A DIVER who drowned off the Kent coast may have got into difficulties because he was out of practice, an inquest heard.

Marcus Spirgel-Sinclair, 41, of Grey Wethers, Sandling, Maidstone, died on August 7 last year at Crosswell Quay, near Dover, during a dive in the Channel.

Diving instructor Richard Libby told the inquiry he followed Mr Spirgel-Sinclair into the water and soon became concerned.

He said: "There were a few bubbles coming from him but they stopped.

"I gave him an okay sign and there was no response. I nudged him and his regulator just drifted out of his mouth."

He brought him to the surface and the group took him back to the boat and tried to resuscitate him.

Diving expert Nicholas Bailey, from the Health and Safety Executive, said there were no faults with the equipment.

The inquest heard Mr Spirgel-Sinclair was a divemaster and had made more than 100 dives, but had only dived in warm water.

Diving inspector Gordon Clark, also from the HSE, said as Mr Spirgel-Sinclair had not dived for two years, he may not have been fit enough or used to the equipment.

Pathologist Ian Calder gave the cause of death as lung damage and possible oxygen starvation.

He said: "A diver can get themselves into trouble through panicking or through stress."

Recording an open verdict, coroner Rachel Redman said: "Having listened to all the evidence, I believe I cannot say what it was that killed him."