Claimed by the Deep doing the thing he loved
GATESHEAD MAN LOSES HIS LIFE DIVING OFF US COAST
HE died taking part in the hobby he loved – and now the devastated parents of scuba diver Steven Slater have opened their hearts to tell of their “devoted” son.
Steven, of Gateshead, died exploring the wreckage of the doomed Andrea Doria ocean liner off the United States coast.
The 46-year-old was part of a group diving to see the Italian ship which sank off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, in 1956.
But crew members from the Ol’ Salty II boat are said to have pulled Steven unconscious from the water on Monday, July 24, and he was later pronounced dead.
Now his heartbroken mum and dad, Norma and Edward, have told how he died doing what he did best.
“He died doing what he loved, he lived for it, he always wanted to get out and dive. He did it most weekends,” said Norma, 76, of Gateshead. “Weather permitting.”
“In fact, Steven said a day without a dive was a bad day,” added dad Edward, 78.
Newcastle United fan Steven was a hugely experienced diver and was a member of The Darkstar Team, who dive out of the Royal Quays in North Shields.
“He has been diving since he was 18,” said Edward. “He learned to scuba dive with the sub-aqua club and then learned to dive with a more technical team.
“He loved the wreck dives because he liked the history that went along with them; he enjoyed doing the research. He was outgoing, that was for sure.”
Steven flew from England last Friday and popped around to see his parents two days earlier before leaving for his adventure in America.
“He was excited and was talking a lot about it,” added Edward. “He texted us to say he arrived in New York and then texted us to say ‘All is good, going out to the boat.’ We never heard anything else after that – that was Sunday. “It was his first and last dive there.” Steven worked for Technip Umbilicals Ltd, based at Walker Riverside in Newcastle.
Norma added: “He was a dedicated son, great brother to Philip, great brother-in-law to Julie and great uncle to his three nieces, Jenny who is 15, Faye who is 13 and 10-year-old Emily.
“He loved to laugh and do funny jokes with the girls.”
The Slater family don’t know the fine details about Steven’s death.
“We know what is on the news, that’s about it,” said Edward. “There has been a post-mortem and they have opened an inquest, and they are repatriating his body next week. Nothing we say will bring him back.”
Asked what they would miss the most about Steven, Norma fought back tears and said: “I can’t answer that question, I will miss everything about him.”
A post on the EUROTEK Advanced Diving Conference page said: “Steve was a hugely respected and wellliked British wreck and technical diver.
“Steve pursued his passion, actively researching, then searching and diving missing wrecks with his friends.”
Ol’ Salty II’s captain Nick Caruso said on Facebook: “We’re coming home. Sad end.
“Our deepest, sorrow and sympathy to the family and friends of the lost brother wreck diver.”