An inquest heard how North Wales Police received a call with a report that a diver had died at the quarry – the body of Tim James Waples was found nearly 300ft (85 metres) underwater
An inquest has heard today how the body of a diver was found nearly 300ft (85 metres) underwater at a flooded quarry.
The body of Tim James Waples was found at Dorothea Quarry quarry close to Talysarn, in Gwynedd, Wales – a spot which is popular with divers.
The inquest, which was opened in Caernarfon by a senior coroner, heard how North Wales Police received a call at 1.37pm on Saturday, May 31, with a report that a diver had died at the quarry.
Mr Waples, a 60-year-old IT engineer from Hertfordshire had been using diving gear at the quarry when he got into trouble and died, the inquest was told.
Coroner, Kate Robertson, said: “It seems that Tim Waples had been diving using equipment when he was found deceased at approximately 85 metres depth within the water. He was confirmed as having passed away a short time later,” Wales Online reports.
A paramedic confirmed that Waples had died at 3.32pm.The coroner went on to say that she had ordered a post mortem examination and that the results were awaited.
Ms Robertson added: “I have reason to suspect that the death is unnatural.” The coroner has opened and adjourned the inquest to allow for further investigations to take place.
Dorothea quarry is a disused slate quarry in North Wales. Opened in the 1820s, work ceased at the site in the 1970s and the Dorothea quarry was flooded. The extreme depth of the quarry, over 100 meters, and lack of oversight meant that over the years many divers have lost their lives there.
In the ten years from 1994 to 2004, 21 divers lost their lives in the quarry. For many years The British Sub Aqua Club advised members to avoid diving at Dorothea. In 2021 diving resumed at Dorothea through the North Wales Technical Divers club after they were granted a license by the landowner to run dives there for qualified participants.
On its website the group says: “North Wales Technical Divers Club (NWTD) welcomes qualified technical divers to explore Dorothea Lake (AKA Dotty), a fascinating inland quarry, deep in the mountains of North Wales.
“NWTD have been granted an exclusive licence by DPH (the land owner) to run diving at Dorothea because of the technical experience of its members and the high calibre of equipment they use, which are essential for Dotty’s challenging conditions and depth.”
