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Scotland & NI 125/01
18 March 2001

SHIPWRECK DIVER RESCUED

Clyde Coastguard was alerted at 10:33 hrs by a faint mayday signal from the Edinburgh University diving club rigid inflatable boat (rib) followed closely by an emergency 999 telephone call from the vessel after a 23-year-old woman lost consciousness as she returned to the surface in Ardmucknish Bay near Oban.

The woman, who has not been named, got into difficulties while exploring the Dutch vessel ‘Breda’ that was sunk in 1943 and is a popular site with divers.

EUSAC members on a previous dive to loch Long
EUSAC members on expedtion
Coastguards were alerted and a rescue helicopter from the Royal Navy air station at Prestwick was scrambled. The Oban lifeboat was requested to launch with a doctor on board who diagnosed the diver as suffering from the bends.

The woman, who was a member of the Edinburgh University diving club (EUSAC), was taken by ambulance to the Dunstaffnage marine laboratory for treatment in a decompression chamber.

Stuart Atkinson, Clyde Coastguard watch manager, said: "The diver is now being well looked after.

"Suffering from the bends can be as a result of not taking certain key stops along the way as the diver resurfaces, but equally can occur unexpectedly."

The trip to Oban was the first of 7 diving Expedition’s planned this year by members of EUSAC.

Beginning on Friday 16th March, the 3 day expedition took place at a very popular diving destination, where you can take in some great dives on wrecks, vertical slopes and slopes, and is for any standard of diver.