Diver’s 'own error'

Press, 18 January 1979, Page 8

Diver’s 'own error'

PA Auckland The death of a Royal New Zealand Navy diver in the Hauraki Gulf last November was caused by human error on the part of the diver, the Auckland Coroner (Mr A. D. Copeland) has ruled. Leading Diver Garry Roy Jensen, aged 20, had turned on the wrong valve in his suit while diving at a depth of 42ft, the Coroner found. In doing so, he had released pure oxygen into his breathing system instead of releasing oxygen through another valve to inflate his suit. Other Navy personnel at the scene had done everything possible to save the diver, the Coroner said. Leading Diver Jensen was the first of a diving team of eight to enter the water while taking part in the salvage of the Royal Australian Air Force FIIIC aircraft off Waiheke Island in November. The court was told that the diver had descended to a depth of 42ft, with a television camera to scan the ocean floor, and had given the normal tugs on the lifeline to indicate he had reached the bottom safely. Lieutenant-Commander L. A. Mangos said that about 15 minutes later he noticed that the relayed camera picture he had been watching had stopped moving. The line attendant on the tug from which the divers were working then told him there was no response from the end of the line. Immediately after this, a standby diver was ordered down. Leading Diver Jensen was found and brought to the surface in the controlled manner after emergency procedures had been taken. Once aboard, all possible measures were taken. A D.S.I.R. examination later showed an abnormal amount of oxygen in Leading Diver Jensen’s stomach breathing bag.