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The Scuba Diving Place > Scuba Diving News > Tributes paid to hero who died while saving friend on scuba diving accident
Tributes paid to hero who died while saving friend on scuba diving accident
Published: 10-Nov-10 09:38:01
Source: Daily Mail
Author: Susana
Related: 10-Apr-10 23:11:09
A detective from the Met Police and experienced veteran of 350 dives who died while saving his friend's life on a scuba diving accident was honoured during a special memorial service in which 2 other officers who died this year were also honoured.
A scuba diving hero and detective who died while saving a friend's life in a scuba diving accident was remembered at an honouring memorial service today.
Last year in August, Detective Sergeant John Gilbert, 58, died while scuba diving with the Met Police Sub Aqua Club in the English Channel off Littlehampton when attempting to save a friend's life.
Mr Gilbert, a veteran of 350 dives, and his friend of 15 years, Christopher Read were enjoying a leisure scuba diving excursion when Mr Read began to run out of oxygen. Mr Gilbert then tried to help by sharing his own air supply, but the pair sank to 30 metres below sea level.
At this point Mr Gilbert helped release his friend's lead dive belt to allow him to rise safely to the surface. However, when Mr Gilbert followed he lost consciousness just when he reached the surface. He died in hospital the following day from decompression sickness.
A father of two, Mr Gilbert lived in Watford and worked in the Met child abuse investigation team based in Edgware.
The poignant memorial service held at the Met's Hendon Training College was attended by the Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and the Home Office policing minister Nick Herbert, during a special service that also honoured two other officers who died this year while serving with the force.
"The Metropolitan Police Service has a proud history, filled with astonishing acts of bravery, humanity and self-sacrifice. Every day I hear stories of Metropolitan Police officers and staff working across London and beyond taking huge personal risks to protect the public and make us all safer." - were the words from Commissioner Sir Paul.
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