Coroner sends warning to overconfident divers

The Whangarei coroner is warning divers to be wary of complacency.

Peter Mahood issued the warning in a decision this week into the death of Craig Richard Bull, aged 35, of Auckland.

Mr Bull drowned on January 6 in a diving accident at Sail Rock, 4km south of the Hen and Chickens islands.

He failed to resurface after a dive to dislodge a boat anchor. His body was found four days later.

Mr Mahood found that Mr Bull, an experienced diver, "broke many accepted safeguards for diving" and the death was "due entirely to human error". He said that in recent years there had been far too many deaths of fully qualified recreational divers.

"Perhaps it is a case of familiarity breeding contempt or at least overconfidence."

Mr Mahood said Mr Bull had followed unsound practices, including diving alone, habitually ascending too quickly and repeatedly diving without adequate rest time.

"All recreational divers, and especially those who have been diving for some years, should re-evaluate their routine with a view to ensuring that they are still carrying out the safe practices instilled in them by their trainer," he said.

Mr Mahood's findings were welcomed by dive industry officials.

Diving instructor Peter Hope, owner of Dive Connection in Whangarei, said the death, a "very big mistake", had shocked the industry.

Mr Hope said divers often felt obliged to help other divers and boaties, but they should always adhere to their training.

"Remember the training will protect you. If you haven't dived in two or three years it takes nothing to pop into a dive centre for a refresher course to build up confidence. The higher level of confidence, the less chance there is of something going wrong."

Water Safety New Zealand project manager Brendon Ward said he supported the coroner's message that refresher courses were needed.

"There are guidelines and rules for a reason, such as people should always dive with a buddy," Mr Ward said.

"If in any doubt [about a dive] then don't do it."

- NZPA