Were they? I wasn't around back then (I was six when he did the last notable thing I see on wikipedia) but I haven't heard of other divers from that time doing things like that. Was it a really common practice or are people justifying the bad behavior of someone that many people idolize as a hero.
His brother was sentenced to death for collaboration with the Nazi's.
His brother was finally sentenced to life imprisonment.
He was openly an anti-semitic.
He destroyed reefs to get his photos and videos etc.
On the other hand, he put SCUBA diving in front of many who became
ambassadors of the oceans.