Diving Fatalities, Filey, UK

[Apecks]

Two divers died following an accident off the coast.

Two men die in sea diving accident North Yorkshire Police said they were alerted by the coastguard to a "serious diving incident" eight miles off the coast of Filey at 2pm on Monday.

Four men had been diving from a boat when two of them got into difficulties.

The pair, who are believed to be from Scarborough, were flown to Hull Royal Infirmary where they were pronounced dead.

Preliminary investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths have begun.

"North Yorkshire Police were called by the Coastguard at around 2pm today following a serious diving incident eight miles off the coast of Filey," a force spokesman said.

"Two of the four men with the boat got in difficulty during the dive. Both men were picked up out of the sea by an RAF air and sea rescue helicopter and flown to Hull Royal Infirmary.

"They were pronounced dead at the hospital."

 

[Apecks]

Police are expected to release the names later today of two divers killed in one of the most popular wreck-hunting areas off the British coast.

The pair, one of whom is understood to have been married with two children, died yesterday during a four-man expedition off Filey on the North Yorkshire coast.

Their bodies were recovered from the sea close to a small motor boat, the On a Promise, which had taken the team eight miles out from Filey. The area is rich in wrecks, but has varying depths and strong currents.

The victims are believed to be experienced members of Filey sub-aqua club, which has plotted many of the freighters, fishing smacks and a German submarine, which have foundered off the rocky shore over the years. Police were called by the coastguard shortly after 2pmyesterday and an RAF helicopter was called to the scene. The two men, both from the Scarborough area, were flown to Hull Royal Infirmary where they were pronounced dead.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire police said the rescue attempt was triggered when coastguards reported a "serious diving incident". He said: "Police are carrying out preliminary investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths." The two other divers in the team were not injured.

 

[Apecks]

TWO men who died while taking part in a diving expedition off the coast of Filey have been named by police.

Stephen John Bailey, 49, from Filey, and Malcolm Exley, 52, from Scarborough, died on Monday afternoon after going eight miles out from the coast with two other divers.

Inquests into the men’s deaths are expected to be opened and adjourned early next week.

Police investigations into the matter are ongoing but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances at this time.

 

[Kellykins]

Have they found out what difficulties they were in??

 

[Apecks]

Not yet, inquest is next week. Early reports mentioned a fast ascent

 

[Rhone Man]

Lots of questions, no answers at this stage. We'll have to save the Monday morning quarterbacking for another day. Doesn't look like we can all blame the DM this time, so everyone will have to think of something new.

 

[Apecks]

TWO men who died in a diving tragedy off the Filey coast have been named as Stephen John Bailey, 49, from Filey, and Malcolm Exley, 52, from Scarborough.
The two men died on Monday afternoon as they dived from a boat eight miles out to sea. They were airlifted to a hospital in Cottingham which has a special decompression chamber after they experienced difficulties when surfacing from the water

They were believed to have made a rapid ascent from the water and experienced symptoms of the bends.

Captain Graham Stewart said: "There were four men who were off the coast of Filey. When we got to the boat the two other men had recovered the divers from the water.

"The rescue took about 10 minutes and it took us 15 minutes to get them to hospital. They were unresponsive throughout the journey."

They were flown to a specialised unit within the Hull and East Riding Hospital near Cottingham before being transferred to Hull Royal Infirmary where they were pronounced dead."

Mr Stewart added: "We took them to the hospital in Cottingham as it is the nearest one to Scarborough which has a decompression chamber.

"Whenever we rescue divers from the sea, especially when they have come up to the surface too quickly, we have to take them to a hospital with a decompression chamber."

The men were both members of the Filey Sub Aqua Club and were keen and experienced divers. They were part of a group of four divers who were using the boat On A Promise.

They were diving six miles off the east coast of Filey and five miles north of Flamborough Head – an area popular for wreck hunting but notable for varying depths and strong currents.

An inquest into the deaths of Mr Bailey and Mr Exley is expected to be opened and adjourned early next week.

North Yorkshire Police is continuing to investigate the tragedy, but a spokesman for the force said: "There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances".

 

[Apecks]

THE two victims of the diving tragedy off the Filey coast have been named, as more details emerged about their ordeal from an air sea rescue pilot.

Stephen Bailey, 49, from Filey, and Malcolm Exley, 52, from Scarborough, died on Monday after being airlifted from a dive boat by Sea King helicopter.

Pilot Captain Graham Stewart said: "There were four men who were off the coast of Filey. When we got to the boat the two other men had recovered the divers from the water.

"The rescue took about 10 minutes and it took us 15 minutes to get them to hospital. They were unresponsive throughout the journey."

The pair were flown to a special unit within the Hull and East Riding Hospital near Cottingham before being transferred to Hull Royal Infirmary where they were pronounced dead.

Captain Stewart added: "We took them to the hospital in Cottingham as it is the nearest one to Scarborough which has a decompression chamber."

Both were experienced divers and members of the Filey Sub Aqua Club in a group of four using the boat On A Promise.

They were exploring a popular wreck-hunting spot six miles off the east coast of Filey and five miles north of Flamborough Head which is notorious for strong currents.

An inquest is expected to be opened and adjourned next week. Police say there are no suspicious circumstances.

Mr Bailey had an engineering background and was a committee member of Filey Brigg Divers Committee. Its website said: "It is a cliche but Steve took to diving like the proverbial duck to water. When he snorkels he makes us late to the pub because he stays in the water, almost seems determined not to come out.

"In his first year he pushed his boundaries, dived deep or shallow, never minded as long as he dived."