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23/07/2005: "PHILIPPE COUSTEAU 1942 - 1979"

Enroute between Madagascar and New Caledodia during 1971, Philippe and his wife Jan had a week or more in Sydney where I interviewed them for fathom magazine.

It was an exclusive story. Philippe told me he refused to be interviewed by the world's leading diver publication. We visited Watson's Bay, the Spanish Club, dined at home with diver and friend Jose Botella, and had a short holiday at Seal Rocks where we went snorkeling with a wet suits and equipment from Rick Poole of Pro Diving Services, Maroubra.

Philippe was killed when the Catalina seaplane he was piloting crashed during a water-landing in Portugal. The cause? A faulty (landing wheel) hatch being open, causing the aircraft to violently plow sideways. A huge engine broke from the wing. (Details provided by the late Paul Tzimoulis of Skindiver magazine).

His is survived by two children. His son Philippe Cousteau Jr. born shortly after his death, and a daughter Alexandra, today both marine environmentalist crusaders as was their father and grandfather.