Hull inspector missing - São Paulo, Brazil

[DandyDon]

Mergulhador desaparece durante vistoria em casco de navio no Porto de Santos, SP
Google translation...

A professional diver disappeared while inspecting the hull of a ship docked at the Port of Santos, off the coast of São Paulo. Teams from the Brazilian Navy and the Maritime Fire Brigade Group (GBMar) carry out searches on Monday (20).

The disappearance occurred late on Sunday afternoon (19), when the diver was surveying the hull of the Liberian Medi Ginevra ship. The vessel is docked at the side of Armazém 39, where the embarkation operation of 70 thousand tons of grains takes place.

Teams look for missing diver in Port of Santos, SP - Photo: G1 Santos

Witnesses reported that the professional did not emerge after 30 minutes had commenced the operation, as expected. Diver colleagues started the searches and, as there was no success, they activated via radio the Captaincy of the Ports of São Paulo and the Fire Department.

The Southern and Southeastern Naval Patrol Group, which has its headquarters in the Santos quay, triggered the SAR protocol (Search and Rescue in English), with the harbor of the Captaincy of the Ports. Four Navy divers were taken to the scene of the incident.

Diver disappeared while doing inspection on Liberian ship in Port of Santos, SP - Photo: G1 Santos

Firefighters also moved a GBMar team to assist in the search, which was halted on Sunday night and resumed at dawn on Monday. The authorities did not inform the identity of the missing diver at sea.

For security reasons, the grain loading operation on the freighter was interrupted until the teams located the professional. The maritime authority should, as a matter of practice, initiate an inquiry into the incident to determine possible causes and responsibilities.