On Sunday 29 September 2019, a British technical diver, Tim Saville, died during a 120m (393ft) dive on HMHS Britannic.
Tim Saville was a member of the Robin Hood Dive Club, England
61-year-old Tim Saville was diving the wreck of the Titanic’s sister ship. At the time of writing this article, it is not known why Saville died.
There is a policy in place on Britannic that divers are not allowed to penetrate the wreck unless they are diving a rebreather because this will help preserve the ship. (Gas is expelled when diving open circuit scuba). It is understood that Saville was diving an X-CCR rebreather.
Tim Saville
Tim Saville coached young players and played rugby for Huddersfield YMCA for over 20 years. When he retired from rugby, he took up scuba diving and joined Robin Hood Dive Club in 2003, averaging 150 dives a year. He later wrote that his funniest narcosis moment was mistaking a rubber inner tube for a conger eel whilst at 30m on a Somali wreck at the Farne Islands.
Saville was a "passionate and obsessive" technical diver who loved exploring shipwrecks. The father of four was a PADI instructor and a TDI MOD 3 Rebreather Diver and had been looking forward to completing a bucket list dive on the Britannic.
Memorial Fund
I can only hope that the lifeboat will continue to operate and keep divers and fishermen safe from harm in the future. Liz Saville
A memorial fund has been set up by Liz Saville (Tim's widow) to support an independent lifeboat. Liz Saville posted the following on Just Giving. Tim and Liz met at St Abbs and later married in St Abbs Harbour. "We loved spending time diving the marine reserve and walking along the rugged cliffs. When the RNLI announced that they were closing the lifeboat station in the village, Tim and I were influential in the appeal to keep it open. We both understood the importance of the lifeboat to the local community and the many sea-goers who frequent this stunning stretch of coastline.
I have no words to express my loss. He was my soul mate. Instead of cards and flowers I’d like to ask for donations to St Abbs lifeboat. A cause close to both our hearts."
To date, £4,880.20 has been raised for St Abbs Lifeboat in memory of Tim Saville. You are welcome to make a donation to St Abbs Lifeboat using the link below.
