Mystery surrounds the death of North East rigger

Nov 10 2009 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

THE FAMILY of a North East oil rig worker who died in a deep-sea diving tragedy are taking action against the Norwegian Government - nearly 35 years after the accident.

The exact circumstances surrounding George W Turner’s death remain a mystery. The 37-year-old died while carrying out a risky dive in the North Sea on June 14, 1975 while working for French diving giants Comex.

It is thought he was part of a two-man team who were planning to plunge 69 metres underwater to recover items that were dropped on the seabed. However, during the dive, Mr Turner’s lifeline was severed and he never resurfaced. Official documents report his cause of death as “nitrogen narcosis”, a type of underwater “bends” that can affect a diver’s perception. In the months after the father-of-three’s death, his heartbroken family received a one-off compensation payment from Comex, but widow, Jean, now 70, never received government cash. She was also never given money she was entitled to for child benefits and pension payments.

The Turner family only discovered they were entitled to cash after The Journal revealed how Stephen Lucas, 36, from Cramlington, Northumberland, was awarded a six-figure payout after a 26-year fight.

Mr Lucas’ father Roy was killed with four other divers during the tragedy at the Byford Dolphin rig off the Norwegian coast in November 1983.

Last night Mr Turner’s daughter, mother-of-one Julie Brown, 43, from Gateshead, said: “These so-called ‘pioneer divers’ made Norway a very, very rich country but the Government just abandoned those men who risked their lives. People like my father were treated like guinea pigs.

“There were divers who survived and were left horrifically traumatised. It’s clear that many of the oil rig workers were left stranded by the Norwegian Government and now they are still showing no remorse.” George Turner was among thousands of divers who worked on rigs during the 1970’s oil rush. Now families of British workers who died in Norwegian waters want to understand what happened to their loved ones.

Mr Turner's son Michael was aged 11 when his father was killed. Last night Michael, now 46, said: “My mum is an amazing woman and she is really strong. She didn’t realise at the time that we were entitled to compensation and she was busy bringing up her kids.”