[geogeo]

Η αναφορά του Divernet:

Carl Spencer dies on Britannic

25 May 2009
Carl Spencer, one of Britain’s most experienced deep wreck exploration divers, has died while working on the WW1 Britannic wreck, in the Aegean.

Spencer, 37, was part of a 17-strong team commissioned by National Geographic to survey and film both outside and inside the 120m-deep wreck, from 19-31 May.

According to initial reports, Spencer made a rapid ascent from the wreck’s bow area while filming was taking place, suffering decompression illness as a result.

He was tended by medical crew aboard the diving support vessel, the Belgian-owned research ship CDT Fourcault, which headed toward the mainland until a Greek military helicopter arrived to airlift Spencer the rest of the way to Athens’ naval hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Spencer was a veteran of three expeditions to the Britannic. He led one, in 2003, which provided evidence that the ship had been sunk by a mine rather than a torpedo, a question that had vexed historians.

A sister ship to the Titanic, the Britannic was launched in 1914 with design modifications introduced after the Titanic’s sinking two years earlier. The ship never operated as a liner, outfitting being delayed before requisitioning in 1915 as a hospital ship.

The ship was sunk in November 1916 four miles off the island of Kea, south-east of Athens, while en route to evacuate soldiers from Mudros, on the Greek island of Lemnos. Of 1066 people aboard, 30 lost their lives when two lifeboats were drawn into its propellers.

The wreck, which lies on its starboard side and is well preserved, is owned by British wreck historian Simon Mills. He has planned to run tourist dives to the vessel in mini-submarines.

In 2003 Spencer had also taken part in deep Atlantic submarine dives to the wreck of the Titanic, as part of a Discovery Channel filming expedition led by director James Cameron.