A commercial diver has died while performing repair work on a floating production storage and offloading vessel offshore Malaysia.
“Petronas Carigali (PCSB) confirms that a fatal incident had occurred at the Bunga Kertas FPSO facility, offshore Terengganu at approximately 12.30pm on 5 July,” Petronas told Upstream.
“A contractor who was undertaking underwater repair work for PCSB at the FPSO was found unconscious by rescue divers and was given immediate medical attention. However, it was later confirmed that the contractor had passed away.”
The deceased was one of two commercial divers working on the FPSO in Malaysian waters, reported local media citing a health, safety and environmental report from the national oil company.
Petronas told Upstream it did not issue any statement on the “unfortunate incident”.
The fatal accident reportedly occurred when the diver was performing an adapter mating test. While positioning the adapter, it suddenly lost its buoyancy and sank.
The injured diver was seen sinking together with the adapter to a depth of 55 metres.
The second diver followed and rescued the injured diver, who was entangled with the rope attached to the adapter, reported Energy Voice.
The injured diver was rushed to the decompression chamber on the nearby diving support vessel and received medical treatment but was later pronounced dead.
An investigation is under way into the incident.
