Lookout failure and improper DSMB use caused Scapa diver’s death – MAIB

An experienced diver died in a tragic accident involving a boat. The incident happened when the dive boat Karin failed to have a proper lookout. Paul Smith’s buddy saw the boat and dove deeper, but Paul did not resurface. He had clipped his delayed surface marker buoy (DSMB) to his gear, which may have caused him to get pulled underwater. MAIB recommends that divers hold their DSMB lines in hand, rather than clip them to their gear, to avoid accidents.