Retired Royal Navy officer, 65, died from rare condition in front of horrified wife while scuba-diving in Indonesia, inquest hears

A retired Royal Navy officer died with ‘panic in his eyes’ in front of his horrified wife while scuba-diving in Indonesia, an inquest has heard.

Robert Bolton had been on a dream cruise with his wife Michelle but got into difficulty underwater while exploring a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The 65-year-old, who became a successful barrister after his Navy career, was an experienced diver but quickly ascended to the surface with ‘panic in his eyes’.

He suffered seizures and was rushed to hospital by speedboat from the Crystal Rock site in the Komodo National Park.    

Mr Bolton was suffering immersion pulmonary oedema, a swimming-induced condition where fluid leaks from blood vessels into the lungs.

The risk of an oedema is 13 times higher for those over 60, Winchester Coroner’s Court heard.

It comes as Mr Bolton had been a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, then a successful criminal barrister in London, before setting up his own financial advice company, helping people plan for retirement.

The inquest was told in September 2023 that Mr and Mrs Bolton, who lived in a £1 million home in Bishop’s Waltham, Hants, were on a cruise in Indonesia.

Mr Bolton suffered seizures and was rushed to hospital by speedboat from the Crystal Rock site in the Komodo National Park (pictured)

Both keen divers, the couple had taken part in a diving cruise in the Komodo National Park and had just begun to explore the Crystal Rock site, named for its clear water, when Mr Bolton got into the difficulty.

He had not been in the water long when he realised something was wrong and ascended to the surface with their guide.

Mr Bolton was given treatment on board a boat, during which he became unconscious, before being taken to a hospital and eventually medically evacuated to a private facility in Singapore.

He never regained consciousness and passed away at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital on 23 September, 2023.

In a statement for the inquest, Dr Peter Wilmshurst, an expert in oedemas and an experienced diver, said the risk of an oedema was 13 times higher in those over 60.

Recording an accidental death, Area Coroner Jason Pegg explained Mr Bolton was an experienced diver and had quickly realised something was wrong.

He said: ‘Mr Bolton, together with his wife, was on holiday in Indonesia in September 2023.

‘Mr Bolton was a diver, he had been diving for many years, since his service in the Royal Navy, Mrs Bolton was also a qualified diver but less experienced.

‘On 17 September 2023 Mr Bolton descended into the waters of the Flores Sea…. in a relatively short period of time, around 10 minutes, it became evident that Mr Bolton was panicking and indicating to the surface.

‘Mr Bolton was indicating things were not as they should be, he achieved a controlled ascent before surfacing to the waiting boat.

‘Soon after Mr Bolton became unconscious and sadly remained unconscious until he passed away having been medevacked to Singapore.

‘Dr Wilmshurst is certain that Mr Bolton’s diving accident was due to an immersion pulmonary oedema which resulted in Mr Bolton suffering a hypoxic brain injury.’

Mrs Bolton remembered her husband as ‘extremely intelligent’ and ‘driven’ having set up his own company after a successful career as a criminal barrister.

Reading her statement, Mr Pegg said: ‘She describes her husband as being fit and strong, he played a number of sports.

‘He had served in the Royal Navy, he had then become a barrister in London before setting up a financial advice company. He was extremely intelligent and driven.’

She also recalled the ‘panic’ in her husband’s eyes as he realised something was wrong and began to ascend.

Mr Pegg continued: ‘Mrs Bolton describes that her husband had panic in his eyes, he was scared, breathing heavily and and holding his chest.

‘When she came up she was picked up by another speedboat and taken to where her husband was being worked on…

‘They had a fast and bumpy ride to the mainland, her husband continued to have seizures, it took an hour to get to the hospital on the mainland…

‘There came a time when Mr Bolton was evacuated to Singapore and admitted to hospital.’

In a tribute at the time, his son, Richard, said he would be ‘sorely missed’ and had achieved ‘great success’ throughout his life.

He said: ‘He will be sorely missed by many for the exemplary decorum and integrity he displayed throughout his life and dealings with others.

‘He really proved to those he interacted with that you can be a generous and honourable businessman across industries and still achieve great success from humble beginnings.’

Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its biodiversity and the Crystal Rock area which gives divers the chance to see grey reef sharks, white tip and black tips sharks, as well as exotic fish.