One lost off of Devon coast - England

[DandyDon]

Search for missing diver 'in difficulty'

A search is under way for a missing diver off the Devon coast.

HM Coastguard said it received an emergency call from a diving group that one of its members was "in difficulty" in the water off Plymouth Hoe at about 19:30 BST.

The area is being searched by Plymouth and Tamar coastguard rescue teams, Plymouth RNLI Lifeboat and Newquay Coastguard's helicopter.

Police officers and a dive team are also at the scene, a spokesman said.

Rebecca Hocking, a local resident witnessing the search, told the BBC: "The helicopter is circling.....and the small RIB boat is stationary in the water.

"Divers are still out on the water searching."

 

[DandyDon]

Body found in search for missing Devon diver

 

[DandyDon]

And on this rare occasion, we are given the cause of the accident. It seems it was a medical event plus a gear failure, and the official view includes "If both of these factors had occurred without the other, the result may not have been fatal, the inquest heard."

Dad died after getting into difficulty diving off Plymouth Hoe

A much-loved father drowned after getting into difficulty diving off Plymouth Hoe, an inquest heard.

Plymouth Coroners' Court heard today that a major rescue operation was launched on July 1, 2019, after Richard Fletcher was reported missing from a dive party in Plymouth Sound.

The inquest heard the 57-year-old had suffered a medical episode, described as a cardiac "arrhythmia", as well as a "fault" with a valve in his equipment, causing air to "leak" from the buoyancy control device, which "could have been remedied" by screwing it tighter.

If both of these factors had occurred without the other, the result may not have been fatal, the inquest heard.

Mr Fletcher, who lived in Holsworthy, was reported missing at around 7.30pm on July 1.

He was found around 16-hours later by Devon and Cornwall Police divers at 10am the following day, near to where he set off from the harbour close to the Waterfront pub.

The inquest heard from Dr Paul Malcolm, pathologist at Derriford Hospital, said Mr Fletcher "is most likely to have died by drowning but this was precipitated by an acute cardiac event".

Dr Malcolm recorded Mr Fletcher's cause of death as a drowning, with ischemic heart disease and "compromised buoyancy control" also attributable.