Dr Sarath Obeysekera

This is a tribute to a famous diver from Galle who passed away 

Underwater welding and commercial diving are among the most dangerous professions in the maritime industry. Yet, they are also among the least understood by the public. The recent sudden death of a prominent diving expert has once again drawn attention to the hidden risks faced daily by divers working beneath the sea.

For many years, divers have been regarded as fearless professionals capable of carrying out underwater ship repairs, salvage work, offshore construction, pipeline maintenance, and military operations under extreme conditions. However, behind the courage and technical expertise lies a profession that places enormous strain on the human body.

Many people associate diving deaths only with decompression sickness — commonly known as the bends” — caused by nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream during rapid ascent. But experienced doctors and diving specialists know that the reality is far more complex.

My wife, a medical doctor, once mentioned that several divers under her care died from unexplained complications despite receiving treatment. In our own shipyard, two divers passed away under mysterious circumstances while working in only about ten feet of water. Similar unexplained incidents have occurred among professional scuba divers in the Maldives and elsewhere.

This raises an important question: are we fully aware of the long-term physiological and neurological impacts of commercial diving?

Scientific studies suggest that prolonged exposure to pressure changes may affect the heart, lungs, brain, and nervous system. Tiny gas embolisms, repeated decompression stress, toxic exposure from underwater welding fumes, contaminated water, fatigue, and psychological stress may collectively contribute to long-term health deterioration.

Underwater welders face even greater risks. In addition to pressure-related illnesses, they work with electricity in wet environments, often in poor visibility and dangerous currents. Exposure to toxic metals, hydrogen gas pockets, and electric shock hazards make underwater welding one of the most hazardous occupations in the world.

Despite these risks, countries with advanced maritime industries continue to train divers because the work is essential for ports, shipyards, offshore energy, and marine infrastructure. The key difference is that these countries invest heavily in safety systems, hyperbaric facilities, medical screening, training standards, and emergency preparedness.

Sri Lanka is now exploring opportunities in marine engineering, ship repair, offshore services, and blue economy development. Therefore, introducing underwater welding and commercial diving training cannot be avoided if the nation wants to build a competitive maritime sector.

However, such training should never be approached merely as a commercial course. It must be developed with strict international standards, proper medical supervision, psychological evaluation, emergency response systems, decompression chambers, and continuous health monitoring.

Perhaps the question is not whether we should establish underwater welding courses, but whether we are prepared to do so responsibly.

The sea offers opportunity, but it also demands respect. Behind every successful underwater repair lies a diver who risks his life in silence beneath the waves. Sri Lanka must recognize both the economic value and the human cost of this profession before moving forward.

SLSI and Labour department should have  control over certification of welders 

Dr Sarath Obeysekera