Former US Navy SEAL died in solo dive

A FORMER American Navy SEAL who retired to West Cork died from a combination of drowning and heart failure while diving alone last summer, an inquest heard yesterday.

Jay Christopher Galinos, aged 52, who lived with his wife, Sheila, and son, Chris, in Enaughter, Goleen, was an experienced diver.

But he drowned while diving and fishing alone off Spanish Cove on May 31.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told the inquest into his death that Mr Galinos’s lungs had completely filled with seawater.

Although his sternum had been fractured, Dr Bolster said this was consistent with long resuscitation attempts.

Despite evidence of early stages of Parkinson’s disease, Dr Bolster said Mr Galinos’s death was caused by cardio respiratory failure due to drowning.

Mr and Mrs Galinos retired from the US to their home in Goleen about two years ago.

The inquest heard how the couple had spent Tuesday, May 30, planting hanging baskets before enjoying an evening meal together.

At about 10.30am the next day, Mr Galinos set out in his 16ft open punt to fish and dive off Spanish Cove.

It was just his second solo diving trip since they arrived in West Cork.

He rang his wife from the boat at midday.

She could see him from the house through binoculars.

They had a brief conversation about how much fish he had caught. That was the last time that they spoke.

Jim O’Meara, from Goleen, told the inquest that he and his son, Ciaran, were sailing west towards Crookhaven in their boat, Canary Song, at about 3.15pm when they spotted Mr Galinos paddling in the water on his back.

They passed back at about 4.45pm and saw no sign of him. The weather was calm and sunny at the time.

They returned to Goleen harbour and began working on their boat.

Mr O’Meara said he became concerned when Mr Galinos had not returned by 6pm.

He raised the alarm with Demot Sheehan, area officer for the Irish Coastguard, who scanned the sea.

He spotted Mr Galinos’s boat floating untended and alerted Valentia coastguard station which in turn launched a major sea and air search.

Kieran Cotter, the coxswain of Baltimore Lifeboat, said he discovered Mr Galinos’s boat drifting about two miles offshore Goleen Bay.

His crew recovered Mr Galinos’s body from the sea just after 10.10pm.

He was found lying on his back with his arms by his side. He was wearing a wetsuit, and a loosened slab jacket with built-in oxygen tank.

A crew member thought he felt a faint pulse and CPR was started. But Mr Galinos, who was airlifted to Cork University Hospital, was pronounced dead later.

The inquest was told that his diving face mask and flippers had been placed neatly in his boat. His diving weight belt had been taken off and has never been found.

A small ladder had been placed on the outside of the boat and a grab line to help divers climb into their boats was found floating on the water.

A safety clasp on a dive line attached to the anchor rope, which prevents divers straying from their boats, was also found open.

Mr Cotter said while it could not be stated for certain, it appeared as if Mr Galinos had completed a dive, placed his gear in his boat before getting into trouble.

Deputy city coroner Philip Comyn recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.