Local media has shared the sad news that two Polish divers, 45 and 48 years old died after finding themselves in difficulty during a dive on the Le Polynesien, a World War 1 Wreck a few kilometres outside of the town of Marsaskala.
Press & Police reports
Timesofmalta.com initially shared a press release by the Malta Police Force stating that one diver had died, whilst another was in a serious condition and being treated at the local Mater Dei Hospital. However, at 20:05pm, the article was sadly updated stating that the second diver had died as well.
Today, at about half past noon (1230 hrs), the Police were informed that earlier, at around half past ten (1030 hrs), the assistance of the Armed Forces of Malta had been requested because divers found themselves in difficulty.
From initial investigations by the Police it resulted that two male divers, whose identity is yet to be established, were rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta from a boat, around 1.4 nautical miles off the coast of Żonqor area in Marsaskala.
As soon as they were brought to shore, a medical team started assisting them and an ambulance took them to Mater Dei Hospital. Unfortunately one of the men was certified dead shortly afterwards, while the other man is in a serious condition.
Magistrate Dr Joseph Mifsud LL. D was informed of the case and appointed an inquiry while Police investigations are ongoing.
Malta Police press release: https://pulizija.gov.mt/en/divers-find-themselves-in-difficulty
The dive – SS Polynesien
The SS Polynesien is a French Ocean Liner built in France in 1890. During WWI, it was torpedoed off Marsaskala, Malta by a German Submarine. The wreck , details and photos of may be found in its page on The Virtual Museum Malta, is a well frequented and popular tech diving site. Sitting at 68 metres depth, the dive requires special breathing gases and equipment to carry out the dive in a safe manner. In recent years, access and control has been increased on it due to past pilfering and uncontrolled diving which also sometimes lead to accidents.
Access is granted only via a controlled system of licensed dive centres and local diving clubs which have to ensure that only suitably qualified and equipped divers carry out dives on this wreck, with a condition not to enter the wreck, which is also considered a war grave. The system is managed by the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit within Heritage Malta. The system ensures that numbers are limited and authorities, including rescue and the Hyperbaric Unit at the Mater Dei general hospital are aware of dives occurring at this site.
The site is known to be prone to currents, however social media posts stated that the conditions on the day of this accident were ideal.
You may see footage of diving on this wreck at https://maltadives.com/sites/lepolynesien, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR1E6BdY3Yk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-tCPeiMd1o
Aftermath
In such instances, a court process is initiated to investigate the accident. In view of the Maltese legal system, a non-public inquiry is carried out to identify the relevant witnesses, appoint court experts to secure, inspect and evaluate evidence and identify whether any individual should be held to account. It is normal that such a process takes months, and in the meantime, unless a prosecution is triggered, such information is not made available in the public domain.
This incident brings the number of deaths this year to four, which makes it the deadliest year on record in the last decade in Maltese diving where the average number of fatal accidents is less than three. It is also to be noted that the diving industry, and especially technical diving has significantly increased over the last few years.
Condolences and help with aftermath
divinginfo.mt extends its condolences to the family and friends of the victims.
We also remind those who might have been exposed to this accident or that may have otherwise suffered shock or mental anxiety to use services such as Olli chat, run by the Richmond Foundation or Helpline 1770.
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