A scuba-tank explosion at an Adriatic shore location in Montenegro has left a 14-year-old boy with serious injuries, resulting in his hand having to be amputated.
Update: Serbian arrested after dive-tank explosion
Local press outlets reported that he had been at least 50m from the source of the explosion when he was struck on the wrist by a shard of flying metal.
A dive-centre has operated since 2011 at Ploče Beach, where the incident occurred on 24 August, offering a range of scuba and freediving services including equipment rental.
Transferred for treatment
The injured boy and his family were said to have come originally from Montenegro but to have been visiting from abroad. He was taken first to a clinic in the town of Kotor, 22km away, before being transferred to the specialist orthopaedic Risan Hospital.
Another child, on holiday from Serbia, required treatment for minor injuries at a medical centre in the nearby town of Budva. A report that a 45-year-old man had been arrested and charged in connection with the explosion remains unverified.
“Today, a diving tank exploded on Ploče beach in the area where diving equipment is issued,” stated the Police Directorate soon after the incident. “According to initial information one person, a 14-year-old foreign citizen, suffered serious injuries to the upper limb, and he is receiving medical attention.
“The police and other services are on the scene to determine all the facts and circumstances of the incident, to determine precisely how the explosion occurred, and possibly to take further action within their jurisdiction.”
Steve… Thanks for the work you do. Do you have more details re the dive tank explosion in Montenegro? Was it during filling? Was it steel or aluminium? We are are an ASSET qualified hydro test stion in Indonesia. Good technical information on the explosion could be critical to others and hel avoid further accidents. Many thankd. Wick PT EON Engineering, Papua Barat Daya, Indonesia
It’s often difficult to glean details of an incident following release of initial official reports once an investigation is underway, and only rarely are the subsequent findings shared. We have asked the question and promise to share if we get any useful answers
Would love a follow up on the cause of the explosion.