Divers die trapped in wreck as air runs out

Kaye Moss, 43, and David White, 42, are thought to have become trapped in the wreckage of HMS Scylla.

Their bodies were found in the depths of the ship, 70ft beneath the waves, after the alarm was raised when they failed to return.

The friends, both experienced divers, set off on their expedition in Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, last Thursday.

Coastguards are thought to have taken five hours to find their bodies.

It is the second tragedy at the ship, which has attracted thousands of divers since it was sunk to create Britain's first artificial reef three years ago. Last year a 40-year-old diver died after getting into difficulties while exploring the ship.

Scroll down for more

Mrs Moss, a mother of two, had a great love for diving and hoped to visit every major dive site in the world, her husband said last night.

Trevor Moss, a detective constable with Gloucestershire Police, said she was equally devoted to her job as a senior primary school teacher.

"As a family we've been on diving holidays to Egypt. We've dived in lots of different places while visiting Kaye's dad in Portugal and Kaye and I have been away on diving holidays together," he said.

"She absolutely loved it. All of our family holiday plans had to revolve around diving.

"She wanted to dive in places like the Maldives and Micronesia. She wanted to go to every dive site in the world."

Mrs Moss, of Cam in Gloucestershire, was co-ordinator for science, English and music at Berkeley Primary School.

"Teaching was her life. People said she should go for headships, but there was never a thought that she would leave Berkeley," Mr Moss said.

"She always wanted to stand in front of a class and teach children."

Mrs Moss's funeral will be held at St Mary's parish church in Berkeley later this month.

Mr White, from Rodborough, near Stroud, was managing director of Astec Telecom, a corporate voicemail and call-minder business which has contracts with the NHS and the finance industry.

He leaves a wife of nearly 20 years, Louise, and children, Amy 17, Julian,16, and Grace, nine.

A member of the British Sub Aqua Club, he qualified as a dive leader in 2004 and completed more than 200 dives across the world.

Scroll down for more

His brother Simon said: "Dave was due to be my best man at the end of the month when I marry my fiancee.

"Everyone who met my brother liked him.

"He had lots of friends and was very generous with his time and support. He always had a positive outlook."

The Scylla was sent to the seabed three years ago by Devon schoolboy Daniel Green who joined environmentalist David Bellamy in pushing the plunger that sunk the ship.

The pair set off the charges that sank the decommissioned Royal Navy warship half a mile offshore.

A spokesman for the National Marine Aquarium, which owns the wreck, said it was safe but warned divers to take care.