Scuba diver’s death could have been prevented – coroner

The coroner said: “On the evidence, such checks had not been carried out to an appropriate level.

“Had those checks happened, the wing inflator hose could have been noticed and corrected prior to Mr Pleace’s entry to the water.

“I would like to highlight to all of the diving community that these checks are very important and that carrying out personal and body checks regardless of your level of expertise can have a significant impact in terms of what then follows.”

In her condolences to Ms Pleace’s family, Ms Lomas said the diver “clearly had an enthusiasm for life and the activities he enjoyed”, extending her thoughts to the diving community.

She added: “David was a well-liked member of that community and I know it has had a significant impact on them, so they have my condolences too.”

The coroner decided not to complete a prevention of future deaths report, describing the issue as “attitudinal” but “not a gap in training or knowledge, or something the organisations are not doing properly”.