Kirsty Brown was snorkelling in the Antarctic Peninsula with another researcher when a leopard seal attacked without warning and dragged her underwater in a horrific and deadly assault
In a shocking and fatal attack, a 28-year-old marine biologist tragically lost her life to a leopard seal in the Antarctic Peninsula whilst snorkelling.
On July 22, 2003, Kirsty Brown, a British Antarctic Survey (BAS) marine biologist, was reportedly in the water with another researcher conducting survey work when a seal attacked without warning and pulled Kirsty beneath the surface.
A spokeswoman for the BAS said Kirsty and her snorkelling “buddy” were at her study site in the bay next to the UK’s Rothera Research Station when the fatal attack took place.
The young marine biologist was reportedly pulled from the water by two colleagues who were on the shore and witnessed the incident – immediately racing to Kirsty’s aid.
Kirsty’s colleagues reportedly began resuscitation procedures in the rescue boat itself as they transported her back to the research station base for medical assistance, reports the Mirror, reports the Daily Record.
Tragically, attempts to revive the marine biologist proved unsuccessful as she heartbreakingly died.
Her horrifying death was believed to be the first recorded human fatality caused by a leopard seal and left scientists worried about potential future seal attacks as the number of people working in the region continued to increase.
The 28-year-old had joined the BAS during the preceding summer on a 30-month contract and was studying how iceberg scouring affects marine creatures living close to the Antarctic peninsula’s coastline. A TikTok clip by thewanderingbeard2.0, which has since gone viral, examines the circumstances surrounding Kirsty’s tragic death.
At the time of her passing, a BAS statement said: “Despite carrying out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation for one hour, the station doctor and [her] colleagues were unable to revive her.”
Her sudden death rocked the Antarctic research community, with an accidental death verdict delivered on 14 November that year by the Coroner for the British Antarctic Territory following an inquest.
BAS confirmed that initial investigations indicated Kirsty and her colleague had adhered to all safety procedures completely and concluded that research station staff had handled the situation appropriately.
Leopard seals are solitary animals, identifiable by their distinctive spotted markings, and generally don’t present a danger to humans.
Boasting an enormous head and jaw equipped with canine teeth that can grow up to an inch in length, male leopard seals can extend to 3.5 metres and weigh over 500 kilograms.
They usually survive for approximately 25 years.
Whilst these marine mammals are known for displaying curiosity when encountering humans, attacks are considered rare unless they’re provoked.
BAS divers were regularly advised to avoid areas where leopard seals had been sighted.
According to BAS, Kirsty’s death represented the first such incident recorded in three decades of snorkelling and diving operations by its staff. At the time, Lloyd Peck, BAS ecophysiologist and Head of the Life at the Edge: Stresses and Thresholds (LATEST) Research Programme, had disclosed that researchers regularly dived during winter months, as they were not deemed a particularly perilous time of year to be underwater.
He also portrayed Kirsty as “full of energy and enthusiasm … a good scientist who worked very hard and could do boring mundane aspects of work with a smile on her face.”
In his statement, Lloyd expressed he “wished all scientists were like Kirsty” and revealed they were resolved to carry on her project.
Kirsty had earned qualifications in geology and oceanography, having served as a diver and research scientist in Greenland and Australia before joining the BAS’s LATEST Research Programme the previous summer.
The West Sussex native’s project had been designed to further investigate the effects of iceberg disturbance on plant and animal communities inhabiting the near-shore Antarctic seabed.
Kirsty had nearly finished the initial stage of her research, which involved placing 500 concrete and plasticine markers to track iceberg scouring on the ocean floor.
In a joint statement, Kirsty’s parents, Tim and Judith Brown, her sisters Didi and Camilla and her brother, Duncan, said: “Naturally we are devastated about the news from the Antarctic – it all seems quite unreal. Kirsty was a great girl and we are all very proud of her. Right now we are looking to spend some quiet time at home with the family.”
The marine biologist’s family lived in Southwater, near Horsham, West Sussex.
At the time, BAS director Chris Rapley released a statement saying: “This is tragic and shocking. My heart goes out to Kirsty’s family and her colleagues at Rothera. Kirsty was a vibrant, dynamic individual committed to her science and with a promising scientific career ahead of her. The Rothera team reacted in a highly efficient and professional manner… They are, however, shaken by the loss of a colleague and will need our support.”
