Russian fatality - Gzira, Malta

[DandyDon]

Does it seem that Malta has frequent incidents? This brief story offers little, but it sounds like he was solo diving...

Man dies after diving off Gzira

He was given first aid on shore but died in hospital

timesofmalta.com

A 44-year-old Russian man died after finding himself in difficulties while diving off Gzira, the police said.

The incident happened at 5.30pm near Manoel Island.


The man was pulled to the shore by people who happened to be in the area. He was given first aid but died shortly after being admitted to hospital.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit is holding an inquiry. The police are investigating.

 

[BoltSnap]

I hope it wasn't a shark attack.

 

[DandyDon]

I hope it wasn't a shark attack.

I am certain that would have been mentioned.

 

[David A-G]

We average 3/year - which is not a major number considering a local diving community of a few hundred which dive year-round + about 150,000 diving tourists per year. Many of the fatalities concern cardiac arrests but in public, causes are not published due to secrecy rules surrounding police investigations and court inquiries, but had it been through diving school negligence, you'd hear of charges pressed or civil cases.

Whilst the former have come in front of court a few times, in no instance that i know of someone was found guilty of manslaughter or negligence following appeal. Of the latter, never heard of civil cases trying to obtain compensation.

You can see a list of reported accidents here:
Diving related accidents % - divinginfo.mt