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Harrowing story of deep sea divers ripped apart in 0.1 seconds after being sucked through tiny hole
Feb 19, 2025
The catastrophic event caused five fatalities in the 1980s
It’s been more than four decades since the Byford Dolphin incident took place in the North Sea, and some still consider it one of the worst accidents in modern history.
Between 1977 and 2004, the Frigg Gas Field was ranked as the world’s largest offshore gas field, according to Inustriminne.
Situated in the Norwegian perimeters of the North Sea, the area has played host to some terrifying events, including the 1988 Piper Alpha disaster and the chilling Byford Dolphin accident, which caused five fatalities.
The latter incident took place when six men were ‘saturation diving’ on November 5, 1983.
Now, if you’re not a diving specialist or a construction expert, then you may have never heard of the term 'saturation diving' before.
Essentially, it's a diving technique where divers breathe a mixture of inert gases to stay at extreme depths for extended periods while performing underwater construction and maintenance work.
During these lengthy periods - which can last for up to 28 days - the team are forced to live in decompression chambers.
These work to gradually reduce pressure and eliminate any gases which may be trapped inside.
In November 1983, Edwin Arthur Coward, 35, Roy P. Lucas, 38, Bjørn Giæver Bergersen, 29, and Truls Hellevik, 34, were four men on one of these underwater jobs.
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