A 24-year-old commercial diver lost his life after he became entangled in lines during a salvage operation on a yacht in Dublin Bay, an inquest has heard.
Damien Byrne (24), Pottery Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, died on July 3rd, 2004, shortly after he was found entangled in lines by a co-worker who became concerned when no air bubbles were visible on the surface.
Fines totalling €45,000 were imposed on Mr Byrne's employer and one of its directors last year, North East Diving Services Ltd, of Fadebrook House, Fade Street, Dublin 2, for failing to ensure that persons not in their employment were not exposed to danger on the dive.
Judge Bryan McMahon at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court imposed the fines on November 3rd, 2006, after hearing the company conducted a commercial dive without the necessary safety systems and equipment, and as a result of which Mr Byrne died. The company pleaded guilty.
One of the company's directors, Nigel Hobyln (42), who is resident in Britain, pleaded guilty to similar neglect charges.
He was the dive master and supervisor during the incident.
Judge McMahon imposed a fine of €20,000 on Mr Hoblyn and a fine of €25,000 on North East Diving Services Ltd.
A full inquest into Mr Byrne's death could not proceed at Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday as Mr Hoblyn did not travel from Britain as planned to give evidence.
Following a boat crash during a regatta in Dublin Bay on July 3rd, 2004, Andrew Cantwell's yacht sank and its crew were rescued from the water.
Later that day, Mr Cantwell enlisted North East Diving Services to attempt to salvage the boat and went with the crew to the site.
He said he was "concerned with the equipment" the divers were using.
"Halfway through when it became clear the equipment was faulty, certain people became agitated . . . After the accident, I trained as a diver to try and understand what happened better," he told the inquest.
Mr Byrne and another diver, Steven Porter, were involved in diving to the yacht while Mr Hoblyn supervised.
The two divers attached straps and lifting bags to the yacht in preparation for raising it. But when it was discovered that one of the lifting bags would not inflate, it was decided to abandon the operation until the following morning.
However, it was decided that Mr Byrne should dive that evening to deflate the bags in case the yacht would drift.
When he did not reappear after almost 15 minutes and no bubbles were visible from his air tank, Mr Porter dived in search of him.
He soon spotted Mr Byrne "caught in the rigging" but was low on air so he had to come up without freeing him from the lines.
Mr Byrne was rescued on his second attempt and first aid was administered on the dive boat, but he died later that day.
The inquest was adjourned until March 13th.