Updated: Diver found dead
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
The lifeless body of a diver has been taken ashore at Cirkewwa by members of the Civil Protection Department.
The body is believed to be of a 53-year-old Scottish male who was diving. The police are hoping that a diving computer found on the diver's body would help them establish what could have led to his death.
CPD director Patrick Murgo said the CPD were informed that the body of a diver was floating at sea by the Armed Forces of Malta just before 2.30 p.m. and it sent three divers from its Diver Section to investigate.
The CPD divers found the body, which they took ashore and handed over to the police.
Sources said that the body was first noted by fishermen who alerted the police.
Advert
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
Advert
26 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
M Fiorini
Nov 21st 2010, 02:44
Diving does come with risk, we are well aware of this and take it on-board before we dive and during the dive.
But to be honest i wouldnt have it any otherway, @Tony not sure you really thought that one through we should ban ignorant greedy people from the sea :)
Jo Bartolo
Nov 20th 2010, 20:14
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1331537/British-oil-consultant-dies-diving-accident-Malta.html
EDWARD AGIUS
Nov 20th 2010, 20:03
I agree with Mr. Kevin Aquilina!! And to add to that I speak from my diving experience....... I had on occasions buddied up with a diver who had years of experience, or so it seemed!!! After all these years he was still an Advanced Open Water diver (P.A.D.I.) For those who are not familiar with the certifications, an AOWD is considered still as Student Diver. One really gets his Diver certification on competion of the Rescue Diver Course.
While diving with this buddy, I suffered a minor injury to my hand while lowering the boat into the water. Because of his inappropriate training,my buddy just stood there and watched me as I performed the first aid onto myself!! He could not do anything to help me....... on land..... let alone underwater!!! SO HOW REALLY GOOD IS YOUR BUDDY?? Many divers in Malta get their AOWD and buddy up with another diver of the same level and go diving, thinking that because they are buddied up and according to P.A.D.I. good practice, all is well and safe!!! Well THINK AGAIN!!!! I ALWAYS STRESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESCUE DIVER COURSE!!
EDWARD AGIUS
Nov 20th 2010, 19:45
Maybe, according to Mr. Tony Caruana, we should also close the beaches, ban swimming, all water sports and fishing, just in case a fisherman falls into the sea and happens to be like most fishermen, a bad swimmer!!! I am a SCUBA diver, I dive solo too, as there are times when I need to do that......... Sometimes because a dive buddy is NOT AVAILABLE!!!! I cannot wait for the time my buddy is available....... if I do I end up doing very little diving. Sometimes, do get the best video footage or photography, one needs to dive solo!!! This is not something to be proud or ashamed of!! It just has to be done!! The important thing one must remember is not to try it if there is not enough experience!! AND all has to be in order as regards to equipment by regularly servicing and checking the most vital parts, the BCD and Regulators or Demand Valves!! So if there is anyone out there who does not know anything about the subject, PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT!!! Keep your stupid opinions to yourself Mr Caruana!!
Sean Azzopardi
Nov 19th 2010, 22:29
As a diver myself i dont agree that anyone should go on such dives alone... if he wasnt on holiday with a buddy , there are loads of diving centres that offer accompanied dives by people qualified and that know these areas blindfolded... a buddy system is not 100% guaranteed to be safe but it is a lot more safer and reliable than diving alone .... most incidents in the past five years have been from foreign divers going solo ... there should be a lesson learnt from all this to all that carry our such practices ...
Sean Azzopardi
Nov 19th 2010, 22:28
I had actually just arrived there for a dive myself today , when i got out of the car i was told that a diver was missing and had been in the sea for an hour and a half. He had dived alone. ... i asked his cousin who had been waiting for him on land where he had been diving and he told me it was on the P 29 wreck... Since we had planned to dive on that wreck , and were the only divers with air in our cylinders , we went to take a look. I can honestly say that it was a nice feeling knowing that there was a possibility we would find him there dead . When we got to the wreck there was no sign of the diver.. Little did we know that in the meantime his corpse had been found . By the time we had surfaced they had already left from the site... My condolences go out to this mans family and especially his cousin who was waiting for him at the time and is probably going have to break the news to the rest of his family
J. McBee
Nov 21st 2010, 08:15
@ Sean Azzopardi
I've re-read your comment a few times and keep hoping that in this sentence,
"I can honestly say that it was a nice feeling knowing that there was a possibility we would find him there dead"
you forgot to include the word "not". That would make it it "it was NOT a nice feeling". I don't understand how anyone would enjoy thinking that in this situation they might find someone dead rather than alive.
Vera Sant Fournier
Nov 21st 2010, 20:33
@ J. McBee
I am quite certain that this was a geniune mistake . . . .
K.Aquilina
Nov 19th 2010, 21:17
One would be wiser to comment after all investigations are carried out.
@Mr Caruana..
The proper solo diver is not a buddyless diver. Solo diving is about being self-sufficient replacing the sometimes false impression that a buddy will always save your day.
For those who base thier safety just on the fact that thier buddy is in the same ocean with them I would suggest a simple test. When you notice your buddy swimming ahead of you more than 5m away stop breathing and start signaling your distress then see how many seconds or minutes it takes your buddy to come with his air. If you cant hold longer and breath-in while he's looking away before noticing you in real situations you would have likely died.
david galea
Nov 20th 2010, 15:12
Dear Mr. Aquilina...
your comment shows that you probably need to get yourself a new diver buddy (and i seriosuly hope you are a diver), who has been properly trained. Most likely, you yourself could do with being trained by a pro dive school (and not a cowboy as many maltese like to do to save 20 or 30 euros), as you will always learn that you should never be more than 5 m away.
That said, if your buddy is even as far as 15m away, it's still much safer and closer to swim to him on the last breath of air you have, rather than go for the surface... If you don't have the stamina to swim up to 15m underwater in a straight line, calmly... to your buddy, then you should probably dive with a biddy who is aware of your limitations, and knows not to stray more than 5 m away...
Either way, diving is very very safe... pleasestop trying to put a bad image out there about it.
Andrew Mumford
Nov 20th 2010, 18:40
Dear Mr Aquilina,
I regret that you are on a loser advancing your argument in favour of solo diving, despite the fact that you are absolutely right. To be fair, I would only ever advocate solo diving for someone who is (a) very experienced, and (b) knows the area which they are diving. This Diver was supposedly experienced (although there is no mention of a separate bail-out source, but newspaper reports are notoriously inaccurate - witness 'oxygen tank'), but as a visitor he may not have been familiar with the area. However, to be fair, the P29 is a low to medium difficulty dive at only about 35m. Photographers usually prefer to dive solo, often using a rebreather, so as not to scare fish, and are usually quite used to doing so. One point you did not mention is that buddying with an inexperienced diver can sometimes cause you to be dragged into an incident pit which would not otherwise exist.
Mark anthony Bugeja
Nov 19th 2010, 20:51
@Tony before leaving a comment you should think first. Scuba diving is one of the safest sports in the world. Most
untimely deaths result from unaccompanied divers who don't know the area.
Mark Anthony Bugeja
Nov 19th 2010, 20:30
@Patrick I think, that this incident should send a message to all the divers who go on their own. Its bad practice as you have to rely on your own means, with no buddies to help you. Condolences to the family of the diver!
Tony Caruana
Nov 19th 2010, 20:19
Diving should be banned
clinton magro
Nov 19th 2010, 20:33
ahjar nibdew mis sewqan mela xi tghid ??? ghax dak ihalli l iktar imwiet nahseb ....
Ribert Mifsud
Nov 19th 2010, 20:39
What a stupid comment ! We should ban travelling by car,by plane,train,and so many other means.Its best according to Mr Tony Caruana to stay at home and do nothing !
Michael Spiteri
Nov 19th 2010, 20:51
Ban kitchen knives also while you're at it!
R Z
Nov 19th 2010, 21:01
Diving brings millions to the islands economy, and it's not harming anyone. Incidents happen like in everything in life. If you respect the rules its safe enough, just like driving.
Sean Azzopardi
Nov 19th 2010, 21:53
Mr Tony Caruana ... you obviously have no clue to say something like that ... i think your comment should have been banned
Walter Pawley
Nov 19th 2010, 22:31
Nispiccaw sew jekk kulhadd jibda jirraguna bhalek siehbi, cimiterju - kulhadd id dar malli jidlam.
Ghax ittir kamra tan nar kulhadd jghid li n nar ghandu jispicca, jekk xi kaccatur iwegga accidentalment kulhadd jaqbez u jghid daqsekk kacca. Forsi ma kienx f shatu bix joghdos dan u webbes rasu. Ghandu jehel kulhadd? Hallina!
Lianne mifsud
Nov 20th 2010, 09:35
allura nistaw noqodu id dar u ma nghamlu xejn gh ax kollox fih il periklu..f'kollox trid tiehu riskju ...naqbel 100% ma Walter Pawley u ma l-ohrajn :)..jekk nghamlu kif qed tghid int nispiccaw b'xejn!
david galea
Nov 20th 2010, 15:03
Diving should be banned??? I'm sorry but a comment of this level of ignorance shouldn't even be allowed by the times on this forum. walking in the countryside hsould also be banned then in case someone falls off a cliff...
While i wish my sincerest condolences to the family, The man should not have been diving alone.. period...
R. Azzopardi
Nov 20th 2010, 19:21
Contrary to popular belief, diving is VERY safe, provided that it is practiced safely. I have only been diving for three years, during which time, all diving fatalities have involved foreigners. This worries me greatly. Are these people properly trained? What's the fixation with foreigners to dive using puny 12 litre cylinders? Do they leave their brains at home when they're on holiday?
James Formosa
Nov 19th 2010, 19:07
Was he diving on his own?
Patrick Schembri
Nov 19th 2010, 19:29
most probably otherwise his buddy would have noticed that he was missing.
R Z
Nov 19th 2010, 19:49
condolences to his family. One should never be diving alone - no matter the level of experience - diving rule number 2. unfortunate