A dive tender working on a landing craft operating as a mining dredge in northwest Alaska contacted the Alaska State Troopers in Nome to report an unresponsive diver operating off the rig late Wednesday night.

It was late Wednesday at 10:41 pm that troopers in Nome were notified by the dredge “Argo” that was operating approximately four miles east of Nome and about a quarter mile off-shore. The dive tender, the man responsible for watching the equipment for the operation and the diver as he is under the surface, called into report that they had observed the diver unresponsive and floating face-down in the water approximately 11 minutes earlier. 

The dive tender summoned help from another crew working nearby and together they retrieved the diver from the water and attempted to revive him without success.

The diver, identified as 39-year-old Sean Beals of Seattle was transported to the Norton Sound Medical Center where he was declared deceased.

No foul play is expected in the incident and Beal’s remains were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy.

Beal’s next of kin was notified.

  Alaska, diver, dredge, fatality, nome, troopers