Sweden: trying to find some old commercial divers....

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TruckDiver1981

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Hi all, hoping someone may be able to help.

I am trying to find some old commercial salvage divers from the late 70s/early 80s from Sweden. I know it may be a long shot as it was a long time ago, but I’m hoping the industry is pretty small and that may make it a little easier. I’m still trying to find out some more information, but if anyone can help point me in any direction to start that would be great
 
@Akimbo are you able to help or point in a direction?
 
I am trying to find some old commercial salvage divers from the late 70s/early 80s from Sweden.

Are you trying to find a particular diver, document the industry, or researching a particular salvage? Are you only interested in divers or could salvage crews be helpful? Have you looked into:
  • Companies that were active in those years. I can't recall any Swedish companies competing in the North Sea oil patch.
  • Diving trade schools and the Swedish Navy
  • Particular salvage projects. There are usually newspaper articles that would have some breadcrumbs.
  • Are there Swedish trade unions that include divers? If instance, the Pile Driver's Union covers divers on the Pacific Coast of the US.
  • Salvage is not a full-time profession, there just isn't that much work in the world. Companies have to be involved with other work like harbor and ships husbandry, tug and barge services, harbor crane services, or the offshore oil industry.
Not many commercial divers in the US could make a living in that era without international travel. A Swedish commercial diver would have to travel or work in other professions, unusually under and on the water in harbors.
 
So a Swedish company (I believe) were sent to assess the Zen when it sank. It was 2 Dutch salvage companies that were contracted to the initial project so I guess the Swedes were sub contracted in. I am hoping to maybe speak to one of the divers or find if the company still exists and if so if they have any information at all still in their archives. I am researching for a book hence not putting the full name because I know someone else is also researching for one, maybe I am being paranoid but that way this thread wouldn’t show up in a basic key word search....
 
I was working at cargo recovery in the 70,s and 80, and a friend was the bell man with Risdon Beazley, they worked with Ulrich Harms who sold to
Smit Tak in Rotterdam, unfortunately the salvage industry is very secretive but I’ll ask around.
 
I was working at cargo recovery in the 70,s and 80, and a friend was the bell man with Risdon Beazley, they worked with Ulrich Harms who sold to
Smit Tak in Rotterdam, unfortunately the salvage industry is very secretive but I’ll ask around.
Appreciate it! Smit’s were one of the Dutch companies contracted. I think they are now owned by Maersk? I made no headway trying to contact someone from them
 

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