Fake Divers Exposed: Fraud Shakes Offshore Diving Industry
Two offshore commercial divers and a diving company director have been caught out for faking their diving qualifications. Their false claims risked catastrophic safety breaches, putting not just themselves but fellow divers in grave danger during hazardous offshore operations.
HSE Cracks Down on Diving Fraud
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched a full probe after spotting suspicious claims. The three men grossly exaggerated their diving experience, a deception that could have led to deadly incidents at sea.
- Two Portsmouth-based divers had their qualifications revoked.
- All three received police cautions for fraud.
The scandal erupted after HSE got a tip in December 2022 that the two divers lacked the necessary experience before earning their closed bell (saturation) diving certificates. These qualifications are vital – only two schools worldwide provide them: INPP in Marseille and Commercial Dive Academy in Tasmania.
Fake Logbooks and Forged Signatures
Investigators dug deep, contacting both dive schools and UK contractors who keep dive records by law. They found glaring inconsistencies. One director forged ten dives in logbooks, signing and stamping records for dives that never happened.
Another diver falsely claimed 106 dives – including 26 deep dives over 15 meters – but official records showed only 28 dives and just one over 15 meters.
Fraud Cautions and Harsh Warnings
Working with Hampshire Police’s Fraud Investigation Team, the HSE secured admissions from all three men for false logbook entries. They received cautions under the Fraud Act 2006.
HSE diving inspector Phil Crombie: “Faking experience is reckless. It endangers lives offshore. Contractors must only hire qualified divers and strictly follow legal record-keeping.”
The dive qualifications were swiftly withdrawn. Given that closed bell courses cost a fortune, these fraudsters wasted large sums chasing fake credentials—jeopardising safety and their careers in the process.
