Diving pair died after getting trapped by silt dumped by MoD

Photo from oldships.org.uk

From Times Online

June 17, 2009


Kaya Burgess
Two divers died while exploring Britain’s only artificial reef after clouds of silt dumped by the Ministry of Defence left them disorientated and unable to find their way out, an inquest heard today.

Kaye Moss, 43, a teacher, and David White, 42, a businessman, were on a diving trip to the HMS Scylla, a frigate scuttled 65ft underwater off the coast of Plymouth.

An inquest heard today that the pair had been exploring the vessel in 2007 when they entered a small compartment via a hatch. Inside the compartment they stirred up a cloud of silt that had collected, leaving them unable to see to find their way out before their air supply ran out.

The Type 22 (SIC) frigate was sunk in 2004 in Whitsand Bay and has claimed the lives of several divers. Contractors working for the Ministry of Defence dredge up thousands of tonnes of material each year from the nearby Devonport Naval Base and dump it near the Scylla to keep the River Tamar clear for ships.

Ian Arrow, the Plymouth Coroner, recorded verdicts of accidental death by drowning on the two divers.

A representative for the families of the divers said: “The families are keen to avoid the possibility of similar accidents. They feel representations should be made to those in charge of the maintenance of the wreck.

“They feel representations whould also be made to another body who are interested - the Ministry of Defence - who carry out dumping of dredged silt in the area, to see if anything can be done, although no fingers are being wagged at all.”

Environmental campaigners say that dredged waste from the naval base is not dispersing out to sea, but is polluting inshore waters and bays.

In his verdict, Mr Arrow said that the two divers had failed to attach a line to themselves to allow them to retrace their path.

He said: “They decided to penetrate the hull to explore it as a curious person might. They did not tie on a line and once inside the silt was stirred up and they became disorientated.

“I am satisfied they were trapped within the hull and, sadly, both remained trapped until their air ran out.”

Tributes were today paid to Mrs Kaye, a talented musician, and Mr White, a telecoms entrepreneur.

Three friends had accompanied them on the dive and surfaced but became worried when Mrs Kaye and Mr White failed to appear.

Richard Stevenson, a diving instructor, heard the group’s mayday call and dived down to find the pair trapped in the compartment with empty air tanks.

David Jenkins, who organised the trip with the South Gloucestershire sub-aqua club, said that the pair had dived as buddies and planned to go down to the outside of the wreck. He knew that the pair were possibly planning to go inside, though Glen Lindsay, the boatman who took the party out, said that he had warned them to avoid the more dangerous parts of the wreck.

Mrs Kaye and Mr White were experienced divers who had completed more than 200 dives between them including on trips to Egypt and the Indian Ocean.

Mrs Kaye was married to a police detective, Trevor Moss, and had two children. Mr White had been married to Louise for 20 years and had three children, Amy, 19, Julian, 18 and Grace, 11.