Andreas Georgallas
The diver who ventured into the depths of the "Zenovia" shipwreck on October 26 was discovered lifeless in the vessel's engine room on Friday, October 27. The extensive search for the 66-year-old diver involved teams of seasoned professionals from the Port and Maritime Police, the Police Air Operations Unit, and the Underwater Disaster Unit of the Coast Guard, along with volunteer and specialized teams from private diving schools.
Argyris Bakkas, a Divemaster with expertise in shipwrecks, provided insights into the challenging nature of the engine room where the tragic incident occurred. Bakkas described the immense size of the ship and emphasized the intricate and complex layout of the engine room, featuring multiple corridors, compartments, and passages that require experienced and well-trained divers. Diving in this area, according to Bakkas, necessitates stringent safety measures such as the use of guide ropes, adequate and alternative lighting, sufficient air supply, and always diving in pairs. Buoyancy control is also of utmost importance to prevent inadvertent contact with surfaces, which can lead to reduced visibility due to oxidation, further complicating navigation within the shipwreck and potentially resulting in entrapment and disorientation.
