HAMPSHIRE, UK (1 July 2008) — An investigation is under way after a navy diver died while on a routine training exercise. Able Seaman Christopher Johnstone of the Royal Naval Reserve suffered a suspected heart attack after a short dive at the navy's dive centre at Horsea Island, Port Solent. The 42-year-old from Cheshire was on a standard training drill with a dive partner in the main lake before he got into trouble. He had been underwater for around five minutes. The police and ambulance services were called to the scene and the man was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital, but could not be revived. A post-mortem examination has been carried out pending an inquest and Hampshire Police said they will investigate. Their investigations will include examination of the the equipment used by Ab Johnstone. A navy spokeswoman said the investigations were standard procedure. 'At this time, there is nothing to suggest that equipment played any role in the incident, but this will be part of the police investigation,' she said. Andy Goddard is director of Andark Diving and Water Sports, whose divers have used the lake at Horsea Island for ten years. | | He said: 'Having dived at Horsea for a decade we all know that safety is paramount for both civilians and the military.' The death of Ab Johnstone, at 10pm last Tuesday, comes a year after the family of diver Lieutenant Paul McAulay were awarded £750,000 damages by the Ministry of Defence. The 27-year-old died after diving at the same spot shortly after a meal. |
