British Diver Drank Himself to Death Days After Wife Died in Maldives Scuba Accident, Inquest Hears

A British man died after consuming excessive amounts of alcohol just days after his wife was killed in a scuba diving accident in the Maldives, a UK coroner’s court has heard, adding tragic new detail to an incident previously reported by The Scuba News.

The opening of the inquest at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court confirmed that Malcolm Richmond, 71, died in hospital in Malé five days after his wife Elaine Richmond, 70, drowned during a recreational dive near Ellaidhoo Island. The inquest was opened after both bodies were repatriated to the UK, following a holiday tragedy that shocked the British diving community.

According to evidence presented to the court, Mr Richmond was found to be heavily intoxicated at Malé International Airport as he prepared to return home alone after his wife’s death. Assistant Coroner Matthew Kewley told the hearing that Mr Richmond’s health deteriorated rapidly, leading to his admission to hospital on 21 December, where he died three days later.

Medical information provided to the court listed acute alcohol intoxication, multi-organ dysfunction, and cardiac arrest among the causes of death, confirming that alcohol played a central role in the sequence of events following the loss of his wife. Reporting from The Times based on the inquest hearing stated that Mr Richmond had consumed significant quantities of alcohol in the days after the diving incident, with doctors unable to stabilise his condition once he was hospitalised.

The couple, from Inkersall in Derbyshire, were described during the hearing as experienced divers who had travelled regularly to the Maldives over many years. Elaine Richmond died on 19 December after encountering difficulties during a dive, with local medical staff confirming drowning as the cause of death. Mr Richmond raised the alarm during the incident but was not physically injured.

As previously reported in The Scuba News coverage of the tragedy, the couple had been enjoying what was meant to be a routine festive diving holiday when conditions turned fatal. At the time, both deaths were reported as linked but distinct events. The inquest has now clarified that Mr Richmond’s death was directly influenced by alcohol consumption in the immediate aftermath of his wife’s death.

Further reporting by The Telegraph, also based on evidence heard at the coroner’s court, confirmed that no suspicious circumstances were identified and that the case is being treated as a tragic combination of sudden bereavement, alcohol misuse, and medical collapse rather than criminal wrongdoing.

The inquest remains ongoing while UK authorities await additional medical documentation from Maldivian officials. A full hearing is expected to take place later this year, once all overseas reports have been reviewed.

The case highlights not only the risks inherent in scuba diving, particularly in challenging conditions, but also the often overlooked impact of sudden grief on physical health. While Elaine Richmond’s death was the result of a diving accident, the court heard that her husband’s death followed a rapid personal collapse in the days that followed.

The Scuba News will continue to follow developments as the inquest proceeds and further official findings are released.