Tributes paid to detective who died saving friend's life in scuba diving accident

A detective who died while saving a friend's life in a scuba diving accident was remembered at a poignant memorial service today.

Detective Sergeant John Gilbert, 58, died in August last year while scuba diving with the Met Police Sub Aqua Club in the English Channel off Littlehampton.

Mr Gilbert, a veteran of 350 dives, and his friend of 15 years, Christopher Read were scuba diving when Mr Read began to run out of oxygen. Mr Gilbert tried to help by sharing his own air supply, but the pair sank to 30 metres below sea level.

Mr Gilbert then helped release his friend's lead dive belt to allow him to rise safely to the surface. However, when Mr Gilbert followed he lost consciousness just when he reached the surface. He died in hospital the following day from decompression sickness.

Mr Gilbert, father of two, lived in Watford and worked in the Met child abuse investigation team based in Edgware.

The memorial service at the Met's Hendon Training College was attended by the Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and the Home Office policing minister Nick Herbert.

The service also honoured two other officers who died this year while serving with the force.

Pc Daniel Gibb, 25, was killed in a motorcycle accident when travelling to work in March and PC Sean McColgan, 37, died in April in a motorcycle collision on his way home from duty.

Commissioner Sir Paul said: "The Metropolitan Police Service has a proud history, filled with astonishing acts of bravery, humanity and self-sacrifice. Every day I hear stories of Metropolitan Police officers and staff working across London and beyond taking huge personal risks to protect the public and make us all safer."

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