DATELINE: 29th June 2001

REBREATHER DEATH
A respected rebreather diver has died in the Mediterranean while using an example of the American-made CCR2000 rebreather.
Ghassem Gheissary died while diving with the unit in the South of France. Gheissary is reported to have suffered a convulsion, thought to be due to an oxygen toxicity hit, as he made his ascent from a dive to an as-yet unconfirmed depth.
His body and equipment were recovered and an inquest, which would be held in France, is probable.
The US-manufactured CCR2000 is a closed-circuit rebreather with three bottles - one for oxygen and two for diluents. At the time of his death Gheissary, qualified as a rebreather instructor and instructor-trainer, was considering becoming European agent for the unit, in partnership with an Italian company which planned to obtain manufacturing rights from America.
Gheissary was Iranian-born but came to Britain as a teenager and later settled in Holland where, until recently, he worked with Shell International Exploration and Production.
He was married with an infant daughter..

---