Maltese diver helps in Thai coral rescue bid

It is not only humans that require aid and assistance following the devastating tsunami that swept over South East Asia on Boxing Day, dragging with it the lives of 290,000 victims.

The seabed also suffered and every form of marine life was depleted in the wake of the tidal wave.

Apart from doctors and nurses, the services of divers were needed in the aftermath of the tsunami. One such volunteer was 24-year-old Maltese Taran Arrigo, who has been living in South East Asia for a year and who immediately volunteered to help in anyway possible after the tragedy occurred.

Mr Arrigo, who was in Thailand at the time, used his diving expertise to contribute, saving damaged corals, looking out for marine life and cleaning parts of the seabed from the debris that had accumulated, which ranged from "shattered homes and bungalows to people's belongings, fishing boats and nets, metal and waste".

Thailand had rightly become one of the favourite destinations for divers, who visited from every corner of the globe to sample its waters, which were now in dire need of rescue.

Proud to be part of what he described as an "incredibly delicate operation", his experience began when he started asking around to find out if any voluntary work was required.

"I was informed that volunteers were needed in every department. Being an experienced diver, I opted to put my name down for the expeditions in the South - to Krabi (Ko Pai and Ko Rung) and Phangnga (Moo Koh Surin), both badly hit areas" and renowned for coral diving.

Parts of Moo Koh Surin's best-known diving sites were affected on that disastrous day, making it even more crucial to conserve what still remains.

Mr Arrigo joined divers from various walks of life, including doctors and lawyers, and was one of three foreigners to attempt to save damaged corals, which had been overturned and needed to be returned to their original position.

The world's coral reefs were already in trouble before the tidal wave: in the last four years, 10 per cent of them had died and more than half of the living reefs are seriously threatened.

Some deep-water corals - animals not rock - only grow about 30cm in 1,000 years. They have been around for some 100 million years and are the largest living structures on earth. Home to over 25 per cent of marine life, they protect shorelines from erosion and storm damage.

"The future of our coral reefs does not only depend on the experts and divers," Mr Arrigo stressed. "Everyone can contribute and act responsibly to saving our seas."

Divers, rescue teams and boat crews made "a huge effort", he said. "Everyone put one's heart into one's tasks and acted responsibly. No time was wasted, even though we had little sleep.

"We travelled at night by bus and, despite getting nothing close to a good night's sleep, everyone was ready to face the hard days ahead, diving for long hours at a stretch."

Everyone seems to be pulling one's weight and toeing the same line in the aftermath of the unprecedented natural disaster. In fact, it was thanks to the coordination of the Thai Environment And Natural Resources Ministry and the contributions of major bus companies, roadside restaurants, monasteries, leading dive companies and provincial rescue teams that the assistance got off the ground in such an efficient and professional matter, Mr Arrigo said.