Belinda van der Horst is likely to claim that Lt-Col Richard van der Horst, 38, should not have been allowed to dive. According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, grounds for the claim would be that he was unfamiliar with equipment and had arrived without his diving qualifications, which should have been inspected even though he was a diving instructor.
During the exercise in March 2005 off Narvik in Norway, Lt-Col van der Horst failed to emerge with other divers from a Swimmer Delivery Vehicle, which allows SBS commandos to approach shore as divers. The subs carry a pilot and navigator, and four operatives in an aft compartment.
Lt-Col van der Horst was at the back of the divers' section. When it was realised that he had not exited, divers went back into the sub to free him. He was recovered from the sea unconscious and died after a week on life support. |
