A 28-year-old commercial diver has died after disappearing while carrying out underwater work on a merchant vessel at the Lisnave shipyard in Setúbal, Portugal.
The diver disappeared on the morning of Wednesday, 19 August, while working in the vessel’s sea chest, a submerged opening and associated structure below the waterline.
According to the Portuguese Maritime Authority (AMN), an alert was received through Lisnave at approximately 10:06 local time. Search operations were immediately launched by crews from the Sesimbra Lifeboat Station and members of the Maritime Police’s Forensic Diving and Underwater Operations Group (GMF-OPS).
A Portuguese Air Force aircraft was also deployed to assist with the search. Firefighters from the Setúbal Volunteer Fire Brigade supported the operation from the shore.
The diver’s body was located at approximately 15:02 by members of the GMF-OPS, according to reports citing the Portuguese Navy. The Maritime Authority subsequently confirmed that the body had been recovered and that the Health Delegate and Public Prosecutor’s Office had been notified.
The incident occurred while a team was carrying out work on a merchant vessel berthed at Lisnave – Estaleiros Navais da Mitrena, in the municipality of Setúbal.
Portuguese public broadcaster RTP reported that the diver was working as part of a team comprising three other divers and a supervisor. The equipment belonging to the missing diver was reportedly located at the work site, although the circumstances surrounding its separation from the diver have not been established.
RTP and Rádio Renascença also reported that the diver had apparently indicated that he was feeling unwell while underwater. However, there has been no official determination of the cause of the incident or death, and it would be premature to suggest that a medical event was responsible.
The AMN said its psychology service and Portugal’s National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) were activated to provide support to the diver’s family.
The circumstances surrounding the death remain under investigation.
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