A scuba diving instructor from North Yorkshire has been awarded a bronze medal for bravery after leading a daring rescue that saved 18 divers caught in rapidly worsening sea conditions off the coast of Malta. Marcus Kitching Howe, owner of ABC Diving and a resident of the island, received the commendation from the Royal Humane Society in recognition of his lifesaving actions.
The incident took place on March 26 of the previous year near Ċirkewwa, a popular dive location in northern Malta. After completing a dive with a client, Marcus noticed that strong winds had suddenly developed, creating dangerous conditions in the water. A group of divers was clearly in distress.
Initially, he returned to shore and climbed a sea wall to get a better vantage point. From there, he spotted two divers struggling near a cluster of rocks. Despite the increasingly rough sea and significant personal risk, Marcus donned his fins and mask once again and swam out to assist them.
One of the divers was found floating on his back, unresponsive and not breathing. Despite Marcus’s efforts to help, the 45-year-old Dutch diver—who was living in Spain—could not be revived and sadly passed away.
Marcus continued the rescue by tying a 12-metre rope to a handrail and swimming it out to the remaining divers, giving them a lifeline to exit the water. Ten divers used the rope to safely reach shore, and in total, 18 lives were saved during the half-hour emergency response.
Marcus is a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Course Director and emergency first-response trainer with extensive rescue experience. His quick thinking, calm under pressure, and willingness to risk his own safety to assist others were key in preventing further loss of life.
The Royal Humane Society awards the bronze medal to individuals who put their lives in danger to save others, and Marcus’s actions met that high standard. While the event was marked by tragedy, his efforts were instrumental in preventing a far greater disaster.
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