Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au

Aaron Bunch
Diver’s death avoidable: Brisbane coroner

Fisheries Queensland director Andrew Thwaites’ drowning in 2016 following carbon monoxide poisoning from contaminated air in his scuba tank was avoidable.

July 25, 2018

The diving death of Fisheries Queensland director Andrew Thwaites near Brisbane following carbon monoxide poisoning was avoidable, a Queensland coroner has ruled.

Mr Thwaites became unconscious and drowned in August 2016 after being poisoned by carbon monoxide in his scuba tank, Coroner Christine Clements said in findings handed down on Tuesday.

“The most important issue identified following Mr Thwaites’ tragic death was the need for education to alert divers of the risk of contamination when filling their cylinders,” she said. 

Mr Thwaites was an Advanced Open Water Diver with 300 dives when he and partner – Kelly-Anne Masterman, a qualified Dive Master with 1350 dives – entered the water at Cherubs Cave in Moreton Bay.

Their first dive of the day was uneventful but just 10 minutes after the pair re-entered the water, Mr Thwaites signalled he was in trouble.

The 44-year-old had been poisoned by the air in his own scuba tank and began rising to the surface rapidly.

He became separated from Ms Masterman and soon disappeared after losing consciousness, sinking to the bottom, where police divers recovered his body the following day.

Ms Clements said Mr Thwaites’ dive tank had 2366 parts of carbon monoxide per million – the recommended upper level is five ppm.

He’d filled his tanks at the Underwater Research Group of Queensland, where he and Ms Masterman were members, unaware the air going into the tank was laced with poisoned air by a fault in the compressor’s motor.

Experts also found the compressor had been incorrectly maintained and operated, and that members lacked training on the unit.

“Mr Thwaites’ death was tragic and avoidable … The risk of carbon monoxide contamination is a lethal risk, and a ‘sniff’ test will do nothing to alert a diver to the odourless gas,” Ms Clements said.

She recommended divers test the purity of their tank air every time they’re filled.

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