Diver dies after suffering a suspected case of 'the bends' Published duration 18 June 2017

image copyright Maritime and Coastguard Agency image caption The search and rescue helicopter flew the diver to a hyperbaric unit in Plymouth for treatment

A man has died after getting into difficulty during an diving ascent.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it picked up a Mayday broadcast shortly after 14:00 BST on Saturday.

A dive vessel off Salcombe in south Devon requested urgent assistance for one of its divers thought to be suffering from "the bends".

A coastguard helicopter winched the diver from the sea and flew him to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where he was confirmed dead.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the cause of death was being investigated and a file had been prepared for the coroner.

Decompression illness - commonly known as "the bends" - happens when gas bubbles form in tissues or the blood during a rapid ascent.