Last Sunday’s fatal accident in the Amstelveen swimming pool De Meerkamp was caused by the use of a diving cylinder and a tap that officially do not belong together. The thread on the outside of the tap was of a different type than the thread on the inside of the bottle.
The pressure caused the tap to come loose and the victim was fatally injured, the Labor Inspectorate concluded after an initial investigation. At the diving drama in the pool, an instructor from diving club Nemo for life.
There is no risk when using the same type numbers of threads. But if different type numbers are used, the tap can come loose due to the pressure in the bottle, warns the Labor Inspectorate.
Divers are advised to check whether the type numbers match. On the neck of the bottle is the type number of the screw thread of the bottle, on the ring of the tap the type number of the tap.
Wear
The type number on some bottles is no longer legible due to wear. According to the Labor Inspectorate, those bottles may no longer be used.
About 40 people witnessed the fatal accident, which happened when the instructor stood on the edge of the pool with the bottle in his hands. The man was resuscitated and taken to hospital, where he later died.
Second victim
Earlier today it was announced that after the explosion someone also became unwell in the clubhouse of the association. The victim is doing well, the board reports.