Staffordshire diver dies during deep sea filming in Aegean Sea
A director of a Staffordshire heating company has died from a suspected case of “the bends” during an underwater filming project of the Titanic’s sister ship in the Aegean Sea, off Greece.
Carl Spencer, aged 37, a director for Hednesford firm Spencair, was part of a 17-member crew commissioned by the National Geographic magazine to film the wreck of HMS Britannic.
Colleagues said Mr Spencer, a master diver, began experiencing discomfort during a routine dive in the Straits of Kea, a small island about 150 nautical miles south-east of Athens.
When he began convulsing his dive team took the decision to bring him to the surface. By the time he had been hauled up he was unconscious and he was taken to Athens Naval Hospital by helicopter, but did not regain consciousness and died 35 minutes later.
Today, a family member revealed that he died doing a job that he was “absolutely passionate” about.
Mr Spencer’s second cousin, Jayne Howarth, said: “It has been a terrible shock for all of his family and we are devastated for his wife and two children.
“"He was one of the country's most expert divers, but he was also a very modest man. Even though he was an expert diver and could fly helicopters, he told people he was just a plumber from Cannock.
“He was a passionate diver and he loved everything about it. He will be sorely missed by all of us.”
A spokesman for Spencair said that staff at the company were still trying to let the news of their boss’s death “sink in”.
The spokesman added that a decision on how to pay tribute to Mr Spencer will be made when workers return from their bank holiday break on Tuesday.
Mr Spencer was part of a team filming the wreck of the Britannic, the British World War I hospital ship that sank in 1916 after hitting a mine. The Britannic Foundation, headed by British businessman Simon Mills, wants to preserve the ship.
Mr Spencer was one of Britain’s most experienced wreck divers who was leading the filming expedition.
The possibility that faulty equipment caused his death has not yet been ruled out with the coroner’s report expected on Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for National Geographic in the UK said: “The National Geographic team on location is working closely with Greek authorities, who are leading the investigation.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Carl’s family and friends.”
Mr Spencer was an “experienced mixed gas and closed circuit rebreather diver” who had been on three previous missions to film the Britannic.
This included taking part
