JANUARY 2011: My Surface Interval named one of the best scuba diving blogs

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Scuba diver dies at Stoney Cove

Just come across a piece of sad news.

While we were enjoying Dosthill over the weekend, staff at our next favourite inland site were dealing with a tragedy.

The Sunderland Echo reported that a rescue operation was launched at Stoney Cove after diver James Henry Askew got into difficulties and failed to resurface after a dive on Saturday.

The body of the 35-year-old, from Stockton, was found in about 35 metres of water. Stoney Cove boss Alan King was reported in the Echo as saying it was believed he had had a problem with his regulator and had possibly become separated from his buddy, although the events that led up to the tragedy will be accurately determined by the HSE and police investigation.

A stark reminder for us all, particularly in the winter months when the cold puts extra stress on our bodies and equipment, to ensure we check and double-check our gear before getting in the water.

We should also remember our training and always ensure proper buddy contact particularly in the cold when there is a risk of regulator free-flows (although, I must stress that we don't know whether that was an issue here).

Thoughts go out to Mr Askew's family and diving pals at what is an incredibly difficult time for them all.

Meanwhile, a police diver suffering with the bends had to be flown to the Wirral for hospital treatment after becoming ill while on a training exercise near Chepstow.

No comments: