Wildrake diving accident

Wildrake Diving Accident is a significant event in the history of commercial diving, which occurred in the North Sea on August 19, 1979. The accident involved the diving support vessel Wildrake and resulted in the death of two divers.

Background[edit | edit source]

The Wildrake was a diving support vessel used in the oil and gas industry for underwater construction and maintenance tasks. The vessel was equipped with a diving bell, which is a chamber used to transport divers from the surface to depth and back.

The Accident[edit | edit source]

On August 19, 1979, while working on the Frigg gas field in the North Sea, a diving bell was launched with three divers inside. Due to a malfunction in the winch system, the bell was dropped approximately 100 meters to the seabed. Two of the divers, Robert Crammond and Barry Stott, were killed instantly. The third diver, William Crammond, was severely injured but managed to survive.

Aftermath[edit | edit source]

The Wildrake diving accident led to significant changes in the safety regulations for commercial diving. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK conducted an investigation into the accident, which resulted in the introduction of stricter safety standards for diving operations in the North Sea.