Dive Mysteries with Monty Halls

Monty reveals the mysteries of the deep in his new Channel 5 series

• 

  
  
  Explorer Monty Halls ventures into the unknown to uncover the secrets of the deep every Monday from November 25, Channel 5 at 9pm.
  
  This week, Monty Halls and his team travel to Egypt to investigate why so many divers have lost their lives to the deadly beauty of the Blue Hole, said to be the most dangerous dive site on earth. The Blue Hole is situated on the Red Sea coast, a few kilometres north of the Egyptian resort of Dahab. 'It is thought to have claimed over 100 lives. There is something that is killing healthy, active, fit young men,' says Monty of the abyss that reaches a depth of 330 feet.
  
  

• 

  
  
  In Dahab, Monty talks to Tarek Omar who has been diving the Blue Hole for decades. Tarek tells the story of an ancient legend surrounding the curse, a young woman called Shaheen who committed suicide there rather than marry a man she did not love. Her soul is said to reside in the depths, drawing young men to their deaths.
  
  Following a group of novice divers, Monty witnesses one of them experience a mild panic attack induced by the vertigo the hole produces. This happens at a relatively shallow depth, but if the diver had been 30 or 40 metres further down, it could have been fatal.
  
  

• 

  
  
  Monty then watches footage of a young diver who died while filming in the Blue Hole, which proves harrowing viewing. Tarek was asked by the victim’s family to recover the body and this footage. The maximum safe limit for recreational divers is 40 metres, but at this point in the Blue Hole there is a temptation – the sight of an underwater arch at 50 metres which draws many divers deeper. This arch leads from the hole to the open water of the Gulf of Aqaba and a faint glow of sunlight streams through it. But at 50 metres the amount of nitrogen getting into divers’ bloodstreams can affect their decision-making processes; many do not realise that they are in danger before it is too late.
  
  If you miss any episodes you can catch up on demand
  
  See Monty at Oonasdivers' location of Marsa Shagra here where he trained for some of the technical dives need for the series on our Facebook page.