Stena Seaspread diving accident

Just after 10 o’clock that morning, Allen's boss, dive superintendent Mike O'Meara, stepped into the control van to ask how things were going.

[4][5] The Stena Seaspread was a new vessel and its powerful dynamic positioning system easily counteracted the strong tidal currents running that day.

[6][7] With constant movement from the ship, at 1015 a projection on the massive loading buoy cut a hole in the umbilical, piercing the main gas supply to the divers.

[15][16] 20 miles (32 kilometres) to the south, the semi-submersible Uncle John was stationed beside the Brent Bravo platform just as it had been during the Wildrake accident.

[17] The crew immediately recovered the ROV while the captain of the Uncle John began the process of dewatering the massive legs of the vessel.

[19][20][21] 400 feet (120 m) below the surface, Robinson and Tucker were keeping warm in thick mummy bags and using breathing masks which removed carbon dioxide from their respirations, and recycled their expired body heat.

[25] On board the Uncle John, Comex diving superintendent George Head lowered the rescue bell with divers Joe Puttnam, Richard Taylor, and Ken Iversen inside.

At 400 feet (120 m) below sea level, they established a swim line between the two bells, took a hot-water hose to the stranded divers, warmed them up, then made the transfer by leading Robinson over first, then Tucker.