Body of Missing Diver Recovered at Artificial Reef Wreck in Argentina

Image: mdz

The body of a young Argentine diver who disappeared during a training dive has been recovered off the coast of Puerto Madryn, bringing a tragic end to a search that lasted more than two days.

Authorities confirmed that Sofía Devries, 23, went missing on 16 February 2026 while diving near the wreck of the Hu Shun Yu 809, a deliberately sunk fishing vessel that now forms part of an artificial reef dive site in Golfo Nuevo, Patagonia.

Search teams later located her body close to the wreck at a depth of roughly 20–25 metres (65–80 ft). Officials have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Training dive at a well-known wreck site

The accident happened during a training dive near Punta Cuevas, a popular diving area close to Puerto Madryn in the Chubut province of Argentina.

The group was diving around the wreck of the Hu Shun Yu 809, a roughly 70-metre Chinese fishing vessel intentionally sunk in 2017 to create an artificial reef and underwater attraction for divers.

According to early reports, Devries was participating in a dive aimed at obtaining an advanced scuba certification. The site is commonly used for deeper recreational dives and training beyond entry-level courses.

During the dive, she failed to surface with the rest of the group.

Large search operation launched

Once the diver was reported missing, Argentina’s Naval Prefecture (Prefectura Naval Argentina) launched a coordinated search involving rescue divers, vessels, and underwater search equipment.

Authorities spent more than 48 hours searching the wreck and surrounding seabed before locating her body near the stern section of the vessel.

The discovery ended an intensive operation that involved multiple agencies and specialized underwater search teams.

Other divers treated after the incident

Reports from local medical facilities indicated that several other divers involved in the dive were evaluated after the incident, with two reportedly receiving hyperbaric treatment as a precaution.

Details about what triggered the emergency underwater remain unclear.

Investigators are examining a range of possibilities, including diver distress, equipment issues, environmental conditions, and the procedures followed during the training dive.

Autopsy findings and investigation

Preliminary forensic findings indicate that Devries died from drowning (asphyxia due to immersion).

Authorities say there were no immediate indications of third-party involvement, but prosecutors in Chubut have opened a formal judicial inquiry to determine whether safety procedures, dive planning, or operational factors played any role in the fatality.

As with many dive accidents, investigators will now focus on reconstructing the sequence of events during the dive.

A sobering reminder for training dives

Training dives are typically conducted in controlled conditions, but incidents can still occur, particularly at deeper sites or around wreck structures.

The Hu Shun Yu 809 wreck site is widely used for recreational and training dives in the Puerto Madryn area. Like many artificial reef wrecks, it can present challenges including depth management, structure navigation, and environmental factors such as currents or reduced visibility.

For investigators, the priority now is understanding what happened during the dive and whether any lessons can be drawn to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.