The Diver & The Cook, Fascinating Nonfiction

I find true stories always more fascinating than fiction, and The Diver & The Cook is a true account. Imagine a ship sinking and being trapped inside it for days. Well, that's what happened to Nigerian ship's cook Harrison Okene when the Jascon 4 sank with all hands, off Nigeria in 2013.

The Jascon 4 was a 100-foot tugboat that towed oil tankers to and from oil barges that serviced rigs far out to sea. While built to cope with any weather, it suddenly capsized and sank in 100 feet of water.

Two-and-a-half days later, divers arrived on the 350-foot diving support ship Lewek Toucan to retrieve the bodies of the Jascon 4's crew. You can imagine their surprise when they discovered Harrison alive in an air pocket. Their almost impossible task was to get him out and safely to the surface without him drowning or dying from decompression sickness. (He'd long outstayed his no-decompression time!)

Danish filmmaker Las Sprang Olsen became intrigued with the story, and located the people involved, including Harrison. After making a documentary about it, he published a book (in Danish) called Dykkeren of Kokken. This is the English translation.

It's a first-hand account by those involved, complete with contemporary photographs, including those taken of Harrison when he was discovered trapped after 60 hours underwater at 100 feet. Harrison's own account of those days surviving at depth in the dark is vivid.

This is an unusual book. If it were fiction, it would be far-fetched. But it isn't fiction. It really happened. I found it gripping and scary, as any diver would. It's a story both of Harrison's perseverance and the miracle of his saving.

- John Bantin

The Diver & The Cook - by L.S. Olsen -is available on pre-order and on Kindle and Google Play. Paperback copies can be delivered worldwide. (See website for price) www.DivedUp.com