Authorities have charged a diving instructor in connection with the death of a young scuba diver who went missing in Argentina earlier this year, according to recent reports.
Thiago Nahuel Pocovi, aged 26, faces manslaughter charges following the death of 23-year-old Sofia Devries. Her body was discovered two days after she disappeared during a scuba diving session near Puerto Madryn in southern Argentina on February 16, Todo Noticias reported.
Pocovi was guiding a group of seven divers as they pursued their advanced scuba certification at an underwater park by Hu Shun Yu 809, a favored diving location in the area, when the unfortunate incident occurred, according to local media.
Shortly before her tragic disappearance, Devries, who frequently shared travel experiences and beauty tutorials on social media, and her boyfriend allegedly found themselves diving in conditions of low visibility without direct supervision. It was then that she began exhibiting distress, attempting to remove her breathing regulator.
Prosecutor Alex Williams reported that Devries experienced a medical crisis while ascending from the dive. Despite efforts by her partner to assist her to the surface, these proved unsuccessful, as reported by Argentinian station Radio Rafaela.
Other members of the diving crew then launched a desperate search to find her, but could not locate her, the station said.
A team of specialized divers eventually discovered Devries’ body at a depth of roughly 82 feet underwater two days later, the outlet reported.
Pocovi allegedly violated safety protocols and regulations for professional diving instructors during the fateful expedition, prosecutors argued.
The diving instructor attended a court hearing virtually and did not give a statement of defense, Todo Noticias said.
The prosecutor’s office has now launched a full investigation into the diver’s death to determine whether to hold a trial.
The tragedy occurred just months before a group of five Italian scuba divers died 200 feet below the surface during a deep-water dive to a cave in the Maldives.
The group vanished on May 14, with most not having proper cave diving equipment, including a diving reel or guide rope.