Tragic Deaths of Derbyshire Couple in Maldives Diving Incident
A retired couple from Derbyshire died within days of each other while on holiday in the Maldives, a coroner's court has heard. The tragic sequence of events began with a fatal scuba diving accident and culminated in the husband's death from acute alcohol intoxication as he awaited repatriation.
Experienced Divers Caught in Dangerous Current
Seventy-year-old Elaine Richmond, described as an experienced diver who had visited the Maldives on numerous occasions, died on December 19th last year while scuba diving off the island of Ellaidhoo. Assistant coroner Matthew Kewley told Chesterfield Coroner's Court that sea conditions deteriorated during the dive, leading to Mrs Richmond being pulled away by a strong current.
Her husband Malcolm, 71, immediately raised the alarm and sought assistance, but despite a search being commenced, Mrs Richmond's body was recovered from the water. The cause of death was given as drowning and asphyxiation by the hospital in the Maldives.
Husband's Health Deteriorates While Awaiting Flight Home
Three days after his wife's death, Malcolm Richmond's health deteriorated while he was at the airport waiting for a flight home. The retired miner was admitted to hospital in the Maldives capital Male on December 21st and tragically passed away on Christmas Eve.
The coroner revealed that Mr Richmond was reported to be heavily intoxicated at the airport, with his cause of death given as acute alcohol intoxication, multi-organ dysfunction and cardiac arrest. Both deaths were reported to the coroner on January 6th after the couple's bodies were repatriated to the United Kingdom.
Longstanding Connection to Maldives Resort
The Richmonds, who lived in Inkersall, Chesterfield, had a deep connection to the Maldives resort where the tragedy occurred. According to tributes posted online, they had visited Ellaidhoo over sixty times and had celebrated Christmas there for the previous seventeen years.
Pat Scannell, posting on a Facebook group called Maldives Holidaymakers, stated: 'They were members of Maldives Holidaymakers and they were known to a lot of members but they regularly visited Ellaidhoo. Elaine and Malcolm visited Ellaidhoo over 60 times, three times in 2025.'
Community Tributes and Ongoing Investigation
The couple's next-door neighbour Rachel McManus posted a heartfelt tribute on social media, saying: 'So sad. They were lovely neighbours and we are still in shock. Thoughts go out to both family and friends.'
Assistant coroner Matthew Kewley emphasised that the couple were experienced divers rather than professional divers, clarifying information from the Maldives police report. A full inquest will take place at a later date when more inquiries have been completed with authorities in the Maldives.
The tragic case highlights the dangers that can occur even for experienced divers in challenging sea conditions, while also raising questions about the circumstances surrounding Mr Richmond's subsequent death just days after losing his wife in such traumatic circumstances.
