Hero garda who saved nine people died in diving accident
AN OFF-DUTY garda drowned in an accident while diving off the Wexford coast.
A coroner’s inquest heard Garda Dave Hearne (47) drowned after his mouthpiece fell out when he suffered convulsions due to inhaling excessive oxygen.
Garda Hearne, based in Waterford but a native of Fethard-on-Sea, Co Wexford, was hailed a hero for having saved the lives of nine people during his career thanks to his swimming and life-saving skills.
He died on May 25, 2019. The father of four was found by diving companions near the sea bed, unresponsive and with his breathing mouthpiece displaced.
Desperate efforts to revive him failed.
A post-mortem examination was conducted at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) by pathologist Dr Fergus McSweeney.
He found the deceased had drowned.
A specialist dive technician was subsequently asked to examine Garda Hearne’s equipment.
British expert Dave Gration said he found a number of warning alarms had been triggered by the rebreathing equipment due to an inexplicable surge or “spike” in oxygen supply levels.
Mr Hearne was apparently unable to respond to the alarms before he suffered convulsions as a result of the over-supply of oxygen.
“Unfortunately, when you are in the water, you have convulsions,” Mr Gration said.
“You would not have the possibility of maintaining the (mouthpiece) loop in your mouth.
“The water would go into your mouth and that would lead to drowning,” he said.
Coroner Ger O’Herlihy confirmed an inquest jury verdict of accidental death due to drowning.
Dedicated
“Tragically, something went wrong down below... and the late Mr Hearne was unable to deal with the (gas) spike,” he said.
The inquest noted the garda had saved multiple lives during his career and that he was described by colleagues as a dedicated officer and public servant.
Garda Hearne died without knowing he was to have been promoted to sergeant just weeks later.
The accident occurred during a recreational dive on a wreck site located some 15km off Hook Head.
Garda Hearne was diving with Hook Sub Aqua Club, of which he was chairman.
A former member of the Garda Water Unit, Mr Hearne had been based in Waterford as part of the Garda Traffic Corps.
Members of Mr Hearne’s family were visited by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris after the tragedy – and he confirmed Garda Hearne was to have been promoted to sergeant.
He had passed all his sergeant exams but died without realising he was to secure the promotion he had worked so hard to achieve.
The Irish Bravery Awards Council paid tribute to Garda Hearne for helping save so many lives over the years and noted he had proudly followed in the footsteps of his father Declan, who was himself honoured for his bravery in 1958.