Diver issued plea after five people suffered most gruesome death imaginable in Byford Dolphin accident
The Byford Dolphin tragedy claimed the lives of five people and a diver has issued a warning to those who are looking up the incident.
On 5 November, 1983, four divers and one crew member were on board the Byford Dolphin, a semi-submersible oil rig regularly used in the North Sea.
The group of divers - who would regularly carry out construction work on oil rigs - were tasked with drilling 20,000 feet into the earth's crust.
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This is the equivalent of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at 19,000 feet.
Tragically, catastrophic decompression killed all five people instantly because the diving bell was improperly opened while still under pressure, causing a violent release of air.
The extreme pressure change led to fatal injuries and the tragic deaths of the divers.
A diving instructor who runs the Waterline Stories YouTube channel has since warned people who are researching the tragedy.
"Accidents happen when systems break down and there are few systems as complex and dangerous as saturation diving on a deep sea gas drilling rig," he said.
"Now, when you go and take a look on the internet to find information about the Byford Dolphin accident, you're going to come across some horrific images.
"So please be careful when you start to take a look for this accident. And be aware that what you come across is going to shock you."
Another YouTube channel called Storified previously shared a horrifying simulation video of the incident.
"The diving bell disconnected before the chamber doors fully closed, releasing an explosive depressurisation," the video explains.
"The air pressure inside the bell instantly shifted from nine atmospheres - the pressure experienced while 297 feet below the water - to one atmosphere, the average air pressure on the surface.
"The explosive rush of air out of the chamber sent the heavy diving bell flying. The diving bell struck Crammond and Saunders, critically wounding them.
"The fate of the four divers inside was far worse. Lucas, Coward and Bergersen's blood 'boiled' instantly in their bodies as enormous amounts of dissolved nitrogen suddenly returned to their gaseous state. The divers died instantly.
"Hellevik suffered the worst death since he was closest to the connecting door. The pressure equalisation caused the door to chamber one to partially jam, causing Hellevik's body to be forced through a small 24-inch crescent-shaped opening with a tremendous force of 25 tons.
"The sheer pressure resulted in the horrific outcome of his internal organs bursting through his body through the opening."
Topics: World News
Anish Vij