U.S. Coast Guard Completes Investigation of Last Year's HEALY accident

The results of an internal US Coast Guard investigation into the deaths of two divers from the cutter HEALY has revealed that a series of event and decisions led to the August 2006 tragedy. The incident, resulting in the first casualties of any Coast Guard dive program since 1974, prompted Coast Guard officials to conduct a wide scale audit of the Coast Guard’s entire dive protocol.

Although the dive took place on a clear night nearly 500 miles north of Barrow, Alaska, diver errors, compounded by uninspected equipment failure and further compounded by alcoholic beverage consumption by support team members all contributed to the deaths of the divers, according to the Coast Guard statement. The statement also said that “there were failures at the service, unit and individual levels.”

The HEALY, one of the Coast Guard's most modern vessels, departed Everett last July with orders to support teams of research scientists in the Arctic. But the vessel also sailed three divers short of its full six-member dive crew, a situation exacerbated by insufficient trained support staff to safely accommodate the required dives, according to the Coast guard’s 27 page investigation memorandum, signed by Coast Commandant ADM Thad Allen.

As a result of the investigation, the Coast Guard commanding officer, who had been relieved of his duties on August 29, 2006, was cited for dereliction of duties. Two other officers were also reprimanded and received lesser penalties. The diving tender crews were not to be disciplined, according to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard standard procedures call for annual inspections of equipment and personnel training, but the Healy's dive unit had not been reviewed since it was launched in 1999. In general terms, the rapid expansion from five dive units to 17 units after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks prevented the Coast Guard from keeping pace with the required oversight. As a result of the deaths of the two divers, all Coast Guard units were audited and dive training was added to the Coast Guard's school for commanding officers.

The Coast Guard's report and other documents about the deaths of Coast Guard divers Jessica Hill and Steven Duque can be read at:

www.uscg.mil/ccs/cit/cim/foia/electronic_reading_room.htm