The Byford Dolphin accident occurred on November 5, 1983, when a group of six divers, including four saturation divers, were involved in a tragic accident while working on an oil rig in the North Sea. The divers were using a pressurized bell to ascend to the surface after a dive, but due to a combination of extreme exhaustion, communication failure, and a critical error, the bell was not properly secured, leading to an explosive decompression. The accident resulted in the instantaneous deaths of four divers, with their bodies being severely damaged due to the rapid expansion of nitrogen in their systems. The fifth diver, Helge, was also killed, with his body being partially expelled through a small opening due to the immense pressure. The sixth diver, Sanders, survived but was seriously injured. The investigation into the accident revealed that the divers' deaths were instantaneous and painless, but the incident remains one of the most horrific and tragic accidents in recent history.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Byford Dolphin accident occurred in 1983.
2. The accident involved a group of divers working on the Byford Dolphin, a semi-submersible drilling platform.
3. The divers were using a technique called saturation diving to avoid decompression sickness.
4. The accident occurred when the divers were returning to the surface in a pressurized bell.
5. The bell was not properly secured to the decompression chamber, causing a sudden change in pressure.
6. The pressure difference between the inside and outside of the chamber was overwhelming, leading to an explosive decompression.
7. Four divers died instantly due to the expansion of nitrogen in their bodies.
8. The divers' bodies were severely damaged, with organs and blood being expelled from their bodies.
9. One diver, Helevic, was partially expelled through the airlock due to the pressure difference.
10. The accident was investigated, but the exact cause of the failure to secure the bell was not determined.
11. The Norwegian government claimed sovereignty over the North Sea in 1963.
12. The discovery of oil in the North Sea in 1969 led to a significant increase in Norway's economy.
13. The Byford Dolphin was a semi-submersible drilling platform used for oil extraction.
14. The platform was 108 meters long, 67 meters wide, and 36 meters deep.
15. The platform was capable of drilling at a depth of 6,100 meters and operating at a water depth of 460 meters.
16. The divers used a mixture of gases called trimix to breathe while working at high pressures.
17. The trimix mixture was made up of oxygen, helium, and nitrogen.
18. The divers' bodies became saturated with nitrogen while working at high pressures.
19. The United States Navy developed a technique called saturation diving to avoid decompression sickness.
20. The divers lived in pressurized capsules while working on the Byford Dolphin, which were adjusted to the pressure at which they worked.