A Singapore diver claims to have broken the Guinness World Record for scuba duration by staying under water for nine days.

Khoo Swee Chiow's marathon submergence of exactly 220 hours beats the previous best of 212 hours and 30 minutes, set by Briton Michael Stevens in a Royal Navy diving tank at Birmingham's NEC in 1986.

For now, however, Stevens remains the official holder in the Guinness World Records category Longest Underwater Submergence (Scuba) - Controlled Environment.

"Koo Swee Chiow has been in touch with us previously about his intention to break this record, and we have sent him all the correct guidelines for his attempt," a spokesman for Guinness World Records told Divernet on 4 January. "We are awaiting evidence from his attempt in order to verify the claim."

Chiow's dive tank was set up in a Singapore shopping centre. The diver, using a full-face mask with surface air supply, climbed in on 16 December and emerged just after noon on Christmas Day. Backed by a team which monitored his condition closely, he faced some serious challenges.

Pyschologically, boredom was the obvious problem. Physically, dehydration, hunger and nausea had to be dealt with, Chiow being limited to a liquid diet including fruit-based and isotonic solutions. Loo breaks were taken within a submerged cubicle.

Health experts watched closely to ensure that the diver did not develop threatening shortness of breath, through irritation by breathing dry air for so long. His body was also checked for any broken skin or sores which could become infected.

It clearly took a fit and very determined man to hold out for the record. But Chiow, described as a professional adventurer, is clearly tough. He has trekked to the North and South Poles, and scaled the highest summit on each of the world's seven continents.


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