Chris Lemons
Deep Sea Diver, Survivor & Inspirational Speaker
A sought-after speaker, sharing lessons in resilience, courage, leadership under pressure, and human endurance. Combining technical expertise with extraordinary personal experience, he delivers talks that are compelling, motivational, and unforgettable.
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Chris Lemons is one of the world’s most experienced commercial divers, with over 20 years specialising in deep sea saturation diving in the oil and gas industry. His work involves living in the claustrophobic confines of decompression chambers for up to 28 days at a time, commuting daily to the seabed in a diving bell, and operating at depths of up to 900 feet for extended periods. Chris’s expertise spans extreme operational conditions, safety management, and high-risk decision-making under pressure.
In September 2012, Chris survived a life-threatening incident that has become legendary in diving circles. A freak failure of a vessel’s dynamic positioning system severed his umbilical, leaving him stranded on the seabed 300 feet below the surface in complete darkness, freezing temperatures, and with only five minutes of emergency air. Despite the odds, he was rescued 40 minutes later—a miraculous survival that has baffled experts and inspired audiences worldwide.
Chris’s story was documented in the Netflix/BBC feature Last Breath and adapted into the 2025 Hollywood film starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole. Beyond his survival story, Chris has become a sought-after speaker, sharing his experiences to inspire corporate and public audiences on resilience, courage, human endurance, and risk management.
Recognised for his ability to convey complex and high-risk experiences in a relatable and engaging way, Chris combines technical expertise, real-world adventure, and motivational storytelling to leave audiences informed, inspired, and profoundly moved.
