MYSTERY still surrounds the death of an experienced diver who was found unconscious on the seabed by his diving partner.

Ralton Palfreeman was diving in a shallow bay at Calve Island, near Tobermory, on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, last May, when he died.

The 41-year-old selfemployed joiner had been diving for 20 years and was a regular visitor to the island with the Stockton Divers’ Club, Teesside Coroner’s Court heard.

His diving partner, Malcolm Ivison, broke down in tears as he gave evidence during the inquest into his friend’s death.

The pair were taking part in a shallow dive to check their equipment at the start of the club’s week-long diving holiday.

They were at a depth of 16 metres when Mr Palfreeman was discovered by his friend.

“He wasn’t moving,” said Mr Ivison.

“He was laid on his right shoulder and I realised something wasn’t right.

“I went over and saw that his mask was half full of water, I wrapped my arms and legs around him and inflated my jacket to get us both to the surface.”

After raising the alarm, Mr Palfreeman was dragged from the water by his colleagues and taken to Tobermory, where he was given emergency resuscitation.

Mr Palfreeman, of Carlton, near Stockton, was pronounced dead at the scene, despite efforts to safe his life.

Evidence read out to the court from Police Constable Kenneth Freeman, dive supervisor with Strathclyde Police, was disputed by Mr Ivison.

The officer’s report said that Mr Palfreeman’s spare pony tank was empty of air and full of water, but Mr Ivison maintained that the tank was full before the pair started their dive.

The experienced police officer suggested that one of three things could have caused Mr Palfreeman to lose his oxygen supply.

He said his dive partner could have knocked it out of his mouth, something that Mr Ivison denied, or he vomited into his mouthpiece or he took on water from the pony tank.

Mr Palfreeman’s father, Geoffrey, said the officer’s evidence opened a “whole new can of worms” and left as many questions as it did answers.

Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield recorded an open verdict with the cause of death as drowning.