Richard Peter Bisley

Richard Peter Bisley (27) was a pearl diver with four years of experience. He was working for Paspaley Pearls in Roebuck Bay, diving at the pearl farm for Pinctada maxima with the “South Sea” pearls. These are the largest oyster shells in the world, and the pearls they produce are the most expensive in the world due to their exceptional quality. The pearl farm consists of rows of shells in plastic baskets hanging on wire fences on the sea bed.

Pearl farm dives are undertaken using hookahs in slack water (mean high tide). Hookah diving involves divers wearing a mouth piece attached to dual air lines, and air is pumped to the divers from a compressor on board the dive boat. Each diver also carries a 20 cubic foot “pony” bottle of air for use in the event of the loss of the surface-supplied air. Roebuck Bay is known to have poor vision due to the huge tides. It is also inhabited by tiger sharks.

On 21 November 1993 Richard and Stefan John Freney-Mills were diving to clean the weed off the individual pearl shells and make certain each was positioned correctly to catch the tide. Their visibility was approximately 2.5 metres.

At 3.15pm Stefan’s air supply dropped in pressure. He changed to his pony air bottle and surfaced to remedy the issue. Then Richard’s line was pulled in, and his weight belt was still attached, but his air hose was severed. A search of the pearl farm was immediately launched, Police were contacted, and within 45 minutes there were nine dinghies with divers searching the farm and surrounding areas. Around 4.10pm the company’s Cessna plane was added to the search, and at 5pm another plane was sent up to help.

The following day Richard’s face mask, demand valve, and pony bottle with its severed shoulder strap, were found on the sea bed. The nearby fence lines were damaged. The farm manager, Kau Stainton stated it looked like a large marine creature had crashed through the fence panels.

Six days later a large tiger shark was caught near the pearl farm. Clothing and human remains found in its gut were determined on forensic evidence to be those of Richard Bisley. A plaque on a granite plinth was placed in the Broome Pioneer Cemetery with the words “Lost in Roebuck Bay” – Gone But Not Forgotten”.