Water Gun Malfunction: Freak Accident

June 3, 2026 · 50 min · Season 1 · Episode 149

About this episode

The episode recounts the harrowing experience of saturation diver Richard Bradley, who suffers a serious injury while working underwater.

The Northwest Shelf is Australia’s largest area of oceanic oil and gas extraction. In 2011, saturation diver Richard Bradley is 130 feet under water performing some routine maintenance… when he feels a sudden pain. The high pressure water blaster he’s using has malfunctioned, puncturing his left forearm with a jet of dirty water. Seriously injured, he can’t simply swim to the surface. As a complex procedure kicks into gear, every step must go perfectly if Richard is to reach the surface alive… A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. Written by Rhys Bevan | Produced by Ed Baranski | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound Supervisor: Matt Peaty | Sound design by Jacob Booth | Assembly edit by Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Ralph Tittley. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more…

People in this episode

Host: John Hopkins

Topics covered

oil extraction
diving accident
survival story
marine safety
high pressure water
emergency procedure

Keywords

saturation diver
water blaster
accident
survival
emergency response
oil and gas
diving

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Noiser

Places: Northwest Shelf, Australia