Two divers lost their lives due to hypothermia when their life-support equipment malfunctioned. Richard Arthur Walker, 32, and Victor Francis “Skip” Guiel Jr., 28, tragically perished in a diving accident known as the Wildrake incident in 1979. The incident occurred during a routine dive in the East Shetland Basin of the North Sea when the diving bell, which detached from its main lift at a depth of 520 feet, left the divers stranded. The divers were engaged in work on a Single Anchor Leg Mooring (SALM) system, which served as a facility for oil tankers.
Prior to the accident, Walker had expressed concerns about his safety in his diary, hinting at the possibility of not making it out alive. The fatal mishap occurred after the divers had acclimatized to the underwater pressure, only to witness their diving bell becoming detached and relying solely on the umbilical cord for heat, power, communication, and life-sustaining gas.
Rescue efforts were made by the diving vessel Stena Welder, but due to technical issues and lack of proper equipment, locating and rescuing the stranded divers took an extended period. Despite attempts to secure the bell and lift it back to safety, a series of errors led to the bell getting stuck against the SALM base, resulting in a tragic outcome.
Following the investigation, safety violations and negligence were identified, leading to legal actions against the diving contractors. Walker’s and Guiel’s families pursued wrongful death complaints, resulting in compensatory damages being awarded in the United States. The incident highlighted the importance of prioritizing safety over speed in such high-risk operations.
In the aftermath of the Wildrake incident, significant changes were made within the diving industry to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.