A DESPERATE rescue attempt was launched to save a Teesside scuba diver, an inquest heard.
Stockton man James Askew, 35, died after getting into difficulty during a dive near the bottom of a flooded quarry.
The group was being led Graham Rowntree, who had set up the Olympic Scuba diving school in Durham just weeks before the accident in which Mr Askew died on January 24, 2009.
Describing the moment he realised Mr Askew was not with the group, Mr Rowntree said he made a rapid ascent to the surface himself after suffering difficulties.
Mr Rowntree said he, Mr Askew, Mr Askew’s father and a fourth diver safely reached a ledge of about 23 metres down from the surface at the National Diving Centre in Stoney Cove, Leicestershire.
The 12.5-acre quarry, which has different shelves in it, meaning people can dive to depths between six metres and 35 metres, is used both for recreational dives and as a site for dive schools to carry out training courses.
Mr Rowntree said he received the “OK” signal from all the divers before proceeding to the bottom of the quarry, some 35 metres down. When he arrived at the bottom, there was no sign of either of the Askews although the fourth diver was with him.
Mr Askew’s father then appeared shortly afterwards. He signalled to Mr Rowntree that all was OK, that his son had suffered free fall and had returned to the surface.
Mr Rowntree then suffered difficulties and returned to the surface before going back to search for James Askew. He found him lying between 32 and 35 metres down.
Mr Rowntree then attempted to take him to the surface, assisted by other divers.
Paramedic Steven Tedder said Mr Askew had no pulse and was not breathing. He was taken by air ambulance to Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry where he was later pronounced dead. A pathologist told the inquest at Leicester Coroner’s Court the cause of death was drowning.
source: gazettelive.co.uk
