This year’s first, hopefully last, scuba diver death
The aquaculture industry’s first scuba diver fatality occurred last Monday evening in Puerto Aysén, when diver Víctor Obando Gallardo suffered from dysbarism problems following routine maintenance service for the salmon company Frío Sur. Gallardo was employed by the subcontractor Bibeser, a company contracted by Frío Sur to handle the diving operations required for the company’s farm sites near Puerto Aysén. According to El Diario Aysén, Gallardo was brought directly from the farm site to the regional hospital where he was diagnosed with vital signs and decompression-recompression problems. Despite medical efforts he died hours later. The Diario Aysén quoted their information from Javier Ugarte, president of CONATRASAL, the National Workers Confederation of the Salmon and Mussel Industry. In addition, the president of the worker’s union of the salmon company Salmones Antártica, Jessica Ferrada claimed that this incident is another case example for the urgent need of hyperbaric chambers in the Region of Aysén. “I believe that as of today the regional government must take very seriously the existing problem. We have been asking for the installation of at least two hyperbaric chambers for many months and we still haven’t been listened to.” Javier Ugarte added, “We must investigate whether the Coastguard acted efficiently to rescue the worker. We also ask the Directive of Labour for this zone to strictly and frequently enforce labour law.” Since the statements made by these worker union presidents on Monday, no further information has been made available regarding the details of the accident.
