A Dublin man (39) has died following a tragic freediving accident in Dahab, Egypt.

Stephen Keenan, from Glasnevin in Dublin, is understood to have encountered difficulty while assisting a female freediver attempting to dive the Arch of the Dahab Blue Hole.

Witnesses say the female diver became disorientated underwater and was missing her return line back-up, a breathing apparatus.

It is understood that Stephen saw the situation and raced underwater to provide assistance.

A spokesperson for Deeper Blue, the diving company he worked for, told Independent.ie that Stephen helped the Italian diver after she got disorientated at around 50 metres underwater.

Both divers ascended but at a distance away from where the other safety divers were expecting.

The spokesperson added that Stephen “suffered an in-water blackout in the last 10 metres of the ascent”.

He was alive when he was recovered from the water but died a short time later.

The female diver suffered no injuries and surfaced unharmed.

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