Who is diver Stephen Keenan and what happened to him?

THE life and death of Stephen Keenan is explored in a new documentary.

The late free diver, who passed away in 2017, features in Netflix film The Deepest Breath.

Who is Stephen Keenan and what happened to him?

Stephen, from Dublin, was a diver who had been active in the free diving community since 2009.

He was a qualified instructor-trainer and had coached hundreds of divers in the Gulf of Aqaba, Spain, and the Philippines.

Stephen co-owned Dahab Freedivers, described as one of the world’s most dynamic free dive schools.

He also set a number of Irish National Records for free diving.

In July 2017, Stephen drowned at a popular spot off the coast of Egypt while trying to help a fellow swimmer, his girlfriend Alessia Zecchini.

He was 39 years old when he died.

Stephen was described as a ";hero" and “guardian angel" by friends after his death.

He died while diving at the world-famous dive site at the Arch of the Dahab Blue Hole.

The Arch, a 26metre-long (85ft) tunnel in the Dahab Blue Hole at a depth of 56m (184ft), is considered challenging due to its depth and the requirement for distance swimming.

Where is Alessia Zecchini now?

Alessia Zecchini was Stephen's girlfriend and the diver he was trying to help when he died.

She continues to work as a professional free diver and competes in multiple international competitions each year.

Alessia has set 23 new world records in the pool and in the sea, including breaking her own world record at Vertical Blue, in the Bahamas, in 2021 - achieving a depth of 115m.

Speaking in The Deepest Breath, the diver revealed what she misses about her later partner.

She says in the Netflix film: "I try to remember his hugs.

"He's the person who taught me what it's really like to hug someone.

"From his hug, you'd understand how deeply he cared about you."

What is The Deepest Breath?

The Deepest Breath is a 2023 documentary directed by Laura McGann.

The film profiles Italian free diver Alessia as she attempts to break a world record with the help of safety diver Stephen, her boyfriend.

The Deepest Breath premiered in January 2023 at Sundance Film Festival.

Netflix had already acquired its distribution rights prior to the premiere.

At the very end of the documentary, Alessia reflects on the dive that led to Keenan's passing.

She says: "Maybe I could have done more.

"If I'd been more conscious, I don't know."

"The worst thing is we couldn't do anything, we couldn’t save him. He rescued me, but I couldn't rescue him," she adds.

Ahead of the the film's release, Zecchini posted a tribute to Keenan on social media.

She wrote on her Instagram: "The only reason I agreed to be a part of [The Deepest Breath] is to let the world know what a wonderful and special person [Keenan] was, so that even those who don't know what free diving is can appreciate his immense humanity."