Kirsty Brown’s terrifying death was the first recorded human fatality caused by a leopard seal and left scientists concerned over possible seal attacks in the future.
In a rare and terrifying attack, a 28-year-old marine biologist was killed by a leopard seal in the Antarctic Peninsula while snorkelling.
On July 22, 2003, Kirsty Brown, a British Antarctic Survey (BAS) marine biologist, was reportedly in the water with another researcher as they undertook survey work when a seal attacked without warning and pulled Kirsty underwater.
A spokeswoman for the BAS said Kirsty and her snorkelling “buddy” were at her study site in the bay adjacent to the UK’s Rothera Research Station when the fatal attack took place. The young marine biologist was reportedly pulled out of the water by two colleagues who were on the shore and saw the incident — immediately rushing to Kirsty’s rescue.
Kirsty’s colleagues reportedly began resuscitation procedures in the rescue boat itself as they took her back to the research station base for medical assistance. Unfortunately, efforts to resuscitate the marine biologist failed as she tragically passed away.
Her terrifying death was thought to be the first recorded human fatality caused by a leopard seal and left scientists concerned over possible future seal attacks as the number of people working in the region continued to rise.
The 28-year-old had joined the BAS the previous summer on a 30-month contract and was investigating the impact of scouring by icebergs on marine animals living near the shores of the Antarctic peninsula.
A now-viral TikTok by thewanderingbeard2.0 delved into Kirsty’s death and the situation surrounding it.
At the time of Kirsty’s passing, a statement by BAS declared: “Despite carrying out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation for one hour, the station doctor and [her] colleagues were unable to revive her.”
Her devastating passing stunned the Antarctic research community as a verdict of accidental death was recorded on November 14 that year by the Coroner for the British Antarctic Territory during an inquest.
As per the BAS, initial reports suggested Kirsty and her colleague had followed all safety procedures to the T and concluded that staff at the research station had handled the incident appropriately.
Leopard seals are solitary creatures named after their distinct spotted fur and are generally not known to attack humans. With a large head and jaws comprising canines that could measure up to an inch in length, a male leopard seal can grow as long as 3.5 meters and could weigh more than 500 kilograms. Their average life expectancy is around 25 years.
The marine mammal is known to be inquisitive when encountering humans, however attacks are considered rare unless provoked. BAS divers were generally instructed to avoid working where leopard seals were present. According to the BAS, Kirsty’s death was the first such attack recorded in 30 years of snorkelling and diving by its staff.
At the time, BAS ecophysiologist and Head of the Life at the Edge: Stresses and Thresholds (LATEST) Research Program, Lloyd Peck, had revealed that researchers routinely dove during winter months, as they were not considered a particularly risky time of the year to be in the water.
He also described Kirsty as “full of energy and enthusiasm … a good scientist who worked very hard and could do boring mundane aspects of work with a smile on her face.” In his statement, Lloyd said he “wished all scientists were like Kirsty” and revealed they were determined to keep her project going.
Kirsty had trained in geology and oceanography, having worked as a diver and research scientist in Greenland and Australia before she joined the BAS’s LATEST Research Program the previous summer. The West Sussex local’s project had been aimed at delving deeper into the effects of iceberg disturbance on plant and animal communities that inhabited the near-shore Antarctic seabed.
Kirsty had almost completed the first phase of her research, which had involved laying out 500 concrete and plasticine markers in order to monitor iceberg gouging on the seabed.
In a joint statement, Kirsty’s parents, Tim and Judith Brown, her sisters Didi and Camilla and her brother, Duncan, said: “Naturally we are devastated about the news from the Antarctic – it all seems quite unreal. Kirsty was a great girl and we are all very proud of her. Right now we are looking to spend some quiet time at home with the family.”
The marine biologist’s family home was in Southwater, near Horsham, West Sussex.
In a statement released at the time, BAS director, Chris Rapley, said: “This is tragic and shocking. My heart goes out to Kirsty’s family and her colleagues at Rothera. Kirsty was a vibrant, dynamic individual committed to her science and with a promising scientific career ahead of her. The Rothera team reacted in a highly efficient and professional manner… They are, however, shaken by the loss of a colleague and will need our support.”