This deepsea diver was cut off from his air supply for half an hour. He survived

Stranded, This Diver Lost Oxygen for 25 Minutes and Survived

The life of a saturation diver can be both exhilarating and dangerous, as Chris Lemons found out on the day that nearly claimed his life. Lemons, who spent six hours each day working on the ocean floor servicing offshore oil rigs, found himself in a harrowing situation that tested his limits and ultimately led to a miraculous survival story.

The day started like any other for Lemons, who was working on a large oil manifold in the North Sea, some 100 meters below the surface. However, when alarms started blaring over his communication line, Lemons knew that something serious was happening. The malfunction of the ship’s computer system had caused the vessel to lose control, dragging the dive bell and divers along with it in the rough sea.

As Lemons and his colleague, David Yuasa, tried to swim back to the diving bell, Lemons realized that his umbilical cord had snagged on a section of the manifold, leaving him stranded without air. Despite his best efforts, the cord eventually snapped, leaving Lemons without oxygen for about half an hour. In a moment of panic and resignation, Lemons prepared himself for what he thought would be the end.

Alone on the ocean floor, Lemons reflected on his life and the things he would never get to do. He imagined his parents being informed of his death and wondered how he had ended up in such a dire situation. Despite the odds stacked against him, Lemons remained calm and eventually lost consciousness.

By a stroke of luck and a combination of science and precision, Lemons was rescued by his colleague Yuasa after the crew regained control of the vessel and located him with a driverless submarine. Despite being without oxygen for an extended period of time, Lemons miraculously survived with no lasting brain damage.

Jochen Schipke, a retired professor of physiology who studied Lemons’ survival, attributes his ability to survive to the use of heliox, a mixture of helium and oxygen that helped maintain proper pressure on the ocean floor. Additionally, Lemons’ calm breathing and the cooling effect of the helium on his body helped extend his limited oxygen supply.

Lemons, who now works as a dive supervisor, is grateful for his second chance at life. While the experience has given him a greater awareness of death, he has not made any significant life changes as a result. He continues to share his story at conferences and remains thankful for the training, knowledge, and experience that ultimately saved his life.

The dramatic tale of Lemons’ survival has since been turned into a documentary and a feature film, highlighting the incredible resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.