A FRENCH diver was pronounced dead at St Helier Harbour after his body was found in the sea near the Minquiers reef, an inquest has heard.
During a short hearing to open the inquest into 55-year-old Arnaud Chauvel’s death and allow his body to be released ahead of his funeral, police coroner’s officer Andy Bisson gave a brief outline of the circumstances.
Mr Bisson said the crew of Jersey-based fishing vessel Ruby Roo spotted the body floating in the water south of the Minquiers at 11.55am on Monday 1 April.
The hearing was told that the fishing vessel retrieved the man, who was wearing a wetsuit and weights and carrying a diving knife. His body was then taken onto a lifeboat and brought to the Harbour, where an official pronouncement of death was made by a paramedic at 3.30pm.
Mr Bisson said the man was subsequently identified as Mr Chauvel, a French national who lived at Langueux, near St Brieuc, adding that police were not treating the death as suspicious.
Relief coroner Cyril Whelan authorised the release of Mr Chauvel’s body ahead of repatriation liaison between funeral directors in Jersey and the French consulate. He adjourned the inquest pending the outcome of further investigations.
