A diving instructor in Argentina was charged in connection to the death of a woman who disappeared while scuba diving with him.
Thiago Nahuel Pocovi was charged with manslaughter following the death of Sofia Devries, who was found dead two days after she went missing while receiving scuba diving lessons off the coast of Argentina on February 16, according to La Nacion, Todo Noticias and El Chubut.
A criminal investigation was launched into Devries’ death at the request of Judge Marcela Pérez Bogado on Monday, July 6, per Todo Noticias. Pocovi, 26, virtually participated in the hearing while he was in Buenos Aires.
Prosecutors argued that Pocovi violated safety protocols and regulations governing professional diving instructors, according to La Nacion. He was leading a group of seven divers at the time that Devries, 23, went missing.
The court ruled that the Public Prosecutor’s Office will further investigate the incident in order to determine if the case should go to trial, according to Todo Nacional.
It is not currently clear if Pocovi has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest.
Argentinian station Radio Rafaela reported that Devries went on a dive with Pocovi while in the process of advancing her scuba certification with her partner and other divers near the Punta Cuevas Historical Park. The group was reportedly diving in the Golfo Nuevo around the Hu Shun Yu 809 artificial reef at the time of her disappearance.
Prosecutor Alex Williams claimed that Devries suffered a medical emergency as she ascended during the dive, per Radio Rafaela. Her partner reportedly tried to help her reach the surface, but he was unsuccessful.
When the other members of the diving crew noticed she was missing, the group launched a desperate search to find her, but was unable to locate her.
Devries’ body was recovered two days after she went missing and was found about 65 feet below the water’s surface near where she was last seen, according to Radio Rafaela.
Scuba diving is a relatively safe activity, but can be dangerous when the proper protocols are not taken. Diver Magazine reported that there are approximately 150 to 200 scuba diving deaths each year, and about 80 to 100 of those take place in North America alone.
The lead cause of death in scuba diving is drowning, though the drowning incidents are often triggered by underlying issues such as a cardiac event, running out of air or arterial gas embolism.
