![]() ![]() Investigation by forensic pathologists determined that Hellevik, being exposed to the highest pressure gradient and in the process of moving to secure the inner door, was forced through the crescent-shaped opening measuring 60 centimetres (24 in) long created by the jammed interior trunk door. : 95, 100–101Ĭoward, Lucas, and Bergersen were exposed to the effects of explosive decompression and died in the positions indicated by the diagram. : 101 The fourth diver was dismembered and mutilated by the blast forcing him out through the partially blocked doorway and would have died instantly. : 101 The blood of the three divers left intact inside the chambers likely boiled instantly, stopping their circulation. : 101 The autopsy suggested that rapid bubble formation in the blood denatured the lipoprotein complexes, rendering the lipids insoluble. : 97, 101 This fat was unlikely to be embolic, but must have precipitated from the blood in situ. The most notable finding was the presence of large amounts of fat in large arteries and veins and in the cardiac chambers, as well as intravascular fat in organs, especially the liver. Medical investigations were carried out on the remains of the four divers. ![]() All four divers were killed one of the tenders, Crammond, was killed, while Saunders was severely injured. Air rushed out of the chamber system with tremendous force, jamming the interior trunk door and pushing the bell away, striking the two tenders. This resulted in the chamber being explosively decompressed from a pressure of nine atmospheres to the one atmosphere of the unsealed chamber system. The first two steps had been completed when, for an unknown reason, Crammond opened the clamp that was keeping the trunk sealed before Diver 4 (Hellevik) could close the door to the chamber. ![]() Open the clamp to separate the diving bell from the chamber system.Slowly depressurize the trunk until it reached a pressure of 1 atm.Close the chamber 1 door, which was also open to the trunk.Slightly increase the pressure in the diving bell to seal the bell door tightly.Close the diving bell door, which would have been open to the trunk.Leaving their wet equipment in the trunk, the two divers climbed through the trunk into chamber 1. The diving bell with Bergersen and Hellevik had just been winched up after a dive and joined to the trunk. Coward and Lucas were resting in chamber 2 at a pressure of 9 atm. The connection made by the trunk was kept sealed by a clamp operated by Crammond and Saunders, who were experienced divers. Just prior to the event, decompression chambers 1 and 2 (along with a third chamber which was not in use at the time) were connected via a trunk to a diving bell. The trunk is the section that joins chamber 1 to the diving bell. D1–D4 are divers T1 and T2 are dive tenders. The decompression chamber as seen from above at the moment the accident occurred. Byford Dolphin specifications Operating deck load ![]() Byford Dolphin was able to maneuver with its own engines (to counter drift and ocean currents), but for long-distance relocation, it must be moved by specialist tugboats. As a drilling rig, Byford Dolphin was equipped with advanced drilling equipment and originally met strict levels of certification under Norwegian law, though in later years, banned from Norwegian waters. It had a maximum drilling depth of 6,100 metres (20,000 ft), and it could operate at a water depth of 460 metres (1,500 ft). īyford Dolphin had a length overall of 108.2 metres (355 ft), breadth of 67.4 metres (221 ft) and depth of 36.6 metres (120 ft). What caused this massive and horrific accident? Found out of this week's episode of Narcosis: Into the Deep.Built as Deep Sea Driller, it was the first-of-class in the highly successful Aker H-3 series, designed by Aker Group completed at the Aker Verdal shipyard in 1974. One of their assistants was also fatally wounded. On November 5th, 1983, 4 saturation divers instantly died following a massive explosion while working on an offshore drilling rig. This week I cover a highly-requested topic: the Byford Dolphin explosive decompression accident. ![]()
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