An inquest has found that the death of a Belgian technical diver off the coast of Co Donegal, Ireland, in July 2024 was caused by drowning, with immersion pulmonary oedema (IPO) given as a possible secondary cause.
The hearing at Letterkenny Courthouse on 16 April was examining the circumstances of the death of 52-year-old Luk Heyvaert during a dive on the 85 metre-deep wreck of the First World War patrol vessel HMS Viknor, approximately 18km west of Tory Island, on 22 July 2024.
Coroner Dr Denis McCauley returned a verdict of death by natural causes due to drowning, with a likely secondary cause of immersion pulmonary oedema.
Heyvaert was one of a group of nine experienced rebreather divers from Belgium on a week-long trip organised through Mevagh Diving Centre.
The dive to Viknor was the third of the group’s trip, having dived the wrecks of HMS Audacious, a First World War dreadnought resting at 64m and the SS Empire Heritage, the 66m-deep wreck of a Second World War cargo ship on the previous two days.
The team had planned for a bottom time of around 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 83m on Viknor, with a total dive time including decompression stops of approximately three hours.
Depositions read into evidence at the inquest described a relaxed dive at the wreck, but concern arose amongst other members of the group during the ascent, when Heyvaert was said to have appeared ‘agitated’.
He reportedly took another diver’s light from the shotline and repeatedly pressed his wrist computer. He did not respond to signals from his companions and refused an offer of an alternative gas source at 27m.
Heyvaert ‘s fellow divers described him as ‘pallid’ and ‘frantic’, and by the time they reached their 12m stop, his mouthpiece had become dislodged, and he had stopped breathing.
Still having to fulfil their decompression obligations, Heyvaert’s dive team attached him to the shotline and sent him to the surface, where he was recovered unconscious by Skipper Dean McCullough of Mevagh Diving Centre
McCullough administered CPR and oxygen and called the Coast Guard, but was unable to save the unconscious diver. Heyvaert was airlifted to hospital by helicopter and was sadly pronounced dead on arrival.
A post-mortem examination by pathologist Dr Gerard O’Dowd found no evidence of injury, and the toxicology report showed only prescription painkillers for back pain and a decongestant, which he had taken before the dive.
Possible causes considered by the inquest included a cardiac event, decompression illness such as arterial gas embolism and decompression sickness, gas supply issues and equipment malfunction, but none could be confirmed.
Expert witness Dave Gration, a technical diving instructor, diving safety officer and offshore medical technician, told the court the rebreather equipment had been functioning correctly.
‘Everything that seems to be going on is physiological for Luk,’ he said. ‘I don’t think we are ever going to know what the problem was.
‘We can safely say the rebreather was working,’ said Gration. ‘We can safely say that the people around Luk did everything humanly possible to help him.’
Immersion pulmonary oedema – IPO or IPE for the American spelling of ‘edema’ – was discussed as a possible contributing factor, but not be confirmed.
IPO is a condition in which the lungs spontaneously fill with bodily fluids during immersion in cold water. It is most prevalent in divers and swimmers with high blood pressure, and can be triggered by overexertion before and during the dive, and excessive hydration prior to diving.
The court heard that IPO – sometimes called ‘drowning from the inside – can be difficult to distinguish from drowning caused by the inhalation of water, which often occurs after IPO renders a diver unconscious, and can mask the signs during a post-mortem examination.
The Coroner asked if Heyvaert was seen coughing at any point – a common symptom of IPO – but was told that it does not occur in all cases.
The court did hear, however, that the group may have overhydrated before the dive, a common practice to mitigate the onset of decompression sickness. Mr Gration advised that gradual hydration over 24 to 48 hours is considered preferable.
Dr McCauley noted that Heyvaert was a competent and experienced diver taking part in a properly organised expedition, and expressed condolences to his wife and family.
‘He seemed to love diving and did everything he could to keep it as safe as possible,’ said McCauley. ‘We have explored everything we can, and there comes a point that we have to say we don’t know.’
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