traps. The team also carried
out salvage work and trawler searches to protect and secure
South Vietnamese ports from sabotage. Over this period
there were 7573 ship searches, 153 major diving tasks, 78
explosive devices removed from ships, 352 tons heavy
ordnance destroyed, 42,000 items of unsafe ammunition
destroyed, 68 special operations including canal barricades,
search and destroy missions plus reconnaissance and
ambush missions in three fire zones. Casualties were one
clearance diver killed and one clearance diver wounded on
active service.
Aged 32, professional diver from Oak Forest drowned
while repairing a broken water main at the bottom of a man
made lake (Lake Camelot?) No other details. Chicago
Tribune.
1
1
1
1
Lally
Thomas
"Mick"
1 February
1971
Norway
Brushneen
Michael
George
March 1971
Norway
Minn
Hnutt
1 November
1971
UKCS
Divcon
Oceanee
ring
Taylor
Diving
and
Salvage
Strongw
ork
Hamblin
Steve
1971
USA,
GOM
Taylor
Robert
1 May 1972
UKCS
Stein
Wendel
Edward
'Del'
8 May 1972
British
Virgin
Islands
Holland
Robert
10 August
1972
USA,
Hawaii
Comex
Healy
Tibbitts
71m
SCUBA?
61m
S/S Mixed
gas
275'
S/S Mixed
gas
44'
SCUBA
90'
SCUBA
Rebreather
35'
British (Not, as widely reported, American), aged 32.
Noted as the first of 55 North Sea fatalities between 1971
and 1984 by Jackie Warner, ―Requiem for a diver‖ (He had
no knowledge of RJ Lyons death in the Norwegian sector in
1967), "Ocean Viking", surface jump in a wetsuit (SCUBA
with heliox), no bell, at end of dive partner Bjorn Lilleand
shivering violently surfaced 5 minutes early from 3 metre
stop, put in single person cage and recovered, Lally died,
drowned on surface, reported 20 minute delay in recovering
him from the sea, probable hypothermia
British, aged 33. "Ocean Viking", Bell bounce dive in a
new design (possibly untested and subsequently
discontinued) constant volume suit, blew up from seabed,
pulmonary barotrauma resulting in pneumothorax
British, aged 31. Drill ship "Glomar III", "Standard
gear", no bell, tangled in lines, overan dive, surfaced
rapidly (suit malfunction), embolism, recompressed on air
in DDC, died
A tug was brought alongside unannounced on the
opposite side of the barge from the dive station while the
diver was unhooking davits. Heavy seas, barge was
dragging anchors. 20' of dive hose was recovered from the
tug's propeller, the diver's body was never found or
recovered. PC
British, aged 25. Drillship "Britannia", big meal, vomited
underwater, found entangled in a rope 11 hours later,
drowned. Possibly no training
Aged 24, diving from the oceanographic research vessel
'Neap Tide' off Peter Island. Reported as 'surfaced around 5
o'clock after apparently having trouble with the rebreather
pack he was wearing' USCG flew in a doctor by helicopter
from the air and sea rescue base on Puerto Rico but he was
pronounced dead two hours after surfacing. No details.
Reported in the Virgin Islands Daily News
Described as a ―professional hard hat diver‖, was one of
a three man team working off a barge in Hilo Harbour. On
Hawaii at the time of his death in a diving accident.
Subject of a court case Holland v. Healy Tibbitts Const.
Co., 379 F.Supp. 192 (D. Hawaii, Jul 24, 1974). No details.
Loislaw.com
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Collett
Clive
25 October
1972
New
Zealand
Divers
fron
Proctor
Reclaim,
NZ on
contract
to
United
Salvage
Compan
y of
Melbour
ne
Savard
Robert
1972
USA,
Rhode
Island
Marine
Contract
ing
Not Recorded
1972
AODC
1972
UKCS
Not Recorded
1972
Tunisia
Cocean
Standard
gear
120'
S/S Air
57m
SCUBA
Trimix
Killed during diving operations cutting up the wreck of
the ferry ―Wahine‖ (Sank at the entrance to Wellington
Harboure April 10 1968 by Cyclone 'Giselle' with the loss
of 53 people), in an underwater explosion. ‖ The Wahine
was lying in the middle of Wellington Harbour and the
Harbour Board ordered her removal. The original idea was
that she would be pumped full of polyutherane foam and
refloated intact. However during another storm on May 8th,
1969, the hull was broken into three pieces. The Salvage
company decided then to break the wreck into 30-80 ton
segments, which would then be lifted and carried ashore by
the floating crane Hikitia. Most of the metal was sent to
scrap mills in Auckland to be melted down in steel
reinforcing for buildings. All the timber, plastic, fittings and
furniture were disposed of at the Wellington rubbish dump.
During the salvage, Mr Clive Collett was killed in an
explosion while diving‖ PC
Bridge construction Naragansett Bay, high currents,
wearing borrowed heavy gear, apparently lost/turned off
air, unconscious, but also botched rescue, body not
recovered for several hours, Jones case reported October
1972.
―The victim was diving from a salvage ship and
removing steel from a sunken ship at 120 feet. He wore a
variable volume dry suit and lightweight helmet. The
victim had been down 26 minutes on his first dive of the
day when he told the surface personnel that he could not get
any air and that a piece of steel had fallen onto his air hose.
According to the accident reports, the standby diver was in
the water within 3 minutes and two SCUBA divers were in
within 10 minutes. The victim was brought to the surface,
re compressed and CPR administered to no avail‖ Reported
in the statistics of the University of Michigan, Michigan
Sea Grant Program, 1979.
International Association of Diving Contractors founded
Ashtart field, installation of a shackle on an anchoring
pipe. Diving from SBM Installer I. Descent along the chain
- High swell, chain moving in chain direction in upper zone,
vertically up and down (4 to 5 meters) below 60 m where it
was almost horizontal in reduced visibility water. Chain hits
Scuba tanks braking the attachment between tanks. Diver
catches the chain to prevent further hit, movement of water
removes mask and one fin. After releasing the chain, diver
could replace mask and locate the fin and come up, the
buddy diver was watching above in a zone with visibility
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1
1
(bubbles still coming up), both returned safely at surface.....
Mohamed
Moham
ed lasen
Bin
16 April
1973
Singapor
e
Selco
Salvage
Private
limited
Fraid
Gary W
7 June 1973
USA,
Wisconsi
n
Police
Link
Clayton
18 June
1973
USA,
Florida
JohnsonSea Link
351'
Mini Sub
Stover
Albert
18 June
1973
USA,
Florida
JohnsonSea Link
351'
Mini Sub
Havlena
Paul J
28 August
1973
UKCS
Taylor
Diving
320'
Saturation
House
Timoth
y
1 December
1973
UKCS
Strongw
ork
60-70'
S/S Air
1973
USA,
New
York
state
Empire
Marine
Diving
Cwick
Edward
10'
Surface
Aged 42, killed, 2 other dives (Kenneth Morrison and
Atan bin Jain) injured when a hatch on the Italian vessel
Igara (Ex Japan en route to Brazil with Iron ore) which had
sunk following striking a rock near Horsburgh lighthouse
on March 19th, they were opening exploded open under
pressure
American police officer, Kenosha Police Department,
WI, drowned during a surface swim training exercise with
the department team. Milwaukee Sentinel
Aged 31, son of the mini submarine's inventor, Edwin
Link. Trapped on the wreck of a sunken destroyer, the two
men in the rear compartment (Link and Stover) died
(asphyxiation), two in the forward compartment survived
Aged 51, mini sub pilot. Trapped on the wreck of a
sunken destroyer, the two men in the rear compartment
(Link and Stover) died (asphyxiation), two in the forward
compartment survived
American, aged 29. Barge "LB Meaders", "Push pull"
gas system, Supply closed off while suction open,
embolism, pulmonary haemorrhage
British, aged 24. Semi sub drill rig "Blue Water III",
stand-by diver found surface line cut, body never recovered
(hypothermia?)
America, drowned on a sewage pipe under Lake Ontario,
$950,000 out of court settlement (Jones Act) finally agreed
in September of 1991
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1
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1
1
Not Recorded
1973
USA,
Michiga
n
Not Recorded
1973
New
Zealand
SCUBA
Napier, Jetting Sledge rolled onto the diver.
Skipnes
Per
16 January
1974
Norway
Ocean
Systems
77m
Saturation
Smythe
Robert
John
16 January
1974
Norway
Ocean
Systems
77m
Saturation
Norris
William
30 March
1974
UKCS
Barthelemy
Marc G
G
11 April
1974
UKCS,
off
Wales
Comex
93 m
Saturation
Dennis
17 April
1974
USA,
New
York
state
USCG
20'
SCUBA
Perry
The diver was working alone, under ice, installing a
bubbler system in a marina. The area between and outside
the three docks was ice covered with open water in the boat
wells (due to the bubbler system). The victim, stating that
he wanted to finish the job that day, entered the water
wearing double tanks and a variable volume dry suit. He
left a friend on the dock as observer and used no safety line
as he feared getting tangled under the docks. The victim
surfaced in one of the wells on the center dock and stated
that he was going to one of the other docks to do some
work. He was not seen again. His body was recovered
from under a large ice sheet near the shore of the marina.
His back pack and weight belt were still on, but the tanks,
which had been wired to the backpack were found 20 feet
away. The regulator mouthpiece was floating above the
empty tanks. Reported in the statistics of the University of
Michigan, Michigan Sea Grant Program, 1979.
200'
Norwegian, aged 37. "Drill Master", bell drop weights
released, bell to surface with doors open, double fatality
(Smythe).
British, aged 38, Aged 38. "Drill Master", bell drop
weights released, bell to surface with doors open, double
fatality (Skipness)
British, pipe-lay barge? Medically unfit to dive (no
medical), died in DDC following a dive, reported as
decompression illness
French, aged 24. Drill ship "Havdrill". Needed rescue,
drowned in bell trunking, exhaustion. Alternative report
that diver had lost/restricted gas, returned to bell with
umbilical around guide wire, Swedish bellman pulled in
umbilical which pulled diver away from bell, British
support crew, reverted to native languages, in ensuing
panic, bellman cut umbilical and shut bell door, told dive
control to recover bell. Body of diver draped over bell
weights.
Aged 27, married with two children. Oil tanker 'Imperial
Sarnia' en route to Montreal with 45,000 bbls of crude ran
ashore on Whaleback Shoal, estimate 2,000 bbls spill,
pollution along several miles of the coastline. Diver was
one of three coastguard divers installing lines around the
hull in 20' of water, sank to the bottom and disappeared.
Ottawa citizen.
1
1
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1
Auestad
B
23 May
1974
UKCS
Doigne
Colin
12 June
1974
Australia
June 1974
USN
Not Recorded
200'
Yarra
Harbour
Trust
30'
S/S Air
Dimmer
John
5 July 1974
UKCS
KD
Marine
492'
Saturation
Brening
Fred
19 July 1974
USA,
New
York
USN
50'
SCUBA
Gumblowski
Ray
18 August
1974
USA ,
GOM
130'
Kelly
Peter
27 August
1974
Norway
91m
Saturation
27 August
1974
Norway
91m
Saturation
0m
SCUBA
72m
Saturation
Not Recorded
Clark
JKJ
14 October
1974
UKCS
Shields
Gary
15 October
1974
Norway
Talbot
Kim
21 October
1974
USA,
Washing
ton
Comex
Norwegian, aged 24. Died of natural causes in the DDC,
Delay in getting him into DDC - obese – plus post mortem
revealed history of heart problems, not medically fit to dive.
Aged 37, former Royal Navy Diver, One of a team of
three divers undertaking routine maintenance to beacon
marking the entrance to the mouth of the Yarra River,
choppy water, his air hose got entangled with his support
vessel propeller. Reported as dead before he could be
recovered to the surface. Survived by his wife and two
daughters aged 12 years and 4 months. The Age.
―Southbury man dies after Navy Diving accident‖, The
Hartford Courant‖ paper, Conn. USA
British, aged 27. Drill rig "Sedco 135F", suffered a
pneumothorax. Was distressed during decompression and
after treated with a therapeutic re-compression but died in
the chamber. Diving supervisor initially suspected
pneumothorax but was over-ridden by the doctor who
diagnosed the symptoms as pneumonia (The doctor
involved was inexperienced in hyperbaric medicine).
US Navy dry dock at Brooklyn Navy Yard. Civilian
commercial diver entered pump well to repair pump, "a 5
minute job", trapped by differential pressure for 17 hours,
body recovered the day after. Reported in the Virgin
Islands Daily News.
Aged 42, oil survey dive from the boat 'Robert R ',
surfaced, but collapsed on deck, put in DDC but stopped
breathing.
British, aged 27. Got a slug of pure Helium on descent,
bell partner pulled off mask and survived.
Got a slug of pure Helium on descent, knocked off mask
as he collapsed and survived on bell gas, bell partner Peter
Kelly died
British, aged 31. Drill rig "Waage I", Acting as surface
tender, Swept under cowcatcher or cross member by swell,
broken rib, vomited, drowned
British, aged 21. DSV "Oregis", Ekofisk pipeline,
changed gas topsides, possibly lost/bad gas, entangled, did
not use bale out, attempted to cut umbilical, asphyxia.
Aged 24 from Seattle, working on a sunken barge near
Blaine, surface crew noticed his bubbles had ceased, pulled
him to surface, resuscitation by fire crew from Blaine was
unsuccessful. Spokane daily Chronicle
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
October
1974
USA,
GOM
David
2 December
1974
Irish
sector
JLH
17
December
1974
UKCS
1974
USA,
Michiga
n
1974
Egypt
9 January
1975
USA,
Californi
a
6 February
1975
Norway
Marlin
J. C.
Keane
Phillips
Not Recorded
Trautman
Richard
Wayne
Imaizumi
Martin
John
Dougla
s
Not Recorded
Wilson
Kevin
6 February
1975
1 March
1975
S/S Mixed
gas
81 m
Comex
S/S Air
SCUBA
Buck
Steber
Ocean
Systems
Dutch
Sector
UKCS
31 m
41m
S/S Air
14 m
CUE
140'
American, pipeline pull-in into a J-tube, pipeline
jammed, diver investigating, it moved and caught his hand,
broken thumb and forefinger, he either climbed directly to
the surface himself or was pulled up by the crew, into the
DDC but died, decompression incident
British, aged 17. Umbilical severed by bell movement,
did not use his bale out, asphyxia/drowning
British, aged 30. Jet Sled, Scapa Flow, Valve knocked
off pipeline by jet sledge, differential pressure (100' to
atmosphere) sucked him into 20cm/8" valve opening, died
instantly Standby diver could not release body until
pressure equalised.
Diving alone in a river recovering fish lures, an activity
he had been pursuing for three years. The victim would
overweight himself with 24 pounds of lead on his waist and
a two pound weight on each ankle. The dive site was below
a dam where the water was quite swift. |The victim was
very fatigued, and witnesses say that he moved closer to the
dam than normal, and apparently got drawn against the
rocks and lost control. He was seen floating downstream
turning over three times as he went. The regulator was out
of his mouth the last time he turned over. The victim was
recovered with the outside portion of a minnow bucket
attached to his chest and a rope from his waist tied to an
inner tube and diving flag. The rope was tangled around his
body. Reported in the statistics of the University of
Michigan, Michigan Sea Grant Program, 1979. (Not sure
whether this is a true professional fatality so it is excluded
from the count TC)
American, salvage diver, injured during suez canal
clearance operations. Law suit in 1982. No details
Reported as 'Diver dies as air line snaps'. Possible that
'another diver, Ta-Kashi Osaka, aged 26, who was sharing
the single hose' tried to fre him from entanglement in kelp
but was too late to rescue him. Reported in the Los
Angeles Times
British, aged 30. Stavanger Fjord, Condeep platform,
reported as 'Lost/ditched helmet, insufficient training' No
explanation', body never recovered, but he had 15 years
experience.
Recorded on HSE database, but not in Dutch records
SCUBA
British, aged 20. Southern North Sea installation 49/27B,
Leman field, pulmonary oedema caused by cardiac
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Alvestad
Aage
Lasse
Not Recorded
22 March
1975
UKCS
3X
460'
16 May
1975
USA,
Californi
a
Pacific
Agar
Compan
y
25'
myopathy, heart failure, natural causes (Reported by JW as
the last 1974 fatality, TC)
Norwegian, aged 30. "Borgney Dolphin", Monsanto,
heating failed, anoxia, hypothermia, exhaustion
Reported as drowned during seaweed harvesting off
Dana point due to compressor failure, but no details. Los
Angeles Times.
Turner
George
W
14 June
1975
Norway
Comex
Gage
Rick
22 June
1975
USA,
Florida
Treasure
Salvors
Inc
UKCS
Underw
ater
Security
Ltd.
120'
SCUBA
UKCS
Underw
ater
Security
Ltd.
120'
SCUBA
USA
Clarmac
Marine
Construc
tion
12'
SCUBA
Walsh
Carson
Gates
Peter
6 July 1975
W
6 July 1975
Robert
29 August
1975
150'
SCUBA
British, aged 37. Pipelay barge "Choctaw 1", meant to be
doing a survey at max depth of 50m, seabed was 69m,
slipped lifeline. Two divers entered water on SCUBA,
supervisor returns to surface violently ill, puking, stand-by
(also in SCUBA) entered water but also returned to surface
violently ill and puking, second standby jumped on band
mask, narked but located diver's body on seabed. Official
report states 'food poisoning' though nobody else who ate in
the galley reported any symptoms.................Bad gas???
Operation to recover gold from the wreck of the Spanish
galleon 'Nuestra Senora Atocha', sank in a hurricane in
1622 some 12 miles off the Marquesa Islands. Salvage
vessel 'North wind', a 60' converted tug rolled over and sank
before dawn as the crew slept whilst anchored overnight on
site. 13 crew saved, Captain and his wife plus one diver,
aged 21, drowned. Daily News.
British, aged 25. "Celtic Surveyor", Scapa Flow, double
fatality (Carson), shore approach, pigging operation, diver
sucked into pipe by wave action or incorrect valve
operation, differential pressure, stand-by diver and second
stand-by (third diver) also sucked in though second standby managed to get out, two divers drowned
British, aged 20. "Celtic Surveyor", Scapa Flow, double
fatality (Walsh), shore approach, pigging operation, diver
sucked into pipe by wave action or incorrect valve
operation, differential pressure, stand-by diver and second
stand-by (third diver) also sucked in though second standby managed to get out, two divers drowned
Aged 19, Halifax River at Ormand Beach, Emergency
repairs to a 10‖ water main (Anchor damage) 200 yards to
the North side of Granada Bridge, diving with a colleague
doing final flange bolting of a new line, the other diver
surfaced but moments later, at around 18:00 his bubbles
ceased, divers went back in but were unable to locate him.
About 20:00 divers on the barge suggested the use of
grapples to search from a boat and found the body but it
1
1
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1
1
1
1
dropped back into the water, finally recovered a short time
later, declared dead on site. Daytona Beach Morning
Gazzette.
Baldwin
Roger
9 September
1975
UKCS
Oceanee
ring
390'
Saturation
Holmes
Peter
9 September
1975
UKCS
Oceanee
ring
390'
Saturation
Wendler
Joachi
m
1 October
1975
USA,
Connecti
cut
Peterson
Barry
17 October
1975
USA,
Californi
a
Moore
Glen
1975
USA,
GOM
105'
SCUBA
Taylor
Diving
and
British, aged 29, Ex RN CD2 ( not ex Royal Marine
Corporal as reported elsewhere). Died in the same year he
left the Navy. Semi-sub drill rig "Waage II", Bell Bounce
diving, divers using dry-suits and known to be cold, end of
bell run, TUP deliberately overheated to help compensate
for potential hypothermia. After locking on, bell was
isolated and decompressed. Single gauge for both bell and
TUP, cross over open, Supervisor believed TUP was losing
pressure and re-pressurised Excessive heat/depth, died of
heat exhaustion. Double fatality (Peter Holmes)
British, aged 24. Semi-sub drill rig "Waage II", Bell
Bounce diving, divers using dry-suits and known to be cold,
end of bell run, TUP deliberately overheated to help
compensate for potential hypothermia. After locking on,
bell was isolated and decompressed. Single gauge for both
bell and TUP, cross over open, Supervisor believed TUP
was losing pressure and re-pressurised Excessive
heat/depth, died of heat exhaustion. Double fatality (Roger
Baldwin)
German, aged 36, from Hamburg, described as a veteran
diver with the West German shipbuilder GKSS, was part of
a three man team preparatory works to the 100 ton
underwater habitat 'Helgoland' sponsored by the US, West
Germany, Poland and Norway. Quote ―It appeared
something went wrong with his oxygen regulator and he
suffered the bends on surfacing‖. Reported in 'The Hour'
Aged 21, sports diver, drowned when he was sucked into
the 2,600 foot long cooling water inlet pipe of Southern
California Edison power plant. An Edison spokesman
commented that he could have surfaced safely in the
holding tank 'but police stated he probably didn't realise
that'. (On the other hand, it is entirely probable he drowned
somewhere inside the half mile long pipe? TC) Google
News Archive. Edison settled out of court in 1979
($100,000).
Dive hose pinched/lost air. Bailed out but came up under
barge. Drowned. No bailout bottle
1
1
1
1
Salvage
Horst
1975
UK
Londive
Inland
Howell RN
John
"Scouse
"
12 January
1976
UKCS
Subsea
480'
Saturation
Ellis
Clay
17 January
1976
UKCS
Comex
240'
Saturation
or bell
bounce
Bannister
Derek
A
17 January
1976
UKCS
Comex
240'
Saturation
16 April
1976
USA,
GOM
3 May 1976
UKCS
Comex
120'
S/S Air
UKCS
North
Sea
Diving
Services
Ocean Express
Dobson
Hubert
Anthon
y
(Tony)
Nichola
s
12 May
1976
120'
S/S Air
British, civil engineering work on Anglesey, got into
difficulties in the water, was picked up by crane but then
dropped a considerable height onto the deck
British, aged 27. He was still in the Navy, but on EVT
(Spending time with prospective employees prior to leaving
the armed forces). Semi-sub drill rig "Western Pacesetter
1". He passed out shortly after leaving bell, officially
reported as suspected switched off own gas by knocking
ball valve, drowning/hypoxia, but other sources indicate his
gas was contaminated and he passed out on the seabed. His
bellman could not (or would not) get him back into the bell
and tied him to the outside of the bell and removed his
helmet. The body was taken to RNPL for autopsy, cause of
death, drowning.
American, aged 20. PSV "Smit Lloyd 112", buoyant bell
with the bell weights suspended underneath bell, this
allowed the bell to sit on the seabed minimising the action
of swell. Apparently the bell was moved and in the
process the bell weights were ripped off. Bell bottom door
open, uncontrolled ascent, pulmonary barotrauma. Died.
His bell partner (Derek Bannister) survived, but was very
severely injured
PSV "Smit Lloyd 112", buoyant bell with the bell
weights suspended underneath bell, this allowed the bell to
sit on the seabed minimising the action of swell.
Apparently the bell was moved and in the process the bell
weights were ripped off. Bell bottom door open,
uncontrolled ascent, pulmonary barotrauma.. His bell
partner (Clay Ellis) died. He survived, but was very
severely injured.
Drilling barge 'Ocean Express' sank in the GOM. POB
36, 12 died in an overturned and flooded survival sapsule.
British, aged 30. Pipelay barge "Orca", stinger checks,
either umbilical snagged subsea, pulled out of basket during
recovery, extended umbilical (OD), or fouling of long
umbilical in tideway, lost mouthpiece (HSE), stand-by
diver could not reach him, drowning
British, aged 24. Pipelay barge "PT One Elfa Norge",
looking for a broken transponder on the bottom of the TP1
under construction in Loch Fyne. After an uneventful dive
he was approaching the surface when he died. It
subsequently turned out that the transponder was not broken
1
1
1
1
1
and the fault was on the surface. The cause of death was
reported as AGE (Arterial Gas Embolism) through diving
with a chest infection, lung collapse, pulmonary barotrauma
Dymott
C
13 May
1976
UKCS
SBM
Anglese
y
120'
SCUBA
Dupuy
R
14 July 1976
UKCS
ETPM
51'
S/S Air
Critchfield
Scott
3 September
1976
USA,
Ohio
Aqua
Hut
12'
SCUBA
Spensley
HW
4 November
1976
UKCS
KD
Marine
0m
SCUBA
Meeham
CV
4 November
1976
UKCS
KD
Marine
0m
SCUBA
Moore
M R or
HR
24
December
1976
UKCS
Comex
0m
SCUBA
Gordon
Hugh
Solberg
Ole Jan
1 February
1977
Pat
11 February
1977
Joseph
1976
USA,
Californi
a
Fred
Devine
and
Salvage
50'
British, aged 26, drowned. 2 divers reported in trouble,
located by stand-by(s) on seabed. Dymott with mouthpiece
out, dive time listed as 5 hours?
French, aged 24. Barge "ETPM 701", mask fitting broke,
common supply to main and bailout, drowned, cerebral
annoxia.
Aged 22, Bowling Green Country Club Golf course,
working on a submerged pump supplying a sprinkler
system, colleague "Turned on the pump at a pre-arranged
signal", about 30 seconds later the diver 'came struggling to
the surface'. He went to get a rope but when he returned,
the diver had disappeared. The diver's body was recovered
about 20 feet from the shore. Possible electrocution, but no
details. Toledo Blade.
British, aged 24. Semi-sub drilling rig "Ocean Voyager",
night dive to connect anchor pennants, surface tending,
rough weather (Outside KD Policy, pushed by Company
man on rig), lines entangled in pontoon anodes, knocked
unconscious? Double fatality (Meecham), drowned
American, aged 24. Semi-sub drilling rig "Ocean
Voyager", night dive to connect anchor pennants, surface
tending, rough weather (Outside KD policy, being pushed
by Company man on rig), lines entangled in pontoon
anodes, knocked unconscious? Double fatality (Spensley)
British, aged 29. Drill rig "Sedneth 701". Heavy swell,
difficulty getting into basket, tried to swim to stand-by boat,
presumed drowned, possibly run over by stand-by vessel,
body never recovered.
On NSDA database as American, possible fatality for a
Norwegian company
On NSDA database as American, possible fatality for a
Norwegian company
Salvage operations on the tanker ―Sansitena‖ in Los
Angeles harbour, Berth 46 (Blew up while alongside, 9
dead, 36 injured in the initial blast 17th December 1976) ,
had been in the water two hours osy arc cutting operations,
gas pocket, underwater explosion, reported as ―diver
stricken with bends when he surfaced after an underwater
explosion‖. Also reported that he was the second diver
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
injured on that job in four days. Although he remained in
the industry, he was never able to dive again after the
accident.. Los Angeles Times, PC.
Hoffman
CH
10 May
1977
UKCS
IUC
500'
Saturation
10 July 1977
USA,
Pennsylv
ania
Harmon
ville
Volunte
er Fire
Departm
ent
50'
SCUBA
Petrecz
Paul F
Sansalone
D
20 August
1977
UKCS
Subsea
Oil
Services
75'
SCUBA
Murphy
RL
3 October
1977
North
Sea
Taylor
Diving
and
Salvage
30m
S/S Air or
S/S mixed
gas?
Gilliam
Stewart
Cailleux
Claude
Azzopardi
PS
Pickering
McKerlich
7 October
1977
14 October
1977
Deck
Dutch
Sector
17 October
1977
UKCS
Mike
1977
UK
Jock
late 70s
UKCS
26m
Comex
300'
Saturation
S/S Air
Northern
Divers
S/S Air
American, aged 22. Venture 1, conflicting reports, had
finished dive, acting as bellman, either fell unconscious in
the bell and drowned in trunking or fainted and fell through
hatch, recovered by diver but he then drowned in trunking,
possible pO2 issue?
Aged 29, Montgomery County volunteer firefighter/diver, one of a team of 30 searching Muddy Run
Lake for the body of a 22 year old who drowned whilst
swimming. 'Tangled in a guideline and ran out of air'
Reported as a veteran diver by fire officials. Beaver
County Times
Italian, aged 29. Pipelay barge "Semac I", Working on
stinger, 2 working divers plus stand-by, lost comms,
continued working, Inexperienced in prevailing conditions,
drowned
Trench barge 316, dredging operation, Snagged subsea
on stinger? Lost comms. Cut umbilical, bailout not
activated, asphixia?
Diving Supervisor, killed in personnel basket transfer
incident, DSV "Seaway Falcon"
Chest injuries from HP gas release when opening up
subsea valve, reported as "25mm @ 7MPa"?
British, aged 21. Semi-sub drill rig "Zephy I", ODECO,
English Channel, KMD 16 helmet off (no safety pin),
strong currents, bellman could not reach him, drowned
Civil engineering, Nigg dry dock gate, differential
pressure, sucked up pipe, drowned
(Younger brother of Sarge McKerlich who died in 1984).
Macduff harbour, post lunch dive, vomited, no suit
inflation, negatively buoyant, could not stay on surface,
tender continued to pay out slack, burst Aorta
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
O'Grady
Rodney
Hoover
David
R
Not Recorded
late 70s
GOM
7 February
1978
Norway
10 July 1978
USA,
Californi
a
Taylor
Diving,
Brown
and
Root
266
305 m
Saturation
Went up the inlet of the jet sledge system on a 'Root and
Scoot' jet barge (They never shut down the pumps
completely because "it took too long to re prime then").
Another report, Paraphrased and (much sanitized TC)
appeared on the 'Offshore Diver' website: ―He was doing a
routine ditch check when they ran up the RPMs on the
impeller below deck. Bid blenders is what they are. They
created the suction so all the jetted mud would go up to the
barge via an approx. 14" hose and to the impeller, then shot
overboard. I heard tell it was one of the newer guys that had
just got on the barge that season. Paying no attention....he
rev'ed up the impellers right when Rodney was checking if
there was water under the pipe. Just a short yell, that was
all. The steel stingers on either side of the pipe were ovalish shaped, and again, about 14-16" wide. Well, poor
Rodney, who was a regular on the 266 went right up the
stinger to the heavy (like weatherford) walled hose and into
the impeller, where he was ground to fish food and pumped
overboard. The barge crew stopped all activity and had a
closed door meeting, no divers. (Deleted, TC) (Later,
TC) The couple of tenders and the one barge diver left
where called in. That's why they called us...to search the sea
floor for Rodney, what was left of Rodney. That's where I
leave it. Rodney wore a Miller, they are pretty tough. The
casket was small. Use your imagination. We should have
been allowed to Keel haul the dumb yokel that killed him.
But he was gone already. I never went back there. Used to
like going there as a tender as they dove us on ditch checks
a good bit, even to 180' on air. I should count my lucky
stars. Long to short: (Allegedly) big cover up. (Deleted)
Two years later I was in sat on the Phillips SS only about
10k from the Byford Dolfin when the guys were killed. I
remember the LST calling in and having us shut the hatch
to the bell (it was overhead, we'd just leave it down!) and
set-up the hatches to the living areas so that if the bell blew
off due to some numb-skull opening the trunk they would
slam shut. Open and inch or two was cool for gas
circulation. So, that's where lock out tag out came from and
where bell interlocks came from, I like to think so Rodney
did not die horribly for absolutely nothing‖
American, aged 28, hyperbaric weld demonstration, O2
starvation (Gas mixer had low O2), no bailout
Aged 41, reported as being killed by an attack of the
bends whilst being treated in a ship's decompression
chamber on a $5.3 million dollar outfall project at Aliso
1
1
1
Beach (Part of Laguna Beach, South of Los Angeles). No
details. Los Angeles Times
Prangley
Tony
Ward
Mike
26
November
1978
26
November
1978
UKCS
Northern
Divers
380'
Saturation
UKCS
Northern
Divers
380'
Saturation
18'
SCUBA
Not Recorded
1978
USA,
Michiga
n
Names witheld at the request of the diver
1978
UKCS
Wharton
William
s
475'
Saturation
UKCS
Maritim
e
Offshore
Products
102'
S/S Air
Eke
BE
5 May 1979
Wells
Robert
Lloyd
6 May 1979
USA,
Oregon
Guiel
Victor
F
"Skip"
7 August
1979
UKCS
Infabco
530'
Saturation
Walker
Richard
A
7 August
1979
UKCS
Infabco
530'
Saturation
S/S Air
British, aged 28. Beryl Alpha, DSV "Star Canopus", DP
incident inside anchor pattern, lost bell, double fatality
(Ward), hypothermia/drowning
British, aged 25. Beryl Alpha, DSV "Star Canopus", DP
incident inside anchor pattern, lost bell, double fatality
(Prangley), hypothermia, drowning
‖The victim was diving alone in 18 feet of water trying to
find out why fishing nets were getting fouled on the bottom.
He had not been diving for 5 years and the equipment had
not been used for equally as long. The victim entered the
water and never resurfaced. He was recovered two and a
half hours later‖ Reported in the statistics of the
University of Michigan, Michigan Sea Grant Program,
1979. (Not sure whether this is a true professional fatality
so it is excluded from the count TC)
DSV 'Tender Carrier', working diver fed pure helium
from a McDermott blender (sensors failed) and became
unconscious. Recovered by bell partner, (ex Royal marine)
and brought to surface. Brain damage meant him having to
re-learn how to walk. Off work six months but then
continued to dive until 1986.
British, aged 34. Southern North Sea installation
48/29C, Over inflated dry suit, entangled in water jet
equipment, helmet came detached, drowned
Aged 33. Quote:- ―Working at the Simtag Farms intake
pumps at the confluence of Willow Creek and the Columbia
River when his air lines apparently were sucked into the
pumps and cut. His partner was at the surface at the time.
When he realised something was wrong, he dove under and
attempted to free Wells and bring him up for air but the
lines were stuck in the intake pumps and another diver had
to be called before Wells could be freed, police said‖
Reported in the Tri City Herald.
American, aged 28. DSV "Wildrake", Thistle field,
parted bell wire, secondary means of recovery failed,
screwed up rescue, died from hypothermia, Double fatality
(Walker)
American, aged 32. DSV "Wildrake", Thistle field,
parted bell wire, secondary means of recovery failed,
screwed up rescue, died from hypothermia, Double fatality
1
1
1
1
1
1
(Guiel)
Anderson
Wodeco V lost bell
Allan
15 August
1979
Mexico,
GOM
Taylor
Diving
and
Salvage
10
November
1979
Ghana
Comex
165'
Saturation
426'
Lost Bell
American, aged 32, "Ixtox I" blow-out 3rd of June, Bay
of Campeche, Mexico, Drill rig "Sedco 135F" sank. Diver
died during attempts to shut in the well, off the barge "LB
Meaders", caught in vortex at wellhead and blown to the
surface. Well finally capped 23/3/1980, second biggest oilspill in history. Wife and two children aged 11 and 7.
Entire dive team – including the supervisor, - dived in
rotation, bell bounce diving. Single bell lift wire plus two
guide wires tied up to the wellhead. About a month prior to
the incident, the main wire had been ovalised above the
socket but judged fit for purpose. On this day, during bell
recovery, when the bell had reached the top of the "A"
frame, the wire parted.. The bell ballast hit the water, the
bell hit the ballast which had been slowed down entering
the water and sank. Communications were lost with the
bell. The surface team expected the divers in the bell to
shed its ballast, but that did not happen. The team was
without supervisor (he was in the bell) and there was no
lead diver. On advice from company HQ, they mixed some
10 % Heliox and built a surface umbilical by connecting
three lengths of flexible hose. The first diver started
breathing the 10 % prior to entering the water and passed
out. The rest of the team assumed that this was due to the
fact that the components had not "mixed up properly". They
equipped the next diver with a bail out cylinder filled with
Air, he breathed the Air from the surface and switched to
Heliox at 10 metres. On the way down, this diver pulled
himself with his arms, head down along one of the bell
guide wires instead of "hanging out" in the current on the
way down. As a result, him and his umbilical rotated
around the bell guide wire several times to the point were
he could not progress any more and he exhausted himself in
the process. It is possible that he had passed out underwater.
The surface crew retrieved him, it needed several men to
haul on the umbilical. He was suffering from pulmonary
barotrauma. However, he was conscious when he reached
the surface, he cleared the several turns the umbilical had
made around the guide wire himself. He went in the
chamber still conscious and standing with a doctor and
male nurse. Short of Helium, so they only pressurized the
main lock. The nurse was claustrophobic and started
panicking and they had to decompress him. In order to do
so, they pressurised the entrance lock with the only gas they
1
1
had left, air. When the nurse left the chamber he was told
that if he was not feeling well to return to the chamber to be
treated. Instead he went into hiding, laid down and was
found later, dead (Isobaric counter diffusion). The diver
died in the chamber (Pulmonary Barotrauma),.
Wodeco V lost bell
Lecas
1980
Joseph
(Jo)
11
November
1979
Ghana
Comex
and
Oceanee
ring
426'
Lost Bell
Quote from a New Zealand Comex diver of that time "I
was asked to be a replacement for that Comex crew on
Wodeco 5 in deepest darkest Africa in 1980, NO WAY!
This was ―You send em, we bend 'em". PC.
Note:- The source of the original quote is, errr 'disputed'?
('Contoversial' might be more accurate!), as with the old
UK/Siebe Gorman/Heinke diving expression referring to
being on bottom with no gas "Nothing on the gauge except
'use no oil", the precise origins of both expressions are
unclear though both evoke the ethos of their era (TC).
Rescue teams arrived on board perhaps 24 hours after the
bell was lost with a team from Oceaneering and a "JIM"
atmospheric suit but without their normal
winch/umbilical/comms (too heavy to fly) First two dives
aborted due to suit flooding and retrieval was hampered by
the current, but on the third attempt, the JIM got close
enough to see the bell which was not floating up from its
ballast but lying on the seabed, indicating that it was
flooded or partly flooded. One of the guide wires had
ruptured and was no longer attached to the wellhead and
there was some tension in the remaining guide wire, so
every time the drill ship was lifted by the swell, the was
being rolled from side to side on the seabed. The JIM could
not get any closer without being hit by the rolling bell so
the dive was aborted and the bell grappled (NB, the JIM
rescue mission in itself is an epic tale, TC). The bell was
caught first time. On deck, some 30 hours after the wire
failure, it was established that the bell was 2/3 flooded, both
divers were floating face down, dead. Analysis of the bell
atmosphere confirmed there was no measurable CO2. Both
men had suffered facial injuries, one with a broken nose,
one with knee injuries. It is likely that the first shock, when
the bell collided with its own ballast, had thrown them
1
down, causing the injuries. They had managed on the way
down to open the bell pressurisation valve. The dive was a
bounce dive, and decompression had started while the bell
was on its was up before the accident. As a result the bell
would have started flooding at some point before they even
reached the bottom. At some point the inner door had
closed, but not before the bell was 2/3 flooded. The
pressurisation valve having been open, and left open on the
way down, ensured a seal. The two divers (the second
diver's identity is not recorded), hurt by the initial impact,
drowned.
Not Recorded
11
November
1979
Ghana
Comex
and
Oceanee
ring
426'
Lost Bell
Rescue teams arrived on board perhaps 24 hours after the
bell was lost with a team from Oceaneering and a "JIM"
atmospheric suit but without their normal
winch/umbilical/comms (too heavy to fly) First two dives
aborted due to suit flooding and retrieval was hampered by
the current, but on the third attempt, the JIM got close
enough to see the bell which was not floating up from its
ballast but lying on the seabed, indicating that it was
flooded or partly flooded. One of the guide wires had
ruptured and was no longer attached to the wellhead and
there was some tension in the remaining guide wire, so
every time the drill ship was lifted by the swell, the was
being rolled from side to side on the seabed. The JIM could
not get any closer without being hit by the rolling bell so
the dive was aborted and the bell grappled (NB, the JIM
rescue mission in itself is an epic tale, TC). The bell was
caught first time. On deck, some 30 hours after the wire
failure, it was established that the bell was 2/3 flooded, both
divers were floating face down, dead. Analysis of the bell
atmosphere confirmed there was no measurable CO2. Both
men had suffered facial injuries, one with a broken nose,
one with knee injuries. It is likely that the first shock, when
the bell collided with its own ballast, had thrown them
down, causing the injuries. They had managed on the way
down to open the bell pressurisation valve. The dive was a
bounce dive, and decompression had started while the bell
was on its was up before the accident. As a result the bell
would have started flooding at some point before they even
reached the bottom. At some point the inner door had
closed, but not before the bell was 2/3 flooded. The
pressurisation valve having been open, and left open on the
way down, ensured a seal. The two divers in the bell (the
other was the supervisor Jo Lecas), hurt by the initial
1
impact, drowned.
Not Recorded
1979
France
Not Recorded
1979
Qatar
Comex
1979
Indonesi
a
Hydrosp
ace
Not Recorded
1979
Ireland
Smit
Not Recorded
1970s or
1980s
Middle
East
Taylor
Diving
Krausky
Bruno
10m
S/S Air
SCUBA
surface
S/S Air
French, inspecting a valve in a nuclear power station
plant water system, sucked in. The valve had been key
locked by client , but unfortunately 'in open position'.
Diving untended of Halul island, failed to surface, not
clear if body was ever recovered. No other etails. PC
Australian, fed pure He on the bottom, Natuna field,
Indonesia. No details
Paraphrased from Wikipedia. The Betelgeuse incident,
also known as the Betelgeuse or Whiddy Island disaster,
occurred on 8 January 1979, at around 1:00 am., when the
oil tanker 'Betelgeuse' exploded in West Cork at the
offshore jetty of the Whiddy Island Oil Terminal, due to the
failure of the ship's structure during an operation to
discharge its cargo of oil. The explosion and resulting fire
claimed the lives of 50 people (42 French nationals, 7 Irish
nationals and 1 United Kingdom national). Only 27 bodies
were recovered. A further fatality occurred during the
salvage operation with the loss of a Dutch diver. The
salvage firm raised the Betelgeuse in four sections. The first
section (the bow) was towed out to open water, 100 miles
offshore, and scuttled. This measure attracted protests from
the fishing community, so two further sections were sealed
up and towed to breaking yards in Spain for disposal. A
fourth section was broken up locally. During the salvage
operation, the life of a diver was lost. The last section was
not removed until July 1980. Local fishing grounds were
badly contaminated and a clean-up was not finally complete
until 1983.
American, Taylor Diving (Bahrain) jumping from the
deck of a barge into the water, wearing a Swindel, umbilical
connection between helmet and harness caught on a
projection, ripped off from both helmet and harness, body
later recovered from seabed, possibly broken neck
1
1
1
1
1
Galliano
Remy
Not Recorded
O'Sullivan
Dermot
t
Herr
David
Withheld pending agreement of the diver
Collins
Not Recorded
SI 1981/399
Robert
Lee
French, from Marseilles, aged 30, just starting as a
professional diver onboard the 'Calypso' which was on a
trip to film the wrecks of the American warships 'Hamilton'
and 'Scourge' sank in 1812 in 90 metres of water.
Drowned, coroner recorded 'accidental death'. No details.
Montreal Gazzette
A diver testing effects of cooling water discharge from
the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) on
marine life died Wednesday while collecting samples. No
details. Los Angeles Times
3 September
1980
Canada,
Ontario
18
September
1980
USA,
Californi
a
29 October
1980
Norway
Oceanee
ring
1980
Indonesi
a
Oceanee
ring
1 February
1981
Gabon
Comex
8 February
1981
USA,
Louisian
a
26
December
1981
USA,
Californi
a
1
1
"Sedco Phillips SS", Ekofisk, back injury
60m
S/S
Mixed Gas
Murdered
American working the Lapco field, found on the bottom
with KM10 off (loose retaining ring, hood pulled off) No
details
Diver was deployed using SS HeO2 to carry out a short
intervention on the subsea experimental template station at
Grondin NE field. About 5 min into the dive, diver shouted;
"NO AIR" then silence. The standby diver entered the
water and located him at about 30 metres tangled in the
ROV umbilical with his helmet off. He was unconscious.
Brought up to surface and transferred to the DDC attached
to the SAT system and given resuscitation and first aid.
Breathing was restarted but he remained unconscious. He
was blown down to -50m on air. Local Comex diving
doctor was flown to the site. She entered the DDC and gave
therapeutic medical treatment. The casualty recovered and
came out of DDC at end of hyperbaric treatment. He went
back to diving and was a member of one of the deepest
experimental dive conducted by Comex. The reason for the
lack of breathing media could not be ascertained even after
multiple tests on the umbilical and panel. The bail out
cylinder was found full of water. Reported about a year
after that the diving supervisor at the panel admitted not
setting up the panel regulator to cater for the water depth.
Aged 38, professional diver, died 6 hours after a a bomb
blew his pick up truck apart in New Orleans - nasty limb
loss injuries - . Reports alleged of drug dealing
connections, but no details
Long Beach harbour, drowned after getting trapped on an
underwater intake of the tanker Arco Alaska. Reported in
the Los Angeles times, no details
DOW, Diving Operations at Work Regulations came into
force
1
1
Robinson, USN
ENS
William
C
16 January
1982
USN
Fitz, USN
FN
Rodney
L
16 January
1982
USN
Bloomer, USN
PO2
Charles
W
16 January
1982
USN
Bond, USN
PO3
Richard
D
16 January
1982
USN
Shelton, USN
SA
Leslie
C
16 January
1982
USN
Ocean Ranger
15 February
1982
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Odeco
Sinking
US N Submarine ―Grayback‖, converted for SEAL
deployment with diver lockout and SDVs (Swimmer
Delivery Systems). Onboard decompression chamber
accident during launch?recovery cycle, five fatalities
US N Submarine ―Grayback‖, converted for SEAL
deployment with diver lockout and SDVs (Swimmer
Delivery Systems). Onboard decompression chamber
accident during launch?recovery cycle, five fatalities
US N Submarine ―Grayback‖, converted for SEAL
deployment with diver lockout and SDVs (Swimmer
Delivery Systems). Onboard decompression chamber
accident during launch?recovery cycle, five fatalities
US N Submarine ―Grayback‖, converted for SEAL
deployment with diver lockout and SDVs (Swimmer
Delivery Systems). Onboard decompression chamber
accident during launch?recovery cycle, five fatalities
US N Submarine ―Grayback‖, converted for SEAL
deployment with diver lockout and SDVs (Swimmer
Delivery Systems). Onboard decompression chamber
accident during launch?recovery cycle, five fatalities
Sank in a storm off Newfoundland, wave broke
porthole/window, seawater in ballast control electrics,
listed, rolled over and sank, 84 fatalities, no survivors
Canadian, aged 24, diver in sat onboard the Ocean
Ranger which sank in a storm with the loss of all 84
personnel onboard. How many other divers were onboard,
which contractor,?
Diver in sat onboard the Ocean Ranger which sank in a
storm with the loss of all 84 personnel onboard. How many
other divers were onboard?
1
1
1
1
1
Morrison
Perry
15 February
1982
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Fraser
Saturation
Sinking
Miller
Wayne
15 February
1982
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Fraser
Saturation
Sinking
Crawford
Gary
15 February
1982
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Fraser
Saturation
Sinking
Diver in sat onboard the Ocean Ranger which sank in a
storm with the loss of all 84 personnel onboard. How many
other divers were onboard?
1
Halliday
Norman
15 February
1982
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Fraser
Saturation
Sinking
Diver in sat onboard the Ocean Ranger which sank in a
storm with the loss of all 84 personnel onboard. How many
other divers were onboard?
1
Mitchell
Gord
15 February
1982
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Fraser
Saturation
Sinking
Diver in sat onboard the Ocean Ranger which sank in a
storm with the loss of all 84 personnel onboard. How many
other divers were onboard?
1
1
1
Heavnor
Tom
13 March
1982
USA,
Washing
ton
230'
S/S Air
Anderson
Doug
13 March
1982
USA,
Washing
ton
230'
SCUBA
17 June
1982
USA,
Californi
a
25/6/1982
USA,
Californi
a
Not Recorded
McCArty
Michael
45'
SCUBA
50'
S/S Air
10 October
1982
Statistics
Phillips
S/S Air
Derek
29 October
1982
UKCS
Wharton
William
s Taylor
American , aged 39. Had chartered the salvage barge ―St
Peter‖ out of Port Townsend and were inspecting a sunken
oil barge off the West Whidbey Island for recoverable
metal when Heavenor's air lines became entangled, his
standby diver, Doug Anderson entered the water to assist on
SCUBA. Neither diver surfaced. Heavnor's body was
recovered later by commercial divers from the tug
―Constellation‖ which responded to distress calls. Double
fatality. Unclear if Anderson's body was ever recovered.
American, aged 34. Had chartered the salvage barge ―St
Peter‖ out of Port Townsend and were inspecting a sunken
oil barge off the West Whidbey Island for recoverable
metal when Heavenor's air lines became entangled, Doug
Anderson, acting as standby, entered the water to assist on
SCUBA. Neither diver surfaced. Heavnor's body was
recovered later by commercial divers from the tug
―Constellation‖ which responded to distress calls.. Double
fatality. Unclear if Anderson's body was ever recovered
A commercial deep sea diver died after his air hose
became wrapped around his neck while diving near San
Clemente Island. Los Angeles Times
"Navy SCUBA diver died Friday afternoon 45 feet under
the waters of Long Beach Harbour under the World War II
Battleship 'New …. ?" Reported as a 'valve malfunction'.
Los Angeles Times
Reported in an article in the Connecticut paper ―The
Day‖ that ―Records kept by the National Underwater
Accident Data Center at the University of Rhode Island
show that 167 commercial divers working for US firms
were killed on the job between 1970 and 1981‖
I guess
we still have a lot of data to collect - TC
British, aged 24. ex RN ship's diver working off the DSV
"Shearwater Aquamarine". Shallow DP diving, diver was
undertaking a seabed survey, DP failure (active drive off),
diver was dragged off the job and then apparently ditched
his helmet (KB17), body lost, recovered 9 months later‖ As
reported by a fellow diver ―He was my room mate on the
Polar Queen. The story goes he was diving from a basket
when the Aquamarine ran off DP. Derek thought, or so we
think he thought, that his umbilical was in the prop. He
removed all his equipment and drowned. In the months
before the fatality we had a near miss on the Polar Queen
when another diver‘s umbilical was caught in the prop. This
diver removed his gear and was saved. However he was in a
basket with spare air and had help. The feeling is that Derek
1
1
1
1
1
was trying the same technique however he was on the
bottom, on his own, with a hot water suit and not wearing
fins. The result was inevitable‖
Gunderson
1982
USA
SCUBA
Not Recorded
1982
USSR
Military
1982?
USA
USN
50m
Andersom, USN
SI
Martin
Bowes
Bob
10 January
1983
GOM
20'
Pedersen
Jarle
16 March
1983
Norway
7m
Paraphrased from press reports from 19/9/2009- ―Jerry
Gunderson, aged 75, started diving for golf balls in 1953,
when he was 19. His passion for diving for golf balls led
to the founding of a chain of seven golf-supply stores, was
found dead in the centre of the lake at the Deer Creek
Country Club in Deerfield Beach on Saturday. Drowned.
One of his sons died while diving for golf balls in a lake 27
years ago. "I lost my brother to the water, too," said Jerry
Gunderson's other son, Marc, 53 who used to dive for golf
balls himself. Jerry Gunderson started retrieving,
collecting and reselling golf balls soon after his first dive as
a teenager. At first, it was the simple act of fishing out the
golf balls in a Lake Worth course in the 1950s, washing
them, and reselling them. But he went on to build a
Deerfield Beach-based chain of golf-supply stores called
International Golf. He sold the business a few years ago
and worked as a freelance diver for smaller companies.
Training dive in Lake Baikal. Reported that during the
dive they saw ―a group of humanoids dressed in silvery
suits‖. They tried to catch them, in the process 3 trainees
died and 4 were injured. Reported lifted from
declassified Soviet ―UFO encounter‖ records in 2009
(Whether you believe narcosis/bad gas/a training error or
―Aliens‖ is up to you, TC)
Died in a diving accident related to recovering a torpedo
S/S Air
Houma, tender making first dive, recovering drill string
that had fallen off a barge, hose pinched, no bailout, found
under barge, drowned.
Norwegian, aged 29, Seway Falcon, umbilical drawn into
stern thruster.
1
3
1
1
1
Underhill
Ernest
29 April
1983
USA,
Michiga
n
Schumacher
Edward
6 May 1983
USA,
Virginia
Wallace
RM
2 June 1983
UKCS
Mobell
Marine
Not Recorded
20 June
1983
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Wijsmul
er
Salvage
Sat
Not Recorded
20 June
1983
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Wijsmul
er
Salvage
Sat
Not Recorded
26 June
1983
Canada,
NewFou
ndland
Wijsmul
er
Salvage
Sat
18 August
1983
USA,
Kentuck
y
Police
100
SCUBA
5 November
1983
Norway
Comex
Houlder
On deck
Saturation
LaFollette
Ricky
A
Bergersen
Bjorn
Giaever
Police
SCUBA
80'
S/S Air
54'
SCUBA
Aged 32, Sheriff's Deputy, off duty, Little Muskegon
dam, helping village employees replace metal plates/grills
over openings in the dam wall but got sucked head first into
a 4' wide. 8‖ high opening. Rescuers tried for 5 hours to
pull him out, while his wife watched, eventually breaking
his surface line, His legs and feet were visible, but the water
pressure kept him trapped. 'He was just helping out'.
Aged 26, one of a 7 man diving team working off a barge
over a newly laid section of the tunnel of the third Elizabeth
River tunnel, became entangled underwater. Recovered by
stand-by divers, transferred to a decompression chamber at
the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Norfolk but
died of 'heart failure'
British, aged 30. Diving from inflatable, body recovered
with SCUBA mouthpiece out of mouth, drowned
Two Dutch divers died in underwater explosions either
cutting into a compartment (oxy/arc??) or using ramset
guns during salvage operations on the Ocean Ranger (Sank
in a storm February 15th 1982) off the barge 'Ocean Servant
2', no details. After a third diver was killed less than a
week later, salvage operations were suspended for an
investigation. Spokane Chronicle/Ottawa Citizen
Two Dutch divers died in underwater explosions either
cutting into a compartment (oxy/arc??) or using ramset
guns during salvage operations on the Ocean Ranger (Sank
in a storm February 15th 1982) off the barge 'Ocean Servant
2', no details. After a third diver was killed less than a
week later, salvage operations were suspended for an
investigation. Spokane Chronicle/Ottawa Citizen
British, third diver to die in a week during salvage
operations on the Ocean Ranger (Sank in a storm Feb 15 th
1982 with a loss of 84 persons), diving from the salvage
barge 'Ocean Servant 2' thought to be a dropped object, but
no details, salvage operations were suspended for an
investigation. Spokane Chronicle/Ottawa Citizen
American police diver aged 30, Louisville, Kentucky,
experienced, night training exercise using new
communication equipment, did not respond to calls,
believed to have become disorientated in the dark and
descended rather than ascended, drowned.
Norwegian, aged 29. Drill rig "Byford Dolphin", Frigg
field, explosive decompression of sat system when TUP
clamp failed. No interlock, 5 fatalities
1
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1
1
1
1
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1
Cowards
Edwin
Arthur
5 November
1983
Norway
Comex
Houlder
On deck
Saturation
Crammond
William
Brown
5 November
1983
Norway
Comex
Houlder
On deck
LSS
Hellevik
Truls
5 November
1983
Norway
Comex
Houlder
On deck
Saturation
Lucas
Roy P
5 November
1983
Norway
Comex
Houlder
On deck
Saturation
Saunders
Martin
Andrew
5 November
1983
Norway
Comex
Houlder
On deck
Saturation
Camejo
Joao
Lazaro
22 February
1984
Brazil
Superpe
sa
McKerlich
Sarge
Feb 1984
UKCS
?
40'
SCUBA
Dawson
M
16 August
1984
UKCS
Oceanee
ring
140'
S/S Air
Siver
Ronald
J
19 August
1984
USA,
New
York
Police
75'
SCUBA
Edie
Winfiel
dS
24
November
1984
USA,
Washing
ton State
Police
12'
SCUBA
Gray
Kevin
1984
Saudi
Arabia
Wharton
William
s
Early 1980s
Tunisia
Tunisian
Not Recorded
67m
S/S Trimix
British, aged 35. Drill rig "Byford Dolphin", Frigg field,
explosive decompression of sat system when TUP clamp
failed, 5 fatalities
British, aged 32. Drill rig "Byford Dolphin", Frigg field,
explosive decompression of sat system when TUP clamp
failed, 5 fatalities
Norwegian, aged 34. Drill rig "Byford Dolphin", Frigg
field, explosive decompression of sat system when TUP
clamp failed, 5 fatalities
British, aged 38. Drill rig "Byford Dolphin", Frigg field,
explosive decompression of sat system when TUP clamp
failed, 5 fatalities
Drill rig "Byford Dolphin", Frigg field, explosive
decompression of sat system when TUP clamp failed, 5
fatalities, one serious injury
Brazilian. Semi-sub drill rig "Zephyr II", ODECO. No
details
(Elder brother of Jock McKerlich who died in the late
70s). Scallop diving? Ex sat diver, MFV "Boy John", Plock
of Kyle. First dive after misunderstanding with diving
doctor, he should never have returned to diving after a
major deck accident offshore.
British, aged 22. DSV "Deurloo", Southern North Sea,
Leman Field, using a drill, rope entangled in rotating drill,
pulled off his KM 18 band mask, drowned
American police diver, Rochester, New York.
Attempting to find the body of a man who died in a boating
accident, suffered unknown problems, drowned
American police diver aged 29, Wenatchee, Washington
State. First open water training dive, surfaced, yelled for
help, sank, resurfaced, yelled again and sank, found on the
bottom in 12' of water, could not be resuscitated
The Isle of Man's hyperbaric Chamber has been operated
by the Kevin Gray Memorial Trust since 1984 when Manx
local commercial diver Kevin Gray died while working in
Saudi Arabia. Following his death, his employer Wharton
Williams donated one of its chambers to the Island for
divers in the Irish Sea.
During in-water decompression, supervisor on board the
vessel shifted to oxygen supply at 6 m. 2 minutes later
diver surfaced, become unconscious on being pulled into an
inflatable (standing by) where he was recovered in seconds.
Could not be resuscitated The oxygen supply line had a
filter partly covered with teflon fibers from the fittings.
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1
Check showed oxygen supply pressure but reduced flow.
Diver, very experienced, did not operate his bailout for
unknown reasons
Belleque
Arthur
A
―Jerry‖
15 January
1985
USA,
Oregon
Workman
Jim
26 March
1985
USA,
Californi
a
Hines
Bruce
27 April
1985
USA,
Florida
Stethem
Robert
Dean
15 June
1985
Lebanon
Gurley
Mike
18
September
1985
USA,
Georgia
Sept 1985
Yugosla
via
17
November
1985
USA,
New
Jersey
14
Mexico
Not Recorded
Rao
DSV Huichol
Mathew
J
30'
USN
SCUBA
Commercial fishing operation in the Columbia river,
diving to remove snags from the river bed using a drag net
and two boats. Pulled from the river alive but died in
hospital. Sheriff stated it was possible he had died of
natural causes, but an autopsy was planned. No further
details
1
S/S Air
American, aged 29, umbilical cut by passing boat
propeller, drowned
1
Murdered
260'
Caldwell
Diving
Compan
y
Pemex
20'
S/S Air
Sat
American, salvage operation off Johns Island, Florida,
pulled from the water 27/4/1985 but died several days later
due to complications arising from bronchial pneumonia.
No real details, Miami Herald.
Aged 24, US Navy construction diver with the Seabees.
TWA Flight 847 was on its way from Athens to Rome
when it was hijacked by Shiite Muslims sympathetic to the
Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran‘s leader at the time. The US
Navy Seabee team was returning to the U.S. after a training
mission in Egypt. When the plane landed in Beirut, Navy
diver Robert Stethem was shot and killed, his body dumped
on the tarmac.The Commander and five Navy divers were
held captive for 17 days in Beirut, Lebanon.
American, aged 34, fire-fighter, Morgan Falls dam,
training another fire-fighter, working on a valve, sucked
into a drain, pulled free by a crane 1 hour later, did not
respond to treatment, Cause of death was not drowning but
'hyperventilation'. Differential Pressure incident. Atlanta
Herald
The Brigitta Montanari sank in a storm on Nov. 16, 1984,
near the Yugoslav town of Sibenik. The vessel was carrying
vinyl chloride, a highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical.
Two salvage divers were killed during salvage attempts in
1985. The vessel started leaking toxic chemicals in 1987.
No details.
Removing silt from a dockside water when his air supply
was accidentally cut off, 'His air hose got sucked into the
intake of the ejection pump, cutting off his air supply,'' NY
Times
Ex 'Kattenturm', sank in a storm, see entry in appendix
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2
1
December
1985
list of incidents with incomplete details
Bowmar
Dave
1985
UKCS
Subsea
Offshore
30'
Chamber
Mackey
Tom
1985
UKCS
Subsea
Offshore
30'
Chamber
Experienced air diver. Aberdeen, Chamber dive, low O2,
Anoxia, Double fatality (Tom Mackey). Welding trials,
Initially reported as nitrox dive and that techs put CO2 on
line instead of O2 during decompression, then reported to
have been at the start of an air saturation at 30', but was
most likely 'just' an air dive. LP air compressor was putting
out too high a pressure (divers on AGA masks) and in order
to adjust the pressure, the technician turned off the supply
to dive control, supervisor switched to HP gas quad and
then back to LP once the compressor was back on line, but
divers were unconscious. Chamber surfaced, one diver
dead on site, second died in hospital. HP gas quad (pink
but labelled ―21% oxygen‖) was actually virtually pure
Nitrogen (gas in quad not analysed, panel O2 analysers not
on line).
Ex Glasgow shipyard welder, welding instructor for
Subsea Offshore. Had just completed air diver training and
was hoping to go offshore as a welder/diver. Aberdeen,
Chamber dive, low O2, Anoxia, Double fatality (Dave
Bowmar). Welding trials, Initially reported as nitrox dive
and that techs put CO2 on line instead of O2 during
decompression, then reported to have been at the start of an
air saturation at 30', but was most likely 'just' an air dive.,
LP air compressor was putting out too high a pressure
(divers on AGA masks) and in order to adjust the pressure,
the technician turned off the supply to dive control,
supervisor switched to HP gas quad and then back to LP
once the compressor was back on line, but divers were
unconscious. Chamber surfaced, one diver dead on site,
second died in hospital. HP gas quad (pink but labelled
―21% oxygen‖) was actually virtually pure Nitrogen (gas in
quad not analysed, panel O2 analysers not on line).
1
1
Kirkpatrick
Jock
1985?
Middle
East
McDerm
ott
50'
Air
Saturation
Paraphrased from a personal communication (Names
removed and some of the more acrimonious details
moderated or removed - apologies to all, but one has to be
circumspect with some of this stuff, TC ):- ―Sub Sea had
seconded 6 welder divers to McDermotts for a job in the
Red Sea off the DB 27. At the time of the incident, the
AODC was debating the issue of a minimum of 2% O2 in
the base gas, McDermott disagreed with it, one reason was
"It will be difficult for the LST to calculate blow down", the
job was an air sat weld at around 15 - 21 msw, the industry
had just started using air sat's then, air being cheaper than
Heliox, base gas was pure N2. The dive panel was an ―inhouse‖ built very small dive/sat panel. One of the
chambers wasn't being used, so the take off was being used
to flow gas to the welding habitat to keep the water out.
During the dive (Air sat, so as usual at the time, the attitude
of "Oh its only an air dive, don't need to analyze the divers
gas", and the analyzer was either turned off or not even
installed. One of the chambers had lost a few FSW, so the
dive sup reached over, turned off the air supply to the sat
panel which was supplying air to the habitat, turned on the
N2, which was chamber make up, made up, and put air
back on. Unbeknown to all at the time, the sat panel and
dive panel had no check valves installed, N2 around 200
psi, air around 150 psi, (either way, the N2 to the sat panel
was higher than the air to the dive panel), N2 tracked over
to the dive panel, down to the diver, and zap, diver passed
out from being given pure nitrogen. Initially not knowing
what had happened, they were going to jump the bell man,
(who was on same gas supply). Fortunately, before he
donned his mask the bellman saw the diver underneath the
bell and pulled him in, but he failed to respond to treatment.
After the fatality, a SSOL safety rep was mobilized to the
job in to carry out an investigation, (because of the 6 SSOL
divers in sat). The panel designer/builder also arrived on
site with a dive tech, SSOL told the dive tech to
disconnect the line connecting both panels, and the crew to
mix up the N2 base gas to around 9% to give a PPO2 of
around 210 mbs at the working depth, (Think it was around
50 fsw). This was done, but as the investigation team was
departing they noticed that the dive tech had connected the
pipe up again, when he was asked why, he said "Well it
hasn't happened before, and will probably not happen
again.............." There were rumours that the dive
supervisors were reluctant to sign off the dive logs and
1
reports that showed the fatality was due to pure N2.
Scott
Steve
"Joe
90"
Not Recorded
Arnold
Al
Wiker
Scott W
Mid 80s
India
Stena
1980s
Brazil
Superpe
sa
1980s
USA,
GOM
Taylor
Diving
10 January
1986
USA,
Florida
DiveTec
h
Surface
120m
Saturation
SCUBA
DSV Nand Shamick, Bombay High, launching zodiac,
crane came up on load, no sensor, head-ache ball pulled
into sheave, wire parted, head-ache ball dropped onto
zodiac/divers legs, boat folded pushing divers head into
head-ache ball, died instantly
Campos basin, DSV Flexservice 1, oxy/arc torch not
working, taken back to the bell for checking, flash fire, two
divers died of burns
American, mid-umbilical fitting pulled apart, lost gas,
attempted to reach open bottom bell but found unconscious
just outside. Did not activate his bailout.
Aged 26, cleaning inlets of Crystal River nuclear power
plant run by the Florida Power Corporation, cleaning filters
on the cooling water inlets, pumps running at 28,000
gallons per minute sucked him 600' up inlet to grid,
drowned. His team mate, Timothy Boyle, drowned trying to
rescue him with the pumps still running. Double fatality.
OSHA cited the contractor with six violations and 'they
were fined nearly $5,000'. Florida Power officials admitted
the divers were not warned that the pumps were operating
but were not cited because they were not involved in the
dive. OSHA stated that had the divers equipment met
federal standards they would not have been sucked through
the underwater pipe ―Should have been attached to lifelines,
received their air from the surface rather than SCUBA tanks
and been attached to a voice communications line‖ Also
cited for failure to have a standby diver, failure to wear
inflatable buoyancy, no person in charge at site, safe
practices manual not including a copy of OSHAs diving
requirements and no plan to recover an injured diver from
the water. Reported in the Gainesville Sun
1
2
1
1
Boyle
Timoth
yW
10 January
1986
USA,
Florida
DiveTec
h
SCUBA
Spicer
Wayne
20 January
1986
Iran,
Kharg
Island
Smit
Missile
attack
D'Amato
John
3 February
1986
USA,
Massach
usetts
Volunte
er police
team
SCUBA
3 April 1986
Egypt
Navy
14 April
1986
USA,
Florida
Stena
USA
Illinois
Valley
liners
and
Equipme
nt
Not Recorded
Space Shuttle Challenger
Hill
Billy
Ray
16 June
1986
40'
S/S Air
Crystal River nuclear power plant run by the Florida
Power Corporation, his team mate, Scott Wiker, was sucked
600' up inlet to grid, Boyle died trying to rescue him with
the pumps still running at 28.000 gallons per minute.
Drowned. Double fatality. OSHA cited the contractor with
six violations and 'they were fined nearly $5,000'. Florida
Power officials admitted the divers were not warned that
the pumps were operating but were not cited because they
were not involved in the dive. OSHA stated that had the
divers equipment met federal standards they would not have
been sucked through the underwater pipe ―Should have
been attached to lifelines, received their air from the surface
rather than SCUBA tanks and been attached to a voice
communications line‖ Also cited for failure to have a
standby diver, failure to wear inflatable buoyancy, no
person in charge at site, safe practices manual not including
a copy of OSHAs diving requirements and no plan to
recover an injured diver from the water. Reported in the
Gainesville Sun
Australian, DSV 'Smit Maassluis' set on fire after Exocet
missile attack from Iraqi war-planes. 10 crewmen also
injured out of the 34 man crew (Two other Australian and
two New Zealand divers injured). No details. Reported in
The Age
Aged 37, civilian volunteer with the police SAR team,
died whilst searching for a 6 year old boy (who was
declared dead in hospital 2 hours after being found - he
had been under the ice for two hours) who had fallen
through the ice on the Ipswich River. The diver was
missing for an hour before his absence was noted by the
team. Reported in the Boston Globe.
Egyptian Navy diver died during search of the wreck of
Napoleon Bonaparte's flagship ―L'Orient‖ sunk off
Alexandria in August 1798 at the battle of Abu Keir
reviving local superstition of mermaid's curse
Stena Workhorse recovered critical pieces of the space
shuttle ―Challenger‖ from seabed at 560'
Aged 29, from Tulsa, Okla, died in an explosion during a
ship salvage operation. Mississippi River, sunken corn
barge, cutting plate with oxy/acetylene, Coastguard quote
―possibly a pocket of methane given off by the fermenting
corn‖. After explosion was found inside the wreck with
downline still secured to barge. Possibly drowned when
mask separated from helmet.
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1
Baldi
Vienneau
Timoth
yH
Alain
20 July 1986
30 July 1986
USA,
Californi
a
Canada
Repecha
ge et
Recherc
he Sous
Marine
Marcoux
Inc
Aged 27, with one other diver, had been employed by the
skipper of the 350 foot long Spanish bulk cement carrier
'Encofrador' moored off Richmond to inspect the hull after
they ran over a buoy. Killed by the turning propeller
USCG reported they 'had recovered 'parts of the body'. No
other details. Reported in the San Jose Mercury News.
Aged 23, working at the entrance of the Lachine canal on
a Parks Canada project to clean up the waterway. Police
said he got caught in the circular opening in the locks that
allows water from the Lac St. Louis to spill into the canal.
He was removing debris in a strong current when the
accident occurred. Reported in the Ottawa Citizen.
However, the Montreal Gazette went on to say
(paraphrased) Clean-up work on the Lachine Canal
continued yesterday, one day after a diver died clearing
debris from a water intake in a lock at the canal's western
end. ―He may have been knocked unconscious when
currents banged his head against underwater debris‖, his
boss said yesterday, ―we would have stopped working for a
week or so after the accident, but since we already had
police and a crane arranged for today, we went ahead‖ The
team had been trying to block a 15 centimetre opening in
the lock with metal plates. Vienneau, who had been
working for Marcoux for 6 months was going to block it
with a piece of wood. ―He went down, and after a few
minutes he stopped giving us any signals‖ said Marcoux.
―And he didn't give a distress signal either‖ He said he
pulled the lifeless diver from the water about 30 seconds
after his last signal. A witness who works at a nearby gas
station, said he what all the activity was and saw five men
pulling on a rope tied to something in the water. ―I didn't
know what it was, they brought it out and I saw it was a
man in full diving gear with his mask off. He was
completely blue‖. Emergency services spent half an hour
trying to revive him on site. A Parks Canada official said
that he did not have any details about the accident but ―had
no reason to suppose that the work will be delayed‖
because of the death. They began lowering the water in the
canal two day before the accident (which explains the
differential pressure) and ―planned for environmental
experts to examine the toxic sediments that cover the
bottom of the 13.4 kilometre long waterway once it was
drained.‖
1
1
Cibulski
Joel
31 July 1986
USA,
Alaska
Wilkinson
Guy
1 September
1986
UAE
Tennant
Leroy J
5 November
1986
USA,
Connecti
cut
Roy
Tennant
Co.
Fitzerald
Russell
1986?
Iran,
Kharg
Island
2W
John
Johnny
1986?
UK
Harknett
Ronald
Hopkin
s
17 February
1987
USA,
Californi
a
Firefight
er
Hiersche
Jerry
6 April 1987
USA,
Oregon
Underw
ater
Services
Sherman
Paul
10 April
1987
USA,
New
Hampshi
re
Ocean
Survey
Carr
William
30 May
1987
Norway
Stolt
Nielson
Fortin
Richard
21 June
1987
USA
Police
6'
SCUBA
SCUBA
SCUBA
10'
Aged 30, working off the fishing vessel 'Rigorous'
anchored off Baker Island (off the West Coast of Prince of
Wales Island) according to Alaska state troopers, trying to
free another trawler's propeller. Apparently got entangled
in the net and cut his own air line, pulled from the water
unconscious, declared dead on arrival at Ketchichan
Hospital. Anchorage Daily News.
Ruwais, UAE, pulled unconscious from the water after
an argon cylinder was tied into the gas supply, did not
respond to treatment.
Aged 62, Owner of the diving Company, inspecting an
underwater gas line in the Shetucket river, witnesses on
shore observed in trouble but sank below the surface before
being rescued. Body recovered 40 minutes later
One year out of diving school (Fort Bovisand), air diving
off a supply vessel at Kharg island. No details . Personal
Communication.
Tenby (South Wales), amateur diver inspecting the
moorings of a pleasure craft for a friend. Failed to surface.
Cause of death 'aspiration of vomit into lungs'. 'At work'?
Yes, but 'at work for pay'? Probably not, just doing doing a
favour for his friend. Personal communication, no other
details
American, aged 38. Rancho Cordova firefighter and
member of the Drowning Accident Rescue Team, one of
four diivers searching the Sacramento river for a child and
adult lost overboard when a boat sank. Failed to surface,
drowned.
Aged 47, Working on the John Day Dam, Columbia
river, had been inspecting/cleaning fish screens at about
150' and was surfacing at the end of his dive when his head
was sucked into an inlet just 10' from the surface. Quote
from team member ―We heard him shout 'I'm out of air'
and that was it‖. Died of cardiac arrest in hospital.
Reported in the Spokane Chronicle
Hampton Harbour, Seabrook nuclear power plant
discharge vent, trying to re-attach a buoy, died, no details
104 m
Saturation
British, DSV "Seaway Condor", Oseberg Norsk Hydro,
Bell partner was M. Sullivan, Kirby Morgan 17 came off
Assigned as police diver, rescued four people from an
overturned boat, attached a towline, sank from view and
drowned
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Penner
Robert
Steven
Not Recorded
28 June
1987
Canada,
Ontario
Day's
Aquatic
Services
June 1987
USA
Police
SCUBA
Gibson
Terry
18
September
1987
Australia
SCUBA
MacMillan
Mark
14
November
1987
Antarctic
SCUBA
1987
Canada
June 1988
USA
Florida
Need-ADiver
6 July 1988
UKCS
Occident
al
13 July 1988
USA,
North
Carolina
Not Recorded
Decker
Keith
Piper Alpha
Hastings
Robbie
Bates
Brian
23
September
1988
McCasland
Martin
November
1988
UK
USA,
Alaska
9'
Rig
Disaster
SCUBA
Saturation
Aged 21, One of three divers hired by Halton regional
District, reported as drowned whilst working in an
underwater pipe, but no details. Toronto Star
American police officer aged 45 died while searching the
Detroit River for victims of a boat that had capsized. It was
later alleged that the malfunction of a valve on a dry suit
was a contributing factor to his death.
Aged 47, described as a professional shellfish diver,
diving solo off Marino Rocks, Adelaide, disappeared.
Weight belt and ripped vest were found on the seabed,
presumed to be a shark attack. No other details. Reported
in the Ledger.
Aged 22, research dive 50 miles west of the US base at
McMurdo Sound on Ross Island. No details. Reported in
the San Jose Mercury News
The book ―Edmonton – Secrets of the City‖ by Charlene
Rooke published in 2001 refers to 'a diver killed whilst
servicing the submarine ride in 1987'. This is a reference to
West Edmonton Mall, built in 1981 as a shopping mall that
has evolved more into a 'family entertainment complex'. No
other details.
Aged 23, IMC Fertiliser Inc Clear Springs Phoshate
Mine, pond lock gate ajar, 10‖ gap, diver sent in to take
photos but loose lifeline, no grill, his lines were pulled
through the gap, pulling him through also. His body was
recovered two days later by police divers 461' feet up the
1,000' tunnel.. Equipped with lifeline and communications,
quote:- 'Before he was sucked in, he was able to tell
workers that 'something had caught him by the leg and was
pulling him in‖. St Petersburg Times.
167 personnel died in fire/explosions. 62 survived
including the entire night shift air diving team.
1
1
1
1
1
1
Sports diver aged 30, died after being stung by a Jellyfish
(Portuguese man-of-war). Charlotte Observer
Post Alpha disaster salvage ops, blow back during
cutting ops, cracked helmet, faceplate loosened, both
eardrums perforated, sinus damage, concussion, pulled in
by bellman, reported as third incident in under 36 hours.
The Glasgow Herald
Aged 41, retrieving Oxygen bottles that had rolled off the
deck of a vessel in Dutch Harbour. Dry suit malfunction,
rapid ascent. Family awarded $1.73 million on the grounds
that the dry suit inflation valve malfunction was partly to
1
blame for his death. No details
Harjula
Albert
O.
11 January
1989
USA,
Maine
55'
S/S Air
Sullivan
Daniel
11 January
1989
USA,
Maine
55'
S/S Air
Gassner
Scott
15 January
1989
USA,
Florida
40'
SCUBA
Dykstra
Murphy
Andrew
30 January
1989
Canada,
Ontario
St.
Lawrenc
e
Seaway
Authorit
y
Steven
30 January
1989
Canada,
Ontario
St.
Lawrenc
e
Seaway
33'
33'
Aged 29, working on the 80 foot high Wilderness Dam
(Owned by Great Northern Paper), got trapped by water
pressure at a leak point on the dam face. Rescue diver
(Daniel Sullivan), also got trapped at the same location.
Both were pulled out using winches after a second rescue
diver, Brian Michaud, managed to attached pulling ropes to
their harnesses 11 hours after the initial incident, but he was
pronounced dead on arrival in hospital Double fatality
(Daniel Sullivan). Michaud was hospitalised but OK.
Spokane Chronicle
Aged 30, State department of inland fisheries and
wildlife. A diver working on the 80 foot high Wilderness
Dam (Owned by Great Northern Paper), got trapped
underwater by pressure at a leak point on the dam face.
Sullivan got trapped at the same location about an hour later
during a rescue attempt. Both were pulled out using
winches after a second rescue diver, Brian Michaud,
managed to attached pulling ropes to their harnesses 11
hours after the initial incident, but he died three hours after
arriving at hospital Double fatality (Albert Harjula).
Michaud was hospitalised but OK. Spokane Chronicle
Aged 20, diving from the 'Char Lo II' out of Cortez, Had
joined the vessel one month earlier (Temporary job, he
wanted to join the police force). Had been in the water
about an hour, signalled the surface to pull up his catch,
apparently stopped breathing. Pulled up unconscious, failed
to respond to treatment, reported as 'accidental drowning'
but no explanation. Not clear whether it was a three or four
man crew, but two divers were in the water simultaneously.
St Petersburg Times
Aged 47, Lock 1 on the Welland Canal.. Diver was
checking a valve on the lock but became trapped against
logs, Steven Murphy, the stand-by diver went in the assist
and also became trapped. Both were eventually brought to
the surface, Steven Murphy pronounced dead on site,
Andrew Dykstra died later in hospital. No other details.
Reported in the Toronto Star.
Aged 29, Lock 1 on the Welland Canal.. Another diver,
Andrew Dykstra was checking a valve on the lock but
became trapped against logs, Steven Murphy, the stand-by
diver went in the assist and also became trapped. Both
1
1
1
1
1
Authorit
y
McIlrath
Russell
14 February
1989
USA,
Florida
Wells
Timoth
yL
11 February
1989
USA,
North
Dakota
Hand
Larry
16 February
1989
USA,
Florida
Lamm
William
5 June 1989
USA,
Florida
Sports
diver
12 July 1989
USA,
Kentuck
y
Louisvill
e Water
Compan
y
27 July 1989
USA,
Bermuda
Russian
Navy
Barnes
Not Recorded
Roger
were eventually brought to the surface, Steven Murphy
pronounced dead on site, Andrew Dykstra died later in
hospital. No other details. Reported in the Toronto Star.
SCUBA
Police
SCUBA
38'
SCUBA
SCUBA
15'
SCUBA
BAYPORT - A commercial sponge diver died in 40 feet
of water off the Hernando County coast Tuesday. U.S.
Coast Guard Command Duty Officer Keith Scally said
Russell McIlrath, 33, of Parsons, Tenn., died while
harvesting sponges from the commercial boat Dream Diver,
out of Hudson in Pasco County. Scally said McIlrath was
working in the Gulf of Mexico about 25 miles west of
Bayport when the accident occurred about 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday. McIlrath was taken by helicopter to Shands
University Teaching Hospital in Gainesville, where he was
pronounced dead at 2:51 p.m., according to Shands
spokesman Ralph Ives. The fatality was the second spongediving death on the North Suncoast this year; on Jan. 15, St.
Petersburg sponge diver Scott Gassner died while diving in
40 feet of water off the Citrus County coast. St Petersburg
times
American police officer aged 36, Williston, North
Dakota, cold water training dive in the Missouri river,
found under thick ice near the shore by colleagues, tank
empty, drowned
Novice sponge diver out of Tampa, recovered from the
seabed by a diver from another sponge boat, inference is
diving solo from a small boat with one none diving surface
crew. Tangled in buoy line, mask flooded, dead on
recovery. Third diver to die sponge diving out of Tampa in
the last 5 weeks (Russell McIlrath and Scott Gassner)
Petersburg Times
American, aged 45, spear fishing and then sucked into
the inlet of a 16 foot diameter inlet pipe. 4 minutes and
1650 feet later later he surfaced inside a canal inside the
Saint Lucie nuclear power plant run by Florida Power and
Light. Completely unscathed. Ocala Star Banner.
1
1
1
Aged 32, Sludge clearing at the Crescent Gill Filter
Plant, disappeared, body recovered an hour later. No
details. Reported in the Daily News
1
Joint USA/Russian military subsea photographic
expedition sponsored by tha National Geographic Society
onboard the Soviet vessel 'Keldysh'. Used two Mir
submersibles to set bait boxes to attract sharks, but during
1
the expedition a Soviet diver failed to surface. Unclear if
his body was ever recovered. No details
Carter
Mike
11 August
1989
USA,
Kentuck
y
Foley
David
28 August
1989
UK
On Deck
Not Recorded
28 August
1989
UK
On Deck
Hartley
3 October
1989
USA,
New
York
MVN
for
Healy
Tibbitts
30
November
1989
USA,
Michiga
n
US
Armry
Corps
December
1988
Panama
USN
SEAL
In action
December
1989
USA
Police
SCUBA
Brazil
Comex
do
Brasil
and
Marsat
James
Not Recorded
Connors USN
Not Recorded
Stena Workhorse
Lt. John
Patrick
1989
12'
SCUBA
Saturation
Aged 34, described as an experienced diver, drowned
whilst replacing a pond drainage system on a farm three
miles north of the town of Marion, 'not entangled or
trapped, plenty of air in his tank. Investigators stated that
―He might have been tired from work done on the previous
day and plan no autopsy or further investigations‖
Aged 24, RN Submarine Base Faslane, Civilian diver, in
a hut on a barge, preparing to dive, killed when a crane jib
fell onto the hut. A fellow diver was seriously injured in the
same incident. Glasgow Herald
Seriously injured at the RN Submarine Base Faslane,
Civilian diver, in a hut on a barge, preparing to dive, his
team-mate David Foley was killed when a crane jib fell
onto the hut. Glasgow Herald
Apparently injured whilst working on an outfall sewer
project at the Owls Head Water Pollution Control Project
located in Brooklyn. Court case 'HARTLEY v. CITY OF
NEW YORK, 163 Misc.2d 540 (1994) in November 3,
1994'. No details. Loislaw.com
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers diver installing a boom
to catch ice in the St. Marys River died when he lost his
safety line
Aged 25, Navy SEAL Diver, killed on land in action in
Panama, reportedly deployed to Panama Airport to capture
General Noriega
A 28-year-old member of a fire department dive team
lost his life in a lake in Oklahoma in December of 1989.
The dive team was conducting a search for the victim of a
parasailing accident that had occurred the previous October.
While attempting to recover the equipment and the body of
the accident victim this diver became thoroughly ensnared
in the parachute‘s lines
Petrobras PGP1 gas blow out, Four Comex sat divers
from the platform rescued by Marsat team on the Stena
Workhorse (bell to bell transfer), one of them, Thierry
Arnold later died in a bell contamination incident (1991)
1
1
1
1
1
Buckley
Todd
SCUBA Sports Divers
Mortimer
18 April
1990
USA
Washing
ton
Puget
Waterm
en
60'
S/S Air
27 July 1990
Michael
Miles
Carl
Bartholomew
Captain
Al
'Black
Bart'
31 August
1990
USA,
Florida
1 November
1990
USA,
Tennesse
e
Underse
a
Systems
Inc
15
November
1990
USA,
Florida
USN
SCUBA
SCUBA
22 year old student at Evergreen state College, taking a
gap period between semesters to earn money, had been
working for 2 months on a commercial operation harvesting
Sea Urchins (―Geoducks‖) using surface supplied gear from
a 30' fishing vessel out of Olympia. Bubbles stopped,
pulled to surface not breathing, weight belt and harvesting
line wrapped round airline. Flown to medical centre,
transferred to hospital, died. Reported as respiratory arrest,
hypothermia and decompression syndrome. Spokane
Chronicle
Reported in the Miami Herald ―There is a saying that
scuba diving is so much fun you could just die.
Unfortunately, many do. Divers get swept away by
currents, snagged in underwater wrecks, tangled in
seaweed, hit by boats, lost under ice or in light less
freshwater caves like the ones that honeycomb North
Florida. In the 18 years ending in 1988, 2,562 divers died in
scuba accidents, 499 of them in Florida, according to the
National Underwater Accident Data Center (NUADC) at
the University of Rhode Island‖.
Aged 31, Lake Worth fire fighter, recreational dive for
lobster off Juno Beach in the notorious 'mini-season'. Died
due to air in this cylinder being contaminated carbon
monoxide. Reported in the Miami Herald. Later, it was
reported in the Sun Sentinel that ―Attorney Tracy R.
Sharpe, who represents the victim's widow, said he thought
the carbon monoxide got into the tank when [Michael R.
Mortimer] filled it with oxygen from a larger oxygen tank
that National Weldco of Miami had delivered to his home‖
(Doubtful it was oxygen for a sports lobster dive, probably
decanting air, but still no explanation of where the CO
came from, TC)
Aged 34, one of a three man team conducting 'routine
maintenance' on the screens at the New Johnsonville power
plant (Part of the Tennessee Valley power Authority) near
Waverly. They drained the water intake tunnel to recover
the body. No details but inference is compromised screen,
SCUBA, no lifeline, pumps running, sucked in)
Aged 50, director of ocean engineering for the Navy and
supervisor of its salvage and diving operations, died during
a diving recertification exercise, disappeared from sight in
200 feet of water. His body was recovered Nov. 17, but the
cause of death was not been determined.
1
1
1
Clark
Ron L.
Bonebaker
Guus
DPVOA
10
December
1990
USA,
Illinois
1990
Dutch
Sector
GB
Diving
Dec 1990
UKCS
STS
S/S Air
5m
S/S Air
1990
Warrender
Stuart
ROV
Thomlinson
Goeorg
e
1990
USA,
Oregon
Guhus
Ted
1990
USA,
Washing
ton
Devergie
Francis
1990?
West
Africa
Hiersche
Jerome
L
1990?
USA,
Oregon
Hynes
William
8 February
1991
Portugal,
Madeira
Islands
Canadia
n Navy
SCUBA
Wells
Corey
8 February
1991
Portugal,
Madeira
Islands
Canadia
n Navy
SCUBA
SCUBA
USN
65'
Sat
Aged 54, Working on repairs at the Archer Daniels
Midland plant in Peoria, on the Illinois River.
Reported as drowned when he was sucked under river water
while working to clean screens on intake pumps at the
plant. No other details. Reported in the Pantagraph,
Bloomington, Illinois
ETPM 1601, Dive basket on fixed rails, basket jammed
during recovery, diver attempted to free it whilst surface
pulled on lift wire, his head got trapped between
cage/barge, broken neck
Dynamically Positioned Vessel Owners Association
founded
British, drill support, ROV launch via moon pool, fell out
of latches hitting handrails, crushed against container, chest
and neck injuries, pronounced dead offshore.
Ex Seal, professional urchin diver, died of an embolism
after an ascent in rough water near Depoe Bay. Reported as
the only fatality in that industry in Oregon that year.
Eugene Register-Guard
Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Naval Reserve Mobile
Diving Salvage Unit One Detachment 522 (NRMDSU1DET 522) attempting to salvage flying boat PBM-5 (sank
in 1949) from lake Washington.
French, Possibly Angola, diving off the barge BOS 215,
KM 17 came off, no details
Employed to inspect/clean submerged fish screens on the
hydroelectric intakes on the John Day dam, Oregon, head
sucked into an orifice, court case in January 1991, no
details
Aged 31, diving off the Canadian destroyer 'Margaree,
visiting the Madeira Islands. It was stated that the propeller
being started had nothing to do with the death of the two
divers who were inspecting the hull who both drowned after
being trapped in the engine room cooling water intake pipe.
Double fatality (Sub Lieutenant Corey Wells). Reported in
the Toronto Star
Aged 27, diving off the Canadian destroyer 'Margaree,
visiting the Madeira Islands. It was stated that the propeller
being started had nothing to do with the death of the two
divers who were inspecting the hull who both drowned after
being trapped in the engine room cooling water intake pipe.
Double fatality (Master Seaman William Hynes). Reported
in the Toronto Star
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
24 March
1991
GOM
Chris
18 May
1991
GOM
Kennet
h
11 June
1991
USA,
New
York
15 August
1991
S. China
Sea
McDerm
ott
15 August
1991
S. China
Sea
McDerm
ott
Sugrue
Jim
Worthington
Hansen
Not Recorded
Barringer
Leonar
d
AOD
250'
Surface
Vessel
sunk
DSV 'American Eagle' U/W explosion, face plate blown
in, drowned. ―Chasing Hangers after doing an inside burnoff. Paraphrased from reports:- ―Chasing hangers after
doing an inside burn off below the mud line, almost at the
end of his bottom time (gas dive), Said 'One more burn and
then I'm getting off bottom'. Topside heard a loud bang,
then incoherent speech. His standby diver reached him
very quickly (overshot his gas because he wouldn't stop for
the switch in order to get to the diver faster) but when he
reached him, the faceplate was gone and the diver was
unresponsive. He was recovered to the chamber and treated
but never regained consciousness. The incident led to a
brief and informal moratorium on inside burn offs at AOD
but they quickly resumed them when they started to lose
work to other companies who did not follow suit. The final
verdict the divers all heard was 'improper equipment usage'
(as opposed to equipment failure) since Jim's hat (SL 17B)
was old and beat up. This incident was a major factor in the
introduction of the 'T' type faceplate screw anchors‖.
Aged 22, Killed while preforming a wheel job when the
engines were started and engaged. Body recovered
Police diver aged 26, drowned during a rescue exercise,
not wearing lifejacket or strobe, Officer in command
charged with "Failure to supervise", speculation that he was
told not to wear a lifevest to make it more realistic exercise
staged for visiting German TV crew. NY Times
McDermott DB 29, sank when caught in typhoon 'Fred'
in the South China Sea, POB 195, Total 22 fatalities.
British, Electrician, drowned when the McDermott DB
29 got caught in typhoon 'Fred' in the South China Sea,
POB 195, 22 fatalities. Has been erroneously reported by
some sources as one of the divers in saturation.
1
1
1
Dennison
Terence
15 August
1991
S. China
Sea
McDerm
ott
60'
Saturation
Hardy
Steve
15 August
1991
S. China
Sea
McDerm
ott
60'
Saturation
British, aged 46, one of four divers in saturation who
died when the McDermott DB 29 got caught in typhoon
'Fred' and sank in the South China Sea, POB 195, 22
fatalities. Diver's HRV was the bell, but the barge
developed a list and the bell could not be mated to the TUP.
Saturation system had been decompressed to around 60'
before the barge capsized and sank. As the barge, upside
down, sank, the pressure equalised with the TUP, the door
was opened and three divers (Steve Hardy, John Lyons and
Terry Dennison) swam for the surface but drowned
(dragged down by the suction of the barge sinking?). Their
bodies were recovered from the sea. Autopsy revealed no
signs of decompression illness indicating that although
decompression had been accelerated, the high ppO2 had
been effective. Cause of death was salt water drowning.
The body of Brian Shepherd was recovered from the
flooded dive system (still complete, intact and attached to
the upturned hull of the barge) by saturation divers some
two months later. He was located still wrapped in a
hammock slung in what would have been a gas bubble in
the capsized system Autopsy revealed leg injuries leading
to speculation that he was injured when the barge capsized,
was unable to make the escape attempt with the other three
divers. The barge was never salvaged and still lies upside
down under the South China Sea. Telegraph and Argus
plus Personal Communication.
British, aged 33, one of four divers who died when the
McDermott DB 29 got caught in typhoon 'Fred' in the South
China Sea, POB 195, 22 fatalities. Diver's HRV was the
bell, but the barge developed a list and the bell could not be
mated to the TUP. Saturation system had been
decompressed to around 60' before the barge capsized and
sank. As the barge, upside down, sank, the pressure
equalised with the TUP, the door was opened and three
divers (Steve Hardy, John Lyons and Terry Dennison)
swam for the surface but drowned (dragged down by the
suction of the barge sinking?). Their bodies were recovered
from the sea. Autopsy revealed no signs of decompression
illness indicating that although decompression had been
accelerated, the high ppO2 had been effective. Cause of
death was salt water drowning. The body of Brian
Shepherd was recovered from the flooded dive system (still
complete, intact and attached to the upturned hull of the
barge) by saturation divers some two months later. He was
located still wrapped in a hammock slung in what would
1
1
have been a gas bubble in the capsized system. Autopsy
revealed leg injuries leading to speculation that he was
injured when the barge capsized, was unable to make the
escape attempt with the other three divers. The barge was
never salvaged and still lies upside down under the South
China Sea. Telegraph and Argus plus Personal
Communication.
Lyons
John
15 August
1991
S. China
Sea
McDerm
ott
60'
Saturation
New Zealander, one of four divers who died when the
McDermott DB 29 got caught in typhoon 'Fred' in the South
China Sea, POB 195, 22 fatalities. Diver's HRV was the
bell, but the barge developed a list and the bell could not be
mated to the TUP. Saturation system had been
decompressed to around 60' before the barge capsized and
sank. As the barge, upside down, sank, the pressure
equalised with the TUP, the door was opened and three
divers (Steve Hardy, John Lyons and Terry Dennison)
swam for the surface but drowned (dragged down by the
suction of the barge sinking?). Their bodies were recovered
from the sea. Autopsy revealed no signs of decompression
illness indicating that although decompression had been
accelerated, the high ppO2 had been effective. Cause of
death was salt weater drowning. The body of Brian
Shepherd was recovered from the flooded dive system (still
complete, intact and attached to the upturned hull of the
barge) by saturation divers some two months later. He was
located still wrapped in a hammock slung in what would
have been a gas bubble in the capsized system. Autopsy
revealed leg injuries leading to speculation that he was
injured when the barge capsized, was unable to make the
escape attempt with the other three divers. Cause of death
was asphyxiation. The barge was never salvaged and still
lies upside down under the South China Sea. A letter to his
wife and children was found in John Lyon's diving undersuit (―He left a very personal love letter. It's a goodbye
letter. John knew he was going to die and wrote to me and
the children‖ His wife Sue, speaking after the event).
Telegraph and Argus plus Personal Communication.
1
Shepherd
Brian
15 August
1991
S. China
Sea
McDerm
ott
Beauregard
Robert
J
3 December
1991
USA,
Massach
usetts
Pioneer
Hydroel
ectric
Leager
Christo
pher
17
December
1991
USA,
Marylan
d
Arnold
Thierry
1991
Black
George
1991
Howard
Kennet
hW
1991
Brazil
Dutch
Sector
USA,
Californi
a
198'
Saturation
SCUBA
Comex
Saturation
37 m
1
1
Aged 23, working an oyster bed one and a half miles off
the shore. Unclear if this was a commercial operation
17'
Comex
do
Brasil
British, aged 44, one of four divers who died when the
McDermott DB 29 got caught in typhoon 'Fred' in the South
China Sea, POB 195, 22 fatalities. Diver's HRV was the
bell, but the barge developed a list and the bell could not be
mated to the TUP. Saturation system had been
decompressed to around 60' before the barge capsized and
sank. As the barge, upside down, sank, the pressure
equalised with the TUP, the door was opened and three
divers (Steve Hardy, John Lyons and Terry Dennison)
swam for the surface but drowned (dragged down by the
suction of the barge sinking?). Their bodies were recovered
from the sea. Autopsy revealed no signs of decompression
illness indicating that although decompression had been
accelerated, the high ppO2 had been effective. Cause of
death was salt water drowning. The body of Brian
Shepherd was recovered from the flooded dive system (still
complete, intact and attached to the upturned hull of the
barge) by saturation divers some two months later. He was
located still wrapped in a hammock slung in what would
have been a gas bubble in the capsized system. Autopsy
revealed leg injuries leading to speculation that he was
injured when the barge capsized and was unable to make
the escape attempt with the other three divers. Cause of
death – asphyxiation. The barge was never salvaged and
still lies upside down under the South China Sea.
Telegraph and Argus plus Personal Communication.
American, aged 30, off duty fireman, working for
"Pioneer Hydro" of Ware, Massachusetts, down a tunnel
inspecting a turbine, got trapped underwater, tugged on his
lifeline, but ran out of air. Unclear if there was a standby
diver.
Saturation
SCUBA
Bell contamination incident. Purging water from pipeline
prior to final bolt tensioning on subsea tree spoolpiece.
Using product/gas lift from platform. bell atmosphere
contamination, diver returned to bell, bellman already
unconscious, took off helmet, passed out in moonpool,
dropped to seabed, poisoned/drowned
Bellman, 2 divers in the water, died of a heart attack in
the bell. No details
Aged 34, drowned whilst collecting specimen fish for
aquaria. Unlicensed diver, led to calls for the trade to be
regulated. Los Angeles Times
1
1
1
Bennett
Marc or
Mark
1990 or
1991
Indonesi
a
Tortorella
Franco
2 January
1992
Italy
Harada
Kazuta
8 March
1992
Japan
Navarro
Terry
17 April
1992
USA
Drafin
Sub
ProDive
r,
Ottawa
55 m
SCUBA
22m
S/S Air
50'
S/S Air
New Zealander, ―Died in an accident on an Indonesian
oil rig‖, no details
Italian, aged 43. Ligurian Sea (off Genoa), off a small
boat with a partner inspecting (plus cleaning and fishing!) a
loading facility. Died during ascent. Unisuit too small, clear
signs of haemorrhage on neck and top of shoulder.
Aged 41, professional diver was collecting the pen shell
Atrina pedinata, (Japanese name Tairagigai), at a depth of
22 m about 2.3 km offshore of Matsuyama, Ehime
Prefecture, Japan. At about 15 : 20 he was attacked by a
large shark, and only a severely damaged diving suit and
helmet were recovered. The right half of the trunk and right
leg of the suit were torn off. A rescue rope and a rubber
radio cable, both of which connected the diver to a support
boat were severed, but the diver's air tube remained intact.
The diver's body was not recovered, nor was a shark
captured that might have perpetrated the attack, despite
extensive fishing efforts by local fishermen. A small piece
of a broken shark tooth was recovered from the rubber
surrounding the neck of the diving suit. The tooth fragment
contained two large serrations of about 0.85 mm in width.
The suit's steel shoulder protector had a single hole (6 mm
X 3 mm), penetrated by a shark tooth. The edge of the hole
showed regular minute undulations, and the cut surfaces on
the rubber and the cable had minute parallel streaks, both
apparently made by the serrations of shark teeth. Tracing of
the scratches and cuts on the shoulder protector and back
part of the diving suit made it possible to estimate a jaw
size of about 40 cm in width, suggesting a very large shark.
The water temperature was low about 11.6°C, at 20 m depth
at a nearby locality. These facts support the contention that
the shark involved in this incident was a white shark of
about 5 m in total length. Shark attacks in Japanese waters
were investigated, and at least sixteen shark attacks on
people and boats were recognized. Reported in the Japan.
J. Ichthyol, 40(1): 35-42, 1993 by Kazuhiro Nakaya
Aged 37, Lasalle, Illinois, Commonwealth Edison
nuclear Power plant, contracted in to seal a valve. To reach
the repair had to descend 60', penetrate laterally 20' and
then ascend 20' to reach the valve. He finished the work
but then appeared to be in distress. They tried to pull him
out but the line snagged. Supervisor went in and pulled him
out but he died in hospital the following day. Was diving a
Desco with what appears to be an inadequate air supply
resulting in high CO2 and asphyxia. Three man team, supv,
1
1
1
1
diver, tender. Court proceedings in 1995 concluded faulty
(low) air supply/high CO2 and upheld OSHA citations.
June 1992
USA,
Californi
a
Not Recorded
6 July 1992
GOM
184
Not Recorded
17 August
1992
USA,
Florida
<10'
Howard
Kennet
hW
SCUBA
Mavrostomos
Theo
20
November
1992
France
Schumacher
Arthur
E
31
December
1992
USA,
Ohio
SCUBA
Truffant
David
December
1992
USA,
Maine
SCUBA
Palin
Carl
1992
UAE
Rogers
Greg
1992
GOM
1992
USA,
Maine
Not Recorded
Hydra
deep dive
Comex
CCC
On deck
35'
S/S Air
SCUBA
Aged 34, professional tropical fish 'catching' for the
aquarium trade. No details
EI 273, "Preparing platform for drilling rig, under
investigation by USCG"
Cleaning barnacles from the hull of the yacht 'Wutnext',
natural causes, heart attack. No details. Reported in the
South Florida Sun Sentinel
The deepest trial saturation dive on record, in Toulon
with the Hydra programme reaching 701 metres using
Hydreliox. The deepest Hydreliox working dive is still
Comex with a simulated pipeline intervention in the
Mediterranean in 1988 with the Hydra 8 dives to 534
metres (The 'Atlantis' trials (Duke University, USA,)
reached 686 metres in 1981, Comex ran a series of deep
diving programmes (Physalie, Janus, Sagittaire, Hydra, etc)
mostly in France and finally Aurora at the NHC in
Aberdeen reaching 470 metres in 1993In September 2010).
In September 2010, 4 Chinese divers were reported to have
reached a storage depth of 480 metres with an excursion to
493 metres on Heliox.
Aged 46, assistant chief in charge of rescue with with the
Liverpool township fire department, searching for victims
of a car crash in Plum creek, trapped in a culvert, drowned.
Akron Beacon Journal.
Aged 28, Harvesting Sea urchins in Casco bay,reported
as his first commercial dive, swam to the surface without
exhaling properly, a carpenter by trade with no diving
training. The Sun Journal
Died in the DDC (Brain aneurysm)
American, jetting off a lift barge, flooded band mask,
recovered to DDC but did not respond to treatment
Two reported deaths off Maine during professional sea
urchin harvesting
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
Not Recorded
Herpin
Jude
Wells, USN
PO
Kimber
ley L
Not Recorded
1992 or
earlier
USA
12 February
1993
GOM
AOD
27 March
1993
Hondura
s
USN
1 May 1993
USA,
Missouri
Police
SCUBA
138
SCUBA
Fassnacht
James
6 July 1993
USA,
New
Jersey
Costain
Donald
19 August
1993
USA,
Maine
SCUBA
21 August
1993
USA,
Maine
SCUBA
Not Recorded
Rice
Matthe
w
7 September
1993
USA,
Maine
Knowles
Keith B
1 November
1993
Bahamas
30'
UNEXS
O
SCUBA
SCUBA
Am J Forensic Med, 1992, report a sudden death in a
SCUBA diver working at a water treatment facility. ―The
victim, an employee of the facility with a speciality in
electronics, was a sport diver not qualified in commercial
diving. While attempting to clean sludge from a blocked
drain 25 ft under water, the diver was suddenly pinned
against the drain valve when the sludge plug was broken
up. We review the mechanics of the incident and the actual
cause of death, asphyxia, as opposed to drowning. We
believe this to be the first reported case of traumatic
(pressure) asphyxia in a SCUBA diver.‖
Oxy/arc, U/W explosion. E! 272/ST 125, Cutting a
window in the 10 ¾ inch casing. The surface personnel
heard an explosion on the diver‘s monitor. A standby diver
went into the water immediately and when he reached the
other diver he found him unconscious and his helmet off.
The injured diver later died in the decompression chamber
of cardiac arrest.
American, aged 24, assigned to Mobile Diving and
Salvage Unit 2 working with a group of salvage experts
from Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, , died while
working to raise a sunken coastal freighter. The ship was
blocking the entrance to a harbour in Roatan, Honduras.
No details except that it was during underwater cutting
operations. Reported in the Virginia Pilot
American police officer, Missouri, attempting to rescue a
canoe accident victim in a rain swollen river, swept away
and drowned even though he had breathing apparatus.
American police officer aged 42, East Orange, New
Jersey. With two other divers clearing intake grill in
Weequahic park lake, drowned,
Aged 52, off Maine, harvesting sea urchins, heavy fog,
surfaced for replacement tank, disappeared, found on the
seabed after 30 minutes, drowned
Aged 21, off Maine, commercial diver/fisherman
repairing vessel, skiff drifted away, diver drowned after
attempting to swim after drifting boat
Aged 24, off Maine, sports diver and student gathering
sea urchins, first salt water dive, tender lost sight of
bubbles, found on seabed 20 minutes later, drowned, boat
owner cited for violations of commercial diving standards.
American aged 22, working for the Underwater
Explorers Society , lost at sea of Grand Bahama
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3 November
1993
USA,
Maine
1992/1993
Canada
1993
Mexico
Not Recorded
1993
Canada
Not Recorded
1993
USA,
Maine
SCUBA
S/S Air
Maxwell
David
Not Recorded
Silva
Jose
Luis
SCUBA
Ocean
Tech
Sat
60'
Avillanoza
Dandy
Early 90s
UAE
Dean
PO
Second
Class
Carter
M
2 February
1994
USA,
Virginia
Stapp
John
Quinton
4 February
1994
USA,
Texas
5'
Copeland
Dave
20 February
1994
GOM
284'
SCUBA
Aged 25, off Maine, less than two weeks diving
experience, trying to untangle catch bag alongside rocks,
caught in surf, found 20 minutes later, drowned, boat owner
cited for violations of commercial diving standards
DSV Discovery, crushed finger during mattress
installation work on the CoPan field, decompressed,
medivac, reduced mobility in the injured finger
A diver died while cleaning storm drains in Mexico City
in 1994, clearing a blockage which suddenly gave way,
drowned. Reported in an interview in 2004 with Julio Cuc,
one of the founder divers with the permanent Mexico city
sewer diving team formed in 1982, article in UK Guardian.
Futher reported as‖Silva was killed after he dislodged a tire
that was blocking a floodgate west of the city. Like a
stopper removed from a bathtub, the sudden suction of the
free-flowing water pulled Silva through a small opening in
the dam. His co-workers found his battered body more than
a mile downstream.‖ Los Angeles Times
40 year old Canadian, sports diver hired to carry out a
commercial dive to recover a hatch cover from a lake bed.
Descended with rope/shackle, rope went slack, surface crew
redeployed rope with a ne shackle in the area bubbles last
seen. No response. Body found on lake bed. Drowned.
Article in the 'Sun Journal' on sea urchin harvesting dated
April 1994, refers to ―Reported urchin diver injuries last
year last year ranged from hypothermia to the point of
unconsciousness to a toxic reaction to an urchin spine. One
diver lost his hand when it was severed by a propeller‖.
Also lists the deaths of Matthew Rice, David Maxwell,
Donald Costain and David Trufant.
Died inside a power stations intake pipeline at Jebel Ali
D Station early 90's when the Kirby 10 Hood retainer / steel
band came away from the hat as someone had not tightened
it after service/drying the hood, local civils contractor.
Aged 26, navy diver assigned to a special operations unit,
afternoon training exercise in Little Creek Harbour,
reported as died after losing consciousness. Daily Press.
SCUBA
Aged 38, surveying the Hunter's Point Marina on Lake
Travis near Cat Hollow to plan repairs to its dock, diving
solo, no team. No details
Went crazy, took his hat off, stand-by unable to control
him
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Sirry
Tarek
23 March
1994
USA,
Marylan
d
Hone
Lt
Cmdr
Don A
15 April
1994
Guam
Robinson
James
9 December
1994
USA,
Californi
a
Buckley
Todd
##########
#######
USA,
Washing
ton
Walker
Pat
1994
GOM
Jan 1995
Israel
Ayers
Wendel
l
14 February
1995
USA,
Californi
a
Stephen
Lamb
April 1995
Australia
Westall
Bradley
31 July 1995
UKCS
Sass
Kevin S
1995
GOM
Kimche
Bay
Diving
Compan
y
Puget
Waterm
en
SCUBA
60'
S/S Air
80'
SCUBA?
SCUBA
Pacific
Grove
Marine
Rescue
Stena
26 m
Saturation
20'
S/S Air
Aged 35, owner/operator of his own diving company,
salvage dive off Poole Island in the mouth of the Sassafras
River, Chesapeake bay. 20-25 minute dive, reported as
drowned 'when he accidentally let his SCUBS tank run low
on air and passed out' according to the USCG investigation.
Reported by HometownAnnapolis.com
American, aged 345, based in Seoul, Korea, on
manoeuvres, diving on 5/4/1994, collapsed after surfacing,
died 10 days later. Dayton Daily News
Aged 42, commercial sea urchin harvesting vessel off
San Miguel Island, at the end of a dive as he was leaving
the water, attacked by a shark, major leg injuries, died in
hospital. Los Angeles Times
American student at Evergreen State College aged 22,
time off to earn money, harvesting sea urchins. Bubbles
stopped, pulled to surface, lifeline and weight belt wrapped
around airline, unconscious, respiratory arrest, hypothermia
and decompression illness, died in hospital.
American, aged 24, Tightening a pipeline flange at
working pressure, flange parted, gas explosion blew his hat
off, body recovered some days later
Israeli commando training dive, lost contact with partner,
body recovered the day after, reported as ―human error‖,
Jerusalem Times
One of a three man dive rescue team attempting to rescue
two people from a 40' cabin cruiser that had run aground on
rocks 100 yards from shore. The boat rolled trapping him
against the rocks. In this case they swam to the boat so not
strictly a diving incident but included in the list as this was
a professional diver at work as part of a rescue group.
Reported in the San Jose Mercury News
Contract diver at the BHP Newcastle steelworks,
drowned, 'sucked into an underwater pipe that was not
meant to be in use at the time' No details. WSWS Org.,
Greenleft.org.au
British. DSV "Orelia". Shallow saturation, DP, tied off
umbilical released, caught in thruster. Head injuries and
multiple trauma. Supervisor fined for erasing black box
tape, family awarded £104,000 in compensation, Contractor
fined £200, 000
Jetting in a 20' deep trench from a four point barge,
trench wall collapsed, two standby divers recovered him,
suffocated under mud, did not respond to treatment
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
1995
Israel
Not Recorded
1995
Canada
Not Recorded
1995
Canada
IMCA
1995
Courcoux
Dave
Mid 90s
UAE
Webb
John
Mid 90s
India
Palin
Carl
Jan 1996
UAE
Sawyer
Jerry
10 February
1996
USA,
Washing
ton
Pilkington
Brian
Fahey
Lesley
David
M
Vincent
Charles
4 March
1996
19 March
1996
15 April
1996
Naval
Comma
ndo
SCUBA
Inland
6m
60'
SCUBA
Inland
SCUBA
repl
GOM
28'
S/S Air
USA,
Maine
88'
SCUBA
UK
SCUBA
Sgt Gal Azoulay, aged 19, died during a training dive for
Israeli Naval Commando in December 2009 (Simulation of
combat dive in enemy port) Reported at the time as the first
fatal accident in training for the unit since 1995 but can find
no details of the 1995 accident in the public domain, details
needed, TC
Diver and supervisor clearing a Culvert, penetrated 90'
up a 4' diameter pipe, upstream of blockage, dislodged
debris, both swept down, supervisor survived, diver trapped
in rope and debris, drowned.
Diver clearing a Culvert, upstream of blockage,
dislodged debris, sucked through culvert and ejected but
drowned.
International Marine Contractors Association formed
with the amalgamation of AODC and DPVOA
Died in an accident in the mid 90s
Crushed between pipeline/pipe during crane ops, zero
vis, Bombay High
Apparently surfaced normally but lost consciousness,
into zodiac, transferred to DDC (13 minute surface
interval), at 60' no response, down to 165', partially
regained consciousness, behavioural issues, sedated with
valium, doctor locked in, gradual decompression, mated to
a sat system two days later at 60', cardiac arrest,
resuscitated but no brain stem, activity then suffered
another cardiac arrest.
Professional fish farmer harvesting sea urchins off the
vessel 'Wave Dancer'. Subsequent court case decided he
was not an employee of the vessel owner so no liability.
No details of the incident
Contaminated air, drowned Data to add, TC
31 year old professional scallop harvester, ran out of air
trying to carry heavy bag up embankment from depth
Professional scallop diver in Orkney (North of Scotland).
No details PC
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Binney
John L
27 April
1966
USA,
Oregon
SCUBA
Lavoy
Kennet
h
27 April
1966
USA,
Oregon
SCUBA
July 1996
USA,
Alaska
10 August
1996
UKCS
Not Recorded
Carey
Gary A
Subsea
Offshore
3'
SCUBA
100m
Saturation
Aged 28, research assistant at the University of Oregon,
hired by the US Army Corps of engineers to inspect a 130'
deep shaft at the Hills Creek Reservoir dam. With partner
Lavoy went to 90' in basket, Lavoy then went to 130' to
inspect the bulkhead, returned to 90' basket and both
ascended to 10' and then Lavoy climbed onto the wall to
remove his gear. Binney's lifeline went slack and was
pulled up, no diver. Lavoy got a fresh cylinder plus pare
and went back into the water, down to 90'. After he had
been there about 5 minutes, surface team reported that his
bubbles suddenly got larger and then stopped. Basket
recovered but Lavoy was dead. Binney's body was
recovered from 130' by two SCUBA divers from Portland
Commercial divers who completed the inspection work the
following day. Double fatality.
Aged 22, owner of a SCUBA supply shop, hired by the
US Army Corps of engineers to inspect a 130' deep shaft at
the Hills Creek Reservoir dam. With partner Lavoy went to
90' in basket, Lavoy then went to 130' to inspect the
bulkhead, returned to 90' basket and both ascended to 10'
and then Lavoy climbed onto the wall to remove his gear.
Binney's lifeline went slack and was pulled up, no diver.
Lavoy got a fresh cylinder plus pare and went back into the
water, down to 90'. After he had been there about 5
minutes, surface team reported that his bubbles suddenly
got larger and then stopped. Basket recovered but Lavoy
was dead. Binney's body was recovered from 130' by two
SCUBA divers from Portland Commercial divers who
completed the inspection work the following day. Double
fatality.
In July 1996, a 24-year-old commercial fisherman with
no diving certification used scuba gear while attempting to
clear a fishing net wrapped around the propeller of a fishing
vessel. He became entangled in the net and was unable to
free himself. Other crew members were unable to assist
because they had no diving gear. He was retrieved
approximately 3 hours later, and no attempt was made to
resuscitate him. The scuba tank still contained an adequate
amount of air. The cause of death was drowning. NIOSH
review of occupational diving fatalities in Alaska
British, aged 38. DSV "Discovery", Ness subsea
manifold. Crushed by wellhead blown off base by locked in
pressure Mobil/Cooper Cameron were fined £175,000 and
£45,000 respectively.
1
1
1
1
Richards
Jessica
Anna
Not Recorded
8 October
1996
Australia
October
1996
USA,
Alaska
Australi
an
Institute
of
Marine
Sciences
10m
SCUBA
40'
S/S Air
Engel
Yair
4 December
1996
Israel
Navy
SCUBA
Polibuda
Matan
4 December
1996
Israel
Navy
SCUBA
Weir
Jock
late 96
Asia
McDerm
ott
British, aged 19. Volunteer scientific diver, check out
dive on Davies Reef, 55 miles NE Townsville. Separated
from group near end of dive, low on air, surfaced and
screamed for help, some delay in rescue due to fouled
anchor on tender. Cerebral arterial gas embolism (CAGE).
Investigation concluded inadequate system of competence
and experience assessment. Workplace Health and Safety,
Queensland.
In October 1996, a 32-year-old certified recreational
diver with minimal experience was harvesting sea
cucumbers using surface-supplied air in approximately 40
feet of water. After approximately 1 hour, the tender ***
lost sight of the diver's air bubbles. The diver did not
respond to a recall signal, and the tender pulled him to the
surface. His air regulator was not in his mouth, and
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was unsuccessful.
Inspection of the dive gear indicated it to be fully
operational, with no obvious defects. The cause of death
was drowning, but the specific cause of the incident was
unknown. NIOSH review of occupational diving fatalities
in Alaska
OC Navy has appointed an inquiry committee to
determine the cause of the mysterious deaths in a routine
training exercise of two IDF frogmen, whose bodies were
found yesterday in Haifa Bay 16 hours after they went
missing. The two, First-Sgt. Matan Polibuda, 20, from
Mevasseret Zion and First-Sgt. Yair Engel, 19, from
Kibbutz Ramat Rahel, were veterans of dozens of dives.
They were approaching promotion to they were 16 months
in the unit and approaching their graduation into the elite
Shayetet 13 underwater commando battalion
OC Navy has appointed an inquiry committee to
determine the cause of the mysterious deaths in a routine
training exercise of two IDF frogmen, whose bodies were
found yesterday in Haifa Bay 16 hours after they went
missing. The two, First-Sgt. Matan Polibuda, 20, from
Mevasseret Zion and First-Sgt. Yair Engel, 19, from
Kibbutz Ramat Rahel, were veterans of dozens of dives.
They were approaching promotion to they were 16 months
in the unit and approaching their graduation into the elite
Shayetet 13 underwater commando battalion
Negative pressure pipeline accident (incoming tide)
sucked him into the pipe, body was recovered using a pig to
push him out of the pipeline some 28km upstream of the
accident location.
1
1
1
1
1
McFadden
Timoth
yJ
15
December
1996
USA,
Californi
a
Noordhof
Ellard
1996
Dutch
Sector
1996
GOM
1996
USA,
Missouri
Divetech
?
West
Indies,
Barbado
s
Strongw
ork
Diving
(USA)
for
Healey
Tibbets
Not Recorded
Zimmerman
Schroeder
Frank
Robert
Feb 1997
SCUBA
GB
Diving
Surface
S/S Air
Surface
120'
S/S Air
American, aged 34, described as ―a commercial diver
from Ventura", died diving off the fishing vessel "Sea
Worthy" harvesting sea urchins, flown to a DDC but died,
Daily News, California
Working off a jack up, umbilical caught on wellhead,
asphyxiated on the surface
Offloading 6" pipe from a crew boat in rough seas, crane
operator chose to send us the big block instead of the fast
line. We hooked up, took our stations at the ends of the tag
lines. Sea 5 to 8 range, operator up on the load as fast as the
big block could go, the boat dropped out from under the
load and lost position. The load seemed to move up the
deck right toward me. I was literally chased up the deck by
the airborn bundle of pipe. I tried to get away by jumping
over the remaining pipe and running up the side walkway
by the house, but the vessel came back up on a wave and
just as I was leaping over the pipe on deck, the load in the
air swung in and pinched my lower leg against the pipe on
deck. And then it swung away. Leg swelled up huge, turned
a really wicked shade of purple, looked kind of cool but
hurt like a bitch, out for 3 months. I was lucky; as crush
injuries go, it was only slight. If the crane operator had used
the fast line, this would not have happened. If he had
boomed up instead of getting up on the wire, this would not
have happened. If I had known more about cranes and seas
and refused to hook up the big block, it would not have
happened. But I didn't and it did
Romulus, Missouri, three man team on dam spillway,
diver trapped in valve? Confusion, valve may have been
operated on diver or umbilical, diver possibly crushed in
valve
Aged 50. Sewage outfall installation at Queen Ann's
Fort, diving off Needhams Point. He was the diving
supervisor and dived to check work progress on pipeline in
trench. Came out of trench and tide pulled him from 120' to
50' . He grabbed the downline but complained of feeling
unwell on stops. Brought to the surface climbed 15 foot
ladder ( no cage) and collapsed on deck. Put into chamber
unconscious, not breathing and with blood on lips. chamber
tender managed to resuscitate him at 165' in chamber.
Doctor (SCUBA) arrived and made decision to bring up to
60 feet. Diver started to have difficulties breathing - breaths
became shallower and shallower until stopping - diver died
at 60 feet'. Cause of death: reported as suspected
pneumothorax with CNS complications, due to
1
1
1
1
uncontrolled ascent from 120‘. Personal communication
USA,
Florida
Subaque
ous
Services
12'
Helton
Eric J
10 March
1997
Rhode
Marty
15 March
1997
USA,
Washing
ton State
Roza
Irrigatio
n district
100'
SCUBA
Eberle
John
15 March
1997
USA,
Washing
ton State
Roza
Irrigatio
n district
100'
SCUBA
Hauber
Rusty
15 March
1997
USA,
Washing
ton State
Yakima
Fire
Departm
ent
SCUBA
Mestaz
Charlie
"JR"
18 March
1997
USA,
Washing
ton State
Yakima
Fire
Departm
ent
SCUBA
IMCA
ROV
Pre April
1997
IMCA SF 01 97
Lewis
Brent R
May 1997
GOM
Aged 20, dredging a dock using a hand-held suction hose
on the lighthouse Point Canal, Broward, trapped and buried
under 12' sand and rock, body recovered 24 hours later
using twin water jets, reported in the Miami Herald.
America, aged 33, employed to remove cars from 2210
feet long, 13 foot diameter irrigation canal tunnel "syphon",
trapped by flowing water, ran out of air, drowned. Two
man team, no stand-by divers/equipment. Two firemen
died trying to rescues them, quadruple fatality (Eberle,
Hauber, Mestaz)
America, aged 41, employed to remove cars from 2210
feet long, 13 foot diameter irrigation canal tunnel "syphon",
trapped by flowing water, ran out of air, drowned. Two
man team, no stand-by divers/equipment. Two firemen
died trying to rescues them, quadruple fatality (Rhode,
Hauber, Mestaz)
American, aged 34, One of a two man (Mestaz) fire team
trying to rescue two divers (Rhode/Eberle) from a 2210
long, 13 foot diameter irrigation tunnel, their lights were
seen returning to the entrance but they failed to surface,
they were pulled out by two stand-by divers. They had run
out of air, drowned. Quadruple fatality (Rhode, Eberle,
Mestaz)
American, aged 37. One of a two man (Hauber) fire
team trying to rescue two divers (Rhode/Eberle) from a
2210 long, 13 foot diameter irrigation tunnel, their lights
were seen returning to the entrance but they failed to
surface, they were pulled out by two stand-by divers. They
had run out of air, died in hospital three days later.
Qudruple fatality (Rhode, Eberle, Hauber)
ROV technician lost fingers during an on deck
maintenance operation, IMCA Safety Flash SF 01/97
American, jetting under a Casino barge (―Isle of Capri‖?)
in Shreveport, no bailout, hose severed (pulled into pump
inlet) ditched hat, drowned
1
1
1
1
1
1
21 May
1997
GOM
Acadian
a Divers
Not Recorded
19 June
1997
USA,
Connecti
cut
Police
Not Recorded
20 June
1997
USA,
Illinois
Fireman
Little
Jim
DDC
60'
SCUBA
SCUBA
American, died during surface decompression, smoking
inside the DDC, chamber fire. Reported in the press simply
as:- ―On Sunday, a professional diver undergoing
decompression on the dive boat 'White Dove' was killed
when the chamber caught fire, the Coast Guard said‖
Reported in the Orlando Chronicle
Quote:- ―Two Milford police divers were injured, one
critically, in a diving accident during routine training drills
in Long Island Sound, authorities said. The officers, ages 34
and 41, apparently became entangled in debris around noon
on Wednesday, said a police spokesman. One was
submerged at least eight minutes and had no pulse when
fellow divers pulled him from the water. He was in critical
condition at Norwalk Hospital early this morning.
The other officer freed himself, and surfaced to get help,
but came up too quickly and suffered from decompression
sickness, commonly called the bends. He was in serious
condition early this morning also at Norwalk Hospital.
Both divers were among eight officers performing routine
training about two miles off the mouth of Milford harbor.
Police said the divers were training in murky water about
60-feet deep. Visibility was less than a foot. ``This is the
first mishap the dive team has ever experienced,'' the
spokesman said. The team has been in action at least 25
years. Both men have been dive team members more than
five years News Times regional News
A veteran firefighter died Friday following a routine
scuba practice dive in Lake Michigan, fire officials said.
[The diver], 46, a firefighter for 17 years and an
experienced member of the Air-Sea Rescue Unit, was
pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
shortly before 5 p.m. according to fire department
spokesman Patrick Howe. That was about an hour after [the
diver] went out on a routine practice dive with [another
team member] about 25 feet off Meigs Field, where the
water temperature was 62 degrees. ``[The team member]
noticed his partner was moving rapidly to the surface,'' said
Howe. The member followed [the victim] to the surface,
where the victim removed his mask. Other firefighters
brought [him] to shore and administered CPR, Howe said.
At that time, the victim did not have a pulse and was not
breathing, Howe said. Paramedics were subsequently called
and administered advanced life-saving techniques before
transporting the victim to the hospital, Howe said. [The
team member] also was admitted to the hospital as a
1
1
1
procedural step and was listed in good condition. An
investigation into the cause of [the diver‘s] death was
underway. ``We don't know if it was an equipment failure,
or a heart problem, or what,'' Howe said, adding that the
divers were wearing the proper equipment. ``We can't
speculate right now.'' An autopsy will be conducted
Saturday. Fire officials also said they would examine the
scuba equipment being used by [the diver] for any potential
malfunctions. [The diver] is survived by a wife and two
daughters, ages 13 and 16. Chicago Tribune
Tuomey
Garry
4 July 1997
USA,
Florida
Pickering
Stephen
August 1997
UK
Sports
diver
SCUBA
SCUBA
Aged 42, sports diver, drowned after becoming
incapacitated from breathing carbon monoxide.
Compressor filter (carbon) had exploded at the SCUBA
shop, the burning carbon had contaminated his air cylinder.
The shop replaced the broken filter but did not drain the
tanks. Explosion reported as due to 'spontaneous
combustion ignited in part by pressurised oxygen' The
medical examiner ruled the death accidental and
investigations closed because no state laws were violated'.
St Petersburg Times
Aged 41, disappeared while salvaging cargo from a
wreck off the Dorset Coast. His remains were recovered by
a Dutch trawler in 2009, he was cremated in May of 2010
and his ashes laid to rest in the North Sea. Inquest held in
September 2010 was told that a combination of heavy
equipment and distress contributed to the death of the
experienced diver on a salvage expedition on a sunken First
World War ship carrying precious metals off the Dorset
coast 13 years previously. ―He was diving with new,
heavier gas cylinders and ignored advice from fellow divers
to ditch his weight belt before entering the water to make
him lighter, the inquest heard. According to one colleague,
Mr Pickering preferred to dive while weighed down heavily
to enable him to work better in the depths of the sea. One
of the four-strong team on the salvage vessel Marja said Mr
Pickering appeared distressed after losing his mask when he
jumped into the sea. After returning to the surface, they
threw him a replacement, but despite falling a short distance
from Mr Pickering, he made no attempt to grab it. They
then threw a piece of rope into the water in the hope that he
would reach for it. "He tried to grab for it and that's the last
I saw of him." The pathologist said a cause of death could
not be determined. "This would appear to be a combination
1
Gouyoumjian
Gevog
3 September
1997
USA,
Louisian
a
Underw
ater
Services
SCUBA
Mahady
John J
10
September
1997
USA,
Minneso
ta
City
Employe
e
SCUBA
Kielty
Steve
12
September
1997
USA,
Alaska
Magone
Marine
SCUBA
September
1997
USA,
Minneso
ta
Not Recorded
of the loss of the dive mask coupled with the excess weight,
which would have ended up with someone who has a
degree of hypoxia through over exertion which has
precipitated his collapse under the water." Dorset Police
found nothing suspicious about the circumstances of the
death: ―The statements from the men, plus the disclosure of
the new, heavier cylinders and the buoyancy problems Mr
Pickering experienced, led to the conclusion that his death
was an accident. Recording a verdict of accidental death,
the coroner said: "I am satisfied with the accounts given by
the experienced divers. "I will, on the evidence I have
heard, rule out any suspicious circumstances." Yorkshire
Post
American, aged 25, died inside a 480,000 gallon water
tank in La Place, Louisiana, somewhat weirdly described in
one report as ―presumed hypothermia/severe dehydration‖
Aged 39, Two Harbors City employee, described as an
experienced diver, apparently had trouble as he was
working to attach a buoy to mark equipment near a
municipal water intake pipe just off shore in Lake Superior.
Drowned. No details
In September 1997, a 47-year-old experienced
commercial diver on an underwater pipeline construction
project, who had made no dives during the previous 2-3
years used scuba gear while attaching a mooring line to a
buoy anchor line. The equipment was not in good
condition, and both the primary and alternate regulator were
leaking and in need of repair. Shortly after he submerged,
the tether line floated to the surface. After he was signaled
without response, the team leader put on scuba gear,
submerged, and found the diver on the sea floor with a
weight belt on and both tether line and tank high-pressure
hose severed. The diver was recovered, and CPR was
unsuccessful. The investigation did not determine how the
hose was severed, and the cause of death was listed as
drowning. OSHA cited the employer for violations
including inadequate training in using tools/equipment and
in CPR, absence of a ready standby diver, diver not line
tended, lack of a reserve tank, and rescue not conducted in a
timely manner. NIOSH review of occupational diving
fatalities in Alaska
Two Harbours, Minnesota, Lt in the Fire Department,
died while conducting commercial diving work for the
municipality, presumed heart attack
1
1
1
1
Smith
Joseph
Michael
15 October
1997
USA,
Maine
Broom
Stephen
Before Oct
1997
UKCS
Cruikshank
Paul
Before Oct
1997
UKCS
Edmonds
Graham
Before Oct
1997
UKCS
Before Oct
1997
IMCA SF 02 97
Carriere
Joseph
Francoi
s
Not Recorded
Ragot
Kurishio 1, Heavy Lift Barge, Bongkot
field, Total, Japanese diver
Philipp
e
30
November
1997
Canada,
Nova
Scotia
1997
Dutch
Sector
1997
France
1997
Thailand
SCUBA
Stolt
Comex
Seaway
Stolt
Comex
Seaway
Stolt
Comex
Seaway
Saturation
Everest field, bell contamination by condensate flashing
off (See IMCA SF 02/97)
Saturation
Everest field, bell contamination by condensate flashing
off (See IMCA SF 02/97)
Saturation
Everest field, bell contamination by condensate flashing
off (See IMCA SF 02/97)
IMCA
Saturation
RCMP
SCUBA
S/S Air
Recreati
onal
diving
organisa
tion
Aged 34, professional sea urchin harvesting off Swan
Island. Failed to surface, body recovered by other crew
members. Initial investigation led to USCG issuing a
warning to divers regarding contaminated air. This was
later ruled out. No further details.
9m
SCUBA
70m or 80m
Sat
Bell contamination incident (hydrocarbon - condensate contaminated over-suits off gassing in the bell atmosphere)
IMCA Safety Flash SF 02/97. Relates to SCS incident in
the Everest Field involving Stephen Broome, Paul
Cruikshank and Graham Edmonds (TC)
Cape Breton, part of a police team carrying out a drugs
search on the hull of a bulk carrier. Ran out of air, tried
buddy sharing, got separated, lost in bad visibility, body
recovered the day after. Drowned. Leaking mask, possible
contaminated air. RCMP prosecuted and fined. Now they
use S/S equipment. Halifax Chronicle
Umbilical snagged on lifting basket, tried to cut
umbilical but prevented by steel comms cable
French diver inspecting the upstream side of a leaking
valve. Got sucked in and killed.- No safety plan, victim the
director of the dive organisation, recreational diving
instructor - Court decided the manager of the dam was
guilty
9 divers in sat, three man bell run, Barge hit broadside by
large wave, roll sufficient to cause failure of the bolts
connecting the crane boom to a ―spindle‖ at the foot of the
crane. The boom fell to the deck (just missing sat chambers
but ripped the HRC off. HRC was not pressurized, doors
closed) then fell overside taking the crushed HRC with it.
Bell knocked sideways by falling jib, filled with water. The
bellman emptied the bell and pulled one of the divers back
in. When he tried to pull the second diver , all he got was
the umbilical with bail out and mask still attached. The
diver had bailed up to the surface. (The jib landed next to
him, whipped by cables. (Heavy bruises on his back). He
may have come across the HLC under the jib and assumed
1
1
1
1
1
it was the bell flattened under the jib (similar colour and
size as the bell), and having been trained in the Gulf where
divers ditch rather than cut their umbilical, he ditched and
swam to the surface where he was rescued alive. He was
put in a DDC (on air) but died soon after. Fundamental
cause was that the bolts on the crane had always been
assumed to be in compression, not tension, and had never
been inspected (specifically excluded by the certification
body) . A number had previously completely failed due to
corrosion. No allowance for wave motion. Reported by
IMCA SF 03 98 (TC)
1997?
Venezue
la
16 January
1998
UK
Not Recorded
18 February
1998
Israel
IMCA SF 02 98
Tucker
John
Woods
Damon
30'
S/S Air
SCUBA
Israeli
Navy
SCUBA
Before
March 1998
IMCA
ROV
IMCA SF 02 98
Before
March 1998
IMCA
S/S Air
SI 1997/2776
1 April 1998
Wright
Shanno
n Lee
8 April 1998
USA,
Washing
ton
American, Porto Cabala, Inspection dive during the
salvage of the vessel "Zinnia", stopped responding to
surface/line signal, stand-by found him on the bottom,
unresponsive, helmet flooded.
Aged 25, from Aukland, New Zealand, had joined the
Ullapool based fishing Vessel "Our Hazel' 10 days
previously. Only had sports diving qualifications, dived
under the vessel to clear the propellor at sea, went down
with rope, rope came to surface, diver diasppeared, large
SAR exercise but body not recovered. 'At work, employed,
diving, died' so included in list, but not qualified, not
actually employed as a diver, not a 'diving project' but
another example of a 'working diver being killed' TC
One of two divers roped together conducting a mine
search under an Israeli cargo vessel in Haifa Bay. Reported
as being ―sucked into one of the ship's propellers, which
had been mysteriously turned on‖.
On deck fatality during lifting ROV equipment on a
drilling rig (failed webbing strop). IMCA Safety Flash SF
02/98
Diver unconscious in the water, recovered to deck and
recovered OK. Due to contamination by overheating
dehumidifier on the HP compressor air inlet putting fumes
into the diver's breathing gas. IMCA Safety Flash SF 02/98
UK, DAW, Diving At Work Regulations came into force
with 5 associated ACOPs
Aged 27, commercial sea cucumber harvesting operation
off the fishing vessel 'Marlin' (based in Port Angeles) in the
Strait of Juan de Fuca . Apparently got into difficulties as
he surfaced from his third dive of the day. No details
1
1
1
1
Wilkerson
Cook
Tai
Harold
Not Recorded
Quicksil
ver
Internati
onal Inc
Professi
on
Diving
and
Salvage
8 April 1998
USA,
Virginia
9 April 1998
USA,
Marylan
d
16 April
1998
USA,
North
Carolina
Intercoa
stal
Diving
170'
SCUBA
rebreather
Johnson
Grey
18 May
1998
S China
Sea
Oceanee
ring
40m
Saturation
MacPhail
Alister
18 May
1998
S China
Sea
Oceanee
ring
40m
Saturation
Shord
Mike
18 May
1998
S China
Sea
Oceanee
ring
40m
Saturation
Skeate
Martin
18 May
1998
S China
Sea
Oceanee
ring
40m
Saturation
Blackmon
Eugene
19 May
1998
USA
Illinois
Fire
Brigade
30'
SCUBA
Aged 41, treasure hunt dive on the wreck of the Spanish
ship 'Juno' which sank 40 miles off the Virginia coast in
1802. Collapsed at depth, not breathing, sent to surface by
fellow divers, heart attack.
1
American aged 55, commercial diver running his own
diving and salvage company, died offshore of the Calvert
cliffs Nuclear Power plant, Baltimore, natural causes, heart
attack
1
The diver died around 8 am while working at Duke
Power's dam at lake Hickory. The divers were under
contract to inspect the 70 year old dam. No details. Star
News
Australian, "Ocean Winsertor", on contract to Hyundai
Heavy Industries, Poisoned by seabed toxins (H2S, arsenic,
Mercury) then circa 12 Chinese divers subsequently
medivac'd.
Australian, "Ocean Winsertor", on contract to Hyundai
Heavy Industries, Poisoned by seabed toxins (H2S, arsenic,
Mercury) then circa 12 Chinese divers subsequently
medivac'd.
Australian, "Ocean Winsertor", on contract to Hyundai
Heavy Industries, Poisoned by seabed toxins (H2S, arsenic,
Mercury) then circa 12 Chinese divers subsequently
medivac'd.
Australian, "Ocean Winsertor", on contract to Hyundai
Heavy Industries, Poisoned by seabed toxins (H2S, arsenic,
Mercury) then circa 12 Chinese divers subsequently
medivac'd.
Aged 39, SAR diver with the fire department. Accident
happened in the Little Calumet river undertaking a search
for two victims, drowned. (A man described as being
between 40 and 50 fell into the river, a man jumped in to
give him aid, both drowned. The fire-fighter was trying to
find the two victims). After an initial SCUBA search dive,
due to zero visibility and the underwater current, the victim
and his partner decided to change over to their underwater
communication masks. Returned to the staging area,
changed tanks and placed a 50 foot long, 4-inch round air
float (rubber-jacketed fire hose) from shore to the U.S.
Coast Guard Cutter that had just arrived. The divers decided
to remove their SCUBA gear and free float to the Coast
Guard cutter using the 4-inch float as a guide and flotation
device, determining this would be the easiest way to enter
the boat since it did not have a swim platform. Wearing his
1
1
IMCA SF 03 98
Before May
1998
IMCA
ROV
IMCA SF 03 98
Before May
1998
IMCA
Deck
Crane
Skeate
13 July 1998
South
Korea
Military
weight belt, the victim began his free float to the boat,
holding on to his Buoyancy Control Device (BCD), tank,
and the 4-inch air float as flotation devices. The weight belt
consisted of three 10-pound lead weights secured around
his waist. As the victim was approaching the boat he lost
grip of the flotation devices and instantly went under the
water due to the 30-pound weight belt that he did not
release. His partner immediately went down after him, free
diving with just his wet suit which created a buoyancy
problem and limited his dive depth. After two attempts to
reach the victim, he surfaced and called for assistance from
the Air and Sea Rescue divers. One diver from the Air and
Sea Rescue team descended to the area where the victim
went down and located him. As the victim was pulled close
to the water surface, the victim‘s partner grabbed him. The
Air and Sea diver lost his grip on the victim while adjusting
his own equipment, and because of the 30-pound weight
belt around the victim‘s waist, the victim‘s partner was
unable to hold on to him, and he descended for a second
time. The victim was located and pulled from the water
approximately 10 to 15 minutes later by the police rescue
divers. The victim received immediate medical attention on
shore before being loaded into the Air and Sea Rescue
helicopter which transported him to an area hospital where
he was pronounced dead. Reported in the press and official
records.
Lifting wire failure during ROV recovery,the ROV fell
onto the gunnel and tumbled onto deck. No injuries.
IMCA Safety flash SF 03/98
Crane boom failure, it fell into the sea and killed a diver
working on the seabed.. IMCA Safety Flash SF 03/98.
This safety flash relates to the Japanese saturation diver
killed on the Kurushio I heavy lift barge in the Bongkot
field in Indonesia in 1997. Incident details noted above in
1997 (TC)
The diver, assumed to be a North Korean commando,
was found by a South Korean man walking along the beach
near the city of Tonghae, 110 miles east of Seoul. The dead
diver was carrying a Czech-made submachine gun, a hand
grenade, radio transmission gear and an underwater camera,
the military said. Nearby, investigators found a cone-shaped
aluminium submersible boat that could carry up to five
commandos. The dead diver was wearing a wet suit,
goggles and two oxygen tanks. Defense Ministry doctors
examined the body and said that the man had died of a heart
1
attack and had been dead between 24 and 48 hours. New
York Times
Not Recorded
29 July 1998
Cranfield
Walter
11 August
1998
Nicolson
Constab
le
David
13 August
1998
DDC
explosion
Turkey
Guam
Deep
Sea
Technol
ogies
SCUBA
Canada,
Ontario
Police
SCUBA
Turkish doctor and 2 SCUBA divers killed in blast in
decompression chamber An explosion in a decompression
chamber released a cloud of noxious fumes, killing a doctor
and two scuba divers at a hospital, the Anatolia news
agency said. The cause of the explosion Tuesday was not
immediately known and officials at Capa hospital refused to
comment. Associated Press
American, Mixed gas/SCUBA, decompression incident.
OSHA prosecution $75,000 fine "Willful Violations",
SCUBA deeper than 130', no comms, no DDC, over
pressuring cylinders
Police diver searching dam for missing 12 year old boy
was sucked into same sluice. On a life line but it broke
(along with his regulator) when pulled by the surface crew.
Drowned. Ontario Ministry of Labour investigator
concluded the diver would not have drowned had the dive
been conducted according to the Occupational Health and
Safety Act and its diving regulations and recommended
charges be laid against Waterloo regional police for several
offences under the act, including failing to properly plan,
equip and supervise a dive of that type, but the ministry
chose not to lay charges because there was not a reasonable
prospect of securing a conviction (his investigation
identified safe-diving practices that were not followed that
night including lack of identifying and controlling the
hazardous sluice, failing to use a supply of air from the
surface for a dive near a dam, and limited training in doing
dives near dams. Several officers argued that police dive
teams should be exempt from diving regulations when they
are doing an emergency rescue. Investigators argued that
the rules do not distinguish between emergency dives and
commercial dives because "the hazards facing divers is the
same no matter what their purpose." Police officer in
charge of operation said that if it had been a missing adult,
the search would probably not have gone ahead at that time,
'but with a child.........'
1
1
Randolph
Jamison
Lee
9 September
1998
USA,
GOM
Pre Sept
1998
IMCA SF 04 98
IMCA
Not Recorded
12 October
1998
Tunisia
Adriatic
a Subsea
Services
Not Recorded
13
November
1998
Canada,
Ontario
RCMP
Not Recorded
7 December
1998
USA,
Washing
ton State
Not Recorded
8 December
1998
South
Korea
North
Korean
Navy
Diver
ROV
75m
S/S Mixed
gas
Levi
Sgt.
Yuval
1998
Israel
IDF
SCUBA
Glazzard
Robert
11 January
1999
Dubai
Oceanee
ring
DECK
IMCA SF 01/99
Pre Jan 1999
IMCA
Aged 24, reported as a commercial diver having died on
a boat offshore Louisiana. No details. Lexington HeraldLeader
ROV LARS failure during launching operations. IMCA
Safety Flash SF 04/98
Spanish, aged 33, Bounce diving, Galeazzi type bell, (no
DDC, decompression done in the bell). The day before had
passed out in the water, recovered by the bellman. Passed
out during locking out, recovered dead. Ill fitting unisuit
reported as a contributory factor
A police diver was drowned in Cambridge, Ontario when
he was trying to recover the body of a boy who drowned.
The name of the officer has not been released. No other
details. Reported by CBC News
Commercial diver working on a propeller at Continental
Lime, Tacoma, critically injured, taken to hospital, no
details
Dec. 18, 1998 - South Korean navy sinks submersible
North Korean spy vessel on east coast. A scuba diver from
the North is found dead. Unfree Media/China Daily. (NB
This report is quoted in various sources, the Commando
(July 1998) is less widely reported. They appear to be
different incidents. TC)
―12 years ago, the unit suffered personal tragedy caused
by exactly this type of an incident. Sgt. Yuval Levi (dec.),
who at the time was a diver in the unit, went with his
partner on a routine mission to check a merchant vessel
which has requested to anchor in the Haifa port. After
descending into the water, the vessel activated its
propellers, and Sgt. Levi was killed. His partner in the
mission was saved‖ Quoted in an IDF article in August
2020
British, aged 28, missing overboard at night from
Seabulk Hercules along with New Zealand dive tech Aaron
Harper/Aaron Hopa. Suspected garrotted and dead before
in the water. Stories of drug smuggling/debts, open verdict,
no conclusion.
Multiple diver and ROV lifting incidents reported, IMCA
Safety Flash, SF 01/99
1
1
1
1
1
1
Tyre
Shelley
Pottberg
Brian
12 March
1999
Tortola
15 July 1999
USA
Missouri
SCUBA
Fire
Brigade
SCUBA
American recreational diver aged 46, headmistress of a
private school in Massachusetts, expert diver. Married
David Swain in 1993. Federal prosecutor in Rhode Island
wrote that there was "overwhelming circumstantial
evidence proving that Swain murdered his wife‖, evidence
included Swain's "unusual behavior" after Tyre's death, his
alleged financial motivation and the condition of Tyre's
scuba equipment, which experts suggest "indicate that a
violent struggle took place under water." A lawyer for
Tyre's parents argued Swain killed his wife for money and
had been involved in a romantic relationship with another
woman. He said Swain knew he would not have been
entitled to any money if he divorced his wife because of the
couple's prenuptial agreement. Alleged that Swain cut off
her air supply and held her in the water until she drowned.
Aged 25, Member of Lee's Summit fire department.
Described as a routine training exercise in Lakewood lake
(Acting as the centre point for a second diver to swim
increasing circular search pattern), ―On July 15, 1999, one
male fire fighter/paramedic/rescue diver (the victim)
drowned while taking part in a drill. The victim, one of four
rescue divers and a boat driver participating in a training
drill, was assigned the "Pivot Diver" position. During the
drill, a Safety Diver was to remain at the surface. The Pivot
Diver (the victim), was to enter the water, follow the anchor
line to the bottom, set up with a 50-foot length of rope, then
signal the Pattern Diver (whose duty is to swim in a circular
pattern searching for a rescue/recovery target) to descend
and proceed with the drill. The crew on the surface
observed air bubbles as the victim descended.
Approximately 2 minutes later the rope bag surfaced while
the bubbles continued. It appeared to the crew on the
surface that the victim was searching for the rope bag
because the air bubbles appeared to be moving back and
forth. The Lead Diver instructed the Pattern Diver to
descend and retrieve the victim. The Lead Diver also started
to knock on the bottom of the rescue boat with a dive knife
in hopes of signaling the victim to return to the surface.
When the Pattern Diver surfaced, he reported the victim
could not be found. The Lead Diver then instructed the
Boat Driver to radio for emergency assistance and
implement the department‘s Incident Command System
(ICS). The Lead Diver also directed the Safety Diver to
initiate rescue of the victim. When the Safety Diver
surfaced without the victim, the Lead Diver instructed the
1
Nordeen
Tim
21 July 1999
USA,
Massach
usetts
Nowesc
o
Juse
Bill
21 July 1999
USA,
Massach
usetts
Black
Dog
Divers
Hill
Chris
6 August
1999
UKCS
Stolt
Comex
Seaway
Mercer
Scott
9 August
1999
GOM
Titan
Marine
117 m
Saturation
Safety Diver to assume the role of Pivot Diver. The Lead
Diver assumed the role of Pattern Diver. Both the Safety
Diver and Lead Diver dove below the surface to initiate a
rescue of the victim. The victim was found during the
search and brought to the surface approximately 11 minutes
after the Boat Driver initially requested emergency
assistance. When the victim was brought to the surface, the
air regulator was not in his mouth and he was noticeably
cyanotic and unresponsive. The victim received immediate
medical attention on the Rescue Boat and while en route to
a regional trauma center, where he was pronounced dead
upon arrival. The cause of death was listed as drowning.
NIOSH report.
Died 9 miles inside a tunnel dry diving operation in New
Deer sewage outfall, Boston, double fatality (Juse). Both
divers died as a result of bad air quality that resulted from
extremely poor equipment and equipment not made to be
used in a tunnel environment. Over $200,000 in fines for
wilful violations. Boston Globe and others
Died 9 miles inside a tunnel dry diving operation in New
Deer sewage outfall, Boston, double fatality (Juse). Both
divers died as a result of bad air quality that resulted from
extremely poor equipment and equipment not made to be
used in a tunnel environment. Over $200,000 in fines for
wilful violations. Boston Globe and others
British, aged 42, Buchan template, DSV "Discovery",
oxy arc explosion. HSE prosecution, fined £60,000. (See
IMCA SF 07/01).
Underwater oxy arc explosion, improperly vented tank.
Offshore Diver. Also reported as "Diver was killed from a
build-up of gases while welding on a salvage operation.
Diver had not vented for gases to escape. USCG Findings:
1) Mercer was the diving supervisor of this operation. He
was diving at the time without leaving a designated
individual as supervisor topside while he was in the water,
directly against industry policy. Mercer was Titan‘s
representative on the ADC BoD and therefore should have
especially known industry policy better than anyone. 2) All
areas were suppose to be vented first before any welding
started. However, there was no records kept and
consequently, Mercer begin welding in one of those areas
that had not yet been vented. NAOCD/cDiver
1
1
1
1
Paterson
Kenny
19 August
1998
UK
Swint, Jr
Elwin
24 August
1999
USA,
Californi
a
Fathoms
Ltd.
200'
SCUBA
S/S Air
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Diver sacrificed his
life to save a colleague as he continued his 15-year quest
for the wreck of the Finnish freighter ‗Joanna Thorden‘.
The freighter sank at the notorious Pentland Skerries in the
Pentland Firth during a storm in 1937, reputedly carrying
copper ingots (and possibly even silver bullion). Gary
Connor, a director of Wick-based Fathoms Ltd, was diving
with Kenny Paterson, aged 34, on August nineteenth 1998.
As they searched at a depth of 200ft (nearly 40ft more than
the legal limit for commercial scuba divers), Kenny
Paterson suffered symptoms of the bends and Gary brought
him to the surface. Gary also suffered the bends but after
treatment contracted septicemia and died in hospital in
April this year. The sheriff returned a formal verdict on the
medical cause of death and noted Fathoms staff originally
told the Health and Safety Executive it was a recreational
dive and outwith their scope of inquiry‖. Reported in the
Scottish Daily Record & Sunday. The FAI notes that Gary
Connor died at Caithness General Hospital on the April first
2000, 20 months after the accident (cerebral anoxia, spinal
bend, quadaplegia leading to tetraparesis and septicaemia),
that SCUBA equipment was not appropriate for the diving
operation, that the HSE was falsely induced into believing it
was a sports dive and therefore there was no prompt
investigation. He also noted that the actions of the
deceased achieved the ultimately successful rescue of his
colleague.
Initially reported as ‗diver lost at sea while harvesting sea
urchins off Santa Rosa island'. Body was recovered. Cause
of death recorded as drowning for unknown reasons, but no
details NAOCD/cDiver. However a later report gives more
details:- (Paraphrased) ―The son of a sea urchin diver killed
when a yacht ran over his air hose is suing the boat owner.
The diver, aged 53, of Santa Barbara drowned last year off
Santa Rosa Island. Attorneys for his son argue that the
yacht was being operated in an "unsafe manner" before the
accident. The U.S. Coast Guard found that the yacht had
run over the diver's air hose but the owner was not
negligent and that the boat contacted authorities shortly
after spotting the diver in the water. The 49-foot yacht was
battered by rough seas before the accident and sought
shelter next to Swint's boat while the diver was underwater,
the Coast Guard report said. The diver, who was not using
a diver-warning flag, surfaced and yelled as the boat
approached, and the boat owner turned turned his vessel
1
around, the report said. The boat owner has said the diver's
air hose became entangled in the boat's propeller as the
vessel searched for him‖. Associated Press article dated
July 2000.
Shepcot
Jay
29 August
1999
GOM
Downie
Ramsey
MacDo
nald
8 October
1999
USA,
Californi
a
Oceanee
ring
Not Recorded
20 October
1999
USA,
Florida
Jim
Wright
Marine
Construc
tion
Not Recorded
11
November
1999
USA,
Californi
a
Southwe
st
Marine
IMCA SF 07/99
Pre Dec
1999
IMCA
972'
ADS
GB 161, Semi-submersible Diamond Ocean Ambassador
with an air gap of approximately 100 feet. ADS (Wasp) was
being recovered, a piece of lifting tackle gave away, ADS
dropped to the end of a safety cable. The shock load swung
the ADS up beneath the semi-sub where it hit and broke
one arm off the suit before the safety cable was severed by
the edge of the deck. The ADS fell into the sea and because
of the missing arm flooded and sank to the pontoon. It is
believed that the diver died of a broken neck which
occurred at the same time the arm was broken off. Once
submerged, the suit flooded. Two standby dives were made
before the diver was located and brought to the surface.
"This fatality is attributable to rigging failure" Offshore
Diver. (USCG found that the shackle pin used in attaching
the WASP to the crane was of inferior quality and not rated
for lifting the weight of a WASP. NAOCD/cDiver)
1
Welder diver, 'died in an industrial accident' at Los
Angeles Harbour, no details
1
American, Incident occurred on the Isle of Bahia, Lot 80
(Inland of Lake Worth), reported as a drowning of unknown
cause. Possibly a case of a sports qualified SCUBA diver
doing commercial diving work. Investigation closed. Fines
to be Paid, 3 Citations/$3,600 but no details.
NAOCD/cDiver
American, San Diego, This was reported as a drowning
fatality by a possibly untrained SCUBA diver doing
commercial work. No details, possibly dual report of death
of Ramsey Downie reported a month earlier (Died
8/10/1999). NAOCD/cDiver.
Alert regarding inland/inshore diving contractor with
divers using forged UK HSE diving and medical
certificates. IMCA Safety Flash SF 07/99
1
Not Recorded
7 December
1999
Spain
S/S Air
Propeller
Incident
Militello
A
22
December
1999
USA,
Massach
usetts
Mahoney
Michael
C
28
December
1999
GOM
Bisso
Marine
Paraphrased from press reports:- ― A court in San
Sebastian has sentenced company co-owner to a year and a
half in prison for the death of a diver who was killed by the
propeller of the boat from which he worked, while trying to
clear an anchor that had been trapped at the bottom. The
boat's skipper, who was also charged has been acquitted as
he only complied with the orders of his superior . The
deceased was working on a fish farm in Zumaia when about
12.30 the crew found that the bow anchor was stuck on the
bottom. When the diver was in the water, the boat manager
twice gave the order to go hard forward to dislodge the
anchor and the employee complied with this indication,
when the diver was dragged into the propeller and sliced to
death. The ruling states that the owner and manager of the
company "was directly responsible to provide safe working
conditions for their workers', despite which he allowed the
work to be performed by a single diver, where the
legislation requires two. The court also noted the propeller
should not have been used with a surface umbilical diver in
the water,' reckless manager‘ allowing the maneuver. For
this reason, it condemned the manager to one year in prison
for a crime of homicide by negligence and six months for
another crime against the rights of worker plus banned from
managing a diving company three years, plus
compensation to the parents of 14,100.
Paraphrased from press reports:- "Lobster Man Dies
After Getting Caught in Propeller Shaft. The mana, aged
40 from Goucester was on the 'Dean', a fishing boat, near
Bakers Island Massachusetts (about 3 miles from the
entrance to Beverly and Salem Harbours, when he became
caught in the prop shaft.. A nearby fishing vessel notified
the Coast Guard which transported him to Manchester
Marina. He was then moved to Beverly Hospital and
pronounced dead from "multiple trauma". Not clear if this
was a diving accident. Polson Enterprises list of propeller
incidents/Associated Press
American, Mississippi river barge salvage job, oxy arc
explosion, stand-by diver not dressed in. Diver was killed
in an underwater explosion while performing "hot work" on
the sunken barge. Early court documents from a civil action
brought by Bisso Marine against OSHA when the
investigation was transferred from USCG to OSHA shows
that Mr. Mahoney's "autopsy revealed high levels of
cocaine and TCH.....that Mahoney likely smoked crack
cocaine on the barge shortly before making the dive."
1
1
OSHA investigation complete. Citations on Appeal. Fine to
be Paid, 4 Citations/$8250 NAOCD/cDiver
Washburn
Todd
12 January
2000
Bankert
Gary L
15 January
2000
USA,
Pennsylv
ania
Marion
Hill
Associat
es
60'
USA
North
Carolina
Fire
Brigade
22'
SCUBA
―A New Jersey diver remained missing in the Allegheny
River on Monday even after authorities reduced the flow of
water over a dam to aid in the search. Officials said efforts
to find the body of Todd Washburn, 33, of Trenton, would
continue Tuesday, but water flow would have to be returned
to normal. Washburn worked for a company, Marion Hill
Associates, that was inspecting the privately owned Piney
Hydroelectric Station near Reesedale, Armstrong County.‖
(Part of the report also states that ―Last year, 90 of the
nation's 2500 commercial divers were killed on the job‖,
also that ―the diver had 18 months experience as a
commercial diver‖. His body was recovered 5 days later
downstream of the plant. No details of the actual cause of
the incident. 2 Citations/$3,000. Associated
Press/NACOD/cDiver
37-year-old male volunteer fire fighter drowned during a
dry-suit certification training dive. The victim was one of
six divers which included one certified diving instructor
(Professional Association Dive Instructor [PADI] Dive
Master) and five students (three of the students were
volunteer fire fighters). The victim was a member of the
fire department‘s search and recovery dive team. On the
day of the incident, the training was being conducted at a
privately owned freshwater lake that is dedicated
exclusively to recreational diving. The training consisted of
one, 3-hour classroom training session (held on January 8,
2000), followed by three open-water dives conducted on
January 15, 2000. The first dive was conducted in a
controlled area near the shore. The second and third dives
were logged open-water dives for dry-suit certification. On
the third dive ascent, the group made a safety stop at a
depth of 15 feet. After the instructor got the okay signal
from all of the students, they continued their ascent to the
surface. When the victim failed to appear at the surface, two
of the divers descended to the bottom and began searching
for him. They found the victim at a depth of approximately
22 feet. They brought him to the surface where rescue
breathing was initiated while moving him toward shore.
1
1
Once on shore, paramedics transported the victim by
ambulance to a local hospital where he was pronounced
dead at 22:38 hours. NIOSH investigators concluded that,
to minimize the risk of similar occurrences, fire
departments should
ensure that divers maintain continuous visual, verbal, or
physical contact with their dive partner. The death
certificate lists the cause of death as severe metabolic
acidosis as the result of near drowning. NIOSH report
IMCA SF 01/00
IMCA
3 February
2000
Ivory
Coast
Bill
3 February
2000
USA,
Alaska
Marcus
16 February
2000
Not Recorded
Weaver
Williams
Australia
Kenyan
Navy
47 m
SCUBA?
SCUBA
Endeavo
ur
Shipping
Pty
10m
SCUBA
Report of an unplanned initiation of bell recovery whilst
bell door open (Newly modified and installed system)
IMCA Safety Flash SF 01/00
Kenyan Navy diver died during body recovery operations
on the crash site of Kenyan Airways airbus, 310, flight KQ
431 to Lagos, that crashed into the sea 2 miles off Abijan
after take off , 169 died, 10 survivors.
Paraphrased from the 'State News':- ―A veteran
commercial diver from Kodiak was killed while trying to
clear line from a fishing boat's propeller, according to
Kodiak police. Bill Weaver, 54, died when the skipper of
the 81-foot trawler Lisa Malinda tried to move the vessel
while Weaver was under the boat....‖
Australian, Diving in Investigator Roads, Gulf of
Carpenteria. Diving operation to dismantle moorings in
poor underwater visibility (<600mm) with surface swell
and high current. Failed to surface, body never recovered.
Contractor prosecuted (Inappropriate use of SCUBA for
construction diving work. Cylinders not in current test.
Lifeline disconnected by diver at surface and descended
with lifeline over arm. Air purity not tested after previous
oil contamination incident of HP compressor. No current
medical certification. No standby diver fully equipped to
act in standby diver role. No dive supervisor appointed. 30
minute delay to obtain appropriate equipment before search
commenced) Workplace Health and Safety, Queensland.
1
1
1
1 April 2000
UK
Fathoms
Ltd.
Eric
Joseph
20 April
2000
USA,
Florida
Denizen
s of the
Deep
S/S Air
Warzack
Mathew
5 May 2000
USA,
Indiana
Lindahl
Marine
S/S Air
King
Edward
12 May
2000
USA,
Rhode
Island
Connor
Gary
Primavera
200'
SCUBA
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Diver sacrificed his
life to save a colleague as he continued his 15-year quest
for the wreck of the Finnish freighter ‗Joanna Thorden‘.
The freighter sank at the notorious Pentland Skerries in the
Pentland Firth during a storm in 1937, reputedly carrying
copper ingots (and possibly even silver bullion). Gary
Connor, a director of Wick-based Fathoms Ltd, was diving
with Kenny Paterson, aged 34, on August nineteenth 1998.
As they searched at a depth of 200ft (nearly 40ft more than
the legal limit for commercial scuba divers), Kenny
Paterson suffered symptoms of the bends and Gary brought
him to the surface. Gary also suffered the bends but after
treatment contracted septicemia and died in hospital in
April this year. The sheriff returned a formal verdict on the
medical cause of death and noted Fathoms staff originally
told the Health and Safety Executive it was a recreational
dive and outwith their scope of inquiry‖. Reported in the
Scottish Daily Record & Sunday. The FAI notes that Gary
Connor died at Caithness General Hospital on the April first
2000, 20 months after the accident (cerebral anoxia, spinal
bend, quadaplegia leading to tetraparesis and septicaemia),
that SCUBA equipment was not appropriate for the diving
operation, that the HSE was falsely induced into believing it
was a sports dive and therefore there was no prompt
investigation. He also noted that the actions of the
deceased achieved the ultimately successful rescue of his
colleague.
American, aged 30. Inspecting pilings on the South
Cargo Pier at Port Canaveral, told topsides he was in
trouble, standby diver found him entangled with helmet off,
drowned. Citations/$14,700, The Ledger/NAOCD/cDiver
American, reported as "Diver was sucked into a 9 ft
diameter intake. Lost communications with diver after 15
minutes, body recovered 40 minutes later. Improper tag-out
procedures. 3 Citations, informally Settled". No other
details. NAOCD/cDiver
Reported as "Quahog diver was found dead after reported
missing. Boat and diver was found day after he was lost.
Apparent Drowning" NAOCD/cDiver
1
1
1
1
Ahmad
Idris
16 May
2000
Malaysia
Fire and
Rescue
Services
SCUBA
Harun
Mohd
Nor
19 May
2000
Malaysia
Fire and
Rescue
Services
SCUBA
Cronland
Kyle
28 May
2000
USA,
Indiana
Bulldod
Diving
Soffregen
Sgt
Alane
2 June 2000
USA,
Illinois
Police
0
Police
0
Not Recorded
2 June 2000
Not Recorded
9 June 2000
USA,
Illinois
Canada
Sports
Paraphrased from the newspaper report:- ―Another diver
from the Fire and Rescue Services Department's scuba
diving unit disappeared this morning during a search
operation for a colleague who had gone missing since
Monday around the waters of Pulau Lalang and Pulau Saga.
The diver, identified as Mohd Nor Harun, in his 40s, is
feared to have suffered a similar fate as his colleague, Idris
Ahmad, 36. Idris was believed to have drowned while
clearing the waters of discarded fishing nets. A police
spokesman said the incident occurred about 11.30am today
when the diver failed to surface for a break. His body was
found by fisherman 3 days later. 40 divers were taking part
in the search. Another diver became unconscious during
the search and was admitted to the armed forces hospital at
the Lumut naval base‖. Reported in the New Straits Times
Paraphrased from the newspaper report:- ―Another diver
from the Fire and Rescue Services Department's scuba
diving unit disappeared this morning during a search
operation for a colleague who had gone missing since
Monday around the waters of Pulau Lalang and Pulau Saga.
The diver, identified as Mohd Nor Harun, in his 40s, is
feared to have suffered a similar fate as his colleague, Idris
Ahmad, 36. Idris was believed to have drowned while
clearing the waters of discarded fishing nets. A police
spokesman said the incident occurred about 11.30am today
when the diver failed to surface for a break. His body was
found by fisherman 3 days later. 40 divers were taking part
in the search. Another diver became unconscious during
the search and was admitted to the armed forces hospital at
the Lumut naval base‖. Reported in the New Straits Times
American, Southern Indiana Gas and Electricity
Company, Cinergy Power Plant, Indianapolis, Ohio River,
zero vis, removing mud from a locked out pump. Pump
cells all suck water from a common screen cell. Apparently
either diver walked around dividing wall into common cell
then was pulled or wandered into a live pump. Drowned
when umbilical was cur (Did he have a bailout??). Cause
given as incorrect lock out/rag out procedues. Offshore
Diver/NAOCD/cDiver/Indianapolis Star
Female American police marine unit diver, aged 50,
drowned during a training exercise 1 mile off Chicago
waterfront.
Police officer, injured on the same dive during which Sgt
Alane Soffregen died
Big Tub Harbour Resort, Ontario, man killed by
1
1
1
1
diver
Climer
Michael
24 June
2000
GOM
Caldive
Banu
Fred
25 June
2000
Australia
Oceante
ch Pty
Winkler
Steven
27 June
2000
USA,
Washing
ton State
SCUBA
Poore
Tommy
14 July 2000
USA,
Texas
SCUBA
15 July 2000
Australia
DSV gas
transfer
Not Recorded
IMCA SF 03/00
Pre July
2000
IMCA SF 03/00
July 2000
IMCA SF 04/00
July 2000
Smith
Warren
C
13 August
2000
Fall
20 to 25 m
S/S Air
(Hookah)
IMCA
Australia
IMCA
IMCA
USA
Indiana
70'
SCUBA
exploding cylinder at a diving club. No details. The
Record
American, diver/tender, topsides work removing a
helideck, killed in a fall of 30', no details. cDiver
Australian (Torres Straits Islander), professional sea
cucumber (Beche de mer) harvester. Near Don Cay in the
Torres Strait. Diving from tender vessel on hooker style
SSBA diving system. Airline pulled tight causing
separation of airline at connection. Diver found on the
seabed 15 minutes late and recovered unconscious from sea
floor. Outboard unable to be started. Drowned.
Prosecution (Inappropriate and poorly maintained SSBA
equipment. No emergency air source. No current medical.
No depth indicator used. No O2 resuscitation equipment).
Workplace Health and Safety, Queensland.
American, aged 27, from Bellingham, professional sea
cucumber harvesting off the vessel ―Silver sea‖, Griffin
Bay, off San Juan island, critically ill, intensive care in
Seattle hospital after surfacing from dive
American, vesssel husbandry work on a vessel in the
Houston Shipping channel, reported missing, body
recovered two days l;ater. No commercial qualifications.
NAOCD/cDiver
LST injured (Major hand trauma) during demobilisation
gas transfer - a William James compressor explosion.
20/80 heliox. Safety Flash issued by Australia authorities.
(See IMCA SF 03/00).
Billy Pugh lifting equipment failure, 4 personnel
onboard, 1 OK, 3 injured. IMCA Safety Flash SF 03/00
Major hand injuries to LST during heliox gas transfer
pumping, explosion inside a Williams and James
compressor filter, Australian DSV. IMCA Safety Flash SF
03/00. This happened on the 15th July, see above (TC).
2 Additional Wiiliams and James compressor explosions
during gas transfer operations
Fire-fighter, aged 28, Search and rescue training dive in a
lake. Circular search, partner lost the rope and became
separated, basic SCUBA gear only, no voice comms,
Another diver saw the victim who was distressed and
frantically screaming, the victim knocked out the other
diver's face piece. The victim, who was entangled in the
buoy line was pulled to the surface by the line, given
medical assistance and transported to hospital by air
ambulance where he was pronounced dead, The cause of
death was stated as pulmonary barotrauma. NIOSH report
1
1
1
1
Diebolt
Brian
4 September
2000
GOM
Cummings
Ron
19
September
2000
USA,
Arizona
Linscomb
John
Not Recorded
Henry
Donova
n
Torch
Marine
SCUBA
USA,
Texas
Land
and
Underw
ater
Welding
Boat
accident
11 October
2000
USA,
Texas
Land
and
Underw
ater
Welding
Boat
accident
14 October
2000
Jamaica
11 October
2000
Murdered
Diver was working offshore but ill (reported as
pneumonia, possibly developed from poor air quality,
complicated with continual diving), but apparently was not
allowed to return to the beach upon several requests from
himself and others. Eventually taken onshore , then taken
immediately to hospital, and admitted right, died 45 days
later from complications. NAOCD/cDiver
Aged 49, highly decorated captain in the Phoenix fire
department. Off duty, One of a three man team of firefighter with a commercial diving business, no back up,
communications or stand-by, failed to surface after diving
in to inspect the entrance gateway of an inlet to a 21'
diameter syphon pipe running under the Aqua Fria river
into a canal, part of the Central Arizona Project which
delivers water from the Colorado river to the Phoenix area.
Body recovered later the same day after syphon was
drained. No details
American, Bayou Adams near Orange, Texas, incident
occurred when the divers were returning to a boatramp at
the end of a diving project and their boat hit a power line
tower. The diver was killed. Another diver, who was
operating the boat, was seriously injured. NAOCD/cDiver
blog, No other details.
American, Bayou Adams near Orange, Texas, incident
occurred when the divers were returning to a boatramp at
the end of a diving project and their boat hit a power line
tower. The diver was, who was operating the boat, was
seriously injured, another diver (John Linscomb) was
killed. NAOCD/cDiver blog, No other details.
One of two specialist divers who searched for drugs
under the hulls of ships killed in October (the other was
Carl Lubsey, 31st October 2000), was probably slain
because he turned down bribes for several million dollars
according to police sources. His body was discovered on
the Farm main road, Montego Bay, St. James, on October
14, two days after he was reported missing from his home.
Senior Superintendent Carl Williams, the island's narcotics'
chief, said the police believed the divers were killed
because of their occupation and hinted that there could be a
breakthrough in another week. However the Constabulary
Communication Network (CCN) reported that while both
cases were being investigated, the lawmen are yet to effect
an arrest. The Jamaica Gleaner
1
1
1
1
Reynolds
David
Grant
19 October
2000
Australia
Cossack
Pearls
Benvenuto
Frances
co
25 October
2000
Italy
Barracu
da
Lubsey
Carl
31 October
2000
Jamaica
Police
Pre Nov
2000
IMCA SF 06/00
Miller
Gary A
8 November
2000
IMCA
UK
Arkal
Ltd
SCUBA
0
SCUBA
Murdered
Aged 31, from Queensland, was pearl diving with two
other men off Onslow in October 2000 when tragedy
struck. ―His oxygen mask had become separated from his
face and he was lying lifeless on the ocean floor‖. Attempts
by his co-workers to resuscitate him failed. The Perth
Court of Petty Sessions found the man's employer was
partly responsible for his death and imposed a $10,000 fine
on the company. ABC News online
Italian aged 32. Workshop in Genoa harbour, charging
SCUBA cylinders, explosion, killed by facial impact from
fitting/valve. Fitting with incorrect thread screwed into
cylinder
One of two specialist divers who searched for drugs
under the hulls of ships killed within two weeks of each
other (The other was Donovan Henry, killed 14 th October),
was probably slain because he turned down bribes for
several million dollars, according to police sources.
According to reports, several attempts had been made to
bribe Carl Lubsey but that he'd refused the offers. The
police reported that at about 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, October
31, Mr. Lubsey was on his way to Rocky Point to check the
ship Orlent River II, which had been docked at the Rocky
Point Port, Clarendon, to collect alumina. Police reports at
the time said Lubsey was driving his Nissan pick-up on the
Rocky Point Pier Road when a grey car drove up behind
him. Occupants in the car opened fire hitting him and he
lost control of his vehicle which crashed. The gunmen came
out of the car and opened fire again, hitting him all over his
body. He died on the spot. Senior Superintendent Carl
Williams, the island's narcotics' chief, said the police
believed the divers were killed because of their occupation
and hinted that there could be a breakthrough in another
week. However, the Constabulary Communication
Network (CCN) said hat while both cases were being
investigated, the lawmen were yet to effect an arrest. The
Jamaica Gleaner
Boatswain's chair lifting fatality incident (incorrect hook,
none locking) IMCA Safet Flash SF 06/00
British, aged 36, experienced commercial diver, exNavy, bridge construction at Canary Wharf, indications of
poor equipment (one missing crutch strap, the other taped
on) and band mask may have been incorrectly assembled
such that the band holding the hood on parted and the
pieces separated. Recorded verdict ―diver was unlawfully
killed‖.
1
1
1
1
Davis
Ted
11
November
2000
GOM
Not Recorded
20
November
2000
Fiji
Moscow
23
November
2000
Russia
Energy
Partners
or D &
W
Welding
Services
75'
130m
Military
South Pass 28, The diver was working on a severed
pipeline when he lost communication with the surface. A
second diver was unable to locate the first diver. Pressure
differential, sucked into a pipe when dredging cleared
blocked pipe opening, body reciovered the following day.
SCUBA
Two Fijian divers, 'one a master diver, the other less
experienced' were hired to recover an anchor lost in 130
metres off Gau island. When they failed to surface, another
diver attempted to rescue them, began to lose consciousness
and inflated his ABLJ, he was admitted to the CWM
hospital in Suva, given therapeutic decompression in a
chamber and reported as having survived. No other details.
Reported in the Fiji Times Online. (NB As far as I can
ascertain, the facts are correct – two divers were hired,
agreed to, and then attempted to, recover an anchor in 130
metres on air in SCUBA, TC)
An elite, specially-trained team of combat divers guards
the Kremlin against potential attackers trying to gain
access to the Kremlin through the sewers underwater from
the River Moskva and the underground network of sewers.
But any would-be transgressors would be met by sinisterlooking combat divers - known as strategic-purpose divers.
The first units of combat divers were set up in the 1960s to
combat underwater saboteurs. They now form part of the
Presidential Bodyguard Service. The divers all have
officer's rank and get free flats in Moscow. As well as
patrolling the sewers, they also inspect the River Moskva
around the Kremlin, protect all the presidential residences
from offshore and accompany the president when he goes
to the Black Sea resort of Sochi. A special underwater
pistol was designed as a non-automatic four-barrel gun
loaded in the same way as a hunter's rifle, by opening the
breach. The bullets look strange too. A bullet is actually a
long needle or a "nail" as the divers call it. The nails can
kill at a distance of six to 17 metres, depending on the
depth. The divers say that underwater fighting with knives
only exists in films. A basic principle of underwater combat
is that whoever attacks first, wins. Even the slightest wound
could be lethal underwater because water pressure leads to
massive loss of blood which renders the diver useless in
seconds. If their oxygen supply is cut, the special purpose
divers have a small reserve balloon attached to their chest
with enough oxygen to get to the surface, Reported in the
Russian weekly newspaper Versiya and BBC
1
2
Cote
Martine
30
November
2000
Canada,
Quebec
HydroQuebec
20'
S/S Air
Ferreiro
Eduard
o
6 December
2000
Spain
Tycsub
40m
SCUBA
Aged 28. Paraphrased from the press report:- A team of
engineers, commercial divers and their support staff were
conducting a routine underwater video inspection of the
power-house dam, generating station Hull 2. Martine Côté
went under the surface at 12:30 p.m. and within less than
half an hour, radioed that she was in trouble. According to
the public relations officer for Hydro-Québec, Côté had
encountered what is known as "suction." Suction occurs
when there is a hole or fissure in the dam wall on the
upstream side, and it means death for divers. "We had no
idea. The basin had been seen dry, and there was no hole at
that time. At 20 feet of water, the visibility isn't so great,
unless there was a vortex you can't see it." It is also not
clear how she died--whether from hypothermia, suffocation
or the tremendous pressure on her body which could have
caused a cardiac arrest. Officials at Hydro-Québec say only
that she was declared dead at the hospital after resuscitation
attempts had failed. The suction pulling on Côté's body was
approximately 3,000 pounds per square feet in 20 feet of
water. It was so strong that it ripped off her suit. There was
no crane on the site, so the 14 workers on the surface were
trying to pull her up manually. She was also not wearing a
crotch harness. During the pulling from above, her body
harness fell apart and her umbilical--a cord that provides
air--was severed. They pulled unsuccessfully with nylon
cables, finally getting her out at about 2 pm. "This woman
was special, she was Hydro's [and Quebec's] only female
commercial diver." reported in the Montreal Mirror
Paraphrased from Press reports: ―The accident killed a
35 year old diver carrying out commercial diving on a
sewage outfall pipe at Mompos in San Sebastian.
Contractor did not have the required permission from
Maritime to carry out the work, no insurance, the diver had
no medical, no in date SCUBA cylinder certificate, The
ruling states that "The incident occurred about 11:00 pm on
6 December 2000, when the victim, who was turning 32,
was unconscious with narcosis, anxiety, shortness of breath
or over-exertion that could lead to carbon dioxide poisoning
that caused death by cardiac arrest. These deficiencies pose
serious violation of the applicable regulations posing a
grave risk to workers leading to the death of the diver
which would have been avoided had if the legally required
security measures had been adopted by the accused‖. Diver
had no qualifications, and even if so would only have been
certified to 25 metres under current legislation, no permit to
1
1
dive from harbourmaster, no stand-by diver. The company
manager was sentenced to a year and a half in prison, a fine
of 1,080 euros, and ordered to compensate the family of the
deceased with a total of 160,000 euros 5 years after the
fatality. Bajoelagua.com
Thorpe
Not Recorded
Danny
20
December
2000
Australia
2000
Canada
SCUBA
Aged 47, abalone diver, one of a two man crew, boat
overturned on the Monday, after clinging to the overturned
hull for several hours, the skipper swam to shore but was
swept 30 kilometres in 15 hours to a remote shore where he
wae found on Wednesday. Known shark area, crewman
decided to stay with the hull. Shredded remains of a life
preserver found washed up later. Presumed shark attack.
Skipper vowed he would never go back to sea. Philippine
Daily Inquirer. NB Skipper did return to sea, only to lose
another crewman to shark attack eleven years later (Peter
Clarkson, February 2011)
Aged 36. A commercial diver with 12 years experience
was drawn into a 30" diameter aerator intake pipe while
attempting to locate the screens for two fire pump intakes.
The pulp mill hired a diving company to inspect and clean
two intake screens in their industrial effluent pond. Both
parties thought that the work had been planned and all
hazards identified. The pumps for the two intakes to be
worked on had been identified and locked out. The diver,
after entering the water with zero visibility, thought he had
located the fire pump intakes when he was drawn into a
nearby aerator intake pipe. The screen for this intake pipe
had broken off and the diver was pulled, head first, 80 feet
up the pipe. As the aerator intake pipe had not been
identified on the drawings used, the 3 5,000 litre per minute
aerator pump had not been locked out. There were no visual
markers on the surface of the pond to identify the aerator or
fire pump intakes. Worksafe Canada
1
1
Not Recorded
2000??
Not Recorded
2000
Not Recorded
2000
Not Recorded
January
2001
8m
Canada,
British
Columbi
a
USA,
Pennsylv
ania
S/S Air
SCUBA
Paraphrased from IMCA Safety Flash 1/2001:- ―An
IMCA member reported a diving fatality that occurred to a
contract diver employed by a non-member company.
During a surface supplied diving operation at a depth of 8
metres, whilst carrying out hook up operations, a diving
fatality occurred. One of the divers was sick, vomiting
inside his face helmet and clogging up his mask air demand
valve. He pulled the helmet off his head in a rush, undid his
bail out bottle harness, unhooked his umbilical safety hook
from his body harness but failed to free himself from his
bail out bottle pressure gauge hose. He subsequently
drowned. In this case the diver appears to have tried to open
the bail out bottle air supply in mistake for the free flow air
valve. The diver‘s breathing rate before the accident was
very fast and shallow, and could have led to a build up of
CO2 in his mask. CO2 build up can cause headaches,
dizziness, nausea, vomiting, unconsciousness and death.
The post accident investigation revealed that the diver who
had died had no offshore diving experience. The logbook
presented for scrutiny prior to the diving operations
commencing was new with no dive records; the old book
was requested but never received. The diver‘s experience
was apparently related to lobster fishing and gold digging in
Rivers; this only came to light after the accident‖.
Aged 33, professional sea cucumber harvesting Two
divers were using scuba gear had their air tanks refilled by
the tender aboard the fishing vessel. One diver resurfaced
shortly after starting his third tank because he thought he
was having a heart attack. When breathing fresh air made
him feel better, he realized that the air in the tanks must
have been contaminated. A search was carried out for the
second diver who was found a few minutes later,
unconscious on the ocean floor. He could not be revived.
On the day of the accident, the unsecured high-pressure air
compressor on the vessel's deck had shifted and the exhaust
pipe melted a hole in the plastic air intake hose. High levels
of carbon monoxide from the exhaust of the compressor's
gas engine contaminated the air used to refill the dive tanks.
Worksafe Canada
Face injuries when a mini transponder exploded on
surface, seeped in pressure (IMCA SF 06/00)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, diver swept over dam spillway,
umbilical snap link broke, air hose pulled out of hat,
drowned, no citations issued
1
1
1
Not Recorded
January
2001
Not Recorded
Pre Jan 2001
Russia,St
Petersbu
rg
Military
IMCA
8m
S/S Air
15m
S/S Air
(Hookah)
Devis
Craig
3 May 2001
Australia
Relik
Pty Ltd.
Draughon USN
Mathew
5 May 2001
Japan
USN
Willis
Emmett
Clive
11 June
2001
USA,
North
Carolina
Murray
David
24 July 2001
UK
S/S Air
SCUBA
RN
81 m
SCUBA
rebreather
Military student, torpedo tube escape exercise, one of
three students failed to exit, system water level lowered,
found unconscious, treated in DDC, OK. Undersea Review
Vomited inside his helmet and clogged up his demand
valve. He pulled the helmet off his head in a rush, undid his
bail out bottle harness, unhooked his umbilical safety hook
from his body harness but failed to free himself from his
bail out bottle pressure gauge hose. Drowned. Appears to
have tried to open the bail out bottle air supply in mistake
for the free flow air valve, breathing rate before the
accident was very fast and shallow, and could have led to a
build up of CO2 in his mask. The post accident
investigation revealed he had no offshore diving
experience. The logbook presented was new with no dive
records; the old book was requested but never received. The
diver‘s experience was apparently related to lobster fishing
and gold digging in rivers; this only came to light after the
accident ( IMCA SF 01/01).
Diving off Forbes Island Great Northern Barrier Reef,
harvesting rock lobster. Following no response from diver
for several minutes tender driver hauled diver to surface
unconscious. CPR attempts unsuccessful. Oxygen
equipment unsuitable for non breathing person. Air intake
hose to petrol driven compressor had split. Weighted vest
unable to be released in emergency. No alternate air supply
. Prosecution (Above plus unsafe Hookah unit). Drowning
with carbon monoxide toxicity and DCI as contributory
factors). Workplace Health and Safety, Queensland.
American Navy diver aged 21, diving off USS
"Safeguard", salvage of crashed F-16, early hours of the
morning, strong currents, hoses wrapped around anchor
chains, helmet off, body washed up on beach a month later,
'drowned due to accident', second diver, Bryan Gordon was
rescued safely. Navy criticised vessel leadership for not
taking account of fatigue, deteriorating weather conditions
and poor risk management procedures. estripes.com
Aged 51, professional golf ball diver, 15 th hole of the
Westport Country club in Hickory, drowned, no details
apart him only having been SCUBA certified three months
prior to his death.
Diving from the British Underwater Test and Evaluation
Centre at Kyle of Lochalsh, RN "Could not reveal the
nature of the men's dive" Aged 28, a member of Fleet
Diving Unit 3, based at Horsea Island in Portsmouth for just
6 weeks, failed to surface and was reported missing on the
1
1
1
1
1
morning of July 24. His body was recovered that afternoon.
The cause of the incident was not reported pending a Board
of Inquiry.
Novichenko
A
Russia
Pre July
2001
IMCA SF 07/01
Sempert
25 July 2001
Craig E
10 August
2001
IMCA
USA,
Alaska
Pre Aug
2001
IMCA SF 08 01
Pre Aug
2001
Pre Aug
2001
IMCA SF 08 01
IMCA SF 09 01
Not Recorded
Sept 2001
Udalov
S.
4 October
2001
Harchenko
D
5 October
2001
SCUBA
IMCA
ROV
IMCA
S/S Air
IMCA
ROV
Russia
Russia,
Leningra
d
Russia,
N
Caucasu
s
12'
S/S Air
Stavropolsky region, Aged 41, During the repair work
at the Sengeleevsky Water reservoir dam. Sucked in a wall
break by the water flow. No details. Undersea Review
Diver fatality due to underwater oxy/arc explosion.
IMCA Safety Flash SF 07/01. (Possibly refers to either
Scott Mercer (GOM, Titam, August 200 or to Chris Hill
(UKCS, SCS August 1999)
Aged 44, Owner of Craig's Dive Shop in Craig, was
diving for a survey by Cape Fox Corp. Apparently got
trapped in the outflow pipe from the power station pond
south of Ketchikan, his body was recovered from the
outflow pipe after his wife reported Friday afternoon that he
hadn't come back from the dive. Inference is solo dive on
SCUBA. Reported in Kenai Peninsula on-line
ROV winch brake failure, winch paid out, lost ROV and
umbilical in 2300m water depth. IMCA Safety Flash SF
08/01
Dive basket LARS winch brake failure, winch paid out,
in between dives, no injury. IMCA Safety Flash SF 08/01
1
1
ROV winch failure, IMCA Safety Flash SF 9/01
Aged 50, commercial operation on the Neva river, no
details
Aged 44 While working on unloading the cargo from the
wrecked ship "Volgo-Don-145" Air hose, cut by the piece
of metal, diver died. No details. Undersea Review
Aged 27, Yablonovsky village While working on
recovering a car from the Kuban river, trapped in car door,
lost of regulator. Failed to use knife or drop weight belt,
drowned. Undersea Review
1
1
1
13 October
2001
USA,
Illinois
Wave Dancer
17 October
2001
Belize
Not Recorded
22 October
2001
Brazil
Frayne
Kennet
h
Firefight
er
SCUBA
SCUBA
American, aged 28. Volunteer fire-fighter with the
Channahon fire department. Multi agency dive training
exercise included a dive coordinator, an assistant dive
coordinator, and seven divers in a man-made lake. They
had sunk a boat and two mannequins in the lake to simulate
a boating incident. Four of the divers, including the victim,
were on their second dive when the victim went missing at
the end of the dive. Initial confusion as to whether he had
gone ashore, so some time before underwater search
commenced. Dispatch was notified of the missing diver,
and additional search-and-rescue crews responded to the
scene with two rescue boats. The victim was found in the
area of his last known location, approximately 1 hour and
15 minutes after he was last seen by his dive partner. His
SCUBA cylinder empty, BD partially unbuckled, hood and
mask off, regulator out. When the victim was brought to
the surface he had blood coming from his nose and mouth.
Transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced
dead. Investigators recommended that:- 1. Fire departments
should develop, implement and enforce standard operating
procedures (SOPs) regarding diver training, 2. Ensure that
each diver maintains continuous visual, verbal, or physical
contact with his or her dive partner, 3. Ensure that a backup
diver and a ninety-percent-ready diver are in position to
render assistance, 4. Ensure that the dive coordinator stays
informed about the rates of air consumption by divers, 5.
Provide divers with refresher training on the hazards of
lung over-expansion injuries and prevention measures.
Medical examiner and the reviewing medical officer noted
the possibility that an air embolism may have contributed to
the drowning.
17 out of 20 SCUBA diving American tourists and 3
crew members died when the ―Wave Dancer‖ capsised in
harbour when struck by Hurricane Iris. No evacuation, no
hurricane contingency plan, worst known single diving
accident.
Port of Paranagua, Petobras tanker 'Norma' hit rocks
leading to discharge of Naptha. Un-named diver died
during operations to assess the damage. No details
1
1
Not Recorded
IMCA
Bray
Thomas
M
13
November
2001
USA,
Philadel
phia
Cleugh
Andrew
Ross
4 December
2001
Dutch
Sector
James
Leslie
17
December
2001
UKCS
Feher
Mark
31
December
2001
USA,
Florida
Turnbull
Robert
2001
Qatar
Not Recorded
2001
140m
Police
Saturation
SCUBA
22m
S/S Air
Saturation
SCUBA
Hallul
50 m
Saturation
Deck
Saturation
Diver injured in a negative pressure incident during
diving operations on a subsea manifold to install additional
4 inch pipe spools in a well bay. The spools had been
transported to the vessel with wooden blind protectors on
the flange faces to prevent impact damage. These did not
have pre-drilled vent holes and were to be replaced on
board the vessel with standard donut protectors. However,
two assemblies were apparently overlooked and were
subsequently deployed subsea with the unvented wooden
blinds still in place. At the time of the incident, the diver
had manoeuvred the spool piece close to its final position,
removed the tie wrap and then attempted to lever the
wooden blind off the flange face using his knife. It appears
that the blind then imploded due to the build-up of negative
pressure, pulling the diver‘s hand through the blind and into
the spool, causing a fracture to the arm and dislocation of
the thumb, bruising and swelling. IMCA Safety Flash
12/01
American aged 52, Philadelphia police force, assigned to
the marine unit, recovering a buoy in the Delaware river,
entangled in the line, drowned. Reported in the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
British, aged 29, trapped underwater during a pipeline
survey, trench wall collapse ―caused by an earth tremor‖,
inquest in March 2006, drowned, no real details.
1
1
British, crushed hand during lifting operations.
Aged 21, professional golf ball diver, working on the
links at Boynton beach with his brother. Both on SCUBA
but . Reported as an experienced diver, failed to surface at
the end of the dive, recovered by his brother, drowned, no
details. St. Petersburg Times
British, DSV "Khattaf" (Ex "British Argyll"). Died
whilst locked out, suspected heart attack
Diver working on deck was unloading the bell trunk of
diving equipment. He stepped from the bell trolley to an
H-beam but slipped off causing him to go over on his ankle
severely spraining it. The H beam was wet and slippery,
possibly due to the wet gear which he was carrying, but the
non-slip pads on the beam were, in any case, clogged with
grime and were worn (See IMCA SF 03/01).
1
1
Not Recorded
2001
Deck
Not Recorded
2001
140m
Bowling
Jay
Allen
8 January
2002
USA,
Kentuck
y
FMSM
Thomas
Darrin
Paul
7 March
2002
USA,
Louisian
a
Divcon
Christie, RN
Lt.
David
14 March
2002
UK
RN
11 April
2002
UK
Police
30 April
2002
April 2002
Not Recorded
Buckland
Not Recorded
Paul
William
15' to 20'
Saturation
S/S Air
O2
42m
SCUBA
Australia
32'
SCUBA
Australia
2.7m
SCUBA
Dive tender injured during assembly of axy/acetylene
cutting rig, oil or grease contamination plus oxygen, a
dangerous ―home made‖ manifold of unknown origin,
flashback arrestors were not fitted, regulators had been
removed from the cylinders, the oxygen and acetylene
cylinders had not been suitably segregated (See IMCA SF
08/01).
Negative pressure incident, spoolpiece with wooden
flange protectors, diver tried to pry it off with his knife,
ruptured it, sucked in his arm, fractured arm, dislocated
thumb, bruising and swelling (See IMCA SF 12/01)
Aged 24, Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott and May, diving
contractors, working at the Mt. Sterling water and sewage
plant, sucked into an intake pipe, drowned.
Working beneath the 'Horseshoe' riverboat casino on the
Red River, Baton Rouge, with dredging equipment when he
lost comms with the surface. A standby diver was slow
entering the water and once in the water was unable to
locate the diver. The diver's body was recovered by civil
rescue divers called to the scene. Reported in ―The
Advocate‖
British, aged 28, RN, training dive under HMS Grafton
in Portsmouth harbour, found unconscious under hull, when
dislodged surfaced rapidly by inflated buoyancy device,
fatal pulmonary barotrauma but may already have been
dead from lack of oxygen
Police dive team trying to recover the bodies of three
family members from the hull of their vessel that sank off
the South Downs Coast, two divers surfaced, one with pains
in arms and shoulders, the second with ruptured eardrums,
treated in a DDC, OK
Australian, aged 23, professional scallop diver, Shark
attack. Was wearing a "shark pod" (Electric shark repellor),
may not have been switched on at depth but was on at time
of attack on the surface. May have been incorrectly fitted
(electrode position). Recommendation from coroner that at
all commercial and recreational divers working in waters
where the presence of sharks is a risk should wear at shark
repellent device.
Deckhand on lobster boat trying to free a snagged pot in
2.7 metres, drowned, skipper fined $20,000, no stand-by
diver, not anchored (live boating, engine running).
1
1
1
1
1
K
Bernhar
d
11 May
2002
Austria
Lestin
Blackley
Martin
22 May
2002
UK
Seahorse
Aquacul
ture
Macko
Steven
C
23 May
2002
USA,
Illinois
Jolliff
Paul
14 June
2002
USA
16m
SCUBA
SCUBA
50'
SCUBA
Paraphrased from reports:' Aged 24, one of a four man
diving team installing underwater grills at the Mur dam
(Part of the Laufnitzdorf power plant operated by the
Austrian Hydro Power (AHP)). Possibly disoriented by
low visibility, pulled into the inlet, life line severed. After a
large-scale search the diver was found dead in the lower
reaches below the dam. No other details. Reported in
focus.de
British, Royal Marine commando, aged 26, Altbea Fish
farm, Loch Ewe, entangled in rope, valve not fully
functional, speculated that he hyperventilated, panicked,
drowned. He was unqualified, 3 man dive team, no dressed
in stand-by, no lifeline, no communications, no knife, no
risk assessment, no dive logs, On medical leave with a leg
injury, diving in exchange for a £300 drysuit
Aged 42, off duty firefighter/diver, working for a
contractor installing a fountain in Petersen Lake, a 15 acre
lake in the centre of O'Hare Office Plaza, with 4 other
divers, died, no details but reported that he and his
colleagues planned to swim across the lake to the fountain
but that when he was pulled from water his air valve was
turned off
Firefighter, aged 37, died during the final dive of a 21
day open water SCUBA training course. Objective was to
locate a cinder block by conducting sweep searches from a
marker buoy and then bring it to surface using an inverted 5
gallon bucket as a lifting bag. Zero visibility, cold water.
Underwater comms set only partially operational (he could
hear, but not transmit). He and partner located block, as
they were rigging it, he suddenly grabbed for his partner's
face mask knocking him to one side, dropped his weight
belt and disappeared. Second diver surfaced and raised the
alarm. Stand-by diver entered the water immediately to
commence sweep searches from the original marker buoy
but after his 4th sweep was pulled to the surface by the crew
pulling up the marker buoy in an attempt to see if the lost
diver was still attached to the swim line. Buoy reset, but in
a different location.. Search continued and the body was
located over two hours later by sonar from a surface support
boat. He was tied to the cinder block (They were using 5'
long lanyards as the lifting rigging, he had gone into the
water with his attached to his harness 'D' ring. It appears he
attached it before releasing the second end from his
harness). Death certificate recorded death as due to
drowning. SCUBA cylinder was empty when recovered,
1
1
1
1
some equipment breakages, but not concluded whether
factors in the incident. The investigation made 3
recommendations:- 1: Fire departments should ensure that
equipment checks are performed before each dive and
defective equipment is repaired or replaced before the dive
takes place. 2: Fire Departments should ensure that all
participants in diver training have practiced the specific
evolution in a controlled environment such as a swimming
pool before attempting the evolution in open water.. 3: Fire
departments should ensure that search-and-rescue
operations establish and use reference points to conduct
searches
Italy
Marine
Consulti
ng
25 m
S/S Air
Leoni
Helga
19 June
2002
Jelasi
Cristian
o
25 June
2002
Italy
Tecnosu
b
80 m
SCUBA
Mouritson
Chris
6 July 2002
GOM
Caldive
103'
S/S Air
Not Recorded
8 July 2002
USA,
Pennsylv
ania
Montgo
mery
county
SCUBA
IMCA SF 06 02
Pre Jul 2002
IMCA
DP DSV
Black out
IMCA SF 07 02
Pre Jul 2002
IMCA
DSV DP
incident
Army
Corps of
Engineer
s
S/S Air
IMCA
vessel
sinking
Ramsey
IMCA SF 09 02
Gary
9 August
2002
Pre Sept
2002
USA,
Kentuck
y
33 year old female NDT diver, daughter of the owner of
the diving company. DSV "Palinuro II" diving on/near the
Agostino B platform. No stand-by diver. Engine
"mistakenly" started, Umbilical caught in propellor.
Aged 25, off the island of Capri (Thyrrenian Sea), diving
in SCUBA to 80 metres, alone, off a small boat to cut ropes
off a recently installed water pipeline prior to trenching
operations. Died in the water
34 year old with 12 years experience from the DSV 'Mr
Fred' at Eugene Island 273, BP, KM 17B, helmet flooded,
drowned but unclear if he ditched it, poorly maintained hat
with valve issues (see IMCA SF 01/03).
Diver died during a body search in Muddy River Lake,
south lancaster County. No details. Reported by Lancaster
Newspapers
Diring DP DSV Saturation diving, vessel suffered a
black out, Investigation revealed a history of unexplaned
shutdowns whose significance had not been recognised.
IMCA Safety Flash 06/02
During DP DSV Saturation diving, vessel suffered a
power management incident. Single point failure had not
been identified in the FMEA. IMCA Safety Flash 07/02
Apparent DP, Dam 52 on the Ohio river, . Died after
being trapped inside a temporary dam for nearly 50 minutes
while caulking cracks near a water intake valve, (may have
been surfaced rapidly and suffered embolism) Recovered
with no pulse. Lexington Herald Leader
Report of a survey vessel sinking due to uncontrolled
water ingress into the engine room after the survey
transponder pole was dropped in the tube knocking off the
lower gland. IMCA safety Flash SF 09/02 (This report
refers to the sinking of the 'Ocean Voyager' off Iran, no
1
1
1
1
1
injuries, photos were circulated on the intranet (TC).
Tanker Limburg
6 October
2002
Yemen
Francesh
ip
Bombing
Fedin
Sergy
14 October
2002
Russia,
Primorsk
i
Maric
Oliver
Sept 2002
Croatia
Police
SCUBA
5 November
2002
Austria
Vienna
Diving
and
Salvage
Compan
y
S/S Air
Jengi
27
November
2002
GOM
Stolt
Offshore
Deck
Lt Paul
28
November
2002
UK
Not Recorded
3 December
2002
Australia
Not Recorded
7 December
2002
GOM
Not Recorded
Kaluom
McAulay
Surface
RN
10'
Breath
holding
Overboard
Fatality
Small boat used in a suicide bombing of a tanker off
Mukallah, 1 crew member killed in the explosion.
Village of Slavyanka, Diving compressor operator,
cylinder failed during pumping operations, lost one leg,
other severely injured. Undersea Review
Aged 25, died during the search for missing Czech scuba
diver Miroslav Kuklis whose body was later found in an
underwater cave off the Adriatic Island of Sol. Reported
that another police diver was nearly killed during the same
operation. (Kuklis died of stab wounds, two men initially
charged with his murder - 'homosexual love triangle'
according to the press - were later released and sued the
newspaper saying that Kuklis had most likely committed
suicide by stabbing himself when he realised that he was
lost in the underwater cave and trapped).
Maintenance work on Styrian Hydroelectric plant, pulled
into the spillway, tore off umbilical losing lifeline,
communications and air supply. Had a bailout estimated at
30 minute duration. Body recovered later in the afternoon,
initial cause of death appeared to have been a broken neck.
Reported in Nullzeit.at
1
1
Malaysian, pipe facing machine operator, injured
onboard the DLB 801, medivac, no details
British, aged 27, Breath holding exercise, (recovery of
mask from bottom of lake) during training at Horsea island,
dived at 10pm after eating, vomited, inhaled, choked, heart
attack. No stand-by diver. MOD prosecuted, family
awarded £750,000 damages
The 22-year-old man was diving for sea cucumber on
Kelso Reef, 80km north of Townsville on the Great Barrier
Reef was injured when boat propeller sliced open his
buttock. Treated in hospital, no details, Reported by AAP
Overboard Fatality, Ewing Bank, crew member of a
contract work/dive boat rescued a man overboard, later
pronounced dead
1
Not Recorded
9 December
2002
Australia
Not Recorded
10
December
2002
USA,
Alaska
Australi
an Army
Special
Forces
Propeller
Incident
30'
S/S Air
Paraphrased from press reports:- "Oil Rig Raid Death a
'Freak Accident'. The Australian Army Special Air Services
was running a mock raid on a oil rig in Bass Straight with
four inflatable boats, each carrying six divers were traveling
about 3 meters apart in a staggered formation. The
coxswain of one boat lost control when a diver caught his
flipper strap on the tiller when he was entered the water.
The driver slipped and fell onto his knees. He looked and
saw a man being dragged by his leg, the boat then veered to
the left and struck another diver. He saw a diver about 10
meters away with a face that "looked like it was mangled".
The supervising officer said in hindsight, "propeller guards
should have been used", however the boat was harder to
control with guards. The soldier killed by the propeller was
a 33 year old sergeant from Perth‖ Reported by Polson
Enterprises list of propeller incidents/Herald Sun
(Australia)
The dive-boat crew said the diver had been diving for sea
cucumbers at a depth of about 30 feet in Canoe Cove near
Cedar Point off Metlakatla Island. The diver was the only
man in the water when the accident occurred. Just before
the accident took place the weather was overcast with
winds of approximately 15 knots. However, after the diver
had been in the water about 30 minutes, and receiving air
through an air hose connected to an on-board compressor,
the weather suddenly turned and strong winds, estimated at
more than 50 knots, developed. The anchor began to drag,
forcing the vessel toward the rocky shore, so a crewman
tugged on the air hose line, signalling the diver to abort the
dive. But the diver tugged back, indicating his desire to
continue his quest for sea cucumbers. A short time later,
worried that the vessel was getting precariously close to the
rocky shore, the crewman again tugged on the air hose. This
time, the diver failed to signal, nor did he surface. Shortly
thereafter, the air hose line became taut, indicating the
possibility of a problem with the airflow. About five
minutes had elapsed since the crewman had signaled the
diver to surface, so a crew member immediately donned his
dive suit and entered the water. He was too late. The diver
was found underneath the vessel, unconscious, his diving
mask pulled from his face. He was pulled from the water
and CPR applied immediately. Medical technicians arrived
shortly and they administered advanced CPR and lifesaving measures, also to no effect. There was no evidence
of foul play and the diver's death was deemed an accidental
1
1
drowning. According to the Metlakatla sergeant, the diver
had a cut on the bridge of his nose and what appeared to be
a bump near the back of his head, suggesting he may have
hit his head on the dive boat's keel or a rock. An
examination of the dive equipment was conducted and
everything appeared in good condition. USCG Report.
Not Recorded
Roon
Not Recorded
Not Recorded
Reinier
13
December
2002
Liberia
Rescue
diver
15
December
2002
Congo
Smit
USA,
Kansas
Liquid
Engineer
ing
Fall
Thailand
Scuba
dive
boat
'Laddaw
an 2'
Propeller
Incident
2002
2002
IMCA SF 11 02
Not Recorded
IMCA
2002/2003
GOM
Horizon
25 m
19m
S/S Air
Saturation
S/S Air
Wooden Ferry 'Papa Friends 2000' Lake Piso/Mofo river,
rolled over and sank with over 200 onboard (max capacity
reported as 100), returning from the funeral of a local
footballer , at least 60 dead, but over 100 others not
accounted for. Fatalities included a diver trying to rescue
people from the wreckage. Reported by BBC, Telegraph,
etc.
1
Dutch, 38 years old, SBM hose, negative pressure
incident. See IMCA Safety Flash 01/03 below
1
American, aged 27, three children, part of a three man
potable water tank diving team inspecting a water tower.
Rung gave way as he was climbing the external ladder to
reach the tank, fell 55', died. Bonnier Corporation
'SCUBA' News article
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―2002 Unknown Date 13 October 2010 report in the Phuket Gazette stated that:'Phuket Dive Boat Goes Up in Flames. A widely known
dive tour operator lost a dive boat to a fire this morning.
The dive boat, the Laddawan 2, was in the news eight years
ago (2002) when a member of the crew "had his stomach
sliced open and lost severed limb while cleaning the
propeller" near Koh Racha Yai. The article also provides a
photo of the dive boat on fire. Polson Enterprises, List of
propeller incidents/Phuket Gazette
DSV lift bag incident. 600 Kg flange to surface after
diver lost control of load (No hold back or inverter line)
IMCA Safety Flash SF 11/02
Details not confirmed, Barge "Brazos", lowered a jet
sledge onto a diver, two broken legs, hat off, stand-by
found the diver breathing off his pneumo
1
Fireman
and
Adriatic
a Subsea
Services
Regnolio
Simone
14 January
2003
Italy
Peterson
Kevin
25 January
2003
USA,
Iowa
SCUBA
Humphreys
Tracy
25 January
2003
USA,
Iowa
SCUBA
10 m
S/S Air &
SCUBA
Italian, 33 years old. River Tiber near Rome, Castel
Giubileo, power plant water intake partially blocked, S/S
Air diver trapped by differential pressure, No appointed
supervisor or stand-by, Fire brigade attended, rescue diver
in SCUBA on lifeline, he drowned, trapped diver managed
to free himself. Fire brigade supv on site, Fire brigade
diving team leader (not on site) and director of diving
contractor (not on site) prosecuted.
Sports divers. Two men died while ice diving in a
Lowden quarry, drowned, apparently after their tanks ran
out of air as they searched for an opening in the ice. An
investigator for the Cedar County medical examiner's
office, said Thursday that Kevin Petersen, 31, and Tracy
Humphreys, 30, were dropped off at Wendling Quarry
Saturday. Their bodies were found Sunday morning,
authorities said, with their air tanks empty. One man had
PADI advanced open water and rescue level diver's
certification but police could find no diver certification
record for the other. The two had trespassed to dive in the
quarry, which prohibits diving, authorities said.
Authorities tested the rental equipment used by them and
found the gear was working properly. The only problem
was a hole in one pressure hose that would not likely have
been the primary cause of the accident. Restrictors on either
end of the hose prevent it from leaking air too quickly.
Investigators found a rope tied to a tree hanging down into
the water, but not tied to the divers. Quote:- "That would
have been totally useless if they weren't tied to it, if you
could find a rope in the water, you could see the hole
anyway." Reported in the Cedar Rapids Gazette
Sports divers. Two men died while ice diving in a
Lowden quarry, drowned, apparently after their tanks ran
out of air as they searched for an opening in the ice. An
investigator for the Cedar County medical examiner's
office, said Thursday that Kevin Petersen, 31, and Tracy
Humphreys, 30, were dropped off at Wendling Quarry
Saturday. Their bodies were found Sunday morning,
authorities said, with their air tanks empty. One man had
PADI advanced open water and rescue level diver's
certification but police could find no diver certification
record for the other. The two had trespassed to dive in the
quarry, which prohibits diving, authorities said.
Authorities tested the rental equipment used by them and
found the gear was working properly. The only problem
was a hole in one pressure hose that would not likely have
1
been the primary cause of the accident. Restrictors on either
end of the hose prevent it from leaking air too quickly.
Investigators found a rope tied to a tree hanging down into
the water, but not tied to the divers. Quote:- "That would
have been totally useless if they weren't tied to it, if you
could find a rope in the water, you could see the hole
anyway." Reported in the Cedar Rapids Gazette
IMCA SF 01 03
Pre Feb
2003
IMCA
IMCA SF 01 03
Pre Feb
2003
IMCA
Saturation
35m
S/S Air
Saturation Bell diving off a DP DSV, main bell winch
failure (Bell recovered to deck by crane). IMCA Safety
Flash SF 01/03
Diving fatality during the installation of a 20‖ flexible
hose (40m long) between a pipeline end manifold (PLEM)
and a new buoy in a water depth of 35 metres. According
to the original approved operational procedures a top-hat
flange with a valve for flooding was to be installed. Due to
the absence of the top-hat flange, a modified blind flange
with a valve and pull-eye was to be provided for floating
transport and installation of the under-buoy hose.
Eventually the sub-sea hose was delivered on location with
a blind flange at the bottom end of the hose. After complete
removal of the blind flange prior to the installation, the risk
of damage to the flange and O-rings during passage of the
anchor legs and skirt of the buoy was recognised. As a
quick solution, a solid wooden plate (10mm thick) was
placed across the flange at the bottom end of the hose to
protect the O-rings. The intention was to remove the
wooden plate immediately after passage. The flexible hose
was then pulled down to the PLEM by a cable and winch
(located on the buoy body) via a snatch block (located on
the PLEM). At about 13m water depth the hose stopped due
to the increased buoyancy forces in the flexible hose, which
had not, or only partly, flooded due to the sealing effect of
the wooden plate. The diver, who had installed the snatch
block and guided the wire at the PLEM, reported a lot of
tension on the wire and noticed during the first in water
decompression stop, that the wooden plate was still in
position. The diving supervisor asked the deck-crew to
make preparations for flooding of the sub-sea hose from
topside. After the first diver had entered the decompression
chamber, another diver, who had placed the wooden plate
Moore
Steven
Allan
20 March
2003
Canada,
Nova
Scotia
Courtna
kyle
Fisheries
Limited
Elela
Waleed
Abo
21 March
2003
Egypt
Maridiv
e
SCUBA
48'
S/S Air
on the bottom end of the sub-sea hose, asked permission to
inspect the bottom end of the hose. After reaching the
bottom end of the hose, the diver tried to remove the plate
with his knife, but due to the high suction forces involved,
he broke his knife. The force holding on the wooden plate
was likely to have been approximately 2 tonnes. The
diving supervisor, who was aware of the danger, told the
diver that preparations were being made to flood the hose
from the topside and in combination with slack on the wire
the differential pressure would be eliminated. The diver was
warned to stay well clear of the bottom end of the hose.
Meanwhile the diver took his broken knife blade and with
his hammer he punched the plate. At this stage there was a
loss of communication with the diver and there was a fast
payout of his umbilical. The umbilical was recovered to the
surface along with the diver‘s Kirby Morgan 18 bandmask.
The bandmask was damaged but intact except for the video
camera which had been smashed off. Also hooked to this
equipment was the ring shaped remnant of the wooden
plate. Diver rescue procedures were then launched. After a
little time searching the diver was found. He had massive
head injuries. Death was evident. IMCA Safety Flash
01/03. This report refers to the death of Ranier Roon in
December 2002 in the Congo (TC)
Canadian, aged 40, one of a three man commercial sea
urchin harvesting diving team in Nova Scotia, failed to
surface, body recovered 3 days later. Company charged
with failing to ensure workplace safety by allowing Mr.
Moore to dive without a knife, secondary air supply,
standby diver, recall system, diver buoy and life-line;
failing to ensure safety equipment was available; failing to
follow a code of practice; and failing to ensure the propeller
on the vessel Doug's Dream was adequately guarded
"Maridive MD 300" on the East Face of 'Ramadan 1,
Gulf of Suez, Diver 2 Superlite floated off, Diver 1 unable
to redress/give air, diver was tied off to platform, no standby diver dressed in, dive basket was on the surface, it took 8
minutes to recover the diver to surface. Bent hat Pin on
yoke. IMCA Safety Flash 04 2003. Appears pin was
unlocked prior to incident. This incident led to review of
other lost helmet incidents No conclusion as to whether
maintenance issue, poor dressing procedures or underlying
design issue, but KM issued safety notice and secondary
securing mechanism for all new helmets (plus retrofit to
older helmets).
1
1
Whelan
Peter
22 March
2003
UKCS
BNFL
Williams
Dougla
s
12 April
2003
USA,
Washing
ton State
NW
Diving
and
Marine
April 2003
UK
Thruster
incident
8 May 2003
Canada,
Ontario
SCUBA?
23 May
2003
South
Africa
28 May
2003
GOM
Not Recorded
Ferguson
Bradley
Jeff
Michael
Not Recorded
Police
3
S/S Air
SCUBA
30m
SCUBA
Deck
Iles
Andrew
May 2003
Saudi
Arabia
ADAMS
Harley
Stephen
May 2003
Saudi
Arabia
ADAMS
Umbilical sucked into support vessel jet propulsion
intake, took 25 minutes to cut him free, on bail out, HSE
prosecution, £30,000 fine.
American, 42 year old, just North of the Hood Canal
Bridge, using a drill u/w to install buoy anchors, entangled,
umbilcal wrapped around neck, asphyxiated or drowned.
No other details, reported in the Spokesman review and
Moscow Pullman Daily News.
In April 2003, a hazardous incident was reported to the
HSE, which involved divers changing seals on a propulsion
shaft while a vessel was alongside. Although the engines
had been isolated and a diving permit to work was in place,
the engines were started by the engineers shortly after a
watch change. There were no reported injuries. This
incident referenced in MAIB report 3/2009 into the 'Norma'
thruster incident in June 2008. No other details
Commercial diver recovering car from inland lake.
Aged 35, Police diver searching Lesotho Katse Dam for
victims of a helicopter crash. Reported as stopping
breathing, probable natural causes, but no details. South
African Press Association
Liftboat "Amberjack", West Delta Block 61, dewatering
a pipeline, product pumped to temporary tanks on deck, gas
release, explosion, no injuries USCG report
One of three divers (With Stephen Harley and Michael
Hopley) allegedly exposed to toxic chemicals chemicals
discharged from a vessel owned by Saudi Aramco, in May
2003. All three were admitted to hospital with rashes and
nausea and were then readmitted for a further ten days after
they experienced difficulties in breathing and became
lethargic. None have been able to return to diving as an
occupation. They are bringing a negligence action in the
UK against the diving contractor and diving supervisor
(March 2009). Details sub judice
One of three divers (With Andrew Iles and Michael
Hopley) allegedly exposed to toxic chemicals chemicals
discharged from a vessel owned by Saudi Aramco, in May
2003. All three were admitted to hospital with rashes and
nausea and were then readmitted for a further ten days after
they experienced difficulties in breathing and became
lethargic. None have been able to return to diving as an
occupation. They are bringing a negligence action in the
UK against the diving contractor and diving supervisor
1
1
1
(March 2009). Details sub judice
Hopley
Michael
Not Recorded
Begneaux
Marc
Damon
Not Recorded
Rudorf
Rotaru
Peter
Mircea
May 2003
Saudi
Arabia
28 June
2003
Russia,
Sakhalin
5 July 2003
GOM
Caldive
13 July 2003
GOM
Apache
Iraq
Subsurfa
ce
Engineer
ing
21 July 2003
22 July 2003
Romania
ADAMS
SCUBA
Stef and
Fan SRL
220m/634'
Saturation
?
Overboard
Fatality
One of three divers (With Andrew Iles and Stephen)
allegedly exposed to toxic chemicals chemicals discharged
from a vessel owned by Saudi Aramco, in May 2003. All
three were admitted to hospital with rashes and nausea and
were then readmitted for a further ten days after they
experienced difficulties in breathing and became lethargic.
None have been able to return to diving as an occupation.
They are bringing a negligence action in the UK against the
diving contractor and diving supervisor (March 2009).
Details sub judice
Sakhalin district commercial sea cucumber harvesting
(морского ежа). One of the divers failed to surface . His
body was found some time later.
Ewing bank, DSV "Witch Queen", Wellhead burning,
oxy/arc, U/W explosion 191, (see IMCA SF 10/03)
Overboard fatality during mooring operations, South
Timbalier, crew fell overboard while taking a line off the
platform, 30 minutes to recover him, deceased on recovery,
crushed to death
1
1
14m
British, aged 25, clearing routes for vessels in the port of
Umm Qasr, reported as "taken ill during diving", Inquest
was held in the UK. No details.
1
30m
Paraphrased from reports :- Aged 54 years, lexNavy
diver, leader of 6 divers onboard a vessel undertaking
installation cleaning operations (Black Sea, Gloria
platform). After they arrived in the area, two divers went a
depth of 30 meters to check the platform legs, and because
they were late to emerge, Mircea Rotaru jumped into the
water after them, but as he went down, they surfaced. They
noticed he was missing and searched for him. He was
found face up to the bottom and brought to the platform
where he tried to resuscitate him, but without any result.
His body was taken ashore to the morgue in Mangalia.
Experts say it is possible that he had a heart attack when he
jumped into the water. The contractor stated he had a
medical‖ Reported by Kappa.ro
1
SCUBA
Zinck
James
Stevns Power
19 August
2003
Canada,
Nova
Scotia
Fish
Farm
SCUBA
19 October
2003
Nigeria
Saipem
Sinking
Patterson
Paul H
20 October
2003
USA,
Illinois
Inland
Watson
Christin
a Mae
22 October
2003
Australia
SCUBA
Tuna holding pond, Nova Scotia, Owner charged.
Rolled over and sank during AHT operations in support
of the Castoro Otto, All 11 crew died.
American, aged 29, Coffeen power Plant, Illinois,
working on the circulating cooling water system, sucked
into the cooling water inlet. One report went ―A diver was
killed while doing maintenance for a power plant in Illinois.
The diver was preparing to do routine maintenance at an
Ameren generating facility in Coffeen, Illinois, when he
disappeared from a tether Monday morning. Rescue divers
were called to the scene in Montgomery County, but the
situation was so dangerous they were not permitted to enter
the lake. Investigators believe the diver was drawn into one
of the two major intakes of the power plant, where he was
killed. His remains have been identified‖. The power
company was fined $58, 500 after admitted directing the
diver to wrong intake hatch, and it was ruled an accident.
American, aged 26, on her honeymoon, dive on the SS
Yongala, off Queensland. Allegedly murdered (Turned her
air off) by her husband, David Gabriel Watson, In June
2009, he was convicted of manslaughter in a Queensland
court over the death of his wife who died while diving in
his company on the Great Barrier Reef in October 2003.
Tina Watson died after being seen, by other divers in the
area, in a close underwater embrace with her husband. She
sank to the seabed while he headed for the surface, having
failed to attempt a buoyant lift, to inflate his wife‘s BC
independently, or dump her weight belt Tina Watson‘s
inert body was captured unwittingly on the sandy bottom by
another diver taking underwater photographs. It was
suspected that Watson had deliberately restricted his wife
while turning off her air supply, and upon her loss of
consciousness turned it on again before letting go of her.
The motive was suspected to be an attempt to cash in on her
life insurance policy. Watson‘s story was that he had tried
to help his wife when she experienced difficulty in
breathing, had a panic attack and knocked out his regulator,
and that he had elected to go to the surface in search of
outside help. While his wife was an inexperienced diver,
Watson was experienced and held a rescue-diver
qualification. He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in
jail in Australia, to be suspended after 12 months. The
lightness of the sentence caused an outcry, particularly
1
1
since the manslaughter conviction came after a coroner‘s
report stating that there was a good case to charge Watson
with murder. After appeal, the sentence it was ruled that
Watson should serve 18 months rather than 12 in jail,
extradited to Alabama in 2010 facing further legal action in
the American courts.
24 October
2003
USA,
GOM
28 October
2003
USA,
Alaska
October
2003
UKCS
Coflexip
Stena
6 December
2003
Palau,
Pacific
TV
Not Recorded
2003
GOM
Not Recorded
2003
Gabon
Harrison
Anderson
Michael
R
James
Leslie
Norwood
Michael
Grant
Ribert
David
17 January
2004
Australia
35'
Sat
250'
61m
Melbour
ne
Diving
Services
S/S Air
SCUBA
Tech dive
Saturation
SCUBA
70 miles south of New Orleans, three men, the diver, his
son (tender) and boatman, in a boat working on a pipeline
attaching a clamp when there was an explosion. The two
men in the boat suffered serious burn injuries, the diver's
body was recovered two days later. Probably live leak
repair. No real details. Kansas City star.
33 year old, commercial fishing (sea cucumber
harvesting), but though experienced SCUBA diver,
inexperienced with surface supply, mask off, no fins, heavy
weight belt, recovered to surface but no response, drowned.
Reported to have gone without air for 5 to 10 minutes
Alaska Digest
Crushed hand, court case in October as unable to return
to work, employers fined, no details
British TV presenter filming a documentary in the series
― Deep Sea Detective‖. Technical dive on the wreck of the
second world war wreck of the USS Perry off Palau. Ran
out of gas, attempted sharing, lost consciousness, failed to
activate reserve, did not respond to treatment.
P & A job. Oxy Arc cutting, H2 build up, explosion,
fatality. No proper drawings, insufficient venting. No JSA,
MMS report, no personal details
Diver suffered muscle spasms, difficulty in breathing and
unconsciousness. Recovered safely, no residual symptoms
of any kind, no biological, physical or chemical influences.
Suspected electrocution between IC anode system and
installation but never proved.
Australian, aged 32, SCUBA training in open water after
a three day course, inexperienced. Company into
liquidation, fined $200,000 for negligence "failing to ensure
the safety of people other than employees" AAP News,
Australia.
1
1
1
1
1
Elof
Dr Paul
2 February
2004
McLellan
Sgt
William
16 February
2004
Germany
Army
Walters
Jeff
12 February
2004
UK
Royal
Navy
USA,
New
Hampshi
re
Fireman
Korea
Miller
Mark
11 March
2004
Bennett
John
15 March
2004
Roy
Matthia
s
Francoi
s
Not Recorded
Not Recorded
Kneen
Christo
pher
South
Africa
DDC
explosion
March 2004
Australia
March 2004
USA,
New
Hampshi
re
Fireman
Egypt
11 April
2004
UAE
SCUBA
45 m
Holothur
ian
Diving
Pty
March 2004
SCUBA
30m
SCUBA
Trimix salvage operation
3
1
1
1
SCUBA
Canadian, aged 24, recreational SCUBA diver, employed
by a commercial diving company in Cairns to harvest sea
cucumbers off Lizard Island, North Queensland. First dive
of trip. No occupational experience. Possible entanglement
whilst on beche de mer drift dive. Became detached from
air hose. Recovered by co-workers after 16 hours.
Significant marine predation post mortem. Drowned.
Detached from air hose. Mouthpiece missing on regulator.
Bailout worn but not turned on. Bail out regulator secured
to cylinder. Owner of the company was fined $60,000,
third breach of Workplace Health and Safety Act, diver
"dangerously unqualified". Workplace Health and Safety,
Queensland and Cairns Post.
1
SCUBA
Laconia firefighter, experienced diver died, during a
practice dive on Lake Winnipesaukee. No details
1
SCUBA
SCUBA
Internati
onal
Dr. Paul Elof, 76, died when his (home made?) DDC
exploded during self administered hyperbaric oxygen
therapy, his brother, Gerhard aged 65, was standing close
by and also killed.
REME Officer based at Osnabruck, routine exercise in
the river weser with two colleagues, drowned, faulty SABA
gear (SABA was condemned as unsafe by a 2002 MOD
inquiry into two previous deaths by drowning)
36 years old, Royal Navy Northern Diving Group based
at HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane), died during a training
dive off Oban, heart attack, no details
American fire-fighter/diver aged 43, testing new
equipment in a lake, not tethered to partner, drowned under
ice, ill fitting dry suit and 44lb weight belt blamed as
contributory factors. NIOSH Report
SCUBA
Port Said, two man SCUBA team, inspection an offshore
vessel hull. Completed but one diver was asked to reinspect bow thruster. Bow thruster was activated during
dive. No details, though same diving contractor is reported
to have had fatalities in November 2007 and October 2008.
British, aged 19, sucked into a pipe, desalination plant at
Fujairah, UAE. Sports/tourist SCUBA diver doing a
commercial dive, diving instructor who sent him to the
plant was found guilty of causing death, plant operators
were not held responsible for not turning off the pump that
sucked him in.
1
1
23 April
2004
USA,
Minneso
ta
25 April
2004
Indonesi
a
12 May
2004
USA,
Arizona
Not Recorded
14 May
2004
Venezue
la
Not Recorded
June 2004
Chile
Sermar
Ireland
North
East
Diving
Services
Buttrey
Curtis
DSV 'Ocean Winsertor'
Shultz
Byrne
Don
Damien
3 July 2004
60'
SCUBA
Pirate
attack
Police
SCUBA
American, aged 41, Contract diver working for the St
Paul Regional Water Services, in Vadnais lake, cleaning
water plant intake filter, at end of dive he and his partner
left the job site but he failed to surface, apparently got
caught in some weeds and cables. His body was recovered
about three hours later. Drowned. No explanation.
Reported in Star Tribune (MN)
In transit from East Timor to Singapore, off Lingga
Island, 12 armed pirates boarded the DSV and robbed the
crew at gun point. No deaths, minor injuries. Reported in
the Sydney Morning Herald.
Aged 43, part of a four man Phoenix Police team
searching a canal for a wheelchair belonging to a woman
who had drowned in the canal on Monday 10th May. Life
line came off, found in a one foot gap under a lock gate
mouthpiece out. Hospitalised in a critical condition, taken
off life support on Wednesday and died three hours later.
Reported by KVOA
Diver drowned in lake Maracaibo
Double fatality, port of Coloso operated by Minera
Enscondida. No details, reported in a BHP Billiton Safety
Case Study
Irish, aged 24 died after he became entangled in lines
during a salvage operation on a sailing yacht that sank over
the weekend in Dublin Bay. Sunday, three man salvage
crew, only one experienced in salvage operations. On
arrival at site, they did not anchor over the yacht as the
owners were afraid that it could damage the yacht. This
meant the dive boat was not firmly anchored and drifted
some distance from the dive site. Straps and lifting bags
were attached to the yacht in preparation for raising it. After
discovering one of the lifting bags would not inflate, it was
decided to abandon the operation for the night. However,
after consultation with the owners, it was decided to deflate
the bags in case the yacht would drift and damage its hull.
Mr Byrne dived again at 8.05pm and sometime later it was
noticed that no bubbles from his air tank were visible on the
surface. Diver 3 dived at 8.15 pm. He was low on air so he
had to come up before freeing Mr Byrne from the lines.
After he was rescued, first aid was administered to Mr
Byrne on the dive boat before he was transferred to hospital
where he died later that day. €25k fine imposed on the
diving company and €20k on the company's director (Who
was out of country at the time of the accident) who pleaded
1
1
1
2
1
guilty to not having adequate safety equipment during the
dive. Diving Company closed down.
Davidson
Robert
10 July 2004
New
Zealand
Beek
Raymo
nd van
11 July 2004
Malta
Londo
Luigi
27 July 2004
Italy
Benton
Lister
Darren
31 July 2004
SCUBA
10'
Geomar
14 m
O2
rebreather
Aged 35, recreational diver with 20 years experience,
failed to surface from a solo crayfish collecting dive, death
attributed to asphyxiation due to high carbon monoxide
content in his cylinders
Freeport of Berzebbugia, conducting a video survey of
hull of vessel "Verlaine", bow thruster started, Master &
Chief engineer charged with involuntary homicide,
prosecution failed on lack of proof, March 2007. Two other
divers were reported injured in the same incident
34 year old, off Trieste, three divers together off a small
boat free swimming clearing pipeline outlet, died during the
dive
Aged 37, former Navy diver and Gulf War veteran.
Greenville County pond (private pond near Jones Gap State
Park) Trying to move a bucket clogging a drain , when
brought to the surface, he was wearing everything but his
mask and all his equipment was intact. Reported that as he
removed the drain plug to empty the pond his arm was
pulled into the outlet, trapping him. Emergency services
called within 10 minutes (By his wife, he was diving solo).
The Greenville County dive team found him a short time
later, but it took more than a dozen men to pull him free of
the suction holding him in place. He was pronounced dead
a short time later. Reported by WIS
1
1
1
Fleming
Adrian
17 August
2004
Rosenbaum
Anthon
y
August 2004
Giri
S.
Shinde
T. B.
UK Diver
15
September
2004
15
September
2004
6 October
2004
Canada,
New
Newfoun
dland
Atlantic
Fisheries
GOM
Caldive
Mumbai
Technip
Saturation
Mumbai
Technip
Saturation
UKCS
SCUBA
230'
Canadian, aged 45, working on moorings in Bay Bulls
harbour, Newfoundland, Drowned. The boat tour company
was prosecuted for employing an unqualified diver. ―He
was inspecting moorings for a boat-tour company when he
died and his death has once again brought to the fore the
concerns surrounding diving work — work that provincial
legislation says should be done by fully-equipped
commercial divers, and the work that is actually done on an
almost daily basis by divers who are neither fully equipped
nor trained to the standard required by that legislation.‖
―All the regulations in the world won't save a life if they
aren't enforced. That's a point that has already been made
too many times in this province. In fact, if it is clear to all
that no one is responsible for enforcing them, the toughest
regulations in the world really aren't worth the paper they
are printed on.‖ ―Atlantic Fisheries Ltd. was charged with
seven counts of violating the Occupational Health and
Safety Act. The charges followed an investigation of the
occupational health and safety branch of the government
services department. A government statement said the
charges "relate generally to its failure as an employer to
ensure that its workers were made familiar with the hazards
that may be met by them at the workplace, and to ensure the
diving operation was conducted in accordance with the
requirements of the related Canadian Standards Association
code." The diver was not registered with the Diver
Certification Board of Canada, the body that recognizes
commercial divers. Reported by press and CDNN
"Caldiver II", 3rd degree burns, law suit, Broco BR 22
defective manufacturing plus bad technique
DSV "Seamec III", Bell contamination, BIBS off,
unconscious, fell out of bell, floated to surface, died later
DSV "Seamec III", Bell contamination, BIBS off,
unconscious, through water transfer to bell of DSV
"Samudra Suraksha", recovered OK.
Prosecuted by the HSE, forged HSE part II, 12 month
custodial sentence.
1
1
Moore
David
15 October
2004
UK
Sea
Technic
al
Services
for
British
Waterwa
ys
3m
SCUBA
British, aged 29 from Southsea, Hampshire, trapped
under collapsed temporary dam on the Upper Lode lock
gate (near Tewkesbury) during draining operations. British
Waterways, the diving contractors and the diving supervisor
all pleaded guilty to breaching Health and Safety and
Diving at Work regulations. The supervisor was also the
owner and director of diving contractor which employed
divers paid on a daily basis. The diver was involved in
construction work on the upstream side of a temporary dam,
the water had been drained from the lock basin down to a
depth of 0.3 metres. This meant there was a differential of
more than three metres with the water level on the other
side of the dam and this exposed leaks in the dam which the
diver was sent down to seal. The diver suddenly shouted
out and then there was a flood of water shooting out from
the downstream side of the dam. The umbilical went tight
and colleagues could see he had stopped breathing, they
tried to pull him to the surface but it was impossible
because of the pressure trapping him against the dam. They
realised that the standby diver would face the same
enormous pressure if he went in so took the decision to
equalise the pressure first by closing the lock gates and
opening a central gate - all of which took 15 minutes. Mr
Moore was then flown by air ambulance to Cheltenham
General Hospital but never regained consciousness. Four
months later when the scene was finally safe to examine in
detail it was found that the only place where the hessian
seal had been effective had been in the centre of the lock.
This was because the floor of the lock was convex and
sloped down towards the edges which prevented the hessian
seal being effective and leaks then occurred which caused
the intense water pressure on the diver. "Hessian seals were
known to be effective only if equally compressed along
their length which would clearly require a level lock floor,
however, these concerns were not recorded and they don't
appear to have been considered by engineers or
communicated to the dive teams, who had no previous
experience of hessian seals." British Waterways had failed
to carry out sufficient risk assessment, the contractor failed
to protect its divers during the whole period of the project
from September to October 15 and too had failed to carry
out adequate risk assessment, the diving supervisor failed to
ensure the dive site was safe, that there was a risk
assessment for the dive, that the materials used were
adequate and safe and he failed to obtain sufficient
1
information about the hessian seal before committing the
diver to the water." British Waterways were fined £87,000
with £75,000 costs, the contractor £15,000 with £6,000
costs and the diving supervisor £6,000 with £2,000 costs.
Comment from the judge ―"It is particularly grave when the
events leading to his death were in my judgement so
obviously avoidable, as this prosecution has demonstrated‖
Reported in the Daily telegraph, BBC, British Press, etc
5 November
2004
12
November
2004
Not Recorded
Watts
Fukai
Naoyos
hi
Floriant
February
2004
Killed in a lift boat propeller accident
Superior
Saturation
Japan
21
December
2004
Not Recorded
Remeze or Remese
12
December
2004
GOM
SCUBA
Global
Industrie
s
France
Trtavaux
Ocean
2.5m
S/S Air
Not Recorded
2004
Saturation
Not Recorded
2004
Not Recorded
2004
S/S Air
Not Recorded
2004
S/S Air
Not Recorded
2004
S/S Air
37'
S/S Air
1
Injury claim and counter claim, court case, no details
A 48-year-old fisherman (diving for lobsters) was caught
in the screw of a 1.2T fishing boat and died soon after off
Ukishima beach in Nishina, Nishiizucho, Shizuoka
Prefecture. Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. No details, not
sure whether this was a sports dive (Not included in
professional 'count' TC)
36" pipeline cracked resulting in pressure differential
incident. Safety flash from Global industries on ADCI
website and OD
French, (Surname could be Remeze or Remese), French
Canal (L'Eecluse' de Bollene - the Rhone). Drilling
concrete underwater with a big machine. His umbilical
caught by the machine. Did not or could not open his bail
out (possibility of contaminated air supply).
Release of gas from pipeline (gel barrier), diver skin
burns, bell contamination (condensate?) (See IMCA SF
01/04)
Diver bruising plus damaged helmet during concrete
mattress installation (See IMCA SF 04/04)
Late onset of DCI, pain reported 7 hours after dive,
treated with pain killers, no response re compressed after
another two hours. Too late, muscle damage. (See IMCA
SF 04/04)
Oxy Arc explosion, Ship's plate, diver
unconscious/dizzy, 3 days off work. (See IMCA SF 05/04)
Oxy Arc explosion, tank, salvage diver perforated both
eardrums, 37 days off work. (See IMCA SF 05/04)
1
Not Recorded
2004
Deck
Frigg Field
2004
Munitions
Coursey
Eke
Ohryn
Toisa Polaris
DLB Regina Crane incident
Adam
Anthon
y James
Thomas
2005?
2 January
2005
6 January
2005
USA
Romania
Titan
USA,
Californi
a
Fred
Devine
diving
and
salvage
22 January
2005
UK
SS7
1 April 2005
India
CCC
Air
10'
S/S Air
Deck
75m
Sat
Diver serious head injury working on deck (See IMCA
SF 10/04)
During decommissioning of the Frigg field remains of
munitions (Allegedly WWII mines) were seen during the
―as left survey‖, obviously inert/corroded but
philosophically interesting that for 30 years a significant
proportion of the UK gas was produced through a facility
sitting on top of a 'bomb'
Crushed leg, DC?
Underwater cave in during salvage of the 'Rostok' from
the Danube (Second later fatality, Whitekettle, 21/11/2005)
Salvaging a fishing vessel off California, crushed
between FV and derrick, air supply cut off plus crushing
injuries.
During mobilisation of a Deep water ROV for West of
Shetland a 440V supply was inadvertently de-isolated. No
physical injury, but potentially lethal. Very open incident
report from SS7 and one of the guys involved, good
example of a working and positive safety culture
DLB Regina 250, (Valentine Maritime, Abu Dhabi).
Main crane collapsed over sat system dive control, bell
LARS and HLB during a two man bell run. Both video and
photos clearly show the extent of the damage to the dive
system with the crane boom draped over the HLB/sat
system. Bell handling system rendered inoperable, divers
through-water transfer to a second DSV. Reported that the
Regina went to Gujerat for major repairs to the dive
system/bell handling equipment and crane before returing
to work a couple of weeks later. Sat dive sequence:- Dive
86:- 17:35 Bell Sealed. 17:45 BLS. 17:50 BOB, commence
diver lock out. 17:52 Crane collapsed on dive system.
17:55 Bell sealed at 75m. 17:57 Divers report 'OK". 18:25
Main bell wire secured on surface. 18:30 standing by on
DSV "Sevak" for through water transfer. 19:39 DSV
"Sevak" on site. 20:13 After discussion between Supv/Supt
of both vessels, decide to use "Regina" bell
umbilicals/helmets for transfer. 21:44 "Sevak" diver
established swimline to "Regina" Bell, 21:55 Diver 1 in
water, 22:02 Diver 1 in "Sevak" bell. 22:14 Diver 1
umbilical and hat secured back onto "Regina' Bell by
"Sevak" diver. 22:18 Diver 2 in water. 22:22 Diver 2 in
"Sevak" bell. 22:44 "Sevak" diver secured diver 2 umbilical
1
1
onto "Regina" Bell, 22:45, transfer complete. The second
DSV was the 'Samudra Sevak" (built 1988, 11 man
Comanex dive system) which was also on hire to ONGC at
the time. PC
Russel
3 February
2005
Australia
,
Northern
Territori
es
Wolmarans
André
15 February
2005
South
Africa
Subtech
Diving
and
marine
SCUBA
Picallo
Sgt.
Justo
Jesus
15 March
2005
Indonesi
a
Spanish
Navy
SCUBA
Not Recorded
21 March
2005
GOM
Gulf
Offshore
Logistic
s
Overboard
fatality
Not Recorded
30 March
2005
Kiribati
Butel
SCUBA
Paraphrased from the press reports:- ―The family of a
commercial diver killed by a crocodile in the Northern
Territory last week says he had extensive experience in Top
End waters and was not foolhardy. Russel Butel, 55, was
collecting live fish with his dive partner off the Coburg
Peninsula on Thursday afternoon when he was killed by a
salt-water crocodile. He was the second person taken by a
crocodile in Northern Territory waters in less than a week.
Mr Butel's family has released a statement saying he fell in
love with the tropical waters of the Top End during a visit
to Gove in the 1980s, prompting him and his partner to
open a local dive shop. The family says Mr Butel's
experience in Territory waters was extensive and he was
not foolhardy regarding his safety and that of his crew‖.
ABC Regional on-line
South African, aged 19, Durban harbour, cleaning the
propeller of a fishing vessel, "someone inside the vessel
accidentally activate the propeller". He was standing on it
at the time, it took police divers 7 hours to find his body.
Outdoornewswire.
36 year old Naval officer, part of tsunami relief force,
conducting a routine hull cleaning and inspection dive on
the MS ―Galicia‖ off Band Aceh. No details
Overboard Fatality, Mustang Island, crew boat
attempting to tie up to platform boat landing, crew member
leaning over side to tie up, fell overboard, crushed between
boat and boat landing.
Aged 29 ―A diver died in Suva last night after he was
airlifted from Kiribati with a serious decompression illness.
He worked for a diving business owned by a former
Kiribati diplomat on the island of Tabiteuea Meang.‖ No
details
1
1
1
1
Baker
Patrick
Allan
24 April
2005
Canada,
BC
Horst
Lt Cl
Richard
van der
March 2005
Norway
UK SBS
SDV
Karla
Vijay
Rajara
m
6 May 2005
India
Navy
Helicopter
crash
21 May
2005
GOM
Not Recorded
Not Recorded
22 May
2005
GOM
Cardenas Jr
Ciro
3 June 2005
USA,
Florida
Cartes
Pedro
Vivanc
o
9 June 2005
Chile
14 June
2005
Canada,
Nova
Scotia
Not Recorded
SCUBA
Aged 33, drowned whilst retrieving golf balls at the Saint
Andrew by the Lake golf course, Penticton, British
Columbia. No other details. Reported by Outdoor News
Wire
British serving officer, NATO exercise with a Swimmer
Delivery Vehicle (SDV), a US miniature submarine, pilot +
Navigator, rear compartment with up to 4 divers using
personal breathing apparatus (submarine does not have life
support equipment), pulled unconscious from the water,
died 6 days later ("fluid in the lungs").
A naval Chetak helicopter crashed near Chennai killing
all three crew members on board. Lt-Commander D Poddar,
who was flying the Chetak, Sub-Lt B Manoj and leading air
crew naval diver Karla were killed in the crash at 4 pm. The
mishap took place near the Rajali naval air station at
Arakonam, about 50 km from Chennai. Times of India.
1
1
1
Subsea pipeline tie-in, crane ops, lost tips of two fingers
40'
11'
Cammac
haca
210
SCUBA
SCUBA
Atanassov
Atanas
19 July 2005
ME
FDI
Saturation
Shaw
Scott
20 July 2005
USA,
North
Carolina
USN
RTA
P & A job. No barrier cream on. Quote from second
diver: "There was a bunch of red gooey stuff coming out of
the pipeline at the cut I was making. It got all over my hat
but I never got any burns. Once I saw it coming out I tried
to stay away from it. I do know that it burned the hell out of
him, and he couldn't dive anymore (on that job). He was in
pain just turning his head".
Drowned in a drainage pipe, no lifeline or standby diver,
scuba gear minus straps, he was holding or dragging his air
tank along the 36-inch-wide drainage pipe when he
drowned.
Shellfish cultivation centre, Guaitecas, Source:
Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor,
Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions
District Attorneys Offices. No details
Sports diver hired to carry out a commercial dive
checking moorings, second dive, lifeline slack, no response,
recovered unconscious, hospitalised but survived. No
qualifications, procedures, team, stand-by etc
Bulgarian, onboard the "Gulmar Falcon", End of bell run,
Heart attack. Discovered to be on medication for high
blood pressure.
Aged 29, U.S. Navy diver with 11 years decorated
service was killed and another injured in a single-vehicle
accident at Blackwater USA's training facility in Moyock
Wednesday. The Gunner's Mate 1st Class and Aviation
Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Alejandro Delapena, 23,
1
1
1
1
were thrown from a Jeep as the vehicle rolled on a sharp
turn after they had completed training.
DSV "Samundra Suraksha"
25 July 2005
India
ONGC
Mumbai High
25 July 2005
India
ONGC
Saturation
Vessel
sunk
Installatio
n
destroyed
Kringle
Alan
26 July 2005
USA,
Florida
Anchor
Marine
Environ
mental
Services
Chapman
John
31 July 2005
GOM
Triton
Maldonado
Luis
Ojeda
5 August
2005
Chile
Los
Fiordos
SCUBA
Hernandez
Juan
Mirand
a
7 August
2005
Chile
Marine
Harvest
SCUBA
7 August
2005
Russia
RN
Priz AS-28
S/S Air
625'
Minisub
Mumbai high collision, fire, destruction, 6 divers in sat
survived the incident
Mumbai high collision, fire, destruction
Aged 16, Reported as recreationally SCUBA qualified 8
months earlier, had been working as a diver for the
contractor for 6 months. Four man team working on a lake
restoration project. Conflicting press/sheriff reports. One
version is that 'he surfaced but then sank', another that the
compressor 'just ran out of gas', another that the compressor
stopped but had a reserve tank but that for some reason he
ditched his helmet, another that only his hands broke
surface though there seems to be agreement that as the
incident progressed, the surface crew pulled on this hose
but only succeeded in pulling up his helmet and discovered
he was entangled in another rope, eventually brought to the
surface not breathing, no pulse. On site CPR, taken to
Orlando Regional Medical Centre, reported as in a critical
condition. No further details.
Liftboat, 'somebody' started the engine, umbilical caught
in wheel, diver pulled to the surface and killed in the wheel.
Shellfish cultivation centre, Quellon, body not recovered.
Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor,
Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions
District Attorneys Offices. No details
Salmon fish farm, Quinchao, Source: Ecoceanos, based
on data from the Dir. of Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and
the Tenth and Eleventh Regions District Attorneys Offices.
No details
Russian ―Priz‖ class submarine rescue vehicle with 7
crew trapped on seabed in nets/debris. Cut free after air
freight/rescue mission by Scorpio 45, Royal Navy
Submarine Rescue Service, cut free, all 7 crew OK.
1
1
1
Not Recorded
11 August
2005
Philippin
es
SCUBA
Tychansky
Gerry
21 August
2005
Canada,
Ontario
CJ
Producti
ons
Rebreather
Stehbens
Jarrod
24 August
2005
Australia
Universi
ty of
Adelaide
SCUBA
Switala
Michael
27 August
2005
USA,
Pennsylv
ania
Firefight
er
SCUBA
A diver looter drowned in Subic Bay near the former US
navy base north of Manila when attempting to steal artifacts
from the sunken battleship U.S.S. New York which served
in the second world war. A local patrol ship found a small
boat carrying two diver looters, who were apprehended
after a short chase. One of the divers escaped from the
patrol-men and drowned ―due to his poor diving gear‖ The
other diver was arrested with his looted materials (scrap
metal) confiscated. Xinhua News Agency
Aged 43, during filming of low budget horror movie
"Marina Monster" at the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club.
Natural causes, heart attack, coroner indicated natural
causes but also concerns with equipment maintenance
Australian, Aged 23, gathering cuttlefish eggs for the
university of Adelaide was killed by a Great White. Body
never recovered, gear found intact Not wearing a shark
repellor. Coroner was Anthony Schapel who recommended
divers wear electric shark repellors as recommended by
coroner Wayne Chivall after the death of Paul Buckland in
April 2002 (Not mandatory, "but should not be discouraged
when they are available") AAP General News, Australia
American, aged 50, Lower Burrel, Pa, volunteer firefighter, Grove City Quarry, third training dive of the day,
(purpose was to maintain PADI qualification). Completed
dive, partner signaled ready to surface, he signaled back
"OK‖ and began ascent but once on the surface could not
locate Switala, but saw a flashlight distress signal
underwater. Immediately descended, noticed that the
regulator was out, tried to replace but it fell out, inflated
BCD and brought him to the surface (estimated elapsed
time at this point was less than one minute).. Taken to
shore, immediately initiated CPR. Emergency medical
services arrived within 15 minutes. Transported to a local
hospital where he died the next day. The coroner listed the
cause of death as drowning. Investigation recommended, 1:
Fire departments should develop, implement, and enforce
standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding diver
training. 2: Fire departments should ensure that each diver
maintains continuous visual, verbal, or physical contact
with his or her dive partner. (line-tended from the surface or
accompanied by another diver in the water) 3 : Fire
departments should ensure that a backup diver and ninetypercent-ready diver are in position to render assistance. 4 :
Fire departments should ensure that positive
communication is established among all divers and those
1
1
1
personnel who remain on the surface. (In this incident,
there were no personnel at the surface to perform
monitoring, and underwater diver-to-diver electronic
devices were not used).
Brown
Jeremy
17
September
2005
USA,
North
Carolina
S/S Air
Butel
Russel
August
29
September
2005
Australia
SCUBA
American, aged 26, inspecting Falls hydroelectric dam
(Badin lake) . Unsatisfactory report ―Inspecting the head
gates (replaced three years earlier, but sometimes failed to
seal properly). Before beginning work, hydro station
operators told the diver about an open valve, warning that
water could be flowing at that point. (Later interviews
revealed that other dive team members were not aware of
the danger). Lost comms during the dive, pulled the life line
to retrieve the diver - unsuccessful. Decided not to send a
second diver when learned that the force of the flowing
water could have trapped the diver in the valve opening.
Instead, workers lowered the water level to retrieve the first
diver. The team found that the diver‘s safety harness had
gotten caught on a protruding bolt. The snagged harness
had negated efforts by the dive team to pull the diver to
safety. The diver had been drawn into a gate valve opening
by the tremendous water pressure, which led to
compressional asphyxia‖. Body recovered 4 hours after the
initial incident.
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―The man killed by a
crocodile in the Northern Territory was the second fatal
attack in less than a week. Russell August Butel, 55, of
Darwin, was taken by a five-metre saltwater crocodile
about 11.30am yesterday, only five days after British
snorkeller Russell Harris, 37, was also killed by a crocodile
in the NT. Mr Butel and a companion were diving near
Washon Head on the Cobourg Peninsula, about 150km
north-east of Darwin, when the attack happened. Mr Butel,
professionally dived frequently in his role as an aquarium
fish diver.‖ He was collecting clown fish. Sky News
online
1
1
Earnest
30
September
2005
India
Excise
Whitekettle
John W
21
November
2005
Romania
Titan
Bustamente
Pedro
Alvarad
o
21
November
2005
Chile
Cultivos
Marinos
Chiloe
Cherapanoy
Dmitry
23
November
2005
Russia,
Murman
sk
Navy
35m
Jones
Zakarij
Mason
24
November
2005
Florida
PDCoF
196'
November
2005
Not Recorded
O'Conner
Billy
1 December
2005
SCUBA
SCUBA
Thruster
incident
Ireland
SCUBA
Aged 30, fisherman, was regularly engaged by the Excise
to assist them in raids on marshy areas. Died on raid on an
illicit brewery during a crackdown, drowned while
attempting to fish out 'wash' stored in jerry cans and
dumped into a marsh for fermentation. The team seized 25
litres of hooch from the area. A spokesman of the Excise
Department said Earnest's leg got entangled in the net
spread on the marsh bed to hold the cans in position. The
body was retrieved with the help of the local people after 25
minutes. Reported in 'The Hindu'
American, aged 48, Underwater burning in during
salvage of the 'Rostok' from the Danube (second fatality
earlier, see Eke, 02/01/2005) European press reported his
surname as 'Warren', suspect that his full name was John
warren Whitekettle (TC)
Shellfish cultivation centre, Dalcahue. Source:
Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor,
Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions
District Attorneys Offices. No details
Navy diver undergoing compulsory military service,
reported as having died in the Northern Fleet because of
serious decompression sickness during a training dive to the
depth of 35 m. bur report sates ―This was an ordinary dive
to a standard depth. Unexpectedly, 20 seconds after the
dive, the sailor suddenly came to the surface‖ so was
unlikely to be DCI. No details
American, Professional Diving Charters of Florida, Ft
Lauderdale, Vessel "Pro diver II", He drowned, Contrary to
initial USCG report, it was a sports dive, hospital "lost the
medical records", reports contradictory
―In November 2005 a diver died following a
misunderstanding between the master and the dive team
which resulted in the main pump to the vessel‘s bow
thruster being started in error‖. This incident is referenced
in MAIB report 3/2009 into the 'Norma' thruster incident in
June 2008. No other details
Irish, aged 51, searching the wreck of the FV ―Rising
Sun‖ (Sank 29/11/2005) for the body of Skipper on behalf
of his family, after dive, at 6 metre stop, disappeared. Body
recovered some days later by Navy/Guarda dive team.
Drowned. Reported by RTE news
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 December
2005
Spain
(Tenerife
)
17
December
2005
Spain
Cadiz
docks
2005
France
Aplomb
Not Recorded
First week
of January
2006
Spain,
Port of
Castello
n
Not Recorded
First week
of January
2007
Spain,
Carthage
na
Swing Rope Fatality
9 January
2006
GOM
El Paso
Oil &
Gas
14 January
2006
South
Africa
Wealth
for You
Not Recorded
Atienza
Juan
Jose
Not Recorded
Du Plooy
Derrick
Topsides
SCUBA
4m
Thruster
incident
50'
Swing
Rope
Fatality
5m
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Diver killed in
harbourside accident. A diver working on the Las Galletas
fishing harbour improvement scheme was killed as the
result of an onshore accident when he was struck on the
head by a large rock. The 56-year-old man died almost
immediately and the emergency services called to the scene
could do nothing to save his life.‖ Tenerife News on-line
Paraphrased from Press reports:-- ―At four o'clock
Sunday, the rescue services managed to recover the body of
the diver who went missing on Saturday afternoon at Cadiz.
The diver, aged 49 with 25 years of experience, worked at
the factory in San Fernando, but participated in the work of
putting ships into Cadiz dry dock (The vessel involved was
the 'Rotterdam'). Companions of the diver called
emergency services about eight o'clock in the evening
because the diver who had checking the vessel's position in
the dock failed to surface. Source: diariodecadiz.es/
Commercial diver recovering car from inland lake.
Quoted in a news report on Telecino.es:- ―In the three
days so far this year, two divers have died. The first work
on expanding the port of Castellón when he died. The
second died in Cartagena when diving at 50 feet below the
surface, trying to recover an anchor. Two divers in the past
three days, but in the last month have killed four in total‖
Quoted in a news report on Telecino.es:- ―In the three
days so far this year, two divers have died. The first work
on expanding the port of Castellón when he died. The
second died in Cartagena when diving at 50 feet below
the surface, trying to recover an anchor. Two divers in
the past three days, but in the last month have killed four in
total‖
Swing Rope Fatality, GOM, South Timbalier, block 291
Fatally injured while transferring from motor vessel to
platform using swing rope, USCG investigating
Diamond diver at Alexander Bay in the Northern Cape
died after a 5m diameter rock with a fell on him. Pumping
diamondiferous gravel underwater, commercial diver and
also a contract worker at the mine, working alone at the
time of the incident. A mining contractor - anonymous out
of fear for victimisation - "Tremendous pressure on the
mining contractors to deliver a certain volume of diamonds
every month. In the past three years three divers died in the
region as a result of the pressure on mining contractors".
1
1
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
Jan 2006
Guarascio
Anthon
y
24 February
2006
USA,
New
Jersey
Drake
associate
s
Love
Derrick
20 February
2006
UKCS
Caldive
Deck
fatality
Seguel
Walter
Rodrigo
Balboa
21 March
2006
Chile
Ventisqu
eros
SCUBA
Villanueva
Lorenz
o
9 April 2006
Chile
Pesquera
San
Jorge
SCUBA
Martinez
Stephen
26 April
2006
USA,
Florida
35'
S/S Air
SCUBA
"Injured thumb came from the reaction stud of a
smartflange I was sliding onto a line. I didn't move my hand
down the pipe as the flange slid on. It was partially on the
pipe and the boat pitched, the flange cantilevered the assend down (stud end) right onto my lucky thumb! Zero viz,
middle of January 06', hot water machine broken, installed
the first one lickety split, came OUT to "warm" up in the
engine room while the second flange was set up... and all I
could think about was how cold I was and how fast I could
get that end connector on and get warm... got back in,
started to slide it on, boat took a swell.. mind was
elsewhere, and BAM! felt pressure on my thumb heard/felt
a grinding noise/sensation and thought it popped off.
Fortunately my hands were so numb I didn't feel a thing for
about and hour after I surfaced. It was an extremely
valuable lesson for me... I am not bulletproof anymore nor
am I beyond reproach.
American, aged 24, Delaware River, Camden, NJ,
jackhammer concrete, lost air supply, clawed his way to the
surface, without air 5+ minutes, coma, 9 + months
paralysis, prognosis not reported
Aberdeen-based offshore operator Well Ops (UK) Ltd,
formerly Cal Dive International Ltd fined a total of
£110,000 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Mr Derrick Love age
34, from Invergowrie, died after being struck by a 12m long
well intervention tool weighing 370 kg (800lbs) on the
offshore multi service vessel, MSV Seawell
Salmon fish farm, Hornopiren, Commercial diver,
Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor,
Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions
District Attorneys Offices. No details
Salmon fish farm, Hornopiren, Commercial diver,
Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor,
Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions
District Attorneys Offices. No details
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. --aged 42, professional golf
ball diver hired by the city to retrieve golf balls from a lake
was attacked by a 9-foot alligator. The alligator apparently
bit the diver's air tank and tried to pull him under the water.
The diver tried to stab the animal and it bit his arm, He was
treated at a hospital for injuries similar to a dog bite. NB,
Mark Feher, also a professional golf ball diver drowned on
this course in 2001.
1
1
8 May 2006
Chile
Peasuera
San
Jorge
Joe
26 May
2006
USA,
Tennesse
e
Fireman
Overboard
Blaauw
André
16 June
2006
GOM
Superior
Saturation
Reyes
Jose
Diego
Barria
18 June
2006
Chile
Friosur
SCUBA
June 2006
Canada,
Ontario
RM
Belanger
Ltd
Barria
Raphael
Chacon
Snow
Not Recorded
SCUBA
Shellfish cultivation, Castro (Teupa chorito cultivation
center), Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of
Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh
Regions District Attorneys Offices. No details
―It is with deep regret that we advise you that a rescueparamedic with Montgomery County (TN) EMS who went
overboard during a water rescue attempt this past Thursday
night died this morning. Joe Snow, an eight-year veteran
was a diver and trained in swift-water rescue. He and a
fellow rescue-paramedic were trying to rescue one of two
15-year-old boys who were trapped in the undercurrent
below Ringgold Dam. Their raft was capsized by water
spilling over the dam, and both paramedics went under.
Snow was under water for six to eight minutes before
rescuers could free him from the powerful undercurrent.
Since then, he has been in critical condition at Vanderibilt
University Medical Center in Nashville. The bodies of the
teen-age boys were found Friday‖. Firehouse Forum
South African, first saturation, DSV "Superior
Endeavour", closing bottom door at end of bell run, bungee
cord caught on bell door, released and struck him in the
eye. Permanent loss of sight in one eye.
Shellfish cultivation, Elena Island, Cisnes Commons,
Aysén Regioner, Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from
the Dir. of Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and
Eleventh Regions District Attorneys Offices. No details
A construction company pleaded guilty and was fined
$25,000 in relation to an unsafe diving operation after an
excavator slipped into the water off a barge at Little
Current, Ontario. The company hired a diver to recover the
vehicle but failed to notify the Ministry of Labour of this
operation. An investigation found that the company had not
ensured a two-way communication system was in place at
the diving site or that workers who could fall into the
channel wore life jackets. Fined for failing as an employer
to ensure measures and procedures prescribed by the
Ontario (Diving Operations) Regulation ere carried out at a
diving operation. Additionally, a supervisor also pleaded
guilty and was fined $4,000 for obstructing an inspector by
providing false information during the investigation.
(knowingly furnishing false information, contrary to the
Occupational Health and Safety Act).
1
1
1
Erter
Ryan
1 August
2006
GOM
Andrews
David
14 August
2006
USA,
New
Jersey
Rutgers
Institute
50'
SCUBA
Duque
Steve
Arctic
USCG
20'
SCUBA
Hill
Jessica
Arctic
USCG
20'
SCUBA
Griffeth
Kevin S
26 August
2006
GOM
Caldive
67m/220'
S/S MG?
McGrath
Chando
n Lee
29 August
2006
GOM
Bisso
220'
S/S MG?
Cain
Terrenc
e
Aug 2006
Spain
Ireland
Patrick
1 September
2006
GOM
Irwin
Steve
4 September
2006
Australia
15
September
2006
Australia
Not Recorded
17 August
2006
17 August
2006
143
SCUBA
200'
Saturation
Snorkellin
g
Diving
school
Albury
Air
Vermillion VR 250, Remington Oil and Gas No formal
reports are available yet. Diver apparently died in the deck
chamber after recompression for suspected DCS ( on
surfacing, complained of headaches and blurred vision)
following a normally executed dive to approximately 150
FSW. Employer has released no information regarding the
accident and the diving community awaits the reports from
the Coast Guard and the MMS
Aged 56, diving off the research vessel 'Arabella' to
install a sensor on the LEO-15 (Longterm Ecosystem
Observatory), got into difficulty, was pulled aboard given
CPR and air lifted to hospital but did not regain
consciousness. CDNN
Diving off the USCG vessel "Healy", Alaska, under ice.
Incompetence
Diving off the USCG vessel "Healy", Alaska, under ice.
Incompetence
"Cal Diver IV", Main Pass area, Freeport-McMoRan
Energy Inc, platform inspection. Began his ascent, at
approx. 150 fsw a large manta ray became entangled in his
dive hose, pulling the diver to the surface in a rapid ascent.
Into DDC but died
East Area block 346, Rowan Drilling, Removal of the
MODU "Rowan Halifax" (Sank on the lease during
Hurricane Rita) Mixed gas surface diving from the DP II
DSV "Global Explorer" run by International Subsea Inc.,
Houston. No real details, no audio record recovered by CG
investigators, "audio malfunctioned"
British, aged 47, died on a holiday SCUBA dive off
Benidorm from contaminated air (CO2 poisoning)
Location was West Delta 104? Diver umbilical snagged
by Manta Ray a week after Kevin Griffeth. See youtube
link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=959CWu0w8dc&mode=
related&search=
Australian, TV presenter ―Crocodile hunter‖ stabbed in
the chest by a stingray during filming on the Great Barrier
reef, cardiac arrest
Aged 35, Australian Army, undergoing commercial diver
training, died during training dive, apparently ran out of air,
became entangled in lifeline, did not activate reserve, no
real details
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
7 October
2006
Brazil
Not Recorded
8 October
2006
Azerbaij
an
100m
Saturation
Oct 2006
Brazil
75'
SCUBA?
23
November
2006
GOM
Veolia
30'
S/S Air
GOM
Divcon
de Matos
Paulo
Cesar
Not Recorded
Barron
Mike
1 December
2006
English
Captain
Shawn
3 December
2006
Iraq
US
Army
4 December
2006
Australia
Caldive
9 December
2006
Chile
Invertec
Jan-07
GOM
?
ASRV
Vera
Daniel
Castro
Horgan
Nad
While a diver was in the water tying a line to tend the
vessel to a submarine post (stack), the vessel was moved in
his direction with the thrusters. When alerted of the danger,
the vessel crew moved the thruster‘s throttle to the off
position, but one of the thrusters did not stop, due to a
mechanical or electrical failure. The diver‘s umbilical was
caught by the thruster and the diver pulled into the blades.
2 T work basket lowered onto diver, immediately lifted
off, dive recovered to system, lower back injuries (IMCA
member, lifting incident report circulated)
Brazilian, Canoa Quebrada hydroelectric plant at Lucas
do Rio Verde, arm sucked up an 8‖ diameter pipe, three
dive team members could not free him. A week later
officials were still discussing whether to lower the water
level in the lake in order to free the body.
MMS report dated 31 Jan 2006 (typo?) published
4/4/2007 (See 2006 GOM MMS.doc) Block ST 300 (South
Timbalier platform), at 19:50 hours, Underwater Oxy Arc
explosion, knocked unconscious, facial lacerations, chipped
tooth, sore ribs. Evacuated to Terrebone General Medical
Centre, stabilised, kept in overnight, released 10:50 hours
26/11/2006. "Will be out of work for three weeks" 'No
violation" (MMS report) but diving medical revoked, may
not ever dive commercially again (OD).
1
1
Injury, CNS hit
EOD
130 m
Atmos.
SCUBA
0
Tender
Aged 35, killed by a roadside bomb. Bbased in Panama
City Beach, Florida, where he lived with his wife and three
sons. An Army diver who had been stationed in Iraq
helping to train Iraqi Army officers
ASRV "Remora" annual trials 'Black Carillon"from
"Seahorse Standard", broken winch wire, 2 Caldive
personnel on seabed for 15 hours, recovered to near surface,
transferred to deck on SCUBA, no injuries, then the other
wire broke, (Close to double or even a triple
fatality?),"Remora" on seabed. Condition not reported,
recovered over 4 months later (April 2007) by a USN team.
Diver, Mapué Cultivation Center (close to Tranqui
Island, South of Chiloé), Source: Ecoceanos, based on data
from the Dir. of Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and the
Tenth and Eleventh Regions District Attorneys Offices. No
details
Working as a tender, "Broke his hip and femur working
on a lift boat a couple of months ago, two ops, told by
doctors that he will never work again"
1
1
Verma
SK
12 January
2007
UAE
Arab
Tanker
Services
Ernest
Brian
1 February
2007
GOM
Superior
Alvarado
Martin
7 February
2007
USA,
Californi
a
State
water
dept
30'
SCUBA
Crawford
Tim
7 February
2007
USA,
Californi
a
State
water
dept
30'
SCUBA
Sue
Qing
Wen
20 February
2007
Singapor
e
Dolphin
Dive &
Adventu
re
35m
SCUBA
Not Recorded
Feb 2007
Singapor
e
Acergy
Not Recorded
Feb 2007
Australia
S&W
Investm
ents
USCG Safety Alert
15 March
2007
USA
USCG
27 March
2007
Australia
HMAS
Wildin
Leading
Seaman
Timoth
y
31m
S/S Air
Saturation
Saturation
16m
S/S Air
Safety
Alert
Switching gases at first stop, no gas (valve closed on HP
bottle but with an 'open' tag)
Diver from Tennessee, DSV "Endeavour", Superior
Offshore International LLC, spoolpiece, air bag,
uncontrolled lift? diver entangled?
Employee of the State water dept, part of a volunteer
team of approx 12 divers who inspect/maintain the water
system, died in an aqueduct, Dos Amigos pumping station,
5 mph current, tethered together, reported as not sucked
onto the inlet grating, but no explanation, double fatality
(Crawford) fined $16,120 for the two deaths
Employee of the State water dept, part of a volunteer
team of approx 12 divers who inspect/maintain the water
system, died in an aqueduct, Dos Amigos pumping station,
5 mph current, tethered together, reported as not sucked
onto the inlet grating, but no explanation, double fatality
(Alvarado) fined $16,120 for the two deaths
Singaporean, 35m sports diver open water training dive,
surfaced, sank, swept away by current, body recovered 3
days later Tank contained 785ppm CO and 12.3ppm H2S.
Open verdict.
Seaway Hawk, Singapore, Medlock door failed during
pressure test, one technician seriously injured IMCA SF
08/07
Commercial crayfish dive off Forbes Island, suffered
decompression illness after his air supply was cut off during
the second of two consecutive dives, causing him to
resurface too quickly. Contractor pleaded guilty to
breaching the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995,
having failed to ensure the safety of workers. An
investigation found there was no emergency air supply and
the placement of the dive equipment allowed the air line to
kink. In sentencing, the Magistrate took into consideration
the company‘s good record and prompt remedial action, but
also the extent of the diver‘s injuries and their frequency in
the industry. Fined $32,000. No conviction was recorded.
USCG Safety alert regarding increase in commercial
diver fatalities and injuries (I think the only diving related
alert ever issued in the USA, TC)
HMAS Frigate ―Parramatta‖, Jervis Bay, removing
snagged fishing floats ―Seriously injured, spent time in
intensive care‖, Navy enquiry, report not seen, made a full
recovery and returned to duties
1
1
1
Campbell
Joseph
1 April 2007
Jamaica
McSween,USN
Joseph
Adam
6 April 2007
Iraq
US
Navy
IED
Billiter, USN
Gregor
yJ
6 April 2007
Iraq
US
Navy
IED
Hall, USN
Curtis
R
6 April 2007
Iraq
US
Navy
IED
20 April
2007
USA,
Californi
a
Orange
County
Sheriff's
Departm
ent
Kropidlowski
Ken
SCUBA
30'
SCUBA
Aged 35, found with extensive head wounds along with
rope/tools. Speculation that he may have been attaching
cannabis container to a cargo ship (Smuggling) . Severe
head injuries compatible with propeller impact. At least
three civilian commercial divers contracted by vessel
operators to search hulls for contraband prior to departure
have been murdered, searches now conducted by security
services. Reported in the Jamaica Observer
Aged 26, He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance
Disposal Unit 11, based at Whidbey Island, Washington.
Survived by wife and two daughters aged 5 and 2. Also
killed in the same incident were two other divers, Chief
Petty Officer Gregory J. Billiter, 36, of Villa Hills, Ky., and
Petty Officer 2nd Class Curtis R. Hall, 24, of Burley, Idaho,
the Defense Department said. The three were specialists in
identifying explosive materials and disarming them.
Military Times
Aged 36, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit
11, based at Whidbey Island, Washington. Killed in the
same incident were two other divers, Petty Officer Joseph
McSween, 26, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Curtis R. Hall,
24, of Burley, Idaho, the Defense Department said. The
three were specialists in identifying explosive materials and
disarming them. Military Times
Aged 22, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit
11, based at Whidbey Island, Washington. Killed in the
same incident were two other divers, Chief Petty Officer
Gregory J. Billiter, 36, of Villa Hills, Ky., and Petty Officer
Joseph McSween, 26, the Defense Department said. The
three were specialists in identifying explosive materials and
disarming them. Military Times
Orange County Sheriff's rescue diver rushed to a hospital
with leg injuries after becoming entangled in a sunken
sailboat while searching the wreckage for its missing
owner. 18-year veteran of the department and a member of
its dive team, he was 30-feet deep off a jetty in Newport
Beach when he got tangled in debris about 11 a.m. and
made an emergency ascent, "He was in extreme pain and
had to be assisted onto the boat," ."He was rushed to harbor
headquarters where an ambulance was waiting to take him
to Hoag Hospital.He was treated for a torn ligament, his leg
placed in a splint and released from the hospital on
crutches, The 10-member dive team failed to find any trace
of missing Phoenix boater William Eugene Ott during a
two-hour search of the 30-foot sailboat.
3
1
1
1
State
Emergen
cy
Services
SCUBA
Malaysia
Sarku
Natural
Causes
4 June 2007
Norway
Technip
Natural
Causes
26 June
2007
Russia,
Sakhalin
DOF
Bell port
leak
incident
17 July 2007
Indonesi
a
19 May
2007
Australia
May 2007
USA
1 June 2007
Not Recorded
Not Recorded
Hopkins
Ronald
Not Recorded
Henderson
Phil
Nahar
Whittal
Robert
18 July 2007
USA,
Louisian
a
Wilson
Stephen
22 July 2007
USA,
Florida
Specialit
y diving,
inshore
10'
S/S Air
SCUBA
Aged 54, volunteer who drowned on a flooded boat
training exercise in the Murray River at Mildura, body
recovered the following day by NSW police divers the day
after. Victoria State Emergency Services were convicted
and fined $75,000 and ordered to undertake a thorough and
regular review of it's workplace safety practices. Quote
―Failing to ensure a person other than an employee was not
exposed to risk‖, regarded as a significant conviction as it
recognised that organisations have an obligation not just to
their direct employees but also the volunteer members.
Sydney Morning Herald
During cleaning operations the diver released the trigger
on the cavitation gun (deactivating the jet stream) to
reposition. When the diver reapplied pressure to the trigger
on the gun, the cavitation gun kicked back toward the diver,
causing the retro end of the gun to come into close
proximity of his wrist and forearm. Subsequently the retrojet caused a high pressure (approx. 1000psi) seawater
injection injury to the diver‘s forearm See ADCI website
for report
Australian Diving Supervisor on the Shell Chartered
DSV Sarku Clementine, passed away offshore, natural
causes, (possible heart attack).
Trainee Diving Supervisor on the DSV Wellservicer,
(Possible Heart attack?), plus fire in aft engine room when
alongside in Stavanger, put out by Stavanger fire brigade
after 70 minutes.
New built mobile saturation system on DSV "Geosea".
Bell port leaked during descent. Investigation revealed
multiple problems with system, Audits not thorough or
accurate.
Paraphrased from press reports:- Pier Ipi, Nusa Damai,
Ende, Flores Island. Wreck of a vessel sunk in September
2004, needed to be removed as it was obstructing ferry
access to the pier. Diver killed in an explosion cutting into
the hull during salvage operations. No details.
Metrotvnews.com
From South Africa, Jetting, lost air pressure from
topside, not wearing a bail out. Ditched his hat but fouled in
his umbilical and jet hose. By the time the crew got him on
deck, no pulse, not breathing, bleeding from the head.
Revived with CPR, medivac-ed to hospital, initially on life
support. Ongoing lawsuit.
Sports diver, aged 36, fatally injured when struck by
lightning as he surfaced. Miami Herald
1
1
1
1
DSV "Eclipse"
Carey
Not Recorded
Lavar
22 July 2007
UKCS
Caldive
Subsea 7
Saturation
28 July 2007
Bahamas
Paradise
Cove
Resort
Accidental
drowning
July 2007
Qatar
McDerm
ott
Surface
Swimmer
DSV "Eclipse" (Ex "Stena Seaspread"). Loss of pressure
from the transfer trunk when preparing for the transfer of
divers (TUP), HSE issued a prohibition notice to Cal Dive
International Pte., the owners of the vessel, with actions
required to be implemented prior to the continued use of the
Dive System for Saturation Diving. The corrective actions
are both mechanical and procedural, est. 3 days. HSE to
witness the completed improvement. At the time the seal
was lost on the trunk the divers were in the bell.
Paraphrased from a reported in the Nassau Guardian.
―Grand Bahama police on Saturday reported another
drowning. Initial reports by police indicate that 22-year-old
Lavar Carey of Pinedale, Eight Mile Rock, an employee at
a local watersports company, apparently drowned while at
work at that facility in West Grand Bahama late Saturday
afternoon. According to police shortly before six o'clock
Saturday evening, the duty officer at the Police Dispatch
Centre in Freeport received a call from a staff member at
Paradise Cove Resort in Deadman's Reef, who reported that
one of their divers was discovered by the resort's proprietor
floating underwater, an apparent drowning victim. As a
result, EMR Division and Central Detective Unit officers
along with EMS personnel were dispatched to that location.
Upon arrival there, the resort's owner, Barry Smith, pointed
out Carey's body lying on the beach. He noted that Carey,
who had been employed as a diver for the past year, had
gone out as usual in a boat around 5:00 p.m., to collect the
dive marker flags and floats and bring them ashore to
secure them. After he failed to return within 20 minutes,
fellow staff members became concerned and, along with
Smith, they got into a boat and went looking for him.
Smith stated that they found the boat that Carey had gone
out in, but did not see him anywhere. After searching the
area offshore from the beach for about 30 minutes, Carey
was found floating motionless underwater. He was rushed
ashore and rendered CPR and other resuscitative measures,
but failed to respond. EMS personnel rushed him to the
trauma section at the Rand Memorial Hospital, where he
was pronounced dead on arrival at 6:35 p.m. by the doctor
on duty.‖ Diver at work, but not a diving incident, TC
Lay barge KP1, Qatargas SPM Project, 42" pipeline lay.
The accident occurred while the diver swimmer was doing
work on the stinger in the water. A swell swept him into
the barge where he suffered a fractured pelvis and several
fractured ribs. He was medivac‘d to Hamad hospital, Doha.
1
Reported as out of intensive care, no indication of any
internal organ damage.
7 August
2007
USA
Washing
ton State
Associat
ed
Underw
ater
Services
,
Spokane
Frog Incident
Early
August
Equatori
al
Guinea
Exxon
Mobil
Personnel
Transfer
by 'Frog'
Not Recorded
12 August
2007
Norway
Saipem
Overboard
DSV "Bar Protector"
14 August
2007
UKCS
Saipem
Saturation
Primeau
Christo
pher N
130'
S/S Air
American aged 35. Cherry Point Refinery, Bellingham
(North of Puget sound). Sheriff's report "Primeau was
checking for rocks/underwater cables, his job was to signal
when 24-foot-tall steel pilings weighing up to nine tons
could be lowered into the water, when crews could start
driving the pilings and when they should stop once they'd
been driven in to the appropriate depth. Depth about 140
feet, he signalled for crews to begin driving a piling, within
13 seconds, Primeau screamed, "All stop! All stop!"
Camera and light on his helmet went dead, no comms.
Hammer may have disconnected causing the piling to fall
over. OSHA fines of $21,650.
Early August, Equatorial Guinea, both primary and
secondary wires parted during personnel transfer operations
dropping the frog 4 metres to deck, one injured.
Accelerated corrosion under the high visibility wire sheath,
reported inspected less than 2 months prior to the incident.
Sheath secured by velcro for easy access/inspection, but
this one had been tie-wrapped in place. See IMCA SF
09/07
On 12 August a 48-year-old man died in an accident
during work (lifting operation) on board the crane vessel
Saipem 7000 near the Gullfaks field in the Norwegian
sector of the North Sea. At around the 1000hrs the man fell
overboard and was found dead shortly afterwards following
a rescue operation. The deceased was an employee of
Saipem, who during the weekend of 12/13 August has been
working for Statoil installing a subsea separator at the
Tordis field. The cause of the accident is being investigated
(Actually found one and a half hours later on the seabed by
the ROV) first offshore Norwegian fatality since 2002.
Dunbar replacement pipeline project. Collision between
Crane on the DSV "Bar Protector" and the Dunbar
Platform. High Potential Incident + Reportable to the HSE
as a Dangerous Occurrence
1
DSV "Orelia"
Antinanco
Pedro
Alvarad
o
Not Recorded
Alvarado
Pedro
Pablo
Skulan
Jeff
Ross
Mark
18 August
2007
UKCS
Technip
Saturation
22 August
2007
Chile
Aserma,
Marine
Harvest
SCUBA
16
September
2007
Canada
Late Sept
2007
Chile
Asserma
GOM
Bisso
Australia
DOF
Late
Aug/Early
Sept?
1 September
2007
SCUBA
DP incident. Vessel attempted a 580m move when on
DP sat diving ops set up 40 m from "Tartan A", Talisman.
Heading would have taken the Orelia straight through the
platform, swift action of the bridge crew saved the day and
they stopped the run off 10m from the platform, divers
down at the time (considering the batter of the platform the
bell must have been pretty damn close) RIDDOR report
submitted. DP fault found to be a switching bug buried
deep in the core program software. Vessel has gone back to
work with a "Don't operate this switch within 10 seconds of
operating another switch" procedure prepared by the
skipper. Inherent problem with the vessels DP Program
which only came to light after 8 years of DP Operations
(particular sequence of events which when executed within
a particular time scale results in the vessel losing position).
Kongsberg DP system but software by "Converteam".
Diver, Cultivation Center of Puchilco, located in Lemuy
Island, Central Chiloé, Source: Ecoceanos, based on data
from the Dir. of Labor, Directemar, Mariscope and the
Tenth and Eleventh Regions District Attorneys Offices. No
details
Two recreational SCUBA divers died after being sucked
into the water inlet of the Sir Adam Beck hydro-electric
plant above Niagara falls.
Died while fixing underwater netting on a Chiloé-area
salmon farm owned by Norwegian aquaculture company
Marine Harvest. Reported that that the diver was in the
water approximately 10 minutes when colleagues on the
surface detected a problem. A fellow diver then entered the
water and found him unconscious at a depth of
approximately 20 meters, dragged him to the surface. Taken
to, where doctors pronounced him dead. An autopsy
determined the cause of death as Acute Decompression
Illness, also known as the ―bends. (Report incomplete but
no other details available).
American, DLB "Big Chief". DCI incident, in hospital
Overboard
46 year old, fell overboard seismic survey vessel M/V
"Geosounder" 03:00 am
1
1
Acton
Steve
3 September
2007
GOM
Caldive
Saipem
Salabogi
Leone
4 September
2007
Fiji
Navy
Harris
Robert
J.
6 September
2007
USA,
Mississi
ppi
Borries
Marine
Anh
Duong
Trong
Hedden
Bill
Seamec II
10
September
2007
17
September
2007
20
September
2007
175'
Saturation
S/S Air
Vietnam
Surface
diving
USA,
South
Carolina
SCUBA
Curacao
Seamec
Post 'Katrina' salvage ops. "Using a grinder on a fallen
structure deck plate, heard a weird noise and that was it".
Diver was using a hydraulic underwater grinder to cut a
window into 5/8 inch steel plate. There was an underwater
explosion. Deck crew on the S-355 barge reported hearing
a boom and some individuals stated that they felt the shock
wave of the explosion. The videotape that was recording the
diver‘s movements was non-operational. An unspecified
number of minutes elapsed before bell partner reached
unresponsive diver 1. Upon reaching diver, the standby
opened the free-flow valve on his diving hat. This action
caused the diving helmet to become completely detached
leaving the diver‘s head exposed to sea water, without
access to any breathing apparatus. Diver immediately
attempted to replace the helmet and hold it in place. During
this time a surface standby diver was sent to assist. The
bell partner, with or without the assistance of the surface
diver, brought the injured diver into the bell, and following
assessment while in communication with the diving
physician, initiated chest compressions. Injured diver was
raised to surface in the bell but pronounced dead..
Investigation ongoing. An interim technical report raised
issue of potential for underwater explosion when cutting
into a gas pocket with a grinder (underwater grinding
'sparks' not generally raised as an issue in risk assessments).
Fijian Navy diver aged 27, Suva Naval Jetty, salvage
operation to remove debris, no details. The Fiji Times
BILOXI, Mississippi, Diver critically injured Tuesday
4th while dredging under a casino barge. 22 years old, died
on Thursday 6th night at Biloxi Regional Medical Center
where he had been on life support since the accident at IP
Casino Resort Spa. Drowned. Radioed his surface support
crew that he was having trouble with his equipment. When
co-workers pulled Harris up to the surface, he was
unresponsive and not breathing. His S.L. 17 uncamed. He
was nearly 300' under the boat.
Vietnamese, aged 16, stabbed through the heart by a
metres long needle fish (type of gar with a 150mm beak)
whilst diving for sea cucumbers
Alligator bit off diver's arm
07:35 hours, Port of Willemstad, Curacao, Explosion/fire
in dry dock, 5 welders killed, plus another 6 injured
1
1
1
Titanic Key
22
September
2007
UK
White
Star
Myers
Mathew
25
September
2007
USA,
Alaska
Sealife
Centre
Kok
Damien
Tan
Yee
September
2007
Malaysia
Master
Tech
Nuestro
Eddie
1 October
2007
ME
Global
subtec
Ward
David
5 October
2007
Nigeria
Hydrodi
ve
Early
October
2007
USA,
Californi
a
Not Recorded
Reinaldos
Pedro
Alejand
ro
Doming
uez
6 October
2007
Chile
Osvaldo
Galindo
SCUBA
30 m
S/S Air
Kidnapped
SCUBA
Titanic sank 15/4/1912 with a loss of 1522 lives. Keys
to the crows nest binocular locker auctioned in Wiltshire (In
the possession of second officer who did not sail at last
minute) A lookout reported at the enquiry that they would
have been able to see the iceberg earlier if they had had
binoculars
Aged 44, Marine mammal scientist with the Sealife
Centre in Seward, alaska. Training dive, ran out of air,
surfaced with instructor, decided to swim to shore (rather
than to their anchored boat), unable to release weight belt or
inflate buoyancy, submerged, instructor assumed he was
trying to release his weight belt but he did not resurface.
Pair were diving alone. Body recovered 90 minutes later.
Singaporean, Cable lay, relocating dredge, KM18 band
mask, suspected band mask off, possible head injuries,
Trained by Singaporean Navy, inadequate equipment,
inadequate team size, no quals, supervisor trainee only.
Diver fatality, Philippino, approx 60 years old. At 20'
stop, difficulty breathing, chest pains, St/By jumped, diver
brought to surface and decompressed in DDC. Possible
heart attack.
Kidnapped in August on the way to work in Port
Harcourt, held for 56 days until rescued during a raid on his
captors base. Daily Telegraph, UK.
1
1
1
Rumour, no details, commercial diver in Sierra Nevada
mountains, dam work
1
Aged 40. Diving at the Quiquel Cultivation Center in
Dalcuahue province, - Suffered a diving accident that left
him unable to walk several years earlier, continued in the
business, working as a middleman between area divers and
farmed salmon companies. After he was unable to contract
divers for a job, he suited up and took to the water himself.
Chiloé Provincial Labor Inspector Víctor Inostroza quoted
as saying ―The fact that the worker who died was
handicapped just shows that there‘s no one at the salmon
farm worried about security. This diver was absolutely
illegal. He didn‘t have a diving permit. His equipment was
in poor condition. There was no contingency plan and the
diver wasn‘t trained,‖. Allegedly, this death brings to 50
the number of Chilean salmon industry divers who have
perished in just the past two years though the same article
quotes the diver's union as saying 15 divers had died in the
previous 18 months
1
Not Recorded
Colson
David
7 October
2007
Greece
SCUBA
8 October
2007
Australia
Deck hand
and diver
Unidentified 44 year old Greek diver, one of a team
gathering evidence for the judicial enquiry into the sinking
of the "Sea Diamond" cruise ship that hit reefs and sank off
Santorini, "ascended too rapidly, decompression illness,
rushed to hospital, pronounced dead"
Paraphrased from press reports ―The case is stark. It took
David Colson over five hours to die of the cold in Bass
Strait. The 24-year-old was the deckhand on a dinghy
dangerously overloaded with 744 kilograms of abalone - the
weight of at least eight adults - which foundered off northwestern Tasmania. Had the boat's crew pulled off the day's
work, it would have made Colson about $1000, the
skipper/diver $6000 and the abalone quota-holding
businessman onshore about $26,000. The boat's name?
''Too Easy''. The Tasmanian abalone fishery is the world's
largest and Colson was one of many drawn by its potential
bonanzas. He was licensed to dive - but diving licences are
one thing and getting work from quota holders is another.
Abalone quotas are fisheries gold. Tasmania permits 3500
quota units, each for 760 kilograms of abalone. Units trade
for about $250,000, giving the industry a capital worth
about $875 million. There are about 300 quota-holding
''entities'', many fewer individuals, and they hold the power.
In October 2007, a quota holder through his company,
engaged diver TB to work a unit at Black Reef, 1.5
kilometres offshore. TB, who owned Too Easy, took
Colson on as deckie. They started on October 8 in still
water, the diver below and the deckie handling the dinghy
as they did runs along the reef. But Too Easy was
accumulating bilge water below its floor, the inquest heard,
and the mounting catch meant it was sitting lower in the
water. After about six hours work, they were calling it
quits when the slopping bilge water took control of the
boat. Frenzied attempts to bale and throw the catch
overboard failed. With Colson on his mobile failing to raise
help, Too Easy went under about 3.30pm. Their emergency
position radio beacons disappeared and flares didn't work.
They began to swim with Burton still in his wetsuit and
Colson in wet-weather gear wearing a small lifejacket. The
alarm wasn't raised onshore for more than three hours and a
local constable was slow to react. By then, Colson was
succumbing to hypothermia as they kept swimming against
currents - he probably died about 9pm. TB refused to let go,
eventually touching sand on an island off Smithton about
10.15pm and dragging Colson's body ashore. They were
1
Spiers
Richard
Jeremy
10 October
2007
USA,
Georgia
Contreras
Victor
Lemus
17 October
2007
Chile
Myers
Mathew
25 October
2007
USA,
Alaska
Luse
William
J
27 October
2007
USA,
Indianap
olis
Loveria
Tim
30 October
2007
USA,
Utah
Southern
underwa
ter
Empresa
Salmone
s
Antártic
a
Inland
49m
Sealife
Centre
Poterda
m
SCUBA
SCUBA
10'
inshore
18'
SCUBA
found in the morning by searchers. The coroner heard that
the quota holder believed he had no occupational health and
safety duty to those on the boat, who he saw as independent
subcontractors and also noted a lack of clear workplace
standards for commercial fishing vessels. The state agency,
Workplace Standards Tasmania said it had no capacity to
police these standards anyway. The quota holder was
reported as saying ''they seem to want to blame me, whereas
I don't really have anything to do with it. It's a terrible,
unfortunate incident.‖ The coroner found that there was:No workplace safety code for the abalone fishery, No
maximum load limits for commercial dinghies, No
compulsory reporting system for fishers at sea, Inadequate
rules for emergency beacons or VHF radio, Inadequate
bilge pumps in dinghies, Inadequate marine training and
vessel survey rules. Reported in the Sydney Morning
herald
Aged 27, 70 to 100 feet up a 36" water pipe at Carrollton
water filter plant, helmet off, Monday 8th October, died in
the Tanner Medical Centre on Wednesday
Amateur Diver (He only had a license to dive to 20
meters), died in the Mallahue Culivation Center, in Achao
Source: Ecoceanos, based on data from the Dir. of Labor,
Directemar, Mariscope and the Tenth and Eleventh Regions
District Attorneys Offices. No details
American, aged 44, Resurrection Bay, Alaska, training
dive to become a Sealife centre scientific diver, "ran out of
air, may have panicked trying to take off his weight belt"
drowned.
Aged 34, Trapped for about 15 minutes by water flow
through a coffer dam 23/10/2007, lost air supply, initially
thought to be recovering, died 4 days later ―Luse got stuck
when flowing water forced him into a void between the
cofferdam and the gate, which was open and releasing
water. A partner working with him was able to tie a rope to
the trapped diver's equipment but was not able to pull him
free. When Luse was eventually pulled up, the air hose he
was using to breathe had been knocked from his mouth.
Officials were uncertain how long he had been without air‖.
46 year old from Conklin, New York, diving contractor
out of New York, drowned Tuesday in Panguitch Lake,
Utah. Failed to surface at about 1 p.m. He was removing a
temporary dam his team had installed to allow water to be
pumped out of a channel that crews were trying to dig
deeper, Garfield County sheriff's deputies wrote in a
1
1
1
1
1
statement. Other divers on the team found Loveria under 18
feet of water. Reported in Deseret News
Pie-Chun
Sun
17
November
2007
Taipei
390m
S/S Air
Chen-Lu
Hsu
17
November
2007
Taipei
30m
S/S Air
Not Recorded
November
2007
Egypt
7m
SCUBA
Not Recorded
11
December
2007
France
<10 m
SCUBA
Not Recorded
2007
La
Schapha
ndre
Aged 33, diving off the commercial fishing vessel
'Hsinlienfa 168' off Turtle Island. Two divers died and two
injured. Authorities stated they would prosecute
(occupational negligent manslaughter) the vessel operator,
Tu Chuen-yi, for improper operation of the vessel and
allowing the propeller to cut all four airlines leaving the
divers at depth with no air supplies. None of the divers had
licences, no standby or safety equipment.
Aged 51, diving off the commercial fishing vessel
'Hsinlienfa 168' off Turtle Island. Two divers died and two
injured. Authorities stated they would prosecute
(occupational negligent manslaughter) the vessel operator,
Tu Chuen-yi, for improper operation of the vessel and
allowing the propeller to cut all four airlines leaving the
divers at depth with no air supplies. None of the divers had
licences, no standby or safety equipment.
Abu Quir harbour, team sent to work but Supervisor
decided his team were too inexperienced and decided to do
the job himself. 7 hour dive. Failed to surface, found
drowned. No details, though same diving contractor is
reported to have had fatalities in March 2004 and October
2008.
Aged 39, French commercial diver, died during
completion of work on the lock downstream of the slew
bridge in Rochefort Harbour, no details
Post Deepwater Horizon newspaper article highlighting
lack of MMS enforcement in the GOM. Extracted quote:―records also show no evidence that MMS investigators
visited the scene in about one-third of offshore accidents
reported since 2005 In 2005, the death of an offshore
worker prompted a major MMS probe into how a worker
aboard a liftboat was killed as he conducted repairs at a
hurricane-damaged platform. That investigation prompted a
33-page report with photos, diagrams and comprehensive
suggestions. Yet, when a contract diver lost his foot in an
accident in 2007 while working aboard the same liftboat at
another offshore location, the accident was not promptly
reported and the MMS did no formal investigation‖
Houston Chronocle
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
Not Recorded
Not Recorded
Hanson
Ola
18 January
2008
Norway
Casanova
Gines
Acosta
26 January
2008
Spain
Spanish
Navy
Cortina
Jose
26 January
2008
Spain
Spanish
Navy
Paz
Julio
26 January
2008
Spain
Spanish
Navy
Not Recorded
February
2008
BBC UK
24 March
2008
Banglad
esh
Not Recorded
9 February
2008
Denmark
SCUBA
Thruster
incident
DOF
200'
S/S Air
Deck
ROV
1. diver cavitation blaster injury (See incident report,
May 2007, USA). 2. KMDS 17 neck clamp weld failure;
IMCA SF 06/07
Med lock door failure (See "Seaway Hawk", Feb 2007),
IMCA SF 08/07
1. Winch 'pinch' points. 2. Hinged deck hatch incidents.
3. Frog incident (See 'early August 2007'). 4. Multiple
confined space fatality/Explosion (See Seamec II,
29/9/2007). IMCA SF 09/07
Aged 25, from Karlskrona in Sweden, 4 man commercial
scallop diving operation off a small fishing community of
Froya in Southern Norway, found unconscious on the
seabed, cause of death not reported. One year old daughter,
his mother said his dream was to work on the oil platforms.
Reported by Dykarna.nu
Spanish, aged 29, warrant officer, training dive at the
Spanish Naval Diving training establishment, Caratagena,
diving from the Neptuno, training dive, two others (Cortina
and Paz) injured.
Spanish, training dive at the Spanish Naval Diving
training establishment, Caratagena, diving from the
Neptuno, training dive, one other injured (Paz), both given
hyperbaric treatment in Santa Maria del Rosell naval
hospital, one fatality (Casanova).
Spanish, training dive at the Spanish Naval Diving
training establishment, Caratagena, diving from the
Neptuno, training dive, one other injured (Cortina), both
given hyperbaric treatment in Santa Maria del Rosell naval
hospital, one fatality (Casanova).
In February 2008, strong winds resulted in a vessel
parting her forward mooring ropes. In order to check the
swing of the bow, the vessel let go an anchor, which landed
close to a diver. The bridge team had forgotten that a diver
was working on the vessel‘s bow thruster and neither the
vessel nor the diving contractor was following a permit to
work system. This incident is referenced in MAIB report
3/2009 into the 'Norma' thruster incident in June 2008. No
other details
BBC news article covering the 'Kohji' ('those who search
for something') working the rivers of Bangladesh using tyre
air compressors, hose pipe and basic BA type full face
masks to recover scrap, cargo and bodies.
ROVSV "Geosund" in dock, fatal accident involving
ROV TMS/winch, release of locked in hydraulic pressure
led to uncontrolled lifting of TMS. Safety bulletin DSN-
1
1
HSEQ-S99-08-0001, IMCA SF 07/08
11 February
2008
Not Recorded
ADCI
DDC
Heng
Hii
Teck
29 February
2008
Miri
Not
Reporte
d
13m
SCUBA
Jung
Chew
Kim
29 February
2008
Miru
Not
Reporte
d
13m
SCUBA
Le Pottier
Marcel
6 March
2008
France
Fire
Brigade
4m
SCUBA
6 March
2008
Gabon
Not
Reporte
d
31 m
S/S Air
8 March
2008
Chile
Bibisier
diving
11 March
2008
GOM
Chet
Morriso
n
Not Recorded
Gallardo
Obando
Victor
DSV "Jillian Morisson"
Chet
Morriso
n
Chet
Morriso
n
Vessel
sunk
Sievers
Andy
11 March
2008
GOM
Sonia
Michael
11 March
2008
GOM
Altland
Matt
11 March
2008
GOM
Chet
Morriso
n
On Deck
Stevenson
Robert
11 March
2008
GOM
Chet
Morriso
n
On Deck
On Deck
On Deck
ADCI safety alert relating to failed viewport due to heat
from fluorescent lightbulb
Professional ship repair divers working 6 miles off
Bintulu, entered water, failed to surface, SAR diver located
bodies two days later on ship's water inlet grill, but failed to
recover divers due to currents.
Professional ship repair divers working 6 miles off
Bintulu, entered water, failed to surface, SAR diver located
bodies two days later on ship's water inlet grill, but failed to
recover divers due to currents.
French fire brigade officer aged 42, two man team on
SCUBA inspecting the hull of a damaged trawlerin the
harbour of Saint-Quay-Portrieux in Brittany, tide going out,
trawler rolled on its side, diver crushed against the quay.
Diver descended to depth, seen to be adjusting air supply
valves, stopped responding to supervisor, stopped moving,
stand-by diver deployed, put unconscious diver on free flow
and recovered him to deck where he recovered
consciousness, given precautionary therapeutic treatment.
Self asphyxiated, had turned his air supply to nearly fully
closed. No residual symptoms. Human error
Died performing work on a fish farm in Aysen when no
diving should have been taking place (Closed by authotities
due to bad weather) Reported by Ecoceane
Tuesday evening, engine room explosion on board the
vessel, 1 missing, 6 to hospital, 3 later released. Boat had a
12' x 20' hole in deck and sank in 30' of water, later
salvaged and taken to New Orleans boatyard
Killed in explosion, blown into water, search called off 3
days later
Aged 43, crewman in the engine room, seriously injured
in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison", died in
hospital three days later
Diver onboard the DSV "Jillian Morisson", Explosion
knocked him into the water, fractured shouder, crushed
elbow, collapsed lung, scalp injuries. Medivac to hospital
in Lafayette.
Aged 39, crewman in the engine room. Injured in
explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison", medivac
seriously injured, died in hospital
1
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
11 March
2008
GOM
Not Recorded
11 March
2008
GOM
Not Recorded
12 March
2008
GOM
Chet
Morriso
n
Chet
Morriso
n
Chet
Morriso
n
On Deck
Injured in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison",
medivac but released from hospital after treatment
On Deck
Injured in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison",
medivac but released from hospital after treatment
On Deck
Injured in explosion onboard DSV "Jillian Morrison",
medivac but released from hospital after treatment
Not Recorded
12 March
2008
Holland
Fire
Brigade
voluntee
r
Not Recorded
12 March
2008
ME
CCC
126 m
Sat
17 March
2008
USA,
Florida
Enviro
prot
agency
100'
SCUBA
21 March
2008
GOM
25'
S/S Air
30 March
2008
Chile
Mason
Rusty
Not Recorded
Rudolphi
Juan
Fernand
o
Fish
Farm
SCUBA
Inland
Dutch, aged 38, member of the voluntary fire brigade
from Terneuzen, died while recovering a car from the GentTerneuzen canal, apparently he did not surface as expected,
was recovered alive but in critical condition and died later
in hospital. The autopsy report stated "drowning". The
driver of the car apparently committed suicide by driving
into the canal. He was being sought by police in connection
with the murder of his 2 children 24/02/2008.
Accidental sat system blowdown, 6 in sat, accidentally
blown down from 50 m to 126 m (internal valve accidental
closed by diver). No injuries, project delay, (Full report
published on OD website)
American, aged 54, working for the Florida
Environmental Protection Agency off the NOAA vessel
―Peter Gladding‖, passed out during decompression stop, A
certified dive instructor, he was one of seven people
working aboard the vessel. After the dive, the two divers
ascended to a 15‘ decompression stage (complete with
spare cylinders on a shot line). Partner saw that he had
stopped breathing and tried to give him air but eventually
ran out himself and had to surface. Two other divers
immediately went down and recovered Mason from the
bottom, 100 feet below (Tank empty, still wearing his
weight belt), not breathing, no pulse. Members of the crew
of the vessel took gave him CPR during the 15-mile boat
trip to Fort Jefferson and a 75-mile rescue helicopter flight
to the Lower Keys Medical Center near Key West.
Pronounced dead at the medical centre.
Diver's umbilical caught in lift boat propeller, pulled in
75' before umbilical severed with the diver less than 20'
from the propeller. Propeller (common hydraulics with
crane) not locked out. Report on OD website
Reported as dying in an industrial accident at the Mirasol
Commercial salmon farm, no details,. Ecoceane
1
1
1
Edwards
Darryl
1 April 2008
New
Zealand
Rebolledo
Nelson
Andres
25 April
2008
Chile
Monreal
Dwight
28 April
2008
USA,
Florida
SCUBA
Not recorded
10 May
2008
Sri
Lanka
SCUBA
Smith
12 May
2008
USA
15/5/2008
(report)
Brazil
22 May
2008
Maldives
Othel D
Not Recorded
Rudakov
Roman
SCUBA
Cultivos
Marinos
Chiloe
30 to 40 m
Internati
onal
Diving
Services
S/S Air
15 m
Touring
Maldive
s
S/S Air
SCUBA
New Zealander, aged 54. Wellington harbour, inspecting
the hull of a commercial charter vessel he had just hired.
Reported as natural causes (a heart attack). Not a
commercial diver.
Chilean, aged 29, Salmon farm in central Butachauques,
reported as DCI, died in hospital (inference is SCUBA and
no DDC, to be confirmed) "Third diver to die in the
industry this year. Reported that there have been 54
fatalities in the salmon industry since 2005. Ecoceane
Aged 62, professional golf ball diver, Tampa Palms Golf
and Country Club, attacked by an alligator while retrieving
balls from a lake near the 13th hole. Dislocated left
shoulder and puncture wounds to his left arm. Officials
said the 13th hole would be closed until the alligator was
captured and killed.
Tamil Tigers attacked a Sri Lankan navy ship "Invisible"
with an underwater explosion at about 2:15 a.m. and the
vessel sank, said navy spokesman Cmdr. D.K.P.
Dassanayake. The 213-foot (65-meter) craft was empty of
cargo, he said. "We suspect the blast was carried out by a
suicide diver" he said. BBC News.
American, aged 24, one year out of diving school, died
while working in a potable water storage tank in Paris,
Texas. International Diving Services of Arlington, TX.
"Pumps still running, sucked onto an inlet" Possibly no
bailout or stand-by rig, body recovered by fire brigade (on
SCUBA!)
Two divers in the water on KM Bandmasks, both lost air
supply, one ditched bandmask and tried to surface, held
down by umbilical, drowned. The second diver maintained
bandmask and waited for air supply to be re-established and
was brought to the surface in the basket. No bailouts,
stand-by not immediately ready plus other factors.
Russian tourist, aged 41, diving off the ―Baani
Adventurer‖ died from contaminated air (reported as
150ppm CO in his tank), 9 others ill with 80ppm CO in
their tanks. Complaints from previous day and requests to
change filter ignored (cheap none-CO absorbing filter fitted
on compressor), Medical O2 cylinder onboard dive boat
was empty.
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
23 May
2008
Yemen
Muhibba
h Baltic
Taucher
Not Recorded
23 May
2008
Spain
Tinsa
SA
Alderne
y
Marine
Trust
Le Sauteur
Peter
1 June 2008
UK,
Channel
Islands
Swisher
Donald
1 June 2008
USA,
Illinois
Fireman
Santibanez
Roberto
Orlando
2 June 2008
Chile
Fish
Farm
On Deck
30m
SCUBA
12'
SCUBA
German, aged 42, deck Supervisor – (Was he the diving
supervisor? TC) was fatally injured on the Muhibbah B9
Barge. Demobilising an air spread, attempting to remove an
air receiver tank from the deck of the barge with a 150T
crane. The signalman signalled the crane operator to lift the
vessel. As he was lifting the vessel it did not move or rise.
The signalman instructed the crane operator to stop lifting
(but not slack tension) and the Deck Supervisor started
checking on what was the problem. As he was checking
around the air receiverl it suddenly popped loose and struck
the Deck Supervisor in the head causing major injuries to
the back of his head.
Aged 33, from Madrid, one of two diving supervisors in
a 6 man team working on the dam on the river Agueda 5
km South of Cuidad Rodrigo (Salamanca, Western Spain)
since February (4 months). Ten minutes into a dive at
09:30, reported as stopped talking to topsides, stand-by
diver located the diver at depth, unconcious, recovered to
surface but failed to respond to treatment. In the absence of
any obvious 'accident', initially suspected to be due to
natural causes but no other details. Reported in Terra
Noticias.
Aged 55, Surveying the wreck of an Elizabethan gunship
that sank in 1592 with a view to recovering two cannon.
Fell ill after finishing a dive, unconscious, taken to hospital
but pronounced dead.
American, aged 51, a member of the Arlington Heights
(Illinois) fire department's technical rescue, hazardous
materials response, water rescue and recovery dive teams,
off duty, cleaning a swimming pool, autopsy concluded that
he drowned. No explanation, might have involved heavy
weight belt/inlet suction
Chilean, aged 43. Died after diving on a fish farm near
Chonchi, on the island of Chiloé. After morning work, the
diver went to his cottage for a nap but after lunch was found
lying on his bed cyanotic, taken to hospital but died.
Initially the company had claimed that the diver had died in
his cabin hours after diving to 5 metres and the Navy
reported that the person had not died as a result of diving.
However, an investigation by the Provincial Labour
Inspectorate concluded that this was a diving accident. The
state agency fined the company 180 UTM (5.5 million
pesos) for various breaches of the Labour Code. However,
an investigation of the Provincial Labour Chiloé determined
that it was an industrial accident,:- They did not have the
1
1
1
1
1
Plaian
Catalin
9 June 2008
Romania
Military
authorization granted by the Maritime Authority for diving
work at the Cucao center, the company had not established
a series of mandatory measures (there was no contingency
plan), the head of center had no safety training for
managers of floating fish farms and the center did not have
a monthly schedule of activities. The company was
additionally fined because the center where the fatal
accident occurred "does not have checklists before and after
the teams involved in the tasks of diving and noncompliance of planning risk training (Non compliance with
audit dated one month earlier). No details of the accident.
Chilean press reports elcuidadano.cl
Paraphrased from reports:- ―A military diver aged 36
died on Monday morning at Constanta County Emergency
Hospital. Fleet Command in Constanta said they could not
yet provide details of the circumstances in which he was
injured. He said that he was in training at sea and the ship
returned to port. The injured diver brought to shore and
taken by ambulance to Hospital but could not be saved.
Doctors said the diver has died after a cardio-respiratory
arrest and that he had a severe acute head trauma. Health
professionals say that the first information received shows
that the diver was submerged in water and was injured in
collision between two boats. Reported in Realitatea.net.
Alternate press reports:- ―Divers torn to pieces by a
propeller. A military diver aged 36 died and three others
were injured yesterday morning during a training exercise
at sea outside the port of Constanta. It seems that the
tragedy took place after an inflatable boat did not respond
to commands and simply passed over a similar one, in
which there were many divers. He was married, had a 2
year old daughter and had served under the banner of the
Romanian Navy for almost 10 years‖. Reported by
Libertatea Romania.
1
Qadar
R. N.
Abdul
12 June
2008
UAE,
Sharjah
SCUBA
Nasca
Michele
19 June
2010
Italy
Sports
SCUBA
Kenyan, married with two children Gulf-news: Quote at
the time :Sharjah: ―A scuba diver working on a ship at
Hamriya Port was killed while checking the ship's engine.
The engineer was unaware that the scuba diver was
working and switched on the engine, causing the scuba
diver to get caught between the propeller blades. Police
were unable to find most of the body parts and gave up the
search after three days. The people involved in the incident
were arrested, including an engineer and two assistants,
who claimed that it was an accident and that they had no
intention of killing him‖. The Ukrainian engineer on the
supply vessel 'Orel' who started the engine was found
responsible and fined £34,000 'blood money' even though
he claimed that he did not know the diver was in the water
and had been instructed to start the engine by the chief
engineer. Xpress online Note. The Ukrainian marine
engineer was prevented from leaving Sharjah until he paid
about US$73,000 ―diya‖, blood money, and a Dh6,000
fine. ―I‘m very sorry for the death of the man, who I know
has two children. I feel for them as I am also a father of
two,‖ He said the accident – which took place when he
started the main engine – was not solely his fault as he was
ordered by the chief engineer to start it not knowing Abdul
Qader was still working astern. ―Due to incomplete and
inaccurate information and the lack of a translator [during
court hearings], all responsibility was laid on me. I am not
in a position to pay the amount. I cannot get a job as I don‘t
have my documents. My wife in Ukraine earns just $120
(Dh440) a month. He started working for the Sharjah-based
Whitesea Shipping Company and Supply LLC in March
2007. ―I haven‘t seen my family since then. I want nothing
more than to be home with them,‖ In August 2009, he
received help from the local Russian speaking community,
and was allowed home.
Paraphrased from various press reports- ―An amateur
diver aged 57 diving with his brother 'died after coming into
contact with the suction pump connected to a dock.' ' The
body, horribly mutilated, and was recovered by police
divers.' 'The judiciary is investigating the hypothesis that
there is no protection grill on the turbine plant.'
1
20 June
2008
UK
Not Recorded
20 June
2008
Canada,
Ontario
Not Recorded
21 June
2008
UK
Johnstone
Christo
pher
RN
6m
SCUBA
S/S Air
Northern
Divers
20m
S/S Air
British RN reservist, aged 42, UK Navy diver training
establishment, Horsea island, fell ill during training dive
(casualty recovery drill). Initial reports indicated natural
causes (heart attack) but at the inquest a pathologist who
specialises in diving accidents said the immediate cause of
death was a rupture in the lungs, due to failure to breathe
out on the ascend to the surface. ―He perhaps didn't breathe
the gas out at the time. That's the only possible
explanation‖.
Lake Eyrie, 4 man dive team out of Port Colborn, well
head location dive, live boating Captain told tender he was
going to manoeuvre the boat, tender made no umbilical
adjustment, when propeller was started it severed the
umbilical. Both engines shut down, diver ascended safely
on bail-out. Excessive umbilical in the water
Taken from the MAIB report 3/2009 ―A diver entered
the water from the Belgium registered self-propelled crane
barge Norma order to replace a line marking the position of
the wreck of a German submarine which had been sunk
during World War One off the ‗Varne‘ bank in the Dover
Strait (Salvage operation to reposition the wreck as it
represented a hazard to deep hulled vessels). As the diver
descended to a depth of about 20m, the umbilical cord
containing an air supply became entangled in the vessel‘s
aft Voith Schneider propeller, and the diver was dragged
towards its rotating blades. The diver‘s air supply was also
pulled from the deck but the diver succeeded in transferring
to a bottled air supply before it severed. The diver was
approximately 3m from the rotating propeller when the
propeller was stopped by the vessel‘s chief engineer. The
diver then managed to cut himself free and make his way to
the surface from where he was recovered without injury.
The investigation identified a number of factors which
contributed to this hazardous incident, including: • control
system for the vessel‘s propulsion had recently been
installed, and no procedures for its use had been developed
and no familiarisation training had been provided. • the
OOW nor the master verified that the propellers were
stopped or informed the engine room that diving operations
were about to take place. • procedures for diving operations
in the vessel‘s safety management system lacked detail and
were not sufficiently robust. They placed an undue reliance
on the effectiveness of procedures followed by the
embarked diving contractor. • operations had not been
identified as a key shipboard operation by the ship manager
1
or by external audit. ― Full report available from MAIB.
Huenante
NAS
16 July 2008
Chile
Fish
Farm
Fournier
Christo
phe
24 July 2008
France
Hydroka
rst
Not Recorded
Spencer
S/S Air
26 July 2008
William
27 July 2008
S/S Air
USA,
Massach
usetts
BIDCO
64'
Chilean aged 38, Samuel Arturo Nahuelhuaique
Huenante died after diving on a Mainstream salmon farm in
Calaco near Calbuco, south of Puerto Montt. Dive should
not have taken place (The port was closed for diving
operations by the authorities for bad weather). According to
the Santiago-based NGO Ecoceanos, he was the 56th
salmon industry worker to perish in the past two and a half
years (includes 17 divers), he was the 5th diver to be killed
in 2008. Overall the industry employs an estimated 4,000
such divers. No details Patagonia Times
French, aged 39, Marseilles port, cutting up a sunken
boat, underwater oxy/arc explosion
Shell safety flash, complete failure of stand-by diver
basket main lift wire, basket caught by clump weight.
Report in preparation
American, aged 42, working off the construction barge
"Lone Star Horizon on the Neptune LNG project (terminal
and pipeline) 12 miles offshore Massachusetts. BIDCO
(Buffalo Industrial Diving Company) were subcontractors
to Caldive. Diver replacing air hose on stinger, reported
difficulty breathing, stand-by divers brought him to the
surface, CPR, medivac to hospital, later declared dead,
heart attack.
1
1
1
Leduc
Not Recorded
Lt.
Gerald
R
3 August
2008
USA,
Rhode
Island
Fireman
SCUBA
15 August
2008
USA,
Florida
Fisherm
an
SCUBA
American, aged 52, commencing a SAR dive (missing
boater), apparent heart attack. A NIOSH investigation
revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.25 (Rhode Island state
law defines legal intoxication at 0.08 percent) and that he
ignored two colleagues who urged him not to dive.
Underlying cardiac condition, but the medical examiner
found that ―acute intoxication‖ contributed to his death
(―primarily attributed to physical condition and inadequate
capacity to perform a technical SCUBA diving operation‖).
He was off duty when he responded to the incident at
Stafford Pond with his personal watercraft and dive gear,
moments after he began his dive, firefighters in a nearby
boat noticed a diver's tank valve floating on the surface of
the water and radioed a mayday call. Divers were unable to
resuscitate him after pulling him from the water, and he was
pronounced dead at a local hospital. The medical examiner
found that he likely died from abnormal heart activity and
had an enlarged heart, high blood pressure and an acute
blood ethanol level of 0.25 percent. NIOSH investigators
recommended a number of measures including a zerotolerance policy for alcohol, developing written policies and
procedures to enforce the zero-tolerance policy, putting in
place an effective incident management system that
supports technical rescue operations, properly training,
equipping, and supporting public safety divers, ensuring a
safety officer properly trained in the technical rescue field
being performed is on scene and integrated into the
command structure, appropriate annual diver medicals,
fitness programmes. NBC News
The body of a missing diver was located by fellow divers
underwater after an extensive search by the Coast Guard
and Navy crews 38-miles east of St. Augustine, The crew
of the commercial fishing vessel 'Animal Control' sent a
second diver in the water who located the missing man's
body. The crew radioed the Coast Guard rescue
coordinators at Sector Jacksonville for help after the
missing diver did not resurface from what was supposed to
be a 45-minute dive. The diver's body is being transported
by a Coast Guard rescue boat crew to Coast Guard Sector
Jacksonville where it will be turned over to the Duval
County Medical Examiner later this evening. The fishing
vessel Animal Control is headed back to St. Augustine.
The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the accident.
Reported by the USCG in Military.com. No other
details/reports
1
1
Not Recorded
August 2008
USA,
Louisian
a
Not Recorded
August 2008
GOM
22 August
2008
Singapor
e
Buang
Abdul
Hamid
Dive
tech
Marine
Services
SCUBA
"Heard in a bar in MC sat diver had a bilateral traumatic
pneumothorax following burning explosion. Doc was sent
out to chamber. Second major XXXXX burning accident in
18 months". Name unknown, no details, not verified, not
confirmed.
"Black bay. P&A on a well. Supposedly the diver was
supposed to close a quarter-turn valve on a 2 inch. Instead
he unscrewed a needle valve from the top of the check
valve next to it. The line has 1050 PSI on it at the time and
the pressure forced his hat onto his face, with the nose
clearing device causing injury. On the same day, an
unrelated incident, a topside worker was breaking a flange
and pressure came out from that put a tear in his eye ball.
So I don't know if the helicopter came for him or the diver.
I was there but did not see the diver personally. I heard the
diver was OK, but the topside worker had some retina
problems and had to be medi-vaced. It was tridon or trident
or whatever" No verification or details, just rumour
Singaporean aged 44, one of 3 divers working on a 7m
diameter propeller (at Singapore Anchorage) on the tanker
―Shetland Spirit‖- when the engine/propeller was turned on.
Buang suffered a broken left keg, ribs, collapsed lung and
bruises, two months in hospital. About noon, the captain
ordered the engine generators and fuel pumps be started
because a nearby ship was drifting and it appeared that
there could be a collision if the Shetland Spirit was not
moved. Chief Engineer, who assumed that the diving
operation was over, also began 'blowing the engine' without permission - to ensure that there were no leaks or
debris in the engine cylinders. The process also caused the
propeller to rotate. (He would normally have been required
to make a request to the bridge and receive orders from the
captain before 'blowing the engine'). Blowing the engine',
or turning the engine's drive shaft which is linked to the
propeller, has to be done before the engine is actually
started. Pleading for leniency, the lawyer stated 'It was
reasonable for the accused to assume that there was an
emergency.' Chief engineer fined $7,000.
22 August
2008
Singapor
e
Dive
tech
Marine
Services
SCUBA
Not Recorded
22 August
2008
Singapor
e
Dive
tech
Marine
Services
SCUBA
Not Recorded
30 August
2008
Malaysia
DOF
Malubag
Ryan
Jay
Carino
55m
Sat
Filipino, aged 22, One of three divers working on a 7m
diameter propeller (at Singapore Anchorage) on the tanker
―Shetland Spirit‖- when the propeller was turned on, cuts
and bruises, one week in hospital. About noon, the captain
ordered the engine generators and fuel pumps be started
because a nearby ship was drifting and it appeared that
there could be a collision if the Shetland Spirit was not
moved. Chief Engineer, who assumed that the diving
operation was over, also began 'blowing the engine' without permission - to ensure that there were no leaks or
debris in the engine cylinders. The process also caused the
propeller to rotate. (He would normally have been required
to make a request to the bridge and receive orders from the
captain before 'blowing the engine'). Blowing the engine',
or turning the engine's drive shaft which is linked to the
propeller, has to be done before the engine is actually
started. Pleading for leniency, the lawyer stated 'It was
reasonable for the accused to assume that there was an
emergency.' Chief engineer fined $7,000.
One of three divers working on a 7m diameter propeller
(at Singapore Anchorage) on the tanker ―Shetland Spirit‖when the propeller was turned on, the two other divers were
injured, he escaped with first aid injuries only About noon,
the captain ordered the engine generators and fuel pumps be
started because a nearby ship was drifting and it appeared
that there could be a collision if the Shetland Spirit was not
moved. Chief Engineer, who assumed that the diving
operation was over, also began 'blowing the engine' without permission - to ensure that there were no leaks or
debris in the engine cylinders. The process also caused the
propeller to rotate. (He would normally have been required
to make a request to the bridge and receive orders from the
captain before 'blowing the engine'). Blowing the engine',
or turning the engine's drive shaft which is linked to the
propeller, has to be done before the engine is actually
started. Pleading for leniency, the lawyer stated 'It was
reasonable for the accused to assume that there was an
emergency.' Chief engineer fined $7,000.
DSV Geosea, relocating spoolpiece with air bags,
uncontrolled lift of spoolpiece dragged diver 2 from 55m to
36m, lost comms/video, both divers locked back in, OK, no
holdbacks on liftbags.
Jolly
Brenda
n
4 September
2008
Australia
Jamal
Moham
med
Borhan
9 September
2008
Singapor
e
S/S Air
(Hookah)
Underw
ater
Contract
ors pty
11m
SCUBA
Australian, aged 31. Diving off Arlington Reef off
Cairns. Professional aquarium fish collection. No
supervision. Incident noted when compressor failed to kick
in. Recovered unconscious by being pulled aboard.
Hookah, no harness, airline under weight belt, no bail out.
Torn mouthpiece. Solo aquarium diver, no emergency
breathing supply, history of epilepsy. Significant
undiagnosed cardiac medical condition and history of
epilepsy. Fatal arrhythmia. Queensland Workplace Health
and Safety.
Paraphased from press reports at te time;- ―Aged 26,
East Petroleum "A" anchorage off Bedok Jetty, Oil tanker
"Oliva" hull maintenance and inspection work, the diver
went in to undertake an inspection but failed to surface,
possibly swept away by strong currents. Married 1 year, 1
month old daughter. Body washed up on an Indonesian
island beach 12 days after he disappeared. Recreational
SCUBA training only.
Paraphrased from the later official Company report:- ―A
contract diver disappeared while completing an underwater
inspection of a vessel that was anchored. All of the divers
were using SCUBA equipment. Two other divers were
replacing starboard ballast sea chest gratings for which the
contract diver was completing the inspection. The depth of
diving operation was 11 meters and the seabed depth was
between 50 and 60 meters. Underwater visibility was fair
on the day of the incident. The contract diver was last seen
about 25 -30 meters off the starboard aft quarter of the
vessel when he disappeared from the view of the other two
divers. Despite extensive searches, the diver‘s body was
not recovered until 21 September, approx. 30 kilometres
from the initial location. Contributing factors and
insufficient controls related to the incident:- Actual Dive
Operation did not comply with Dive Contractor‘s risk
assessment (diver not attached to a tender line), Diving
Supervisor was actually diving, which contravenes local
and Group standards. Dive operation undertaken using
SCUBA (self contained underwater breathing apparatus) in
breach of Company and OGP standards, which require
surface supplied air. The required diver communications
system, tender lines and flotation devices were not
provided. One of the divers only had a recreational diving
qualification. The Maritime & Port Authority Dive Permit
was not complied with‖
1
1
Not Recorded
Hancock
John
DSV Mareverma
Hartley
Lazaro
Paul
Rodel
17
September
2008
Spain
Saipem
Deck
2 October
2008
Philippin
es
Titan
DECK
11 October
2008
Spain
16 October
2008
USA,
Californi
a
20 October
2008
SCUBA
Philippin
es
Gaspar
Salvage
&
Lightera
ge
Morales
Primito
vo
20 October
2008
Philippin
es
Gaspar
salvage
&
Lightera
ge
Stecco
Frank J
21 October
2008
USA,
Virginia
Police
October
2008
Egypt
Not Recorded
Surface
SCUBA
Brumlow
Leonar
d
12
November
2008
GOM
Global
Industrie
s
Sat
Hanson
Eddie
12
November
2008
GOM
Global
Industrie
s
Sat
S7000, 60 miles off Almeira, MEDGAZ project (Spain to
Algeria) J-lay, 24‖ pipe, 4 dead, 4 injured. Controls failure
dropped two off quad sections. See IMCA SF 18-08
American, aged 38, handling isocyanate on deck, spilt,
skin (arm) contact, numbness/breathing difficulties,
medivac to hospital
114-ft diving support vessel ―Mareverma‖ (former beam
trawler LT 526) beached at the Playa del Rincon in
Algeciras on Oct. 11. The incident was caused by the same
storm which also grounded the Fedra and Tawe.
Aged 51, commercial sea urchin harvester diving from
the f/V Sunshine, , found floating on surface, unconscious,
failed to respond to treatment
Part of a 20 man diving team cutting up wreck of the
'Ocean Papa' which sank off Malalison Island in Culasi,
Antique, Philippines ―The vessel exploded on Oct. 20
during salvage operations, injuring 2 salvage divers‖
―Trapped air explosion knocked divers off their feet‖
Hospitalised with breathing difficulties, later released.
(Prob oxy/arc incident, TC)
Part of a 20 man diving team cutting up wreck of Ocean
Papa which sank off Malalison Island in Culasi, Antique,
Philippines ―The vessel exploded on Oct. 20 during salvage
operations, injuring 2 salvage divers‖ ―Trapped air
explosion knocked divers off their feet‖ Hospitalised with
breathing difficulties, discovered to have ―diabetes and
previous respiratory ailment‖ (Prob oxy/arc incident, TC)
42 year old police diver or trainee police diver, surface
exercise wearing a dry suit, lost, body recovered 4 days
later. Reported as 'drowned'.
Abu Quir harbour, novice diver with a single tank sent to
work under a 20 metre beam vessel, lost his way, ran out of
air, drowned. No details, though same diving contractor is
reported to have had fatalities in March 2004 and
November 2007.
DSV ―Sea Lion‖ sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in
saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4
divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred
to ―Global Pioneer‖ and locked onto Pioneer sat system.
Transfer took 90 minutes.
DSV ―Sea Lion‖ sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in
saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4
divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred
to ―Global Pioneer‖ and locked onto Pioneer sat system.
Transfer took 90 minutes.
1
1
1
Bell
R
13
November
2008
Barklay
S.
13
November
2008
GOM
Cordoba
Cayetan
o
14
November
2008
Mexico
SCUBA
Diaz
Manolo
14
November
2008
Mexico
SCUBA
Yan
Juan
Camal
14
November
2008
Mexico
SCUBA
Hernandez
Raciel
14
November
2008
Mexico
SCUBA
17
November
2008
Spain
SA
Broth
AC
GOM
Global
Industrie
s
Sat
Global
Industrie
s
Sat
Grewal
Satpal
Singh
21
November
2008
India
ONGC
Johnson
Chris
Nov 2008
GOM
Veolia
28m
SCUBA
DECK
DSV ―Sea Lion‖ sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in
saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4
divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred
to ―Global Pioneer‖ and locked onto Pioneer sat system.
Transfer took 90 minutes.
DSV ―Sea Lion‖ sinking off Fourchon, 4 divers in
saturation at 375', no HRV, deliberately grounded. All 4
divers transferred to bell, bell lifted to deck and transferred
to ―Global Pioneer‖ and locked onto Pioneer sat system.
Transfer took 90 minutes.
Aged 43, one of four divers that died at Toluca in one
incident during maintenance work in a tunnel supplying
freshwater to Mexico city, water flow stopped but tunnel
still full of water, Body recovered two days later. no details.
El Siglo de Torreon.com.mx
Aged 45, one of four divers that died at Toluca in one
incident during maintenance work in a tunnel supplying
freshwater to Mexico city, water flow stopped but tunnel
still full of water, body recovered two days later, no details.
El siglo de Torreon.com.mx
Aged 36, one of four divers that died at Toluca in one
incident during maintenance work in a tunnel supplying
freshwater to Mexico city, water flow stopped but tunnel
still full of water, body recovered 2 days later, no details. El
Siglo de Torreon.com.mx
Aged 43, one of four divers that died at Toluca in one
incident during maintenance work in a tunnel supplying
freshwater to Mexico city, water flow stopped but tunnel
still full of water, body found after two days, no details. El
Siglo de Torreon.com.mx
Aged 40, working on an outfall 1 kilometre off the town
of Moraira (Spanish East coast, South of Valencia), failed
to surface. Supervisor dived but could not find him. The
next day, after a two hour search by a combined fire/civil
guard diving team, his body was discovered trapped in
fishing nets. He had ditched his cylinders/buoyancy vest in
a last attempt to escape the nets when his air ran out.
Reported by Levante-EMV.com
Indian, aged 52, diver was working on deck of the MSV
―Hal Anant‖ with a grinding machine, wheel disintegrated,
pieces entered his left eye/scalp, medivac ashore but
declared dead on arrival at hospital.
Oxy/Arc explosion Injury, no details (OD)
1
1
1
1
1
1
Sanchez
Carlos
Julio
2 December
2008
Ecuador
Parker
Jonatho
n
6 December
2008
Canada
Cuppini
Alexan
der
9 December
2008
Italy
2008
GOM
Not Recorded
45'
SCUBA
Seamar
Divers
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Aged 28, Diver died
in a sewer in the town Manta, Manabi,
trapped in a sewage pipe and was overcome by fumes. The
victim spent more than seven hours inside a manhole until
his body was rescued by personnel from the National
Police, the Fire Department and Civil Defense, which
initially had to use hydraulic drill, and then a bulldozer to
dig down to the pipe where the diver was trapped. The head
of the Fire Department said that apparently when the diver
was in the culvert and pulled out what prevented the
passage of water "We believe the current pushed him,
prompting him to lose control and stay in a sitting position
Four divers entered the pipeline, but all effort was in vain.
Eldiario.ec
Canadian, aged 21. One of a two man commercial diving
team working with a crew to refloat a fishing boat that sank
in the Northumberland Strait in September about three
kilometres off the coast of Pointe-Sapin. "He was struck or
squeezed under the boat‖ Times & Transcript
Aged 47 years died, maintenance of the Enel dam in San
Pellegrino. Contractor prosecuted - diver had no medical,
there was no risk assessment, there were no emergency
procedures, inadequate diver training, diving equipment in
poor state of repair and maintenance (using non-original
parts that caused the failure of the regulator's first stage,
dirt inside the first stage restricting gas flow) No back up
equipment, no communications, no stand-by diver. Cause
of death put down to a combination of ―hypothermia and
respiratory distress with accumulation of carbon dioxide."
He appears to have died before anybody on the surface
realised he had a problem. Reported in L'Eco di Bergamo.it
We are pleased to announce that one of our clients, a
commercial diver who works offshore, has obtained a
settlement against his employer and a lift boat company
following serious injuries he sustained while diving
offshore. Our client was employed by Seamar and worked
on a lift boat. According to their websites, Seamar Divers
provides offshore commercial divers, subsea construction,
and subsea fabrication services to the oil and gas industry.
Montco Offshore provides lift boats to the offshore
industry. Our client was hurt when the Seamar supervisor
failed to monitor the dive properly, resulting in our client
getting "the bends." The Montco crane operator brought
him up too quickly and dropped him too hard on the deck of
the lift boat, resulting in severe orthopedic injuries.
1
1
1
Vujasinovic & Beckcom (Injury Lawyers) website
Pol
Not Recorded
IMCA SF 07/08
IMCA SF 18/08
Not Recorded
Carlos
2008
Spain
60m
S/S Air
2008
UK
2008
2008
1 January
2009
Denmark
Spain
DOF
Saipem
0
0
Deck
Deck
India
Sub tech
54m
?
S/S Air
Qualified to HSE Top-Up in April 2008. Breaking out
concrete at the foot of a dam in Northern Spain using a
hydraulically driven jack hammer. He was on air as his
breathing gas (at 60 m). Due to the nature of the operation,
the visibility was badly disturbed and to counteract this, the
company had requested that the diver place a 10‖-12‖
diameter flexi hose airlift in close proximity to his working
position, to clear away suspended particles. This was
secured by the diver using rope and was made hot at the
surface. There was no information as to whether the diver
had a flow control valve at his side? At some point the
securing knot became detached, which caused the hose to
drift out of position, coming into contact with the back of
the divers head as he worked. The intense suction caused
his band-mask to become dislodged and also trapped him at
the base of the airlift, resulting in him
drowning. Apparently several days prior to this particular
incident there was a similar situation where the hose had
dislodged and had trapped the working divers arm. On that
occasion topside managed to switch off the airlift and the
diver managed to free himself - though he did require
hospital treatment to his badly damaged arm. Furthers
details may be coming. PC
Salvage operation, umbilical and downline in thruster
(Not engaged but engine running), propeller jammed on
lines when diver was three metres from the blades. HSE
investigation
ROV related fatality in port (See 09/02/2008)
J-lay incident, 4 fatalities (See 17/09/2008)
DSV Samudra Pabra, swimming a leg, unwell, died in
the chamber during decompression, no details
1
1
31 January
2009
Afghanis
tan
Canadia
n soldier
IOD
Explosion
Not Recorded
Jan 2009
USA,
Oregon
Global
Seattle
Deck
Not Recorded
3 February
2009
India
HHI
Installatio
n
Greenfield
Sapper
Sean
Arriagada
tRamon
Riquel
me
5 February
2009
Chile
Mirabella
Maurili
o
25 February
2009
Hondura
s
Waihuka
Adventu
re
Divers
Ted
5 February
2009
USA,
Massach
usetts
Freedom
Diving
Corporat
ion
Barnes
0.461538
SCUBA
SCUBA
3'
S/S Air
Aged 25, died after his armoured vehicle hit a roadside
bomb about 40 kilometres west of Kandahar. He was a
member of 24 Field Engineer Squadron, 2 Combat
Engineer Regiment serving with the 3rd Battalion of the
Royal Canadian Regiment battle group. He was described
by Padre Roy Laudenorio as a dependable combat engineer
and diver. His Commander described Greenfield as an
exceptionally fit soldier who recently completed a combat
diver's course and aspired to join Canada's elite JTF2
special forces team. (Included for information, a diver, but
not working as a diver so not counted as a diving fatality
TC) Reported by CBC.ca
Dalles dam, Oregon, crane collapsed over dive spread,
damage to dive control cabin and compressor, no injuries
reported. Dalles Chronicle
BG Field (Mumbai High area) Platform collapse/t during
installation, people in the water but no fatalities, lift barge
holed, apparently not reported in the press. Jacket
recovered to surface April 2009, later re-installed
Aged 41, died after being sucked into a water collection
pipe while doing cleaning, at the Licancel cellulose plant
(Wood pup) in the Region of Maule. The inlet pipe he was
clearing connects the Mataquito river to the plant. Reported
by Cooperativa.cl
Diving business owner on Roatan island selling shark
feeding dives to tourists. Allegedly tried to kill a
competing dive operator underwater at a shark feeding site.
Witnesses said he attacked another dive guide who took a
group of tourists to the shark feeding site, apparently
attempting to prevent the competing dive operator from
profiting off of "his sharks". He tried to shut off his air
supply. The authorities have charged Mirabella with
attempted murder (He declined to comment on the charges,
but said he sells shark feeding dives because "without
sharks, scuba diving in Roatan isn't worth much").
American, aged 48, working under the fishing vessel
―Ocean pride III‖ in Gloucester Harbour loop, sustained
head and other injuries when his air hose and tending lines
entangled in moving propeller when engine was started by
crew member unaware of diving operation while he was
under the boat. Ended up unconscious and wrapped into
propeller, cut free and recovered by coastguard. No standby, lifeline ot person in charge. Quote:- "The best thing
about this accident is you get to appreciate everything you
have more. I now look at my wife, children and
1
grandchildren and my life and appreciate them all the
more," Barnes said. "This was just a fluke accident."
11 February
2009
Australia
Australi
an Navy
Not Recorded
17 February
2009
USA,
Illinois
Veolia
Not Recorded
18 March
2009
Thailand
Navy
0'
26 March
2009
USA,
Pennsylv
ania
Police
4m
de Gelder
Burfield
Paul
Ronald
Not Recorded
29 March
2009
Vietnam
Not Recorded
March 2009
Australia
0'
SCUBA
SCUBA
SCUBA
2'
SCUBA
Australian Navy clearance diver, aged 31, in-water
exercise testing sonar defence equipment off HMAS
Darwin in Garden Bay, near Sydney, whilst swimming on
the surface was attacked by a shark, lost a hand, severe leg
injuries led to loss of leg, intensive care but stable,
survived.
Joliet, Illinois, diver rumoured to have lost a hand in an
incident with a fire pump No details
Royal Thai Navy SEAL, oil installation security exercise,
Arthit field, Gulf of Thailand, officer was climbing ladder
from sea up to installation at the end of the exercise in the
field , apparently slipped and fell off into the sea, swept
away, reported as missing, presumed dead.
American, aged 46, Erie County police training dive,
found on lake bed, did not respond to treatment.
Professional oyster fisherman. Phu Cu District, central
province of Binh Dinh. Fishermen on their boat spotted
bubbles and movement in the water. Assuming he had
spotted a large fish, the boat's senior fisherman packed a
small can with dynamite and tossed it overboard. When he
jumped into the water to harvest the fish, he found the body
of a dead diver who had been diving for shellfish. They
attempted to escape but were captured by coast guards who
responded to the sound of the explosion. The fishermen
were charged with killing the diver and destroying aquatic
resources with the illegal use of explosives
Aged 56, ex-professional diver called out by yacht owner
after moorings failed and boat drifted into another. Diver
went in to clear ropes from the propeller, failed to surface.
Emergency service divers found him entangled in the ropes,
unconscious, did not respond to treatment and pronounced
dead. (Not strictly a commercial dive, but fulfils the criteria
of 'a diver at work' and certainly ticks all the 'lessons learnt'
in terms of solo SCUBA dive, TC) Reported in 'Diver'
1
1
1
1
Stevenson
David
―Luey‖
1 April 2009
UKCS
Coach
Larry
2 April 2009
USA,
Texas
Guha
Mrinal
Kanti
3 April 2009
India
Technip
National
Diving
Services
DECK
4'
SCUBA
30'
S/S Air
Aged 44, working as a rigger onboard the DSV, died
from injuries on board the DSV Wellservicer off the coast
of Aberdeen. During fitting of a new active bell cursor
system, he was working on top of the diving bell when the
winch for the active bell cursor failed and fell on top of
him. A report by the government's Marine Accident
Investigation Branch (MAIB) stated: "He was on top of the
bell with his inertia reel fall arrester attached to his safety
harness preparing for buoyancy block removal as the cursor
was raised. A few seconds later, the winch rendered and the
cursor fell uncontrollably. He attempted to get clear of the
falling cursor but his inertia reel fall arrester locked in
place, preventing any chance of escape. The cursor
continued to fall, trapping him between it and the diving
bell." The report said the winch failure was caused by a
faulty valve in the winch control system, which prevented
the brakes from applying once hydraulic power was
removed. They further stated "The installation team failed
to apply the most basic of safety principles while working
under the suspended load. Regardless of whether the winch
had been commissioned and declared fully functional, the
cursor should have been supported by additional means,
before anyone went underneath it." Reported in the
Scotsman.
Aged 64, ran a diving business in Dallas, employed by
Nacogdoches Soil and Water Conservation District
(Conservation Agency), to unblock a 24‖ drainage/lake
overflow pipe. Drove to site alone in his pick up, solo,
SCUBA, no standby, lifeline or team. Started working at
the inlet (upstream) end. Initial reports indicate that he
removed the metal intake grill to get better access to the
blockage, soon after bubbles stopped coming up. Rescue
team blocked the exit (downstream) of the pipe with an air
bag to reduce suction/flow and then recovered the diver
from the inlet end using grapples. Had to remove
harness/stab jacket to free body. Recovery operation took
30 hours (Entangled in debris some distance inside the
pipe).
Calcutta, Haldia dock complex (HDC). Clearing outer
(Haldi River) side gate seal/runners. Diving partner
(Halder) surfaced after 10 minutes, gasping. Guha did not
surface. Standby divers found his body late in the day. Air
hoses parted while they where underwater (Probably
lightweight 'hookah' gear), no bailouts, lifelines. Report
indicates confined space/penetration dive in zero visibility
1
1
on gate runner mechanism. Reported in the Times of India
Halder
Meghna
d
3 April 2009
India
National
Diving
Services
Daniel
Yvon
4 April 2009
France
SARL
Kerioica
Bondrescu
Emile
10 April
2010
Romania
16 April
2009
Canada,
British
Columbi
a
Not Recorded
30'
S/S Air
SCUBA
S/S Air
Calcutta, Haldia dock complex (HDC). Clearing outer
(Haldi River) side gate seals/runners. Surfaced after 10
minutes, gasping. Hospitalised but reported OK. Standby
divers recovered the body of his dive partner (Guha) later in
the day. Air hoses parted while they where underwater
(Probably lightweight 'hookah' gear), no bailouts, lifelines.
Report indicates confined space/penetration dive in zero
visibility on lock gate runner mechanism. Reported in the
Times of India
Aged 50, commercial diver and the manager of SARL
Keroica, under contract to Armour Travaux Sous Marins,
La Trinite sur Mer harbour, Pontoon inspection, solo, no
stand-by,
Reported by PRO TV Romania, noted as '9 months 28
days ago when report located on the 8th February 2011, so
presumably this incident happened April 2010 (TC). Aged
35, diver living in Craiova working with the fire services,
called to work at the Radovan dam to plug the entrance to a
channel. Sucked under, drowned. Wife and four year old
daughter. No other details.
South Thompson river, Lafarge bridge, Campbell Creek,
near Kamloops. Press report says ― ―Emergency crews
were called in to rescue four people after a barge
overturned, trapping one person underneath, ―It sucked,‖
said one of the four workers stranded in the water. ―We
flipped and when we got up top, the boss called (the
emergency services) and they were there in about five
minutes.‖ The workers were doing regular maintenance of
a water intake in the river when one of the ropes securing
their barge snapped, the second line securing the barge
remained intact, keeping the vessel stationary in the water.
The operations manager said it‘s unsettling to see workers
in the water when they‘re not supposed to be — especially
at this time of year. All the workers were out of the water
before the emergency services arrived and none suffered
serious injuries.‖ No mention of diving, but the
accompanying photograph shows two guys on the
overturned hull of the barge dressed in dry-suits pulling a
commercial, helmeted, surface supplied diver out of the
1
1
water. Was this an overturned diving operation? No other
details.
Pesce and Martinizi
Vincen
za
1 May 2009
USA,
Florida
Wilson
Christo
pher
4 May 2009
USA,
GOM
Holt
David
C
4 May 2009
Smith
Dewey
5 May 2009
1.75 bar
Chamber
fire
Veolia
205'
Sat
USA,
Washing
ton
DIT
40'
SCUBA
USA
Florida
Aquariu
s
Underw
ater
Laborato
ry
Rebreather
Sat
Ocean Hyperbaric Neurologic Centre, Lauderdale-bythe-Sea, Florida, 62 year old Italian woman with her 4 year
old grandson, Francesco, undergoing hyperbaric oxygen
treatment in a one man 'clam shell' chamber (Built by
Vickers, 1967). they had flown over from Italy to get
hyperbaric oxygen treatment (not available in Italy) for the
boy who had cerebral palsy 100% O2 at 1.75 atm. 20
minutes into treatment, internal chamber fire.
Decompressed in 90 seconds, 2nd and 3rd degree burns over
90% of their bodies, the woman died the following day, the
boy died 6 weeks later. Ignition source may have been an
internal speaker (no matches or electronic equipment inside
the chamber)
American, aged 38, Vermillion area, Stingray pipeline,
DSV Kingfisher, floating a pipeline 10 miles south of
Sabine pass, oversized air bag, no hold back, inverter line
tied to inadequate weight, failed air bag rigging, dragged
from depth to 22 metres.
American, aged 37, father of 2 undergoing copmmercial
diver training. Harbour training dive at pier 66, Seattle. 4
divers in the water, diver surfaced, then sank, found on the
bottom after 10 to 15 minutes, CPR, unconscious, taken to
Harbor View Hospital, Seattle, critical in hospital, died
several days later when taken off life support. No details.
American, aged 36, Scientist working at the Aquarius
underwater laboratory (Florida Keys), operated by the
University of North Carolina at Wilmington, (part of
NOAA) at the laboratory (a teaching facility), 'assisting
military divers with a saturation mission', found
unconscious on the seabed, did not respond to treatment,
autopsy reported as inconclusive.
1
1
1
Shellenberger USN
Eric F
7 May 2009
USA,
Washing
ton
Osburn
Steven
Dale
17 May
2009
USA,
Arizona
18 May
2009
Finland
Not Recorded
Sheffield
David
20 May
2009
USA,
Mississi
ppi
Spencer
Carl
24 May
2009
Greece
Popov
Andrei
Vasilii
8 June 2009
Italy
Cylinder Explosion
14 June
2009
Hassan
16 June
2009
Alabi
USN
60'
SCUBA
SCUBA
120m
SCUBA
Rebreather
SCUBA
USA,
Florida
Panama
City
Dive
and Ski
Centre
Cylinder
Explosion
Malaysia
Fire and
Rescue
Departm
ent
SCUBA
Aged 36, SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) team 1 based at
Pearl City, Hawaii, very experienced US Navy SEAL, night
training exercise in Puget Sound, ―encountered difficulty in
the water and did an emergency ascent‖, treated in a DDC
but failed to respond to treatment
Aged 58, member of Santa Cruz Underwater Recovery
team, routine training dive in Patagonia lake, lost contact
with team, located after 8 minutes, unconscious, brought to
surface, failed to respond to treatment.
Aged 34, Bridge on a (hydro-electric?) dam at Ilomantsi
in North Karelia, underwater repair works, trapped by
differential pressure, body was dug out. No other details,
reported in Journals Archive
Aged 44, volunteer member of Itawamba County dive
team, searching Buttahatchie River for a missing teenager,
spent two hours in the water, surfaced, unable to breath,
transferred to hospital but failed to respond to treatment.
British, aged 37. National Geographic Expedition
filming the wreck of the 'Britannic' (Sister vessel to the
'Titanic'). British Hospital ship sank by a mine in 1916
with the loss of 30 lives off the Greek island of Kea.
Reported to have surfaced rapidly, flown by military
helicopter to Athens Naval Hospital, but did not respond to
treatment
Aged 28, Bulgarian, diving off a Spanish flagged
commercial coral harvesting vessel 28 miles West of the
Island of Marettimo (off Sicily). ―Plunged into the sea and
never resurfaced. The prosecutor's office of the Sicilian
town of Trapani has ordered that an investigation is
conducted into the disappearance‖. No details
A storage bank tank used to fill smaller scuba air
cylinders exploded knocking holes in the wall and roof of a
dive shop. No one was injured by the blast. A co-owner of
the business said the tank was not overfilled and he did not
know why it exploded with the proper amount of pressure
in it."
Aged 41, working for the Setiu Fire and Rescue
Department, part of a team undertaking a search for a
missing person who had fallen from a boat into lake Kenyir.
Entangled in the branches of a submerged tree, drowned.
Body recovered by colleagues some 7 hours later.
Inference is no comms/lifeline. Wife and three children
awarded 25,635RM (£4, 400) compensation..
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Terzuoli
Joseph
20 June
2009
USA,
New
Jersey
230'
SCUBA
Logan
Christo
pher
24 June
2009
USA,
Texas
5'
S/S Air
26 June
2009
Hondura
s
43m
SCUBA
Not Recorded
American, aged 46. Ran a wreck diving company diving
from the 50' diving boat 'John Jack', took a party to dive on
the WW1 wreck of the 'Texel'. Diving solo, SCUBA
rebreather, apparently caught in fishing lines. Recovered
by crew members. Had started diving again even though he
had had a triple heart bypass in April, two months earlier.
American, aged 27, hired by Las Colinas Country Club
to retrieve lost golf balls Employees at the club noticed that
one of the men employed by the company contracted to
recover the balls had not returned by closing time at 8 p.m,
So someone went to look for him. Near the eighteenth
green, an employee saw Logan‘s breathing apparatus
floating in the water and noticed that the pump that supplies
the air was not running. The Irving Fire Department
responded and found the diver's body submerged in the
water. The Dallas County medical examiner‘s office has
ruled the death an accident due to drowning and the toxic
effects of carbon monoxide. Wife and three year old son.
Was SCUBA certified , took the part time job with a
friend's golf ball retrieval business because his employer
had cut his hours.
Paraphrased from press report:- ―The Honduran
indigenous community in La Mosquitia lives from the
lobster catch. The export of the 'Panulirus argus' is also one
of the most profitable Honduran exports, especially to the
United States. During the lobster season, from August to
May, most of the adult Miskito men dive, while younger
males accompany them in small boats known as 'cayucos',
floating alongside the bigger lobster boats. A study by the
Honduran special ombudsman for ethnic groups and
cultural heritage, sponsored by the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB), based in Washington, found that
there are 4,200 divers living with injuries, nearly half the
total Miskito diving population of 9,000. The Miskito men
work 12 to 17 days out at sea, in five-hour diving sessions
at depths of up to 43 meters. The annual death toll among
Miskito lobster divers averages around 50, according to
several reports.‖ IPS (Inter Press Service) NOTE, IF I
ADD THESE DEATHS, 50 PER YEAR JUST SINCE
2000, THAT ADDS 500 DEATHS TO THE LIST TC
1
1
Brown
Darren
6 July 2009
UK
Shell
Seekers
Sparks
David
11 July 2009
USA,
Georgia
Orion
Marine
12 July 2009
Azerbaij
an
Caspian
Diving
and
Rescue
24 July 2009
Australia
Peter
Cunning
ham
Holding
s
28 July 2009
USA,
Rhode
Island
Nevmatov
Rafik
Not Recorded
Ricciarelli
Louis
SCUBA
Helicopter
crash
20'
S/S Air
Aged 41, Gathering scallops in Lulworth cove. Diving
solo from a RIB with a boat handler who was collecting the
scallops in bags marked by surface buoys . She raised the
alarm when she came to the last marker buoy and the diver
was missing. Three Coastguard teams scoured the
shoreline, Weymouth inshore and all weather RNLI
lifeboats and Coastguard helicopter searched at sea joined
by RN mine hunter HMS Middleton (on exercise in the
area) but it was a safety boat from the Army's Lulworth
range which found him three hours later, swimming with
the tide three miles away. ―Diver was difficult to locate
because he was not carrying a surface detection aid,
however the fact that he was wearing a dry suit increased
his survivability‖ (in the water for about four-and-a-half
hours). Quote:- "That's the risks we take to supply shellfish
to these top celebrity chefs, it highlights the dangers we
take and we depend on getting paid reasonably for our
efforts‖. He said that he will now always carry day and
night flares and other aids.
Commercial diver died on a pipeline diving operation in
Lake Lanier, Georgia, rumours of entanglement, but no
details
MI-8 helicopter coming in from the block 4 off Chilov
island, crashed into the sea in the Azerbaijani sector of the
Caspian Sea, wreckage located at a depth of 85-89 meters..
Three man crew survived and one passenger survived, two
passengers missing, presumed dead - crane operator
Viktor Mostavenko and commercial diver Rafik Neymatov.
17 metre Cray fishing vessel 'Wave Crest' (with 1500
litres of diesel fuel onboard) was blown ashore and then
sank in Waubs Bay, near Bicheno. The salvage company
raised the boat and sealed the fuel leak but Workplace
Standards Tasmania prosecuted. ―The diver was not
properly qualified to be involved in that process," The diver
was fined $300 dollars and the company fined $600. ABC
News, Australia
American, aged 56, diving off Quonset point from the
25'.commercial fishing vessel 'Chelsea Ann' for Qhahogs
(clams). Diving solo, no crew. Alerted as 'not returned' by
his wife, boat located with diving hose over the side.
Divers recovered him from the seabed, deceased.
―Equipment failure/lost gas‖ but no details. Reported in the
Providence Journal
1
1
1
Holbrook
Amor
Rob
(Stan)
Murray
11 August
2009
16 August
2009
Vietnam
Aqua
Diving
Services
Australia
South
West
Rocks
Dive
Centre
57m
S/S Mixed
Gas
SCUBA
Shop
Aged 56, Ex RN and very experienced diver. Working
from the Swiber barge 'Glorious' 70 miles off Vung Tau.
Wet bell, surface supplied mixed gas bounce dive, night
shift. 160' excursion from the wet bell to attach a surface
line to previously installed webbing strops around a
pipeline. Initial reports indicate they moved the barge to
follow him way past the intended location (webbing strops
had actually been removed by the day shift which is why he
did not locate them) and that as he returned to the bell his
umbilical became snagged on a seabed obstruction behind
him at the same time as the barge was moving back. Lost
gas, went onto bailout, reported he could see the wet bell
then lost comms. Surface deployed standby found diver
back a wet bell (unconscious?), bell recovered to surface
but on the way up the diver was ripped out of the bell at 80'
and fell back to the seabed (Not secured in bell, umbilical
still snagged on seabed), bell sent back down and diver
recovered, diver clipped in, bell recovered to surface but on
the way up the diver was ripped out of the bell at 80' and
again fell back to the seabed (umbilical still snagged on
seabed, ripped 'D' ring off his stab jacket). Eventually
brought to the surface on the third attempt by which time
the diver had been in the water 60 minutes, the standby
diver 40 minutes. Apparently both diver and standby were
put into the DDC (No in-water decompression stops). The
diver was pronounced dead by barge medic (it is likely that
the diver had died before being brought to the surface) The
above comes from personal communications, official
reports to follow, TC. His Funeral was reported publicly in
the Bournemouth Daily Echo. Inquest recorded a verdict of
accidental death in 2010
Aged 62, lost a hand and leg when a cylinder being
charged exploded. Paraphrased from official reports ―A
SCUBA cylinder ruptured causing serious injuries to the
person who was filling the cylinder. The cylinder was an 88
cu ft aluminium manufactured to Australian Standard by
CIG in 1983/84 and was in current test. The cylinder had a
working pressure (WP) 224 bar (3248.84 psi) and a test
pressure (TP) 352 bar (5105.328 psi). A number of SCUBA
cylinders that had been filled during the same time were
checked and were gauged at 220 bars (3190.83 psi). The
compressor had a blow off (safety valve) fitted and set at
285-290 bars (4133.575 – 4206 psi) which was tested
during the investigation and blew at 282.68 bar (4100psi)
on the compressor gauge. The investigators concluded that
1
Gillies
Alasdai
r
28 August
2009
UK
Eilean
Glas
Salmon
Ltd
50'
SCUBA
the cylinder could be over filled by a person not taking
notice of the pressure showing on the fill panel gauge,
however this pressure is below the test pressure of this
cylinder, and based on the fact that 10 other cylinders in
this same group of cylinders all showed a pressure of 220
bars (3190.83 psi) there was no reason to believe that this
cylinder was in fact over filled. The cylinder when it
ruptured exploded into 4 pieces and the valve. In 2 of the
pieces there was evidence of cracks through the neck and
threaded area of the cylinder. The investigators noted that
there were records available showing a number of
aluminium cylinders manufactured world wide prior to
1990 from 6351-T6 alloys that have ruptured, in some cases
with serious consequences. workcover.nsw.gov.au,
dol.govt.nz
Aged 19. From Lewis, working in East Loch Tarbert
installing a predator net at fish cages when he became
entangled and drowned. The court was told that the diver
had begun diving at 2pm after the net snagged. At 4pm
colleagues became concerned when they could not spot air
bubbles. His body was found entangled in the net nine
metres down. In defence the fiscal said that the diver made
the decision to deviate from the work programme to fit the
predator net. ''Normally there would have been a second
diver to go down with him, but he was on leave the day of
the accident, and there was no-one else equipped to go to
the diver‘s assistance. The contractor admitted that while
operating as diving contractors in the loch to clean out dead
fish from cage nets, carry out maintenance work, and install
a predator net, it failed to issue diving rules or lay down
emergency procedures. It also admitted failing to appoint a
diving supervisor; failure to provide a logbook; and failing
to ensure that the divers employed had their personal
logbooks signed daily by a supervisor, failing to test and
examine Scuba air cylinders to ensure they were safe for
diving; to control access to diving equipment in a store; and
to prepare a written health and safety policy for employees.
Contractor fined ₤1,000.
1
Not Recorded
30 August
2009
Kazakhst
an
Kazair
Services
SAR
exercise
Guerro
Giovan
ni
2 September
2009
Ecuador
Inepaca
SCUBA
Renner
Robert
―Robbi
e‖
5 September
2009
USA,
Pennsylv
ania
J. H.
Reid
SCUBA
Basic details reported as an air rescue exercise in which
three local divers were dropped into the water from a
Helicopter. A body has now been found with the life
jacket uninflated. The recovery crew pulled the jacket
inflation on recovering the body and it functioned correctly.
Additional, but as yet unconfirmed reports, indicated that
Kazair services employed three divers from a local diving
contractor who were deployed from the helicopter, that a
vessel in the area decided it was a good opportunity to
launch its FRC during the exercise.(Not planned) and it was
that FRC which recovered the second diver (it is assumed
the first diver was recovered by helicopter), the third diver
disappeared under the water and his helicopter lifejacket
failed to inflate. Personal communication, TC
Aged 37, Wife and two daughters, Died in a diving
accident onboard the fishing vessel 'King'. Had worked 8
years as a diver for the company, had been onboard two
months. Family informed but vessel would not be back in
port for another 4 days. No details. Eldiario.ec
Aged 42. Paraphrased from initial press reports:- ―State
police have recovered the body of a SCUBA diver who
disappeared while looking for some missing construction
equipment in a Monmouth County river. Robert Renner
was part of a (Dock builder) crew that's constructing a 65foot fixed span bridge to replace the aging Highlands-Sea
Bright Bridge, but was off duty when he entered the
Shrewsbury River on Saturday. He was trying to recover a
jack that had fallen from the bridge earlier in the week.
Diving solo from a 20' flat bottomed boat, went in with a
downline tied to his arm. The rope came loose and he
failed to resurface, the two people who were with him in a
boat notified authorities shortly before noon. His body was
recovered about six hours later. Officials say the area
where Renner was diving is filled with debris and known
for swift currents, and rescuers had to wait a few hours until
they could safely enter the water. The cause of death was
not immediately known.‖ Reported in the Star Ledger,
NJ.com.. (OK, Not strictly ―at work‖so not included in
the 'count', a weekend dive, unasked, just trying to do his
boss a favour, but included here as a tragic example of why
we have commercial standards. TC)
1
1
McCloskey
Heastie
Not Recorded
Sgt Ist
Class
Shawn
16
September
2009
Afghanis
tan
US
Special
Forces
IED
16
September
2009
Bahamas
Royal
Bahama
s
Defence
Force
Charles
Pool
training
accident
17
September
2009
UK
Kaymac
Marine
20'
S/S Air
Aged 33-year-old , killed by a roadside IED, Special
Operations Diver Supervisor (amongst many
qualifications) serving in Helmand province. Enlisted into
the U.S. Army in January of 2002 as a Special Forces
candidate. He completed the Special Forces Qualification
Course in May 2004. (Included for information, a diver,
but not working as a diver so not counted as a diving
fatality TC). Reported by Fayette County News.
Paraphrased from press reports: ―A 21 year old Royal
Bahamas Defence Force marine is clinging to life in a coma
after nearly drowning during a training exercise at the
community pools in South Beach. The male marine
seaman was swimming laps in one of the pools during a
scuba diving lesson along with several fellow officers. As
his colleagues surfaced at one end of the pool, someone
noticed that the marine was motionless at the bottom. His
colleagues pulled him out and performed CPR until an
ambulance arrived. "It was a dive course. They were taking
scuba diving lessons at the Betty Kelly Kenning pools and
they were doing breathing exercises, breath holding and
snorkel clearing. "When (the other officers) got to the other
end, someone shouted out to them that one of their divers
was underwater and that's when they got him surfaced and
administered CPR until the ambulance arrived," It is
unclear if the marine - who has been on the Force for less
than five years - had any pre-existing health issues but like
all his colleagues, would have taken part in an annual
physical last January. A brief press release issued by the
Force said the marine was admitted to Doctor's Hospital
"following a diving exercise" at the Betty Kelly Kenning
Swim Complex. The statement added that the marine was
in critical, but stable condition. Reported in the Tribune.
Aged 27, dredging operation at the new Pembroke power
station, in the water 90 minutes and reported feeling unwell,
passed out before he reached the surface, recovered to deck,
given O2, airlifted to DDRS in Plymouth, later released fit
and well. Sequence appears to have been:- Reported
feeling funny, was asked to flush hat from bail out, no
response, Supervisor switched him to HP supply, pulled
back to cage, deck, hat off, O2 administered, came round.
From going on to HP to hat off on deck, 3 minutes. HSE
investigation. Root cause appears to have been foul road
compressor air from air lance buffeting it's way upwards
into the helmet past a loose neck dam. Possible additional
seabed contamination from Methane and H2S. (NB Road
compressor was sited well clear of diving compressors, did
not contaminate diving gas, contamination took place at the
work site). Team switched to free flow/contaminated water
suitable helmets (AH5). Milford Mercury & PC.
Chia
Gerald
18
September
2009
Singapor
e
J Diving
Services
20m
SCUBA
Paraphrased from the news report ―1st time working for
company, 2nd diving assignment for firm, 3rd day on the job,
Diver drowns. 21-year-old diver's body found after two
days. His badly decomposed body, missing off Western
Singapore for two days, bobbed to the surface on Sunday
evening; air tank taken by police for probe. In between
running his own scuba diving firm, known as Jet Scuba, Mr
Chia did freelance work for commercial diving companies.
Relatives identified him through the tattoos on his body.
The body of Mr Gerald Chia Jia Jie, 21, was found near the
oil rig he had been working on, still clad in dark-blue work
overalls and with his gas tank and face mask still in place.
A Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) boat,
part of the search operations that had been under way for
more than 50 hours, spotted the body at about 6pm. When
Mr Chia went missing at around noon last Friday, he was
on only his second assignment underwater for J Diving
Services. He had started freelancing for the company only
two days before that. He was carrying out installation
works on the oil rig berthed in the Jurong West Anchorage
at the time, 'his job was to install shackles on the rig, a
relatively simple task', said the diving supervisor. 'Seasoned
divers would take 15 minutes to do it, and newcomers, half
an hour at the most', he added. Mr Chia had gone
underwater, about 20m down, with a more experienced
partner, as is the practice in the industry. The pair were
supposed to surface together, but his buddy told his
colleagues later that Mr Chia needed to share oxygen (it
was air, simple SCUBA operation, TC) with him, although
it was not clear why. Mr Chia took two breaths of air
before ascending to the surface. The supervisor said Mr
Chia's buddy followed him up, but lost sight of him and
started searching for him without success. Friends said Mr
Chia, who studied marketing at the Management
1
Development Institute of Singapore, took up leisure diving
only a few years ago, but quickly became a qualified dive
instructor.‖ Reported in the Straits Times
(Note.
Reports, if accurate!! indicate basic sports SCUBA gear
(half mask not full face) and only PADI qualified whilst
Singapore regulations (TA/WSH) for use of SCUBA at
work require minimum full face mask, life line, surface
communications, locator beacon and professional
qualifications, but this is only speculation pending official
reports TC)
Gunderson
Jerry
19
September
2009
USA
SCUBA
Reeves
Larry
21
September
2009
USA,
Florida
SCUBA
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Aged 75, started
diving for golf balls in 1953, when he was 19. His passion
for diving for golf balls led to the founding of a chain of
seven golf-supply stores, was found dead in the centre of
the lake at the Deer Creek Country Club in Deerfield Beach
on Saturday. Drowned. One of his sons died while diving
for golf balls in a lake 27 years ago. "I lost my brother to
the water, too," said Jerry Gunderson's other son, Marc, 53
who used to dive for golf balls himself. Jerry Gunderson
started retrieving, collecting and reselling golf balls soon
after his first dive as a teenager. At first, it was the simple
act of fishing out the golf balls in a Lake Worth course in
the 1950s, washing them, and reselling them. But he went
on to build a Deerfield Beach-based chain of golf-supply
stores called International Golf. He sold the business a few
years ago and worked as a freelance diver for smaller
companies.
A Houston Attorney's website quotes the following
regarding Jones Act compensation. ―A commercial diver
died in such an accident in Florida last week. The diver
was at work near a wreck site, about four miles east of
Rodriguez Key when he fell unconscious. He was brought
onto the boat, and the other crews alerted the Coast Guard.
The CG rescue boat arrived at the scene, and personnel
administered CPR, but the diver never recovered.
Investigations into the accident are still going on.‖
However, this comment appears to link to the death of
Larry Herman Reeves, a 67-year-old tourist from
Maryville, Tennessee, who died while scuba diving with his
wife off Key Largo, Florida. The scuba diver was
pronounced dead by the US Coast Guard paramedics who
1
arrived at the scene in response to a call by witnesses.
Unless further clarified, this fatality is excluded from the
'count' of working diver fatalities, TC.
Chandrashekhar
Petty
Officer
Clearan
ce
Diver 1
22
September
2009
India
Indian
Marine
Comma
ndo
Gun battle
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―A clearance diver
attached to the Indian Navy marine commando (Marco) in
Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district to control the
infiltration of terrorists from across the border to Jammu
and Kashmir through Wullar Lake, a 65 sq km freshwater
lake, in Baramulla. Terrorists attacked the marcos camp. In
retaliatory fire, one terrorist was killed and one marco
died,‖ a senior Indian Navy official said. ―He is survived
by his wife and two children‖. Sporting long beards and
toting AK-47 assault rifles, marcos can be mistaken for
militants and they follow in letter and spirit the adage of the
counter-terrorism doctrine: ‗Fight a militant like a militant'.
Dubbed as the ‗bearded force‘ by the militants, Marcos
have a knack of executing covert operations. Officially
known as the Indian Marine Special Force, the unit was
raised in 1987 out of naval divers to lead amphibious
operations. Personnel volunteering for the force have a twoyear training programme with a pass rate of only 10-25
percent. ―They operate sporting beards and wearing
‗pheren‘ (Kashmiri suit), thus making them
indistinguishable from the locals,‖ another navy official
added. The Marcos have gained a fearsome reputation
among terrorists who refer to them as the Dadhiwali Fauj
(bearded army) since Marcos are the only non-Sikh
personnel allowed to grow beards, or ‗Jal Murgi‘ (water
hens) for the speed in which they assault from the water and
even ‗Magarmachh‘ (crocodiles) for their amphibious
capability. OK, not a diving accident, but a diver on site, at
work, so included, TC. Reported in the Thaindian News
1
Not Recorded
25
September
2010
Croatia
Sports
SCUBA
York
Jamie
6 October
2009
Canada
ODS
Marine
Woriki
Johnson
15 October
2009
Nigeria
Nigerian
Navy
diver
4m
SCUBA
SCUBA
Paraphrased from reports:- ―Two divers have been killed
and two others injured by a diving cylinder which exploded
aboard a boat operating in the Adriatic Sea. The failure is
reported to have occurred as the dive boat sat in the port of
Komiza, on the Croatian island of Vis.
Aboard were 12
Polish diving tourists. One, reported to be a 48-year-old
woman, died immediately. Three other divers were injured,
two of them seriously.
The injured two men and a woman
were taken to hospital in the mainland town of Split, where
one of the men, aged 43, succumbed to a head injury.‖
Reported by Divernet
Paraphrased from press reports. ―Canadian, from
Ottawa, aged 35, contracted by Parks Canada to carry out
cleaning operations along the Trent waterway drowned
following the accident on Dam 1 at Trenton's north end
despite dramatic attempts to rescue him. Initial reports
indicated the diver became trapped while removing logs in
four metres of water. He said the ministry dispatched their
own divers to the scene in order to help with the rescue
attempt. At one point one of the ministry divers supplied air
to the trapped man. Fellow dive team members called for
help at about 9:20 am when the diver did not surface. At
that point, reports to rescue officials said, he'd been down
for five minutes without contact from the surface. It would
be more than two hours before his body was recovered and
resuscitation efforts would be called off.‖ The Belleville
Intelligencer. Parks Canada later disbanded their part-time
in-house dive team ('having reviewed their insurance') even
though they had a 100 year safe diving record and the diver
that died was working for a diving contractor. NB. Diving
Contractor charged September 2010, court case ongoing,
TC
Paraphrased from reports:- ―A Naval rating on board the
new Navy gunship, NNS Zaria, stationed at the Escravos
river in Warri South-West local government area of Delta
State got drowned in the sea trying to recover the detached
anchor of the gunship last Thursday. Informed sources told
Vanguard that the rating, from Rivers State, was a diver and
was well kitted before taking the plunge into the sea in a bid
to retrieve the detached anchor of the new gunship and
never surfaced again. His corpse only came afloat
Saturday morning and was brought to the Warri Central
Hospital morgue where his brother and some relations were
on hand planning to take the body for burial immediately
since he is a young man. Hospital sources confirmed the
1
1
incident, just as security operatives kept mum. However,
some officers were heard grumbling over why a "so-called
new gunship would lose its anchor in so short a time," and
also ―bemoaning the untimely death of their fallen
colleague‖. Vanguard.
Johnson
Michael
Allen
Steve
Jao
Peter
3 November
2009
USA,
Illinois
US
Aqua
Vac Inc
SCUBA
Aged 45, specialist lake and pond clearing contractor
working at the Baxter health Care campus where there are a
string of retention ponds. Diver got into difficulty, a coworker went in to aid him (hospitalised with hypothermia)
but unable to pull him out. Recovered from the pond
bottom 45 minutes later by fire department rescue divers,
helicopter to hospital but pronounced dead. "Air hose had
broken",. Chicago Daily Herald
22
November
2009
UK
RBG
S/S Air
Braefoot terminal (Fife, Scotland), possible heart attack
but waiting on publication of the FAI
1
Dive team working at the gas powered power plant in
Limay. Paraphrased from press reports:- ―A diver died
while a colleague is in critical condition after they entered a
nine-meter chlorination tank inside the power plant in
Alangan, Limay, Bataan, last Monday. The newly
designated police chief reported that Peter Jao, a diving
expert of the CJMS Diving Services, did not reach the
hospital alive. He suffered broken ribs and skull. The police
report stated that the cause of the falling incident was due to
a foul odor that the victim inhaled while climbing the ladder
on his way out of the chlorination tank. As Jao fell into the
cemented flooring of the chlorination tank, his companion
identified as Nenito Quintana, also a diver, went down the
tank and tried to rescue him. Quintana was assisted by other
employees using a crane. As Quintana was climbing the
ladder on his way out, he also fell. Rescuers rushed
Quintana into the St. Michael Hospital in Orion town.
Investigation showed that the two victims proceeded to the
chlorination tank at around 9 a.m. Monday to open the
water intake valve from the sea. After opening the valve,
Jao climbed the ladder but fell after he allegedly inhaled a
poisonous substance inside‖. Reported in the Manila
Bulletin. NB. The power plant uses LPG from the local
1
30
November
2009
Philippin
es
CJMS
Diving
Services
Dry dive,
confined
space
1
refinery which reported a death and two unconscious at the
sour water treatment plant in September and a vessel chief
officer and two seamen injured when a loading hose parted
in August (Manila Times).
Quntana
Nenito
30
November
2009
Philippin
es
CJMS
Diving
Services
Dry dive,
confined
space
Dive team working at the gas powered power plant in
Limay. Paraphrased from press reports:- ―A diver died
while a colleague is in critical condition after they entered a
nine-meter chlorination tank inside the power plant in
Alangan, Limay, Bataan, last Monday. The newly
designated police chief reported that Peter Jao, a diving
expert of the CJMS Diving Services, did not reach the
hospital alive. He suffered broken ribs and skull. The police
report stated that the cause of the falling incident was due to
a foul odor that the victim inhaled while climbing the ladder
on his way out of the chlorination tank. As Jao fell into the
cemented flooring of the chlorination tank, his companion
identified as Nenito Quintana, also a diver, went down the
tank and tried to rescue him. Quintana was assisted by other
employees using a crane. As Quintana was climbing the
ladder on his way out, he also fell. Rescuers rushed
Quintana into the St. Michael Hospital in Orion town.
Investigation showed that the two victims proceeded to the
chlorination tank at around 9 a.m. Monday to open the
water intake valve from the sea. After opening the valve,
Jao climbed the ladder but fell after he allegedly inhaled a
poisonous substance inside‖. Reported in the Manila
Bulletin. NB. The power plant uses LPG from the local
refinery which reported a death and two unconscious at the
sour water treatment plant in September and a vessel chief
officer and two seamen injured when a loading hose parted
in August (Manila Times).
Not Relevant
James
Edward
6 December
2009
USA,
Californi
a
Azoulay
Sgt. Gal
7 December
2009
Israel
Naval
Comma
ndo
Kelly
Stephen
8 December
2009
Australia
Arafura
Pearls
SCUBA or
snorkel
3m
SCUBA
Rebreather
James Edward XXXX, aged 61, who was found dead at
Swami's Beach in Encinitas in December, drowned in the
ocean while under the influence of methamphetamine, the
Medical Examiner's Office said Friday. Along with "acute
methamphetamine intoxication," cardiovascular disease was
a contributing factor to the drowning, the medical examiner
said. A surfer found XXXX's body facedown in the sand
about 7:40 a.m. on Dec. 9, "clad in a full wet suit and
flippers and obviously dead," the medical examiner's report
said. His brother told reporters at the time that James
XXXX had gone lobster diving late Dec. 6 or early Dec. 7
before a rainstorm hit the county. San Diego UnionTribune
Aged 19. Night training dive for Israeli Naval
Commando, simulation of combat dive in enemy port. ―The
dive was a group exercise, carried out in pairs, simulating a
combat dive at an enemy port. The divers had completed
similar exercises dozens of times since the beginning of the
course. The exercise was supervised by Navy commandos
on boats as well as on the beach, and an ambulance and a
medic were standing by. The dive was supposed to last two
or three hours, and each diver was to take turns being the
lead diver. Some 90 minutes after the dive began (Around
02:00), when Azoulay became lead diver, he stopped
responding to the routine once-a-minute check. When his
partner realized that he was not responding, he carried him
to the surface and fired a flare gun to mark their location.
Within seconds, a boat arrived and Azoulay was given
CPR. He was pronounced dead on shore 40 minutes later.'
investigation by Israeli Defence Force concluded that he
died from oxygen poisoning. One press reports that this
was the first fatal accident in training for the unit since
1995, another states that an 18 year old soldier from the
same unit was killed during a training exercise designed to
―test underwater breathing about three years ago‖
Jerusalem Post
Arafura Pearls pearling (farm) operation at Elizabeth
Bay, about 50km northwest of Gove in Arnhem Land,
3.15pm on Tuesday. Aged 36, "He had come up from
Victoria‖ (reported as new to the job, had started less than
12 months previously) and ―was performing routine farm
maintenance work, the water wasn't exceptionally deep but
he went down, came up six minutes later, went down again
and then when they pulled him back up he wasn't
breathing." Transported 48 km to Gove Hospital failed.
1
1
Doctors declared him dead on arrival in the emergency
ward. Awaiting incident report. Reported by NT
News.com.au
Kumar
Mukesh
13
December
2009
India
Grafftec
h
Marine
and
Engineer
ing
120'
S/S Air
Paraphrased from press reports: ―Purulia, India .An
Indian diver who had is right foot stuck in a pipe for more
than two days has died. Rescuers were forced to amputate
his leg in order to recover the body after 72 hours. He was
attempting to fix a leak inside an underwater chamber of the
Purulia Power Project reservoir first noticed in March (The
leak was reducing efficiency). The Mumbai-based
engineering Company assigned the job to a diving team
from Visakhapatnam The job was to locate the leak in the
inundated reservoir chamber, find out what had caused it
and carry out repairs. The repair work was to have been
recorded on camera but there is no footage of Mukesh‘s
dive. During the dive his right foot was sucked into a pipe.
A specially trained diving team from Barrackpore called in
to assist in the rescue got stuck in a road blockade and took
more than 33 hours to reach the accident site. The diver
was underwater well over 48 hours before he died. The
project manager said amputation was the last resort and a
move not without complications. ―We had to eliminate all
other options and proceed step by step,‖ he said. According
to reports Kumar was an experienced diver with 10 years of
diving behind him. Purulia, Dec. 16: ―Diver Mukesh
Kumar‘s right leg was sawed off and his lifeless body
pulled out, 72 hours after his foot got sucked into a drainage
pipe in an underwater chamber. The suction at the mouth
of the drainage pipe was so great that it had drawn in the
leg till almost the thigh, though it was only till the ankle
that his had foot got stuck initially‖. Officials of the
Purulia Pumped Storage Project said ―The task of locating
and repairing the leak has been shelved for the time being‖
Reported by AHN
1
Renou
Simon
4 January
2010
Italy
Fireman
3'
Bonifacio
Petty
Officer
3
Armand
6 January
2010
Philippin
es
Coastgu
ard
221'
SCUBA
Paraphrased from Italian Press Reports:- ―ROME - a
diver was trapped underwater while working on the
maintenance at the dam Castel Jubilee to the north of the
capital, where he was working to unlock one of the four
sluices which had been raised to drain the high water from
recent heavy rains and had not closed completely . His
diving partner immediately gave the alarm and have started
relief operations. Attempts to rescue the diver were made
difficult by the water pressure that passes through the slot
of the lock, pinning him against the wall. Initial rescue
attempt failed and a rescue diver from the fire brigade went
in with a rescue rope which he secured to the cylinder
harness and the diver was successfully pulled to the surface
(Hospitalised with hypothermia, but recovered). As the
working diver was recovered, the fireman disappeared
from sight (the torrent was rising) in a cascade of
logs/debris. He was eventually recovered by pulling on his
surface line. Might have been sucked into a suction pump
that was put into operation to lower the water level or
simply hit by debris. ―Something had ripped off the mask
and his face was cyanotic and blood was pouring from his
nose." working diver might have had surface supply (he had
comms and a lifeline, Fireman appears to have been on a
lifeline but might have been on SCUBA gear. Reported in
'La Repubblica'
Aged 42, 18 year veteran Coastguard diver working on
recovering bodies from the wreck of the MV Catalyn B
which sank off Limbones Island (Cavite Province).
Volunteered to dive to about 221 feet, as another PCG
colleague was unavailable. On the first of three scheduled
dives for the day, Bonifacio, along with his dive buddy,
retrieved a woman‘s body. On their second attempt, the
two reached the ship‘s wreckage again. On their ascent,
however, diver felt Bonifacio shake his hand at about 170
feet deep, a signal that he was not feeling well. Bonifacio
reportedly increased his ascension speed, which was against
basic diving safety rules. ―He wanted to speed up his
ascent, which would put him more in a very compromising
situation. He was held back although his buddy assisted him
in breathing in air)," SOG diving team head Lt. Commander
said in a GMA News‘ 24 Oras report. At around 140 feet,
Bonifacio lost consciousness. He was resurfaced and
brought to a decompression chamber for first aid. Inside the
chamber, things went well as Bonifacio regained
consciousness and was reportedly still able to follow orders.
1
1
Not Recorded
Gonzales
Enrique
Atila
Avalos
8 February
2010
Kuwait
11 February
2010
Mexico
Police
Two hours later, Bonifacio succumbed to cardiac arrest and
was pronounced dead on arrival at the Jose Reyes Memorial
Medical Center. In an ABS-CBN newscast, Bonifacio‘s
grieving wife rues the death of her husband, who had been
in the service for 18 years and was already looking forward
to retirement. ―I wanted to stop him, as he was getting
weak physically," the wife was quoted as saying. Bonifacio
had been an integral member of the SOG diving team, had
been trained by the Philippine Navy and the Japan
International Cooperation Agency. He participated in the
relief operation for the typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, which
hit the country in 2009. He was also part of the rescue
operation for MV Princess of Stars, which sank in Romblon
in 2008, where 300 of the 800 passengers remain missing.
―We checked the equipment. It‘s not the equipment," but a
PCG spokesperson admitted in the newscast that
government divers do not have the required gas mixture for
deep-sea diving. GMA News
Quote from the Arab Times ―An Egyptian diver in his
40s died while doing maintenance work on a huge gate in
Al-Zour, reports Alam Alyawm daily‖. However, the AlSeyassah daily said ‖The diver fell off a boat and drowned.
The corpse was fished out of the waters by divers from the
Coast Guard‖ No details though this potentially
conflicting description brings to mind a significant
reporting issue in that I have heard several unofficial
rumours that diver fatalities are regularly being reported as
'sailor in the sea, drowned' rather than 'diver killed at work'
– a rather convenient tactic for avoiding investigations, bad
press and awkward questions. (Though for 'half a story',
the events on the pearler 'Dart' off Australia reported in
December 1895 take some beating!) .............................TC
Federal police dive aged 35 taking part in a search pf the
river Tuxpan in the area of La Florida, Jungapeo, for
workers of the National Water Board (Conagua) who
disappeared when their dredger sank whilst working near a
dam (Four workers on the dredger, the supervisor survived
and one person drowned but was recovered at the time, two
others disappeared). During the search two police officers
were swept away, petty Officer Eduardo Lledis Aspiro,
aged 41, managed to struggle ashore, bur Gonzales
disappeared. His body was found two days later. Reported
in El Sol de Morelia.
1
1
Usimewa
Henry
15 February
2010
Fiji
High
San
Trading
Woodle
PO
Ronald
Tyler
16 February
2010
USA,
Florida
US
SEAL
SCUBA
Dongwoon
Kim
2 March
2010
Philippin
es
Conclini
c
SCUBA
Not Recorded
James
7 March
2010
Spain
16 March
2010
Australia
,
Tasmani
a
Not Released
30'
Tasmani
an
Seafood
s
SCUBA
Aged 19, had been employed as a diver for three years,
diving off the 'Grace III' on Nara reef off Yadua island for
sucuwalu (beche-de-mer or sea cucumber). His crew
members reported that he was dragged under by an unseen
creature leaving only his diving gear behind (Hookah? TC).
Search called off two days later, body not recovered.
Presumed shark attack. Reported by the Fiji Times online
Known as Tyler, Aged 26, Enlisted in 2007, Special
warfare operator 2nd class (SEAL) died during a diver
training exercise near Key West. Found unconscious in the
water, failed to respond to treatment. Citizen times
Aged 34, Korean, Doosan Heavy Industries, working as
the site manager at a power plant in Cebu (Not employed as
a diver, expired work permit and visa). Apparently he
'insisted on fixing a a leak in the cooling water pump area
himself' 'with the pump running'. Quote from colleague:'When we tested the pump (with the diver still in the
water...) he was probably taken by the vacuum to the water
pond which is really deep, he must have lost his oxygen in
his tank and drowned'. After 15 minutes and he had not
surfaced, the crew started to get worried and stopped the
pump to carry out a search. Body recovered and taken to
hospital but declared dead on arrival. ABS CBN News
Aged 40, asked to free the anchor of a sports boat by the
owner 'who knew he was a diver' in the River Ares Estuary
at 2 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon (Galicia), failed to
surface. Rescue services found his body entangled in
fishing gear on the seabed. Reported by gspbuceo.com
Aged 45, diving for trepang (sea cucumber) off the
Cobourg Peninsula when the crocodile struck.
Working from a Tasmanian Seafoods boat with a group of
divers in Knocker Bay, about 112 miles north-east of
Darwin. The saltwater crocodile, which police said was
believed to be anywhere from 6 feet, 5 inches to 9 feet, 8
inches long, and managed to escape. It bit him on the head,
neck, shoulders and arms, the Northern Territory News
reported. A district Ranger said the man's diving
companions rescued him and took him to the Black Point
ranger station ―Another person on the boat... dragged him
out of the water," he said. "He'd got bitten a few times by
the croc. He's just been in the wrong place at the wrong
time." The man was flown by helicopter to Royal Darwin
Hospital. He is in a stable condition and doctors say he
won't need significant surgery. Saltwater crocodiles are
considered extremely dangerous, and although rare, most
1
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1
attacks by adult 'salties' are fatal given the animals' strength
and size. Tasmanian Seafoods Darwin manager visited him
and said he was recovering. "He's going all right," he said.
―He was an experienced diver who had requested
anonymity‖. Sky News on-line
Han
Warrant
Officer
Joo-Ho
Not Recorded
Casagrande
Jean
Christo
phe,
known
as
'Cox'
30 March
2010
South
Korea
South
Korean
Navy
24m
SCUBA
30 March
2010
South
Korea
South
Korean
Navy
24m
SCUBA
31 March
2010
Morocco
Hydroka
rst
53m
SCUBA
Aged 53, a member of one of the underwater demolition
teams attempting to rescue potential trapped survivors in
the hull of the 1,200 tonnes Naval vessel ―Cheonan‖ (Sank
late 26th after an explosion split her in two 105 miles from
the west coast port of Incheon just south of the disputed
border line, 58 crew rescued, 46 missing). Reported as
becoming unconscious in the water after a dive to 24
metres, brought up and transferred to a nearby US Navy
hospital ship 'Salvo', but died. He joined the Navy in 1975
when he was 18, survived by his wife and two children. A
South Korean fishing boat that participated in the search
operation went into missing 01/04/2010, killing two people
and leaving seven others missing. AP Later reports that
the Cheonan was sunk by a torpedo. Strategy World, Los
Angeles times, Telegraph etc
Two members of the 170 divers in the underwater
demolition teams injured attempting to rescue potential
trapped survivors in the hull of the 1,200 tonnes Naval
vessel ―Cheonan‖ (Sank late 26th after an explosion split her
in two 105 miles from the west coast port of Incheon just
south of the disputed border line, 58 crew rescued, 46
missing). Reported as being hospitalised on the same day
as a colleague, warrant officer Joo-Ho Han, died. AP.
Later reported that the Cheonan was sunk by a mine or
torpedo.
French (Albigensian) , aged 42, dive to recover a current
metre at the site of the commercial freeport 'Tangier med
2000' at Ksar Sghir. Sub contract from SRPTM (Société
Réalisation Port Tanger Méditerranée, a Saipem/Bougues
company). Reported that his cylinders came to surface and
he was found unconscious on the seabed, recovered to the
surface by diver two, did not respond to treatment.
Experienced diver, had been working with the same
1
1
contractor since 2004. Engaged to be married. Ongoing
investigation. PC plus Bladi.net and ladepeche.fr
Al-Trabulsi
Jonas
7 April 2010
USA,
Texas
Ojeda
Rodrigo
8 April 2010
Argentin
a
Sims
Christo
pher
24 April
2010
USA,
Louisian
a
S/S Air
30m
Louisian
a
Oilfield
Divers
Motorcycl
e crash
Aged 26, of Kemah, drowned while cleaning the hull of a
boat and was found floating in the water, was pulled from
the water near Waterford Harbor Marina after police were
called to investigate. An autopsy performed Thursday
listed the cause of death as a drowning, He was a contract
hull cleaner and was cleaning a boat in the marina. The
compressor he was using to get air was laying on its side
when police arrived but it was unknown if that contributed
at that time because there was some pressure left.
Associated Press.
Apparently the 32 year old diver was killed during
construction of the Maldonado tunnel in Buenos Aries,
possibly a decompression incident. All we know is that city
mayor went into print in August saying he found it 'serious'
that they had ―failed to inform the company‖, that the
urban development minister and director of works ―have
concealed the death of a worker on the site that is the most
important of his administration‖. No other details.
Reported in Diario Cronica and Partido de la Cuidad
Aged 39 from Florida, returned onshore due to bad
weather, went for a motorcycle ride, crashed off the road
into a bayou, body found a day later after reported as
missing. Reported as accidental drowning, not wearing a
helmet. Houma Today. In March 2011 it was reported in
the Louisiana Record that:- The family of a deceased
seaman has filed a lawsuit against the man's employer for
allegedly allowing him to drive a motorcycle while heavily
intoxicated. ―He was employed as a seaman, commercial
diver and crewmember. When the vessel was ordered to
return to shore because of inclement weather, he, along
with his co-workers, were taken to the home of a Louisiana
oilfield diver's supervisor where they were to remain on call
and "on the clock" for further instructions'. The lawsuit
claims that the diver's supervisors served their employees
alcoholic beverages while waiting to return offshore. A
supervisor allegedly supplied him with the keys to a
motorcycle despite knowing that he had been drinking
heavily. The defendant is accused of negligence for failing
1
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1
to properly plan for the evacuation, bunking and quartering
the crew, providing alcoholic beverages to its crew,
allowing and providing him with the keys to a motorcycle
knowing that he had been drinking and failing to provide
him with a safe and nonhazardous workplace‖
Blake
Petty
Officer
Craig
3 May 2010
Afghanis
tan
Eves
Stephen
James
23 May
2010
UK
Costa
Paolo
25 May
2010
Italy
Orellana
Luis
Alberto
Romero
27 May
2010
Chile
Canadia
n Navy
IED
Explosion
Car Crash
120'
7m
SCUBA
SCUBA
Aged 37, father of two, Navy clearance diver with the
Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic based in Nova Scotia, seconded
to Afghanistan because of his mine clearance training,
killed by a remote operated roadside bomb as he and
colleagues were walking back to the Sperwan Ghar forward
Operations Base having successfully defused another IED
in Panjwai, 25 miles South west of Kandahar. Wife and
two sons, had only been in Afghanistan a couple of weeks,
he was the first sailor to die in Afghanistan, killed the day
before the Canadian navy celebrated its centennial. He was
the 143 member of the Canadian forces to be killed there
since 2002. (Included for information, a diver, but not
working as a diver so not counted as a diving fatality TC).
Reported in the Canadian Press
Aged 26, car crash on his way to work at Connah's Quay
at 07:35 on a Sunday Morning. Reported in the Liverpool
News
Reported as one of 5 fatalities at work in Italy on the
same day by Rainews24 ―Diver dies during filming. A
medical doctor died in the afternoon during a dive, diving
into the abyss on karst Cologone. The diver, aged 50, was
with four others making a movie into the chasm, over 120
feet deep when he suffered a sudden illness and had to start
rising, 'died for cardiac arrest'. Possibly at work (it appears
to have been professional or semi-professional filming) but
more likely a SCUBA enthusiast. Pending additional
information this fatality is not included in the 'count' TC
Iquique, Chile. Shellfish diver with 30 years diving
experience, Luis Alberto Romero Orellana, died yesterday
at 11 am in a diving accident. At the time of the incident
Luis Alberto was doing scrap recovery work for a fishing
company. His teammates gave notice of the accident via
1
mobile to the Maritime authorities, the patrol vessel
"Defender" and a rescue RIB/divers of Harbor Master
recovered the diver's body. Diving solo, no stand-by.
Reported by gspbuceo
Kumar
Krishan
2 June 2010
India
Indian
Navy
Helicopter
crash
Beare
Lloyd
7 June 2010
USA,
New
York
Dryden
Diving
14'
S/S Air
Nasca
Michele
19 June
2010
Italy
Hollifield
Chris
2 July 2010
USA,
GOM
Veolia
250'
Sat
Aged 26 from Patna, a Navy diver, killed whilst three
others, including the pilot and co-pilot, were injured when
an Indian Navy Chetak helicopter crashed near the coastal
city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The helicopter,
deployed at INS Dega, crashed into a stream at Ankapalle,
about 50 km from Visakhapatnam, although the cause of
the crash was not immediately known, a police officer at
the crash site said that the helicopter was on a route
familiarization mission. It hit a high-tension wire while
flying low to locate a landing spot to be used in case of
emergencies, spiralled out of control and plunged into the
river. Fishermen and locals informed the police who
rescued the four Naval personnel from the wreckage in the
water and rushed them to Anakapally hospital but Kumar
died as they reached the hospital. Express News Service
Aged 45, one of a team that had been diving at the Indian
point Nuclear Power Station in Buchanan for a couple of
weeks. Working on a retaining wall between the Hudson
River and a discharge channel. Stopped responding to
surface, pulled up but did not respond to treatment, thought
to be natural causes but examiner reported cause of death
was not a heart attack. Waiting on reports. NBC News
Aged 57, 7 o'clock in the morning, snorkel diving with
his brother to collect seafood near a pier near in the town
of Zapponeta (Foggia, Italian East Coast north of Bari),
sucked into into the 1 metre diameter inlet of a pump 2.5
metres below sea level (grill may have been faulty)
supplying salt water to the 'Margherita di Savona' natural
salt drying pans. Reported as 'shredded' by the impeller
which was located only 30cm from the entrance.
Apparently there was a sign prohibiting swimming in the
area at the head of the pier, but not on the beach either side
of it. A local fisherman was reported as saying that many
years ago another spear fisherman had died at the same
place in the same manner. Reported by Stato quotidiano
Aged 33, former US Marine, Post 'Katrina' remedial
works off the 'Normand Clipper', possible u/w oxy/arc
diving explosion. Standby diver was deployed and located
diver unresponsive on the seabed, did not respond to
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1
1
treatment. No details. Survived by wife and unborn son.
Personal communication
Not Recorded
12 July 2010
Germany
Not Recorded
13 July 2010
Finland
S/S Air
21 July 2010
USA,
Florida
SCUBA
24 July 2010
Germany
27 July 2010
USA,
Idaho
Wesley
Skiles
Not Recorded
McCullough
Mike
Maersk
120'
S/S Air
SCUBA
39 year old commercial diver disappeared whilst working
on clearing fishing nets from the propeller of the liner
'Noordam' in Bremerhaven (Crew had complained of
vibration). Not clear whether propeller rotated or fell off,
but diver disappeared in the fast flowing current of the
Weser Police report, no other details
Reported as a 43 year old diver working at the oil port of
Kemi (checking port sonar equipment) became distressed in
the water whilst working on Monday 9th July, was pulled to
the surface and taken to hospital in a critical condition, died
on the following Friday. No other details. Reported by
hlb.fi
Aged 52, Professional underwater photographer and
explorer of underwater caves in Florida, diving 3 miles off
Boynton Beach, found unconscious on the seabed by
colleagues, did not respond to treatment. Gainsville Sun
27 year old Swedish air diver working for a Danish
contractor on a wind-farm project in German waters.
Reported as drowned in the last week of a six week diving
job, had been airlifting from the ?Maersk Tender', umbilical
entangled one of the valves on the airlift. Did not activate
his bailout, recovered to surface by the stand-by diver.
Translated from German
Press reports dated Monday 26 07
2010:- ―Diver dies when working in the offshore wind
farm near Borkum. (Bard Offshore). The accident happened
on Saturday at 40 meters in depth work. 'Aged 27, a
professional diver from Sweden' said a police spokesman,
confirming corresponding media reports‖. Source: n-tv.de
Other press reports indicate a possible lifting incident (TC)
American, mid twenties. Paraphrased from press
reports:- ―A SCUBA diver retrieving golf balls at The
Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course drowned Tuesday
afternoon, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department said.
"The lady driving the boat to the green said she had seen
him at the back edge of the green diving for balls but hadn't
seen him in an hour and half," said one golfer. ―We started
looking around to see if we could see him and when we
looked over the left side of the green, we saw his face down
body limp under the water, about 15 feet (offshore). But he
wasn't moving and there weren't any bubbles coming out.
The witness and a staff member took a boat out, pulled the
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1
1
1
body aboard and took the victim to an adjacent dock around
4 pm. The witness said the body was without diving gear
when it was spotted. He was pronounced dead at Kootenai
Medical Center around 5 p.m He was working for a
contractor who picks up golf balls and other debris from the
lake bottom in the area. Tuesday afternoon his gear was still
at the bottom of the lake, said the sheriff's department. ―Our
divers will recover that and investigate this as the case goes
on‖. CDA Press.
Not Recorded
5 August
2010
Japan
Not Recorded
6 August
2010
Switzerl
and
8 August
2010
USA,
Californi
a
King
Patrick
Donald
SCUBA
Forever
Resorts
60'
SCUBA
Japaneses, aged 58, a diving instructor giving tourists a
diving lesson off Koki Beach in Nago, standing barefoot in
shallow water at 9 a.m. stung by a stonefish. Suddenly felt
a sharp pain on the bottom of his left foot and quickly lost
consciousness. Another instructor at the beach provided
first aid but the victim stopped breathing before an
ambulance arrived later died. A spokesman for the
Okinawa Health Department‘s pharmaceutical team said
this was the first reported death caused by the venomous
fish in 27 years. Reported in Stars and Stripes (Big
American forces base in the Area). Sports SCUBA, but
professional instructor and at work.
Aged 47, Conny-Land theme park in Lipperswil, Norther
Switzerland, cleaning a dolphin tank on Friday night,
apparently pulled from the water unconscious but failed to
respond to resuscitation. Later reported that cause of death
was a heart attack. No other details
Aged 30, killed in an accident while diving at Lake
Nacimiento in the Bee Rock Cove area. His diving partner,
aged 18, was injured and taken to U.C.L.A. Medical Center
after initially being treated at the scene. The diver was
pronounced dead at the lake after apparently attempting to
salvage a sunken boat. According to sheriff's department
officials, it appeared that a tether line that linked the divers
became tangled in a separate line between the salvage boat
and the sunken vessel. King ran low on air and was
attempting to "buddy breathe" with Burgess when there
may have been an equipment failure that caused Burgess to
jettison his dive gear and began to surface from below 60
feet. Burgess was able to surface and call for help, The
other diver later surfaced unconscious and was given CPR
prior to paramedics declaring him dead at the scene,
according to a press release. Both men worked for the
1
1
1
resort company that runs the lake.
Castro
Antonio
Romero
12 August
2010
Mexico
Diaz
Lt
Mejia
17 August
2010
Hondura
s
Hussein
Mahmo
ud Ali
21 August
2010
Egypt
30m
Navy
S/S Air
SCUBA
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Aged 47 years old,
Port of San Carlos, the health official in the hyperbaric
chamber located in the port said that it must report that this
unfortunate diver did not die in the hyperbaric chamber as
previously reported, nor due to lack of oxygen and much
less about the lack of timely patient care but to the
seriousness of the symptoms caused by severe
decompression, this being the cause of death, according to
the opinion of the medical examiner who performed the
autopsy. It was reported prior that this person had 4 hours
working on 30 meters when the compressor stopped. Dive
related to the fishing industry of the municipality of
Comondu. Reported on 12/08/2010, actual date of fatality
not given, no other details. Reported by
Peninsulardigital.com
A Navy diver from Honduras today drowned while trying
to salvage a narcotics plane from the Ulua River in
Choloma Cortes in northern Honduras. Authorities
reported that he and other colleagues had found the twinengine craft and were preparing to salvage it when his
safety rope was caught in the aircraft. Police seized 500
kilos of cocaine which they believe came to Honduras in
the aircraft. Reported in Elheraldo.hn
Paraphrased from Press Reports:- Port Suez saw a tragic
accident that claimed the live of a 40 year old vessel
maintenance diver when the crew of a cargo ship waiting to
transit the canal started the engines. A team from the
Maritime Rescue Police recovered the body which was
found to be badly damaged by the effects of the large
propellers. The authorities detained the Iraqi Captain and
ordered his prosecution (charged with negligence at work
and killing the diver). Rosaonline.net
1
1
1
Deep Sat Dive
6 September
2010
China
Navy
Medical
Researc
h
Institute
491 metres
Onshore
Saturation
trials
Zarafu
Cristian
9 September
2010
Romania
Hunter
SRL
40m
SCUBA
Ispas
Lt.
Catalin
9 September
2010
Romania
Hunter
SRL
40m
SCUBA
4 Chinese divers reported to have reached a storage depth
of 480 metres with an excursion to 493 metres on heliox.
The 'Atlantis' trials (Duke University, USA,) reached 686
metres in 1981, Comex ran a series of deep diving
programmes (Physalie, Janus, Sagittaire, Hydra, etc)
mostly in France and finally Aurora at the NHC in
Aberdeen reaching 470 metres in 1993. The deepest took
place in France in Toulon with the Hydra programme
reaching 701 metres in 1992 (the diver was Theo
Mavrostomos, 20th November 1992) using Hydreliox.
Deepest hydreliox working dive is still Comex with a
simulated pipeline intervention in the Mediterranean in
1988 with the Hydra 8 dives to 534 metres.
Turkish cargo vessel 'Medy' sank six miles off Constanta
breakwater on the 1st September 2010. Private diving
contractor put 4 divers onboard an ARSVOM (Navy) vessel
to do a pollution survey to establish a contingency plan.
First team dived successfully, second team (Ispas and
Zarafu) followed, but nether surfaced. Romanian authorities
intervened to remove the 22 tons of fuel and about two tons
of oil and hired in a specialist Turkish diving contractor. To
reach fuel tanks and engine room of the wreck, divers made
a hole in the hull and began emptying the fuel tanks. The
body of Ispas was found inside the engine room on the 12th
December (Drowned, but with 20 bar air pressure still in his
cylinder). Attributed to Nitrogen Narcosis. Apparently
entered the wreck without using a lifeline (Ispas worked for
the emergency services but worked also for the diving
contractor, unclear if he was a qualified commercial diver,
Zarrafu was a full time commercial diver. No DDC, no
medical back-up. The body of Zarafu was recovered on the
23rd December. Reported by Jurnalul.ro
Turkish cargo vessel 'Medy' sank six miles off Constanta
breakwater on the 1st September 2010. Private diving
contractor put 4 divers onboard an ARSVOM (Navy) vessel
to do a pollution survey to establish a contingency plan.
First team dived successfully, second team (Ispas and
Zarafu) followed, but nether surfaced. Romanian authorities
intervened to remove the 22 tons of fuel and about two tons
of oil and hired in a specialist Turkish diving contractor. To
reach fuel tanks and engine room of the wreck, divers made
a hole in the hull and began emptying the fuel tanks. The
body of Ispas was found inside the engine room on the 12 th
December (Drowned, but with 20 bar air pressure still in his
cylinder). Attributed to Nitrogen Narcosis. Apparently
1
1
entered the wreck without using a lifeline (Ispas worked for
the Naval emergency services but worked also for the
diving contractor, unclear if he was a qualified commercial
diver, Zarrafu was a full time commercial diver. No DDC,
no medical back-up. The body of Zarafu was recovered on
the 23rd December. Reported by Jurnalul.ro
Muller
Travis
13/10/2010
USA,
Texas
Ron
Perrin
Water
Technol
ogies
Barrett
Mark D
14
September
2010
USA,
Virginia
State
Police
30'
SCUBA
75'
SCUBA
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―A 28 year old diver
from Arlington died at about 09:45 this morning while
working inside a nearly full City of Richmond municipal
above ground water storage tank in Richmond this morning.
The diver worked for a contractor who was performing
routine (Two yearly silt removal) maintenance on the
500,000 gallon tank, which is about 50 feet tall and was
three-quarters filled with water. The diver descended into
the tank in SCUBA gear (09:15) and went to the bottom
(09:18) was vacuuming the bottom of it to clean it. His
partner who was outside the tank on the top noticed the
diver's tether line became slack (09:28). He then also put on
scuba gear and went into the tank to find what was wrong.
He found the man unresponsive with his mask off but
started having regulator problems and surfaced. The
Richmond fire Department responded and recovered the
diver‘s body (10:50)". Declared dead. Houston Chronicle.
Aged 41, Died during a training dive in Lake Anna,
reported as deep diver training with 16 other members of
the Virginia State Police search and recovery team,
ascending, seen to have difficulty breathing, assisted to
surface, CPR, taken to hospital but died. Reported as
drowned. First fatality on the dive team since it was
established in 1962. The Munz
1
1
Rine
Duane
'Charlie
'
14
September
2010
USA,
Massach
usetts
Fisherm
an
Allan
Stephen
'Darby'
15/10/2010
Sudan
Mine
Action
Group
Landmine
Tiffin
CPO
Andrew
18/10/2010
Afghanis
tan
Canadia
n Navy
EOD
10'
SCUBA
Aged 51, Long-time crew member on the 164' Herring
boat 'Western Venture', pair trawling out of Gloucester, 150
miles offshore. Nets caught around rudder/propeller.
Paraphrased report:- "He had dived on the boat before and
was willing and able to clear the net from the rudders.
Around 7:30 or 8 p.m. he got into the water, immediately
cleared the port rudder, but the starboard rudder is more
difficult. He was under for around 10 to 15 minutes, and
when he surfaced had abandoned all of his dive gear (tank,
weight belt, etc.). Conscious and shouting to the crew when
he surfaced, but after they lifted him out of the water with
the sling he quickly lost consciousness and stopped
breathing. The crew of the boat performed CPR for over an
hour. They failed to resuscitate him and with no help on
the way stopped CPR after 9 p.m. As we drifted by their
stern. I could see the crew carrying his body to shelter from
the back deck. At 9:30 p.m. the captain of Western Venture
told us that we had lost him. When the Venture was able to
pick up her gear, they found all of his dive gear tangled in
the net. That he became entangled in the net under the boat
is a fact. The rest can only be speculated upon." Gloucester
Daily Times
British, aged 52, ex marine clearannce diver who had
spent 30 years with the Royal Navy as a highly commended
explosive ordnance expert, before joining MAG in 2006,
with whom he led mine clearance teams in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (Underwater Port Clearance), Lebanon
and Sudan (Surface ordnance). The chief executive of
MAG, said his team had cleared 1,500 explosive items in
Sudan since last August and the work of the organisation
had saved countless lives. (Included for information, a
diver, but not working as a diver so not counted as a diving
fatality TC). The News, Portsmouth
Canadian, 42-year-old father of two, naval clearance
diver and explosive ordnance disposal technician. (Friend
and colleague of Craig Blake - killed 3rd of May - whose
coffin he escorted home). He specialized in the analysis
of explosive devices, based in Kandahar, working on a
seemingly disabled device when it blew apart in his hands.
Severely damaged left hand, also arms injuries, medivac to
Germany and then onward to Canada. The Star.com.
(Included for information, a diver, but not working as a
diver so not counted as a diving fatality TC)
1
Demian
Jorge
22 October
2010
Argentin
a
Fireman
Copeland
Mark
Eugene
23 October
2010
USA,
Marylan
d
Greg's
Marine
Molina
Miguel
Angel
2 November
2010
Chile
Chilean
Navy
Dau
Nguyen
Van
4 November
2010
Vietnam
Cienco
No 1
40'
32 m
S/S Air
S/S Air
Aged 24, fireman based at Caleta Olivia on a rescue
diver course in Puerto Santa Cruz, appears to have died in
an accident at the Juan Carlos Narvaez sports centre
swimming pool during training, but no details. Reported by
GPS Diving
Dominion LNG Plant, American, aged 45. Paraphrased
from reports "On Oct. 23 at approximately 11:34 a.m., units
from the Calvert County Sheriff‘s Office and Maryland
State Police responded to the Dominion LNG Plant Gas
Dock to investigate a reported industrial accident. The
victim was later pronounced deceased at Calvert Memorial
Hospital. The preliminary investigation revealed he was
working for Greg‘s Marine as a laborer. His duties this day
were to chip away old cement jackets placed over pilings at
the gas dock, preparing these pilings for new jackets,
approximately 1 mile off the coast of Calvert County.
While conducting this task, he was equipped with a
neoprene wet suit, fins, a harness, and a diver‘s helmet. He
slipped underwater and continued to the bottom of the
Chesapeake Bay, approximately 40 feet. After several
attempts, the supervisor finally rescued his unconscious
body from the Bay‘s floor. CPR was conducted by his coworkers as well as medical staff and members of the
Calvert County Sheriff‘s Office. Forensic investigation
revealed there were no signs of trauma to the body. This is
an on-going investigation handled by the Calvert
Investigative Team (CIT) and the United States Coast
Guard"
Aged 23, Salvage diver, Chief of staff stated that he
made a very shallow dive but afterwards reported not
feeling well. He was sent to the Naval hospital 'Admiral
Nef' in Vina del Mar but during the transfer suffered a
possible cardiac arrest. No other details. Reported by GPS
Divinig
Paraphrased from p‖ress reports:- A diver drowned in Da
Nang Thursday while fixing a broken drill tip at a bridge
construction site. The Diver, aged 33 was paid VND10
million (US$513) to bring up a drill tip 32 meters below the
surface of the Han River. His first dive was successful;
and he surfaced after 15 minutes with part of the tip. He
descended once again and didn't resurface. Another worker
from the Tran Thi Ly bridge construction site dived to
check on Dau and found his dead body. Some of the
workers said the tube supplying oxygen to Dau was narrow
and might have twisted, diminishing Dau's air supply.
1
1
1
1
Workers also said the cold water might have weakened him.
Rescuers managed to bring his body to the surface on
Thursday evening, seven hours after the event. First
investigation showed that Dau had been stuck in a pipe,
which is part of the bridge construction‖. Thanh Nien
News.com
4 November
2010
USA,
New
York
Javier
Gueich
apiren
13
November
2010
Chile
SCUBA
Valient
e
Zapata
18
November
2010
Peru
SCUBA
Not Recorded
Earl'?
Rain
Wilbert
Reicon
S/S Air
American, aged 35. Paraphrased from reports:―Commercial diving team working at a restoration project
at Chelsea Pier 59 on the Hudson River. End of dive,
divers were being pulled back to the barge they were
working from, fellow workers saw that one of the divers
was in distress. Police said his umbilical had become
entangled in the pier and was frantically waving his hands
as he was pulled in along the 250‘ umbilical and had taken
off the mask that presumably because he was not able to get
air through it. He was pulled out of the water blue and
unconscious about 5:45 p.m. Police said that attempts by
his fellow workers to revive the man were unsuccessful, but
that emergency crews responding to the scene were able to
resuscitate him. He was incoherent at first, but was brought
to Bellevue hospital in stable condition, police said‖.
DNAinfo (Manhattan Local News) Unsubstantiated
rumours of no standby diver, no bail out, self tending,
pulled out by another (none diver) worker, possibly a 'single
man dive team', but no details in the public domain. In
hospital recovering, breathing tube removed 5 days later.
Shellfish diver working on the 'Westhoff' 20 miles south
of Puerto Melinka Weste, disappeared. Search by Navy
personnel located his body on the North coast of Puerto
Llancos two days later. www.armada.cl
Aged 38, one of two shellfish divers (Roberto Villata
Nolesolo was seriously injured) diving from the scallop
boat 'Robert Alexander' off the island 'Lobos de Tierra'
involved in a decompression incident. No details.
Reported by GPS Diving
1
1
McCarthy
Peter
Joseph
29
November
2010
Thailand
White
Danny
William
s
2 December
2010
Nicaragu
a
Pasenic
SCUBA
Lightfoot, US Army
Captain
Juan E
8 December
2010
USA,
North
Carolina
US
Army
SCUBA
14
December
2011
USA,
Washing
ton
Not Recorded
80m
85'
SCUBA
Tech dive
British, aged 47, diving instructor, disappeared on an 80
metre deep dive into the mouth of a submerged volcano off
the Thai island of Koh Tao with a party of eight other
British and Italian divers at about noon, local time, on
Monday. The other instructor on the dive told Thai media
that Mr McCarthy did not come up after the nine man hourlong dive. Each of the divers had two hours of oxygen. The
other divers used up their remaining oxygen in searching
for their instructor, reports said. The instructor was
described as a very experienced technical diver - expert in a
specialised type of scuba diving that uses a mix of gases to
allow divers dive go deeper and for longe (Technical
diving). The original diving group consisted of the two
instructors, four men and three women. Mr McCarthy had a
diving licence issued in the Gulf of Thailand province of
Chumpon. Daily Mail UK
Aged 31, diving to retrieve two anchors from the fishing
vessel ―Lady Sylvia‖ owned by Pasenic (Nicaraguan
Shellfish growers). Solo dive, 30 minutes intothe dive was
found by colleagues dead on the seabed between the two
anchors. Medical examiner stated cause of death was a
heart problem. Survived by wife, 3 year old son and 1 year
old daughter. Had worked for Pasenic for 11 years.
Reported by GPS Diving
Capt. Juan E. Lightfoot, 34, died at Womack Army
Medical Center four days after an accident during preSCUBA training. The former Marine who had arrived at the
battalion in November,commanded a Special Forces
detachment of Fort Bragg's 7th Special Forces Group. As
the incident was under investigation, no details were
available, including the place or nature of the accident and
whether it took place in the water, said a spokesman for 7th
Group. The training was intended to prepare soldiers to
attend the Combat Divers Qualification Course held at the
Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West,
part of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and
School at Fort Bragg. Reported in the Fay Observer.
Two Bremerton commercial geoduck divers were taken
to hospitals Tuesday after their support boat dragged them
into deep water in Port Madison. A 50-year-old woman
was flown from Suquamish to Harborview Medical center
in Seattle at about 1:30 p.m. The woman was in stable
condition as of 7:15 p.m. Her diving companion, a 27-yearold man, was driven to Harrison Medical Center in
Bremerton. The divers were working in about 50 feet of
1
1
1
water when strong winds pushed their support boat into
deeper water. The divers were tethered to the boat, which
dragged them to a depth of about 85 feet. They were then
pulled to the surface by workers on the support boat.
Villajoyosa
Jean
Not Recorded
20
December
2010
Spain
December
2010
Georgia
Flores
Alvaro
Hernan
dez
5 January
2011
Mexico
Smock
Mathew
'Matt'
Alexan
der
8 January
2011
USA,
GOM
T&T
Bisso
S/S Air
34 Year old diver employed by a fish farm in San Pedro
del Pinatar in Murcia, died after accidentally shooting
himself in the chest with his own harpoon. It happened
shortly before 9.30 on Monday morning when an
emergency call came through that the diver was seriously
injured when in the water and was being transferred by boat
to the local port. All attempts to revive the man, both on
board the boat and after reaching port, were however
unsuccessful‖. Reported by Typicallyspanish.com
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―In December 2010, a
25-year old diver was badly injured when working
underwater at the oil port of Kulevi‖. Reported in the press
articles reporting the deaths of Erkan Karsky and Murad
Oglu in January 2011
Aged 28, diving under the fishing boat 'Joisafco III' that
had run aground near a packing plant assessing hull damage
and preparing to refloat the vessel. The Captain started the
engines and the rotating propeller immediately sliced off
the diver's left arm. His brother on deck reached in to try to
pull the diver out but the propeller dragged him under and
inflicted a fatal cut to the throat that virtually decapitated
him. Fire department divers recovered the body and
severed arm. Reported by Hoy Tamaulipas.net
Aged 28, Married with 4 children. ,―The U.S. Coast
Guard is investigating the death of a diver who was found
unresponsive after cleaning a ship‘s hull, authorities said
Monday. The diver, from Houston, was working offshore
from a service boat. Crews performed cardiopulmonary
resuscitation on him until the boat docked at Pier 9 in
Galveston. Galveston firefighters took over the lifesaving
maneuver and an ambulance took the diver to the
University of Texas Medical Branch. The incident stemmed
from what was believed to be a mechanical malfunction
with diving equipment, a fire official said. The diver was
pronounced dead at 1:37 p.m., by the Galveston County
Medical Examiner‘s Office. ―He was diving about 10 miles
out from the jetties in an area where ships anchor, cleaning
1
1
1
the hull of a ship with a scrubbing machine.‖ He was
working on the King Arthur, a commercial diving vessel‖.
Galveston Daily News. Other sources indicate he lost his
helmet (PC)
Not Recorded
Karsky
Erkan
12 January
2011
USA
Alaska
17 January
2011
Georgia
S/S Air
Kuzeyin
Marine
SCUBA
Paraphrased from press reports ― Juneau, Alaska. The
Coast Guard is investigating the death of commercial diver
off a boat southeast Alaska‖ The 68-foot fishing vessel
―Island Dancer‖ was diving for sea cucumber in Chester
bay, off Annette Island. Crew told investigators that the
diver surfaced at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, took off his
mask and immediately sank. They pulled the diver out of
the water using the air hose and gave first aid but he did not
respond to treatment‖. Alaska daily News
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Two Turkish scuba
divers were been killed (Double fatality, Murad Oglu) in an
underwater explosion working on the salvage of the sunken
Ukrainian ship '‖Skaldovski‖ that sank in 2008 during a
storm outside the Georgian Black Sea oil-export port of
Kulevi. Preliminary probe indicated that the explosion
could have been caused by hydrogen accumulated inside
the ship The two divers were supposed to use a welder to
fix the ship. Representatives from Georgia Petroleum, the
owners and operators of the terminal, ruled out the
possibility that the leak-out of oil products had caused the
underwater explosion saying that the reservoirs on the
vessel were emptied.
This has been the second similar
incident in Kulevi for recent months. In December 2010, a
25-year old diver was badly injured when working
underwater.
1
1
Oglu
Murad
Kara
17 January
2011
Georgia
Kuzeyin
Marine
SCUBA
Castro
Policcar
pio
25 January
2011
UAE
Amasco,
Dubai
SCUBA
Rouxhet
Olivier
25 January
2011
Belgium
Fireman
SCUBA
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Two Turkish scuba
divers were been killed (Double fatality, Erkan Karsky) in
an underwater explosion working on the salvage of the
sunken Ukrainian ship '‖Skaldovski‖ that sank in 2008
during a storm outside the Georgian Black Sea oil-export
port of Kulevi. Preliminary probe indicated that the
explosion could have been caused by hydrogen
accumulated inside the ship The two divers were supposed
to use a welder to fix the ship. Representatives from
Georgia Petroleum, the owners and operators of the
terminal, ruled out the possibility that the leak-out of oil
products had caused the underwater explosion saying that
the reservoirs on the vessel were emptied.
This has been
the second similar incident in Kulevi for recent months. In
December 2010, a 25-year old diver was badly injured
when working underwater.
Personal Communication ―A diver was killed carrying
out a hullscrub on the offshore anchorage Fujairah – date of
incident 25th Jan 2011. Filipino diver, crushed on surfacing
between dive boat and tanker 'Najm' (Maltese flag, Iranian
National Oil Company) in rough seas‖ Waiting on further
details
Paraphrased from press reports:- Aged 39, a Civil
Protection Force Fire Rescue FF/Diver was killed in the
Line of Duty during the search for 2 children in the Meuse
River. The 12 and 6 year old children had been missing
since January 16 when the oldest girl jumped after her sister
who fell into the water were swept away by the current of
the river in the vicinity of the eastern city of Liège.. The
crew-chief of the diving operation over the the previous
days got into trouble going down in the man-made barrier
(Sluice gate) complex on the river. He gave alarm signals
by his security line, but the surface-crew couldn't free him.
They immediately started a rescue operation but it was too
late. He had been smashed to a pier of bridge by the flow
and lost a part of his diving equipment, most importantly
his breathing mask. A diver of the Liège Fire brigade was
also injured bringing the unconscious diver to the surface.
An medical crew start life saving measures but he died on
the way to hospital. The diver was divorced and leaves a 7
year old daughter. Reported on Flanders News.
1
1
1
27 January
2011
USA,
Washing
ton
Montecinos
Juan
Francis
co
Vejar
12 February
2011
Chile
Clarkson
Peter
17 February
2011
Australia
LaClair
Patrick
J
19 February
2011
USA,
Washing
ton
Not Recorded
S/S Air
8m
SCUBA
SCUBA
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―A 30-year-old
commercial diver was taken to a hospital Thursday after his
breathing apparatus malfunctioned near Suquamish. The
Port Orchard man was harvesting geoduck while tethered
with an air hose to a boat, said a North Kitsap Fire &
Rescue spokeswoman. The diver was at a depth of 60 feet
at about 11:30 a.m. when his breathing apparatus
malfunctioned. The malfunction forced the diver to surface
faster than recommended to avoid decompression sickness.
He was driven by boat to a dock at Kiana Lodge in
Suquamish where he was evaluated by medics. The man
showed no symptoms of sickness and was transported to
Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton as a precaution.
Reported as the second geoduck diving accident in as many
months in the Suquamish area. (Two Bremerton divers
were hospitalized Dec. 14 after the support boat they were
tethered to drug them into deep water in Port Madison).
North Kitsap Herald
Aged 34, volunteer with the town of Chol Chol fire team,
training exercise off Lican Ray, reported as having lost
consciousness underwater, brought to the surface by other
team members but did not respond to treatment. No details.
Reported in El Diario Austral.
Aged 50 with 27 years diving experience, two man
commercial abalone boat out of Port Lincoln (200 miles
West of Adelaide). Reported as being attacked by two
great white sharks as he surfaced. The skipper (who lost
diver Danny Thorpe when his boat overturned in 2000 – he
swam ashore leaving Danny Thorpe with the boat but 'when
help arrived all they found was Thorpe's shredded life vest
and a beat up old lunchbox, but that was all') said 'I saw the
beast come up and take him. There was no way he could
have survived'. Last August, the diver had described a
previous close encounter with a great white during a diving
ascent when endorsing a shark deterrent system. 'The
search for the victim's remains ongoing'. Reported by the
Mail online, Herald Sun etc
Paraphrased from press reports:- ―Coast Guard officials
said a 54-year-old member of the Skokomish tribe ran into
trouble while out on the water with a geoduck boat in the
Hood Canal, near Hazel Point The man had two spotters,
who saw that he was struggling and called 911 at around 4
p.m. A Navy rescue boat pulled the man out of the water
and administered CPR while heading back to shore. Central
Kitsap Fire whilst Rescue and Navy paramedics tried to
1
1
1
help the man. The Kitsap County Coroner's Office declared
him dead at about 7 pm‖ No other details. Reported by AP,
Komo News, Kitsap Sun etc.
Garvizo
Roberto
Rojas
23 February
2011
Chile
Pendleton
Vance
Wayne
20 March
2011
Canada
M
JD
23 March
2011
Spain
Not Recorded
May 2009
Egypt
Brown
Pre March
2007
USA
Quitralc
o
40' to 50'
SCUBA
A shellfish diver, incident occurred on the Wednesday
evening at Quitralco 7, reported as 'dying after swallowing
water underwater' and listed as 'drowning'. No other
details. Reported by Radio Santa Maria
Aged 56, diving for Sea Urchins of l'Etete, New
Brunswick, failed to surface, located on the seabed 'initial
information is pointing towards drowning' but coroner to
confirm cause of death, Worksafe and RCMP to determine
whether the diver was working at the time (As yet unclear if
this was a commercial diving fatality, tbc, TC) Rported in
the Telegraph-Journal, Brunswick
Aged 26, initials 'JDM', from El Puerta de Santa Maria
(Cadiz), carrying out repair works on the dam gates near
Castilblanco de Los Arroyos (Morth of Seville). One of a
four man team. Emergency services called a 17:00 hours,
body recovered downstream. No other details. Reported in
Europa press/www.internetnews.tk.
1
1
Other fatalities and anomalies
with incomplete details
Bartee
Daniel
?
SCUBA
Bo Mac
Hull inspection, engines started. Quote 'Did not know
diver was under vessel', killed by propeller. Not confirmed,
no details
Court case reported in North Carolina 5th March 2007
regarding a settlement of $2,375,000 over the wrongful
death of a commercial diver, 'compressed asphyxia'/'chest
crushed by force of water'. No details but presumably a
reference to the death of Jeremy Brown in September 2005
Maritime law blog, working as a diver, injured whilst
working on the Mississippi, 6th March (2008??), injuries to
heart, lung and others organs. Law suit under Jones act, no
details
1
Not recorded
?
GOM
Not Recorded
2006
Trinidad
Not Recorded
2003 ( or
possibly200
4
France
Not Recorded
April 2000
USA
Not Recorded
1997
USA
Not Recorded
1997
USA
Not Recorded
1997
USA
200'
S/S Mixed
Gas
Gee and
Jensen,
Cape
Canaver
al, FL
Cutting up of the wreck of the "High Island III" "There
we were making gas dive after gas dive burning box after
box of Brocos cutting up a bent and twisted pile of drilling
derrick. The diver had rigged up to a big pile of I-beam and
angle iron and was cutting it free of bottom. "up on the
load, cut cut cut; up on the load, cut cut cut. Diver says,
"OK get up on the load it's free to the surface." and goes
back to the class II bell to watch the load come up. As it
clears bottom I see what looks like a huge (20 to 30ft) cloud
coming up under this pile of scrap. No shit, this was all this
gas trapped in the scrap pile! The diver asks me "What the
hell is that?" I respond knowingly, "The bomb you were
building." I never would have thought that could happen".
American, rumour only, No details, thought to be ADC
member Double report for Denis Cartright (Below)?
Diver trapped on a dam (suction/differential pressure),
stand-by diver went in, also trapped. Double fatality, no
details
2
Tangled in piles – were these recreational death(s)? No
details
SCUBA
American, diver on tug, two man team, lost tending
line/regulator froze, no details.
NY or NJ, single diver working hull bottom, lost
communications/air, drowned.
During 1989-1997, the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) recorded 116 occupational diving
fatalities in the United States (OSHA, unpublished data,
1998) 13 deaths per year. 49 five per year occurred among
an estimated 3000 full-time commercial divers. The average
of five deaths per year corresponds to a rate of 180 deaths
per 100,000 employed divers per year, which is 40 times
the national average death rate for all workers. This group,
which accounts for most of the commercial dive time
underwater, includes divers involved in construction,
maintenance, and inspection of vessels and structures such
as oil rigs, bridges, and dams. The remaining 67 deaths
occurred among workers who were not full-time divers;
these include seafood harvest divers, search and rescue
divers, scientific divers, dive instructors, and non-military
federal agency divers. Note from TC, this incidents list
contains potential reference to less than 50% of OSHA
reported cases in the USA
1
1
Not Recorded
1990- 1997
USA,
Alaska
Not Recorded
Dec 1996
UKCS
Not Recorded
March
1995?
USA,
Florida
Not Recorded
1996
Indonesi
a
Not Recorded
1989-1992
Australia
Subsea
Hookah
Comex
SCUBA
S/S Air
During 1990-1997, nine persons in Alaska died in workrelated diving incidents (four were investigated by OSHA,
3 separately reported, above, TC – July 1996, October 1996
and September 1997- only one had training beyond a
recreational diving certificate, and three lacked any
certification. Three were harvesting sea cucumbers, three
were diving to clear tangled lines or nets from fishing boats,
two were conducting vessel-related activities (i.e., hull
inspection and anchor attachment), and one was a U.S.
Navy diver undergoing training. Six divers were using
scuba gear, and three were using surface-supplied air. Three
deaths were attributed to equipment failure, two to
entanglement in lines or nets, one to exhaustion of air
supply, and three to unknown causes. None of the divers
had an adequately prepared standby diver, the three divers
using surface-supplied air and one scuba diver were line
tended, one diver was accompanied, and one diver carried a
reserve air supply
―Mudslide, circumstances unknown‖ Probably double
report Gary Carey fatality in August 1996,
Florida, entrapped in soft mud, surface unable to recover
diver, no st/by, possible one man crew. Probable DP
incident, use of sports diver to perform commercial dive.
Probable duplication/alternative report of 1995 Kevin Sass
fatality
Indonesian, securing a down line to a leaking gas
pipeline, not isolated, caught in the venting gas, double
fatality. No details.
A professional diver was checking a boat mooring below
the water surface and did not resurface. The diver was
found on the sea bottom. It appears that the air intake hose
was situated very close to the exhaust of the compressor on
that dive and that exhaust fumes entered the diver‘s air
hose. NOHSC. Quoted in a Report into Work-related
deaths as a result of incidents involving workers employed
in the fishing industry in Australia were studied as part of a
larger study of all work-related traumatic deaths from 1989
to 1992. For further information regarding work-related
deaths see: National Occupational Health and Safety
Commission. Work-related traumatic fatalities in Australia,
1989 to 1992. Ausinfo: Canberra, 1998
6
2
1
Not Recorded
1989-1991
Australia
Not Recorded
1989-1990
Australia
Not Recorded
1989-1989
Australia
S/S Air
Two pearl divers died as a result of carbon monoxide
being sucked into the air compressor and down their air
hoses. A new compressor had been installed, but the
appropriate air intake pipe had not been attached because a
necessary part was being repaired. The carbon monoxide
came from the vessel‘s engine exhaust which was situated
close to the air compressor intake. NOHSC. Quoted in a
Report into Work-related deaths as a result of incidents
involving workers employed in the fishing industry in
Australia were studied as part of a larger study of all workrelated traumatic deaths from 1989 to 1992. For further
information regarding work-related deaths see: National
Occupational Health and Safety Commission. Work-related
traumatic fatalities in Australia, 1989 to 1992. Ausinfo:
Canberra, 1998
A pearl diver failed to resurface at the conclusion of a
dive and was found drowned. Circumstances surrounding
the incident were unclear. However, it appears the five
dives the diver made the previous day and general fatigue
may have contributed to the occurrence of the incident.
NOHSC. Quoted in a Report into Work-related deaths as a
result of incidents involving workers employed in the
fishing industry in Australia were studied as part of a larger
study of all work-related traumatic deaths from 1989 to
1992. For further information regarding work-related deaths
see: National Occupational Health and Safety Commission.
Work-related traumatic fatalities in Australia, 1989 to 1992.
Ausinfo: Canberra, 1998
A professional diver went missing whilst snorkeling and
diving for trochus shells on a reef. NOHSC. Quoted in a
Report into Work-related deaths as a result of incidents
involving workers employed in the fishing industry in
Australia were studied as part of a larger study of all workrelated traumatic deaths from 1989 to 1992. For further
information regarding work-related deaths see: National
Occupational Health and Safety Commission. Work-related
traumatic fatalities in Australia, 1989 to 1992. Ausinfo:
Canberra, 1998
2
1
1
Drill ship Seacrest
4 November
1989
Not Recorded
8 July 1987
Thailand
Sank by hurricane Gay, 430 miles south of Bangkok,
Platong Gas Field (Unocal) with 97 onboard, confused
reports of 91 fatalities, between 2 and 6 survivors. There
were divers onboard but conflicting and incomplete
reports:- ―91 rig workers of many nationalities were killed
in the disaster, leading to a massive legal case brought
against the oil company by over 90 bereaved relatives from
around the world. After the vessel capsized and the storm
blew through, the rescue authorities had problems located
it, leading to the only 2 survivors of the calamity spending
an unusually long amount of time in the water prior to
recovery. The sinking represented the third worst oil rig
disaster anywhere, though there are very few public
reports‖ Another source states ―The survivors were 2
Indonesian divers and 4 Thai Roustabouts.‖ Another states
― There were 5 Seacrest survivors. One was a Singaporean
diver.‖ (Source:- Thai wreck diver.com). Pending any
official reports appearing in the public domain, about all we
can conclude is that there was most likely a diving team
onboard and most probably diver fatalities amongst the 91
killed.
Law suit against General Dynamics reported in the Los
Angeles Times ―Thirteen professional divers filed a lawsuit
Tuesday against the San Diego Unified Port ―Two of the
plaintiffs-one of whom died of his affliction April‖
Headlined as ―Divers' Suit Claims PCBs in bay made them
ill‖, PCBs can be found, however, in old transformers,
capacitors and other equipment still in use at Teledyne
Ryan's plant on Harbor Drive near Lindbergh Field. A
General Dynamics spokesman said PCBs are no longer
used at the company's bayside facility. Officials with
General Dynamics and the Port District declined to
comment on the divers' charges because they had not yet
seen a copy of the lawsuit. But Conward Williams, general
counsel for Teledyne Ryan, said his company "is not aware
of any scientific evidence that establishes that the very low
levels of PCBs detected in Convair Lagoon would cause
any form of human cancer."
Lower levels of PCBs were found in a storm drain sump
used by General Dynamics. The board staff is now
conducting inspections at General Dynamics and a halfdozen other companies near Convair Lagoon in order to
further pinpoint the source of the chemicals, said the
supervising engineer for the agency. (No other details and
the fatality is not included in the fatality count as we do not
know the outcome of the case TC)
DSV Huichol, ex Kattenturm
14
December
1985
Mexico
Drill ship Glomar Java Sea
25 October
1983
China
Not Recorded
1976-1981
Australia
Condux
(Pemex)
Sat
Sinking
SubSea
Internati
onal
500'? (that's
deep for
Australia)
Bell
bounce (or
Sat)?
Sank of Cuidad del Carmem inside Pemex exploration
block. 32 or 33 fatalities out of crew of 69. Rumoured to
have sunk with 6 Oceaneering divers in sat, no details,
urban myth or forgotten tragedy? Some bodies recovered
during salvage operation in February 1986, vessel was
partially lifted and then re-sunk in shallow water outside the
Pemex exploration block. Built in 1966 as one of eleven
'2500' class supply vessels, the vessel was fitted with a ASK
(Honeywell) DP system (with a single bow thruster) and
saturation diving system designed by Hans Keller with a
unique 'egg shaped' diving bell in 1976. (This entry needs
updating, TC)
Sank in the South China Sea during tropical storm Lex,
loss of all 81 hands. Rumour of diver system and divers
being onboard. Unsubstantiated rumours at the time of
survivors in Vietnamese prisons. No details
Possibly a bounce dive, bell port started leaking on the
bottom, (investigation revealed that the wrong size 'O' ring
had been used), they started flushing out with gas, may
have run out of gas, so brought the bell up from 500 fsw
with the door open On surface, the divers fell out and
were re-compressed in sat system. One diver who was
conscious and asked for valium for the other diver, but it
was denied. The second diver died of heart attack, the other
survived. The surviving diver was possibly named Dolan
or Doolan, but we have no real details. Date? Vessel?
Persons involved? Personal communication. OK guys,
who has any additional detail on this 'lost' incident? (Or
any others) TC
6
1
Not Recorded
Burrows??? Needs to be confirmed
Sedco 1
Craig
Gordon
Post 1979
Antarctic
SCUBA
1979?
Australia
McDerm
ott
198'
Sat
Late 1970s
Spain
Ocean
Systems
Internati
onal
300'
Saturation
late 70s or
early 1980s
UAE
Comex
S/S Air
McMurdo research base, American scientist, embolism
after using his dry suit as a lift bag to move a piece of steel
undewrater. He dropped the steel and went straight to the
surface. No details. Bonnier Corporation 'SCUBA' News
article
Australian in his early 40s. Four man sat system on the
DB 21 (ex Ingram 7) in the Bass Straight. Bell at around
170', during a dive to the seabed at 198', the diver stopped
responding to the supervisor. Bellman attempted to pull
him back but by his umbilical but he was caught up on
seabed. Bellman put on gear and went to the dive site,
found the diver unresponsive, not breathing. Recovered
diver to trunking but could not pull him into the bell. The
bell was recovered to 150' and the surface (air) diver
deployed to help. The bellman and surface standby diver
managed to pull the diver into the bell and close the bottom
door. Bell recovered and locked on (including the surface
air diver). Diver did not respond to treatment. Cause of
death, heart attack whilst in the water. Personal
Communication. Confirmation of name and details needed
(TC).
9 miles off Tarragona, Ocean Systems twin DDC and
ADS IV Bell system as a surface supplied mix gas bell
bounce (saturation abort) 2 man dive system, the bell was
locked onto the DDC and the tube turn [trunk] clamps
closed via a control panel on the Trunk and then a set [two]
of locking bolts set in slots on top of the two halves of the
clamps, there was a concise lock off/on procedure. Team
management was less than satisfactory. Lack of team coordination and the attitude of ―I thought that was done‖ was
in essence the main cause of the accident by explosive
decompression, dual fatality. Bell seal was broken from
TUP, system came to surface in seconds. Note, another,
conflicting, report indicates there were 4 divers in the
system and it was being used as a saturation spread rather
than gas bounce drill support with three dead on arrival at
surface and one died later, (He may have partially managed
to close a door. All this has come from personal e-mail
communications, we need details, confirmation, names and
dates, TC.
Installing a welding habitat onto a pipeline in the Zakum
Field. Habitat 'hung up' and the diver , wearing a bandmask, was looking for the cause when it dropped, head
crushed, died instantly.
1
1
2
1
Not Recorded
'1975 or
ealier
Not Recorded
6 February
1975
Not Recorded
Pre 1972
Smith
Roy
Inmam
Egypt
14m
Underw
ater
Services
'1965 or
earlier
Cleary
G
Asbury
Steve
?
Burgill
Chris
?
ME
Cartright
Denis
?
Trinidad
Harrison
?
USA
HMS Vernon
?
UK
?
Saudi
Arabia
Marti
Not Recorded
André
SCUBA?
?
Australia
1
Serious and permanent injuries on board a B & R barge
―H S Lindsay‖, court case 1965
post 1960
Taylor
Diving?
Taylor
Diving?
RN
Suez canal was cleared for vessels by mid-1975. One
report states ―Only one man, an Egyptian diver, has been
killed in the canal clearing. However 100 Egyptian soldiers
have died stripping both banks of the canal of nearly
700,000 mines last year‖. The Rock Hill Herald.
Dutch diver, preparing to weld, just vanished. Not
confirmed, just rumour.
At the start of the AODC (1972) they reviewed about 10
diver fatalities attributed to fire on rigs during
decompression
Chamber
fatalities
―The findings in this report illustrate a pattern of fatal
incidents associated with inadequately trained divers; only
one diver with commercial dive training has died in Alaska
since the 1960s (G. Cleary, Alaska Divers and Pile Drivers
Union, personal communication, 1998).‖ Quoted in a
NIOSH into occupational diver fatalities in Alaska
Tender, drowned off the BAR 282 after a night dive
stinger check'. OD
Died in the Persian Gulf when his umbilical snagged on
the ladder as he jumped off the barge' OD
Cartright or Carnright? Came out of saturation with
"symptoms of pneumonia", died in a hospital in Trinidad.
Failed compensation claim by relatives
2 overseas (possibly Iranian?) Navy divers under training
killed instantly when the castellated door on a one man
chamber failed (blown through the mining shed wall by the
force of escaping air). Rumours that incorrect
depth/pressure gauges had been fitted and that the door had
failed previously under test but no remedial action had been
taken After the incident, the chamber door was modified
with a simple 'padlock' to prevent the door opening. The
same chamber was mobilised to HMS Bossington and used
during Suez canal clearing operations in 1974. PC
Berri field, Saudi Arabia, H2S poisoning
Port of Kwinana (Near Perth, Western Australia). Tanker
'British Dragoon', alongside. Diver went down to put
wooden blank over inlet of a leaking sea valve whilst
engineers in the engine room removed the valve. The wood
blank gave way and the Dragoon sank. Diver killed when
sucked through hole in hull. Vessel crew put up in a
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
Rockingham motel for six weeks whilst engine room
drained and cleaned. Year not clear but the vessel was
scrapped in 1962, so before then.
Not Recorded
?
Not Recorded
?
Not Recorded
?
Not Recorded
Standard
gear
UK
Taylor
Diving
SCUBA
USA
Fireman
SCUBA
?
USA,
Georgia
Fireman
Not Recorded
?
USA
Fireman
Not Recorded
?
USA,
South
Carolina
Fireman
30'
SCUBA
SCUBA
When working in the river Severn by Gloucester Quay, a
diver was killed when an explosive charge was detonated
prematurely.
American, Diver and tender performing a pontoon survey
of the Brown and Root lay barge M 289, as they were
leaving the water tender disappeared, seen floating on the
surface and recovered to deck, unconscious, drowned.
American, aged 28, fire department recovery team,
retrieving rigging and netting from a sunken shrimp boat,
surfaced to change cylinders, lost grip on boat and sank
underwater, entangled, drowned before he could be rescued
American, aged 35-year-old, firefighter from the state of
Georgia who had been conducting a diver-training program
for his department lost his life after becoming trapped in the
face of a dam. Both of his legs had become entrapped in an
intake pipe, and after 45 minutes of unsuccessful effort, he
was eventually pulled free with the use of a crane. The
autopsy report indicated that this man had died of
"hyperventilation syndrome." The victim had apparently
completed his training duties and was searching for some
lost tools when he found a plate missing from the dam face.
While attempting to replace this plate, his leg was sucked
into the intake opening
A 41-year-old fire captain carrying out a body search
with a newly formed scuba team was retrieved from 30 feet
after it was noted on the surface that his regulator was freeflowing. Autopsy showed drowning, but damage occurred
before or during the accident, but the description of the
event is consistent with ear rupture during the descent. This
dive was apparently a first open-water dive. The department
team had only just completed its pool training, and was
scheduled for open-water check-outs
A 28-year-old member of a fire department recovery
team died in the waters off a beach in South Carolina while
attempting to retrieve rigging and netting from a sunken
shrimp boat. The victim was in the process of exchanging
air tanks, lost his grip on the boat, and went under with his
face mask on his forehead. Teammates leaped into the
water and found him tangled in an underwater line. Before
1
1
1
1
1
1
he could be returned to the boat, he had expired. The cause
of death was listed as drowning.
Not Recorded
?
USA,
Florida
Fireman
Not Recorded
?
USA
Police
Not Recorded
?
USA,
Tennesse
e
Snorkel
100'
SCUBA
120'
S/S Air
American, aged 30, trained rescue diver, attempting to
rescue child from submerged vehicle in Florida but had no
rescue gear, only mask, snorkel and fins, drowned
56-year-old sheriff‘s department search and recovery
team diver. The victim was the training instructor for the
department, and was said to have had extensive Navy
diving background, as well as Master Diver and Instructor
certifications.The victim was making his second dive of the
day to a depth of approximately 100 feet in an effort to
recover the victim of a boating accident. Visibility on the
bottom was reported to have been almost zero. The diver‘s
buddy stated that the victim apparently experienced
difficulty with his air supply, that it had probably run low,
and he had attempted a free-swimming ascent. The buddy
lost sight of the victim in the dark water, surfaced, and
found that the victim had not returned to the surface. A
standby diver followed the victim‘s safety line, but was
unable to bring the victim to the surface. Efforts by surface
personnel to pull the victim to the surface using his safety
line met with strong resistance. Even though four or more
persons were tugging on the line, they failed to bring the
victim up. The victim was eventually brought o the surface
after fifteen or more minutes of effort. Despite heroic
resuscitation efforts, the victim did not survive.
This 32-year-old diver was searching for the victim of a
previous drowning accident in a 120-foot-deep lake in
Tennessee. He was using a surface-supplied air system that
he had designed and built himself. The surface tender noted
a sudden drop in air pressure in the system, and
immediately thereafter could not get a response to line
signals on the diver‘s hose line. Autopsy data strongly
indicates an embolism event
1
1
1
Not Recorded
?
USA
Not Recorded
?
USA,
Californi
a
Not Recorded
?
USA,
Californi
a
Parker
Divers
SCUBA
Not Recorded
?
USA,
Californi
a
Parker
Divers
SCUBA
Peck
John W
Shambhu
Witherow
?
?
David
?
Mexico
SCUBA
80'
SCUBA
This fatality was a 30-year-old woman. It occurred
during the testing of an underwater communications
system, and the test was to have been accomplished in 60
feet of water. Upon completion of the equipment test, the
victim proceeded to dive deeper and deeper. At a depth of
between 125 and 135 feet, the victim‘s buddy attempted to
get her to the surface. The victim ceased swimming at about
15 from the bottom. Her buddy attempted to bring her to the
surface, but was unable to do so. He then dropped his own
weight belt, and made it back to the surface alone. Other
members of the dive team immediately responded to the
emergency, found the victim around 130 feet deep, and
returned her to the surface. Total elapsed time from the
beginning of the event when the buddy was forced to leave
the victim until the time the body was recovered was
approximately nine minutes. Despite extensive CPR efforts,
the victim was pronounced dead on arrival at a local
hospital
American, Vallejo, California. Sewage outfall pipe
(1,800 feet long), diver entered via a manhole on SCUBA
and a lifeline. Lost lifeline. Body recovered the day after.
Following lawsuit awarded significant damages to the
diver's widow. No details. Mentioned in a blog on OD.
San Francisco Bay Area, Salvage/hull scrubbing
contractor. Diver killed by a ship's propeller (body never
recovered, only fragments of wetsuit and tissue). No details.
Mentioned in a blog on OD.
San Francisco Bay Area, Salvage/hull scrubbing
contractor. Diver drowned inside the hull of a sunken ferry
(lost his way, drowned). No details. Mentioned in a blog
on OD.
American, commercial diver, died in an accident, no
details
Article on rescue divers working the Varanasi Ghats in
the Express of India in 2008. ―In another incident, a diver,
Shambhu, died while trying to extract a defective waterpump from a well in the Central Hindu School at Varanasi".
No details.
American, head injuries during spoolpiece lifting
operation
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Not Recorded
?
Taylor
SCUBA
American, a diver and his tender had performed a scuba
pontoon inspection on the B&R barge M 289 and were at
the stern of the vessel exiting the water. Diver and tender
were at the bottom of the ladder where Diver removed his
swim fins, climbed the ladder and removed his gear.
Looking back over the stern for his tender, Diver lost site of
him and no more bubbles were present. Diver immediately
contacted the tower and ordered all hands to the port hand
rails for a man overboard (the current was running towards
the port bow). Diver dove back off the stern but could not
locate the tender. A deck hand spotted a body off the port
and relayed the information via the PA. Diver exited the
lay barge and jumped onto the pipe supply barge from
which he entered the water swimming toward the lifeless
body. The bow crane whip line was lowered to the water to
assist in bringing the man back on board. Diver had
attempted in water CPR while swimming him back to the
barge. CPR was performed on deck without success.
Cause of death was drowning. OD
1
9
5
0
Summary
Total recorded working diver fatalities since 1853
950
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
4
3
2
5
4
6
7
18
16
11
10
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
1967 1999
2000 - to
date
5
14
3
1
20
14
7
21
13
10
2
15
9
14
15
12
8
10
19
23
15
12
34
17
22
18
25
30
20
35
42
41
42
12
348
338