UK (31 Jan 2007) -- A second inquest has been held on a diver who went missing nearly three years ago off the coast of Anglesey. Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones won a High Court ruling to hold a second hearing on Richard Hartley, 43, of Bradford. An open verdict was recorded at the original inquest in March 2004, a month before his body was found. The coroner said he was now able to record an accidental death verdict, although he was still uncertain of the underlying cause. Mr Hartley disappeared whilst diving with the Bradford Sub-Aqua Club near the shipwreck of the SS Cambank off Anglesey on 17 July 2003. His body was not found until April 2004, a month after the first inquest. Medical evidence was scarce because of the condition of the body, the second inquest heard. There was nothing to help determine the cause of death. The body had been found by another diver around 130 ft (43m) down. It was near, but not at, the wreck site. It did not appear to be trapped and there was nothing to suggest what had happened, the inquest was told. Tests on the equipment could find no faults. The dead man's brother, Clive Graham Hartley Havers, who was diving with him on the day he disappeared, said nothing had happened during the dive to suggest anything was wrong. They had "basically just swam around the wreck," he said. | | A lifeboat was involved in the original search for Richard Hartley. When both men ascended Mr Hartley was slightly behind his brother. Mr Hartley Havers said he looked back regularly but the last time he looked his brother was not there. "I imagine what happened did so quickly, he didn't have time to do anything," he said. The coroner said he thought that was probably the case because the evidence showed Mr Hartley did not use his buoyancy jacket, which would have been the thing to do in an emergency. It was difficult to say if there were any lessons to be learned, but "with the benefit of hindsight" it would be better if divers ascended side by side, so that if anything happened to one the other would be able to help. SCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba ForumCDNN Related NewsUK - Court orders new inquest into BSAC scuba diver's death |
