PROLOGUE 

Confused, unable to see, running out of air and desperately seeking a way out. It's hard to imagine what Julia Alexanders' final conscious moments would have been like - the ingredients of a divers worst nightmare. She was trapped underwater, inside the hull of an old scuttled submarine over 40 metres (135 feet down). The nightmare soon ended, however, it was one from which she would never wake. 

BACKGROUND 

Seven J class submarines were built in 1915-16 for the Royal Navy, during the first world war. At that time they were the fastest in the world, with a surface speed of 19 knots and a submerged speed of 10 knots. They had an endurance of 4000 miles on the surface, and 2000 miles whilst submerged. The J class subs were 84 metres long and had a crew of 44. Each vessel saw heavy action with many enemy ships sunk to their credit, including two battleships. One of the submarines 06 was sunk during the war, tragically by a British warship that did not recognise it. 

In 1919, Britain presented the Royal Australian Navy with a gift of the six remaining submarines and six destroyers which were no longer required after the war. However, extremely high operating costs together with a huge post-war cut in the defence budget soon resulted in a decision to decommission and scrap the submarines. They were sold to a Melbourne salvage company in 1924 and all six J class submarines were eventually scuttled. Two became breakwaters, the J7 at Sandringham and J3 at Swan Island. In 1926 the Jl, J2, J4 and JS were towed outside the Port Phillip Bay heads and sunk in the ships’ graveyard. This is a deep water area where there are hundreds of scuttled and wrecked vessels. 

The J2 settled in between 40-50 metres of water about 3 kilometres South of Point Lonsdale. In the process of sinking the J2, the hull was blown apart just in front of the conning tower. For this reason the J2 is also known as the 'Broken sub'. The break can give divers easy access to the inside of the submarine. It has become popular with recreational divers who rediscovered its location in 1974. The ships graveyard is now a favoured spot for underwater archaeologists and sport scuba divers. 

DEEP DIVING 

Deep diving (generally below about 30 metres) has its hazards - not least among them is increased air consumption. Air pressure at the surface is referred to as one atmosphere and increases by one atmosphere for every ten metre increment below the surface. So, at a depth of 40 metres, the pressure is five times more than the surface atmospheric pressure. The amount of air consumed at a depth of 40 metres – breathed at the same rate - will actually be five times more than the amount used on the surface. The need to conserve air is the prime concern for scuba divers in deep water. 

Another problem with deep diving is that the nitrogen in the pressurised air becomes narcotic. People are affected in various ways, similar to alcohol. The affects tend to increase proportionate to the depth, slowing mental activity, reaction time and creating a feeling of euphoria. Sometimes a diver's judgement becomes seriously impaired. 

The risk of decompression illness - also known as 'the bends' - is yet another serious problem for the deep diver. Air is around 80% nitrogen and 20% oxygen. Oxygen is used by the body, while nitrogen remains inert. Under the increased pressure, the gases are absorbed into the body, elevating the levels within the system. The human body can operate quite safely with the high concentrations of gas within it. When the diver makes his/her way to the surface, the pressure of the water decreases so the concentrated gas begins to diffuse out of the system. If the pressure reduction is uncontrolled or sudden, the residual nitrogen in the system forms bubbles within the bloodstream and tissues. The body literally fizzes internally, potentially causing serious medical problems or death. In order to avoid risking 'the bends', divers have limitations of time that they can spend at various depths.

If the time is exceeded, additional time must be spent at shallower depths in order to decompress slowly. A dive to 40 metres limits the diver to only seven minutes (DCIEM decompression tables) before they have to leave the bottom, or face the need for decompression time. All recreational diving is conducted in a manner to avoid the need for decompression. 

THE DIVE 

Several recreational diving charter companies operate in the southern part of Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. They go to a variety of locations and cater for divers with a broad range of experience. On the morning of 10th January 1997, twelve divers and two crew left the port of Queenscliff on board a commercial dive boat. The group headed for a wreck called the Courier situated forty-two metres deep in the ships' graveyard. 

Before they could enter the water at the Courier, the dive master gave a pre­dive briefing. Radio contact with Point Lonsdale lighthouse revealed that a large container ship was approaching the site so a decision was made to change location, and dive the nearby J2 (Broken sub), which was at a similar depth, and more importantly, away from shipping traffic. 

Most of the group on board were very experienced divers, including several instructors and dive masters. Recreational divers usually use a buddy system where two or three divers stay together during the dive, and look after each other in case there is a problem, such as equipment malfunction. 

Julia and Greg Alexander shared an interest in diving. They were both 28 years old and had been married for four and a half years. Both had completed their initial Open Water Dive Course before they were married and then did several other courses together m the following years including Advanced Scuba Diver, Deep Diver and Diver Rescue. Greg went further, completing several more courses and was training to become a diving instructor.

Julia loved scuba diving. She was generally safety conscious and proficient. At 9.51 am., Julia left the surface with her dive buddy/husband. They descended the shot line to the bottom, which was a short distance from the wreck of the old submarine.

Visibility was poor - between one and two metres. The couple went to the top of the aft end of the submarine. A large open hatch presented an invitation to the young enthusiastic divers to enter the old sub. Visibility was actually better inside the hull because it was sheltered from the current. 

Greg entered the hatch and via hand signals, asked Julia if she would like to follow. She signalled 'O.K.'. The inside of the hull at this point was about two metres in diameter. The couple swam through the inside of the sub and proficient. At 9.51 am., Julia left the surface with her dive buddy/husband. They descended the shot line to the bottom, which was a short distance from the wreck of the old submarine.

Visibility was poor - between one and two metres. The couple went to the top of the aft end of the submarine. A large open hatch presented an invitation to the young enthusiastic divers to enter the old sub. Visibility was actually better inside the hull because it was sheltered from the current. 

Greg entered the hatch and via hand signals, asked Julia if she would like to follow. She signalled 'O.K.'. The inside of the hull at this point was about 2 metres in diameter. The couple swam through the inside of the sub and maintained good buoyancy control which avoided disturbing the silt and obliterating visibility. They soon arrived at the broken section of the hull. 

Confidence is a desirable trait in adventurous outdoor activities – overconfidence can be fatal. So far, the dive had gone well and they were still within their critical bottom time of seven minutes. However, precious seconds ticked away, probably quicker than the divers realised due to the intoxicating effect of the nitrogen. To continue the dive inside the bow section of the submarine now was a critical decision. 

Confidence is a desirable trait in adventurous outdoor activities – overconfidence can be fatal.

The couple continued on, swimming through the hull, past the break, toward the bow. As they did so they passed two other divers travelling in the opposite direction. The movement of the other divers created a disturbance which stirred the silt on the normally sheltered walls on the inside of the wreck. The water clouded up and visibility deteriorated badly. Greg and Julia became disoriented; they could see each other but little else. Greg swam to the nearest wall to feel his way out. At this point his dive computer gave the alarm signal, telling them both that they had exceeded their bottom time for a no decompression dive. 

From that moment onward, swimming to the surface without a stop would risk decompression illness. The couple knew they didn't have enough air for a prolonged decompression stop. It was a dangerous predicament, getting worse with every passing second. Greg took hold of Julia's hand and placed it on his tank valve behind his head, hoping to guide her out of the submarine. 

The silt filled water and the walls blended together and made it difficult to tell the difference. The urgency of the diver's movements compounded the problem. Lights that the divers carried were of little value in a non­transparent environment. Greg felt along the wall, and thought he came to an area he had seen before. It appeared to him that they were going the wrong way, so he changed direction. The inside walls of the hull are not smooth. There are various protrusions and bulkheads to obstruct and snag divers. Ahead of him, Greg saw some light and headed for it.

He arrived at the break and realised Julia was not with him. Greg had about a quarter of his air left. In a desperate attempt to find his wife, he swam back inside the hull to the area where they had turned around. The hazardous suspended silt had reduced visibility to nil. He collided with something that dislodged his mouthpiece and mask. He grabbed his spare regulator and cleared his mask. Precious air and time were wasted. He went back to the break and still couldn't see Julia. 

Greg now faced a heart wrenching dilemma. He was way over bottom time, critically short of air and 40 metres from the surface. Did Julia get out? If he continued searching inside the sub, he would risk certain death.

Help could come from others on the surface, if he could raise the alarm. Greg made a rapid ascent to the surface - arriving 19 minutes after the start of his dive. His dive computer later showed that he had missed 27 minutes of decompression stoppages. Nitrogen had accumulated to dangerous levels, and his body had rapidly decompressed. He was in dire need of help.

All the other divers eventually surfaced, oblivious to what had occurred.

RESCUE ATTEMPT

Greg Alexander frantically told the others what had occurred. It was clear that Julia had not surfaced and was probably still inside the submarine. Time was critical. She would either be on the verge of running out of air, or her air had run out already. For a chance of saving her life - however slim - it was a now or never situation.

Two divers faced the perilous conditions in a desperate attempt to find Julia. Paul Dickens was a 41-year­old very experienced, Diving Instructor, Cave Diver and Penetration Wreck Diving Instructor. Alan Hamilton was a 44-year-old ex­policeman, with 20 years diving experience. They had both just surfaced, and had residual nitrogen in their systems. They were low on air, using cylinders that had been used on the previous dive. They knew it was extremely dangerous to go back to the sub so soon, but felt that somebody had to try and find her - before it was too late. Ironically, on their own dives, Dickens and Hamilton had not let their dive buddies or themselves enter the sub. They considered it too dangerous in the circumstances. 

As the two men dived back to the wreck, the others on board began a surface search. Oxygen supplies were made ready. The dive master radioed for assistance. Sorrento Police were notified, who contacted the Rescue Co-ordination Centre at the Water Police Office in St. Kilda. 

Dickens and Hamilton separately arrived at the submarine, for the second time. Alan Hamilton concentrated on the stern part of the sub, peering into holes in the hull, looking for bubbles. Visibility was worse than before. Fear of being trapped and running out of air was ever present, but motivation for saving Julia was overriding his terror. Before many minutes had passed, Hamilton ran out of air in his tank. He didn't have enough air to inflate his buoyancy vest. Juggling equipment he was carrying, he made it back to the shot line. He turned on and breathed from a very small pony bottle (a cylinder holding a small amount of emergency air) that he had borrowed from another diver. He then climbed the shot line hand over hand, trying to remain calm and resisting panic. He didn't realise the borrowed pony bottle had been partly used during the first dive. It ran out of air, still 20 metres (68 feet) from the surface. He thought he would drown as he frantically made for the surface. 

Desperate for air, Hamilton looked up as he swam for his life. Suddenly he saw a tank of air above him. He had forgotten about the hang tank which was suspended on the shot line 9 metres from the surface. It was suspended during the initial dive, for emergency decompression. 

Hamilton reached the tank and was able to breathe again, indeed it probably saved his life. He had burst from the depths, the rapid ascent caused a similar condition to that suffered by Greg Alexander. Hamilton remained with the hang tank below the surface, squeezing in as much decompression time as possible before he re-surfaced. Even so, he needed medical attention and urgent re-compression. He was given 100% oxygen and water to ease his decompression illness.­

Paul Dickens was still at the submarine. He had the benefit of a little more information than Hamilton. Greg Alexander had managed to tell him the last place he had seen Julia was about three metres from the 'break', inside the bow section. That is where Dickens went. Starting at the 'break', he swam into the bow section. Visibility was virtually nil due to the silt, still suspended in the water. He switched off his torch, which acted like headlights in fog - because it reflected off silt particles and impeded visibility. 

Dickens swam about 15 metres into the hull from the break, he knew he was critically short of air. He headed toward a light above him, which turned out to be a small opening. This was probably his only chance to get out before he ran out of air. He squeezed through the opening and continued along the top of the sub toward the bow. He looked for bubbles, or anything to suggest that Julia Alexander was still alive. He found nothing. 

Dickens considered going back to the shot line to make his ascent but knew he didn't have enough air to get there. His pressure gauge told him his tank was empty. He made a gradual mid water ascent, losing sight of the wreck about 25 metres from the break. When he got to around eight metres deep, he hoped to be able to stop to decompress, but his breathing became difficult and intermittent. He wished he were near the hang tank so that he could stay underwater longer. He breathed very slowly and ascended to three metres, where his air supply was finally exhausted. He remained there, holding his breath for about a minute before being forced to surface. On the boat, Dickens was also given oxygen and water. His body, too, had a lot of deadly residual nitrogen to decompress. 

The rescue attempt had failed, and by this time, Julia Alexander would certainly have run out of air. 

The charter boat returned to Queenscliff - one diver short. Greg Alexander and Alan Hamilton were flown by air ambulance helicopter to the Alfred Hospital Hyperbaric Unit. They both underwent recompression treatment for several hours to gradually diffuse the residual nitrogen out of their systems. Hamilton would undergo ten such treatments in the following weeks. Paul Dickens was taken by road ambulance to Geelong Hospital, where he was later cleared to go home. He remains a paradox in hyperbaric medicine because he didn't exhibit any signs of decompression illness. 

SEARCH & RESCUE SQUAD RESPONSE 

The Rescue Co-ordination Centre is the central contact point for requesting assistance from the Emergency Response Division of the Victoria Police Force. Water Police and Air Wing units were immediately dispatched. Several other organisations became involved in the surface search. 

The Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad were requested, and members went direct to the area. Others began packing all the equipment required for a major deep diving operation. 

This was not the first fatal dive at the J2 submarine. In 1981 a diver went missing at the 'Broken sub' and thorough searching of the sea and beaches from Point Lonsdale to Ocean Grove failed to locate the man. At that time the Search and Rescue Squad had extensive experience with black water search and recovery operations, but were limited to 20 metres depth. Due to this an underwater search for the missing diver was not conducted by police divers. This frustrating restriction was in conflict with the professional ethos of squad members, who were confined to searching the beach. 

Members of the Search and Rescue Squad made a commitment to extend the diving capacity of the squad. The squad diving capabilities are now vastly improved from 1981. All members are now commercially qualified. Category two and three divers are authorised to dive to thirty and fifty metres respectively. The Search and Rescue Squad is an approved commercial diver training establishment; the 4th in Australia to be registered. It is now equipped with diving helmets, umbilicals, panel and a Duocom recompression chamber, transportable to deep diving sites. 

This equipment was assembled and taken to Queenscliff in order to conduct a search for Julia's body in the submarine. A deep water search inside a confined area could only be safely undertaken with surface-supplied breathing apparatus. This gives the diver a potentially unlimited amount of air supplied from the surface, in the event of a problem. 

The weather had deteriorated and there were strong winds with two to three metre waves. The squad was unable to access a vessel capable of remaining stationary above the site so that they could conduct a surface-air-supplied dive. While Water Police boats were excellent for most rescue tasks, a more stable vessel was needed that would not shift in the harsh conditions, possibly dragging the divers. A decision was made to adjourn the underwater search until the following day, when a suitable vessel was available. 

Meanwhile, the crew and divers from the ill-fated charter boat were interviewed at the Queenscliff Police Station. Senior Constable Peter Sellers compiled the inquest brief. All of the dive equipment, bottom timers and dive computers were collected for later examination. 

At 8.30pm, I spoke with Greg Alexander as he emerged from the recompression chamber at the Alfred Hospital. Absolutely depressed, he gave a description of the circumstances of how his wife went missing. He drew a basic diagram of the submarine and showed me where he had last seen Julia. Upset that we were unable to dive to the J2 that day, he asked if members of his dive club could recover her body the following day. I told him that it was the responsibility of police to recover Julia's body, and that we would do it the following day. 

THE SEARCH AND RECOVERY 

Early on the morning of the 11th January, a dive crew of eight members from the Search and Rescue Squad headed for Queenscliff. They loaded and checked a large amount of equipment, including the portable recompression chamber, on to the chartered vessel Shearwater, then headed out to the location of the J2. 

Anchored above the wreck, Senior Constables Don McConnell and Adrian Johnson prepared themselves for an extended penetration dive. Their dive was aborted due to insufficient umbilical being available for a penetration because of a lengthened anchor line for stability. The boat had to be repositioned. A short reconnaissance dive by Senior Constable Clifton-Bligh and myself established the location of the submarine and its break; the starting point for an internal search of the hull. Weather conditions of the previous day returned, and deteriorated as the day progressed. The waves had picked up to between three and four metres high with wind gusting to 85 kilometres per hour. The sea had become so rough, that the popular Lorne 'Pier to Pub' swim event was cancelled. For the police divers, attendants and boat crew, seasickness became a real problem while checking the equipment and managing each dive from the surface. Some of the crew, including myself, were ill over the side of the boat. With potentially life threatening diving conditions, concentration had to be focussed on the specific tasks each member had to do, despite the discomfort. 

Sergeant Barry Gibson and Senior Constable Bob Manks were category three commercial divers with many years of experience with the squad. They were the next divers to enter the water. Descending toward the submarine, Gibson and Manks, now faced the body search and recovery. With the weather getting worse, we all knew that this would be our last dive that day. Bottom time limitations added to the pressure of locating the body fast. My mind returned to the comment I had made to Greg Alexander, that we would recover Julia's body that day. 

The divers arrived at the break. Gibson fed the umbilical to Manks who entered the bow section. Senior Constable Don McConnell operated the panel supplying air and communi­cating with the divers from the boat. 

As Manks swam along the narrow corridor, he tried not to think about the rough sea above. If the Shearwater dragged its anchors he would be pulled through the hull. The jagged snags on the inside of the sub would certainly injure him. 

Manks made his way to the bow end of the submarine, where he located the body of Julia Alexander. She was face down on the bottom. Her body was 35 metres from the break. It appeared that Julia had swam away from the break, until she came to the other end of the submarine where she ran out of air. For her mistake, she had paid the highest price. All the diving equipment she was wearing was still intact. In an attempt to reduce the effective weight of the body, Manks tried to inflate the buoyancy vest, however was unable to do so because there was no air available in Julia's tank. The heavy body had to be carried out while bottom time ticked away. 

Manks looked back towards the break but saw nothing because deadly silt had stirred up again and reduced his visibility to zero. He had to concentrate, working through the intoxicating effect of the nitrogen. Fortunately, Manks had his umbilical line to guide him out, unlike Greg and Julia the previous day. Aided by Gibson who hauled the line, Manks carried the woman's body through the snag filled submarine. He was swimming blind, ever aware of the increasing bottom time. He was already over the limit for a no-decompression dive. 

Once outside the submarine, Manks and Gibson secured the body at the base of the shot line, so that it could be hauled to the surface. Water Police members on board vessel VP 16 retrieved the shot line, and took the body on board. 

After a 24 minutes bottom time, Gibson and Manks faced 37 minutes of decompression stops before they could safely surface. They hung by their umbilical lines below the stern of the Shearwater as it was tossed violently in the rough seas. Maintaining a stable depth for staged decompression was extremely difficult. They were pulled up and down like tea bags while the nitrogen gradually dissipated from their systems. It was a relief all round when the divers were finally allowed to surface and got back on board the boat. The difficult task was achieved. The emphasis of the operation then swung to investigation mode. 

DIVING FATALITY INVESTIGATION 

The Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad has a long history of assisting the Coroner with specialist investiga­tive skills and is the responsible authority for diving fatality investigations. The circumstances of a death under water can be extremely varied, with many obscure contributing factors. To determine the cause of a diving fatality, the investigator must have knowledge of the physics, equipment, and circumstances relative to diving. Key witnesses need to be interviewed by a person with an understanding of diving. A police diver is in the best position to be involved in a diving fatality investigation, in order to produce a quality brief for the Coroner. 

The Water Police berthed at Swan Island army base. The body of the deceased was photographed and all her diving equipment was removed for testing. Over the next few weeks, much work was done in preparation for the Coronial Inquest. Statements were taken from divers Greg Alexander, Paul Dickens and Alan Hamilton. All of Julia's equipment was thoroughly tested. 

The Search and Rescue Squad conducted a series of training dives in the ships' graveyard. Divers took video footage of the J2 - particularly the break area and the inside of the hull, both undisturbed and silted out. Our divers were able to gain a detailed appreciation of the hazards associated with diving in the submarine. 

Many more people will no doubt attempt complicated deep water penetration diving. Realistic safe suggestions for future dives were explored. The level of training required and the type of equipment to be used in this type of diving were thoroughly investigated. 

INQUEST 

In July 1997 Coroner Max Beck presided over the inquest into the death of Julia Alexander. Mr Beck, himself, was an enthusiastic sport diver. He had completed many training courses including cave diving, and had particular interest investigating this death. With an understanding of the complexities involved, he was in an ideal position to judge the contributing factors. He drove his clerks to frustration with the volume of evidence and material he had collected for the inquest. 

At the end of the inquest, the Coroner found that the responsibility for contributing to the diving fatality was shared by Julia herself, her dive buddy and the dive master. There is a Victorian code of practice relating to sport diving - but it is voluntary. Coroner Beck said that if the industry continues self-regulation then specific standards need to be agreed upon and implemented by all. The alternative is the introduction of legislation governing recreational diving. 

Mr Beck suggested a plaque m memory of Julia Alexander be placed on the bow section of the J2, warning divers of the dangerous silt conditions within. 

Recorded in Coroner Beck's finding is the following quote on the efforts of the police divers: 

"It is not widely recognised that men of such courage, confidence and specialised skill are part of the Victorian Police. They are to be commended for their endurance, skill and professionalism." 

CONCLUSION 

Members of the Search and Rescue Squad knew that immediate rescue attempts by the civilian divers were acts of bravery. However, the circumstances of this incident had the potential to cause three more deaths, that of Greg Alexander, Alan Hamilton and Paul Dickens. The immediate rescue attempt was not something that should encouraged. 

The Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad today is well equipped for deep diving operations to 50 metres. The years of training and hard work have now paid off. The vision of having a specialised deep water diving capability has been achieved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senior Constable Greg Paul joined the Victoria Police in 1984. He worked general duties at Sale, City West and Cheltenham Police stations. He became a police diver in 1989 after completing the Search and Rescue Squad training course. He has been involved in numerous Search and Rescue operations throughout the state. In 1996 he became a full-time member of the Search and Rescue Squad.