This happened in Brazil a few days ago.
A passenger on a liveaboard boat called Luz do Dia near the port city of Angra dos Reis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil died when a cylinder on board the boat exploded while it was being charged. The compressor and cylinder were below deck, and the cylinder was apparently one that was used to bank air for quick fills of scuba tanks. The explosion, which took place at 4:40 a.m. destroyed part of the boat, bringing beams and other structures down onto the diver who was sleeping in the vicinity. He reportedly died of injuries sustained when he was struck in the neck by a piece of wood. The tank itself came apart, leaving the bottom section embedded in the planking of the deck while the top half shot off the boat and into the ocean. The explosion was apparently very violent and resulted in a number of scuba tanks being pushed off the boat as well as the loss of whole gear bags, destruction of equipment, shredding of wetsuits, and so on. The other 15 people aboard the boat were uninjured. There is speculation on some Portuguese language dive boards that the cylinder in question was corroded and perhaps had not been inspected recently. To Mr. Augusto Georgini, 50, rest in peace; and to the family, friends and dive companions of the victim, my most sincere condolences.
Here is a Portuguese language media report of the incident.
A passenger on a liveaboard boat called Luz do Dia near the port city of Angra dos Reis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil died when a cylinder on board the boat exploded while it was being charged. The compressor and cylinder were below deck, and the cylinder was apparently one that was used to bank air for quick fills of scuba tanks. The explosion, which took place at 4:40 a.m. destroyed part of the boat, bringing beams and other structures down onto the diver who was sleeping in the vicinity. He reportedly died of injuries sustained when he was struck in the neck by a piece of wood. The tank itself came apart, leaving the bottom section embedded in the planking of the deck while the top half shot off the boat and into the ocean. The explosion was apparently very violent and resulted in a number of scuba tanks being pushed off the boat as well as the loss of whole gear bags, destruction of equipment, shredding of wetsuits, and so on. The other 15 people aboard the boat were uninjured. There is speculation on some Portuguese language dive boards that the cylinder in question was corroded and perhaps had not been inspected recently. To Mr. Augusto Georgini, 50, rest in peace; and to the family, friends and dive companions of the victim, my most sincere condolences.
Here is a Portuguese language media report of the incident.