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Attenborough: How I nearly drowned during dive at reef
The Independent
|June 09, 2025
Sir David Attenborough has revealed that he almost drowned when testing a scuba-diving outfit at the Great Barrier Reef in 1957.
The broadcasting veteran and environmentalist was recorded speaking to Prince William at the Royal Festival Hall in May about his new documentary, Ocean. During the event, he was presented with an original version of an open-circuit scuba helmet, popularised by the French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
Nostalgically, he tried on the helmet over his head. “Don’t do that, David. You won’t get it off,” laughed the Prince of Wales. “It’s certainly a strange thing to do,” remarked Attenborough, who turned 99 in May.
This story is from the June 09, 2025 edition of The Independent.
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