An Explosive Decompression Accident
| Author | J. C. Giertsen, E. Sandstad, I. Morild, G. Bang, A. J. Bjersand, S. Eidsvik |
|---|---|
| Published | 1988 |
| Format | Research paper |
TL;DR — The forensic pathology report on the 1983 Byford Dolphin diving-bell accident, in which four divers died when their chamber decompressed suddenly.
Published in The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology 9(2), 1988, by Norwegian physicians. Four saturation divers in a chamber system on the Byford Dolphin rig in the North Sea were decompressed from 9 atmospheres to 1 in an instant; all four died, along with a diving tender.
The paper presents the autopsy findings, the most notable being large amounts of fat in the major blood vessels and heart, and discusses the physical mechanism of explosive decompression. It contains graphic medical description.
What it is: a peer-reviewed forensic medicine paper, the standard source on a notorious industrial accident. Paywalled; this is the publisher’s version.
Where this came from
- A copy saved in October 2026.
8 pages. A PDF copy is held in Kyle’s private archive; it is not linked or shared here.