Guernsey Police have named the diver as Peter Le Sauteur, 55, from Jersey. He died after getting into difficulties while working with an archaeological team on Monday on the warship wreck, which lies in 30m of water.
Survey and excavation work on the wreck has been suspended, as police investigate the incident in partnership with Guernsey's Health and Safety
Executive, and a post mortem is carried out.
A distress call was put out from the inflatable from which the divers were operating. Le Sauteur was brought ashore unconscious by lifeboat at Braye Harbour, reportedly within five minutes of the call going out.
Resuscitation efforts by a doctor and the St Johns Ambulance crew were, however, unsuccessful.
Monday was the opening day of the latest survey and excavation operation on the Elizabethan ship, which sank in 1592. A proclaimed aim of the archaeological team has been to raise one of the ship's guns, to be de-concreted and conserved in public view at the Tower of London, before being transferred to a permanent home at Alderney's museum.
The project is overseen by the Alderney Maritime Trust. Excavation Director is the British archaeological projects leader Mensun Bound, while Director of Conservation is Mike Corfield, formerly Chief Scientist at English Heritage.
The project, which has received public support from the Duke of York, required ?120,000 for its activities in 2008. By late May, some ?70,000 had been raised. |
