Divers were threatened, fired if they spoke

http://www.nrk.no/hordaland/_-dykkere-ble-truet-med-sparken-hvis-de-snakket-1.12614817

Published 21.10.2015, at. 3:05 p.m.

Brennpunkt documentary "The deepest dive 'revealed Tuesday that the official investigation report following the fatal dive in Skånevikfjord in 1978 was changed , so that it appeared that David Hoover died of self-inflicted CO₂ poisoning.

In reality there were technical problems that caused the death, a death that could have been avoided if the Labour Inspectorate had not granted a dispensation to conduct world record dive without reserve air.

READ MORE: The deepest dive

Hilde-Marit Rysst, union leader in safe and top representative of thousands of employees in the oil industry, says documentary made a strong impression.

It is sad that so fateful stories lie behind the fantastic our prosperity. The fact that we have not been open about this and researched it thoroughly, makes me very, very sad on behalf of the nation, says Rysst.

Will provide redress

Safe-leader does not rule out that the history of Norway's oil wealth could have been different if it had once been known what had happened.

Had you said the full and complete truth at the time, we might not come where we are today, says Rysst.

She has been involved in the case of North Sea divers since the early 2000s, and is satisfied with the compensation the Norwegian divers got. Now she also believes Skånevik divers must obtain redress.

Have long suspected

Øystein Håland is former North Sea diver. He has made a number of deep-water dives, and at most been down to 180 meters depth.

In 1996 he began. He now works as a diver instructor at the University of Bergen.

Haaland says he is not surprised by what emerges about the aftermath Skånevik-dive.

That the reports were changed, the criminal, and really shocking. But the environment has long been a suspicion that this case was manipulated, says Haaland.

Should not see the light

He says that he himself was involved in cases where the incidents and accidents was attempted covered over, for the sake of progress.

Even if you encounter problems, it is difficult to halt. Then put the blame on the diver, says Haaland.

Although he experiences diving industry as closed, emphasizes Håland that he believes conditions have improved in recent years.

But when I joined in 1996, it was still not all you could say. I have experienced that we divers were not believed and was threatened that we never got to work if we said anything. In cases where the severity was too high, should not the events see the light of day, says Haaland.

Requesting investigation

In the wake Brennpunkt documentary has several advocated that the matter should be investigated . It is a requirement Safe endorses.

It may well be that we can learn anything from what happened back then, says Rysst.
Minister Robert Eriksson says he is finished with the North Sea diver matter, also Labour Inspectorate investigation.

READ MORE: The prosecutor did not know the truth

David R Hoover, AIA, NCARB