DIVER FATALITY OFF COAST OF NORTH WALES

Holyhead Coastguard were alerted by a 999 call at 10:58 p.m. on 24 March 2001 reporting shouts for help and a flashing light off Porth Y Castle, near Trearddur Bay.

Holyhead Coastguard immediately initiated a search and called out the Rhoscolyn Coastguard Rescue Team, the Trearddur Bay inshore lifeboat, and a RAF rescue helicopter.

The lifeboat soon located one diver who stated that he and his buddy had successfully ascended after their dive but where then hit by a wave. He had managed to scramble up on to the rocks but thought his buddy had hit his head on the rocks becoming unconscious; he had not seen his buddy for an hour.

Continuing with the search, the lifeboat crew soon found the second diver and commenced CPR. Both divers were airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor Hospital but the injured diver was pronounced dead on arrival.

Weather on scene at the time of the incident was westerly force 5, with a moderate sea and swell with good visibility. The divers had travelled to Wales from the Liverpool area. The dead man, who has not yet been named, is understood to be in his mid-30s and from Huyton on Merseyside.