Nearly five months after a fatal training dive in Argentina shocked the diving community, prosecutors have formally charged the instructor leading the dive with manslaughter, marking a significant development in a case that has prompted renewed discussion about instructor responsibilities and dive supervision.
The death of 23-year-old Sofia Devries occurred on 16 February 2026 during an advanced certification dive at the Hu Shun Yu 809 artificial reef near Puerto Madryn in Argentina’s Chubut Province. Her body was recovered two days later following an extensive search.
When the incident occurred, The Scuba News reported on the tragedy and the questions it raised surrounding supervision during training dives at artificial reef sites. Since then, investigators have continued gathering evidence, leading to the latest legal action.
Instructor formally charged
According to Argentine court records and multiple local media reports, Thiago Nahuel Pocovi, 26, the instructor leading the group, has now been formally charged with culpable homicide (manslaughter) under Argentine law.
Judge Marcela Pérez Bogado authorized the opening of the criminal investigation during a hearing on 6 July. Pocovi attended the hearing remotely from Buenos Aires and exercised his right not to give a statement. Prosecutors will now continue collecting evidence before deciding whether to proceed to trial.
Alleged safety protocol breaches
According to the prosecution, Pocovi was responsible for supervising a group of seven divers during the training dive to the intentionally scuttled fishing vessel Hu Shun Yu 809, one of Puerto Madryn’s best-known artificial reef dive sites.
Investigators allege that visibility at the site was extremely limited when the dive began, making it difficult to maintain direct supervision of all divers throughout the descent and bottom phase of the dive.
Prosecutors further allege that Devries and her dive partner became separated from the instructor’s immediate supervision. During the dive, Devries reportedly showed signs of distress, removed her regulator and, despite efforts by her partner to assist her, drowned after losing her air supply.
The prosecution argues these circumstances amount to breaches of professional diving safety protocols and the instructor’s duty of care. Those allegations have not yet been tested in court.
Investigation continues
The opening of the criminal investigation does not represent a finding of guilt.
Instead, it begins the formal investigative phase during which prosecutors will examine witness statements, technical evidence, dive procedures and equipment before determining whether sufficient evidence exists to bring the case to trial.
Questions raised for the wider dive industry
While the criminal proceedings are specific to Argentine law, the case highlights issues that resonate across the global diving community.
The incident has prompted discussion about:
- Appropriate instructor-to-student ratios during training dives.
- Whether dives should proceed when underwater visibility significantly deteriorates.
- Maintaining continuous supervision of student divers.
- Risk management at deep artificial reef and wreck training sites.
- Decision-making when students progress beyond entry-level certification.
Artificial reefs and intentionally scuttled wrecks can provide excellent training environments, but they also introduce additional challenges including depth, navigation, reduced visibility and increased task loading for inexperienced divers.
As The Scuba News noted in its original February coverage, incidents rarely stem from a single factor. Instead, accidents are often the result of multiple circumstances aligning, making thorough investigation essential before drawing conclusions.
The legal proceedings now underway may provide further insight into exactly what occurred during the dive and whether accepted training standards were followed.
The Scuba News will continue to follow the case as new information becomes available.
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