The Times of Malta reports today that the Hyperbaric chamber consultant who had been in charge of treating Polish diver Krzysztof Białecki who died in July this year has been suspended pending an internal investigation launched by the Hospital.
The claim is made that during the diver’s treatment, the Consultant left had left the Hyperbaric unit and gave charge to a trainee to monitor the recovery of the diver, who a few hours after the accident had appeared to be on the way to recovery. The diver was the second victim of a dive gone horribly wrong on the SS Le Polynesien on July 6, which was by far one of the darkest days in Maltese diving in a couple of decades.
WHilst we know rumours had been circling in diving circles quite soon after the demise of the divers, this is the first time these are being made public.
In the interest of respecting the deceased divers and pending the outcome of investigations, we are not speculating further, especially since investigations and reports are not publicly available in view of the mandatory secrecy which surround magisterial inquiries into diving accidents.
However, divers are for sure seeking further reassurance that the government-run health facilities are able to provide the excellent level of service that used to be provided in the past, and that the appropriate action is taken to ensure the well-being of any diver that may need treatment in the future.
