A SHIPWRECK explorer has died on a wreck diving expedition as his friends fought to save him.

Joe Mazraanie, 48, was diving to the The Big Engine Steamer skipwreck off Cape Cod, Massachusetts when he got into trouble.

He was diving with a group from his boat, Tenacious, on July 29 when he reportedly suffered a medical emergency.

Other divers rushed to get him back to the boat and perform first aid on the 48-year-old but were unable to save him.

Police and the US coast guard are carrying out a fully investigation into the cause of his death.

In a statement, his family said they are choosing to keep the details of his death private but have “no reason” to suspect “diver error or equipment failure”.

His wife, Jennifer Sellitti, paid tribute to her “larger than life” partner who lived life “on the edge”.

She said: “He was kind, compassionate and generous. A mentor and a student, a friend, brother, son and partner.

“Whether motoring aboard D/V Tenacious, diving into deep and dangerous water, or defending his clients in court, Joe demanded the best of everyone around him. Sometimes he demanded it grumpily – but he always demanded by example.

“He lived every moment fully, without compromise. He did not want to die doing what he loved – none of us do. 

“He wanted to survive it, to grow old doing it. But when you live at the edge, sometimes the edge pushes back.”

The group had been diving on the edge of Georges Bank, a popular spot for experienced divers.

Joe, a maritime historian and technical-diving explorer, was born in Lebanon but moved to the US when he was 15.

He became a defence lawyer before qualifying as a scuba diver in the mid-90s and later, a licensed boat captain.

In a touching statement, his firm, The New Jersey Office of the Public Defender, said: “With deep sadness, we share the loss of Joe Mazraani, beloved partner of Public Defender Sellitti and a cherished member of the legal and diving communities. 

“Joe passed on July 29 in a diving-related incident, believed to be caused by a medical emergency.

“Joe was larger than life: fearless, kind, and deeply committed to justice. Our hearts are with the Public Defender and his loved ones.”

His previous expeditions included diving to the U-550, the German U-boat wreck in the North Atlantic, and the Andrea Doria – the Italian ocean liner that sank in 1956 off the coast of Nantucket.