Ally

ATHENS, Greece: A diver was killed while examining the hull of the sunken Sea Diamond cruise ship off the island of Santorini, authorities said.

The 44-year-old man, who died last month, was part of a diving team gathering video and other evidence for a judicial investigation into what caused the ship to sink, the Merchant Marine Ministry said.

The Sea Diamond hit rocks off Santorini on April 5 and sank hours later. Nearly 1,600 people, mostly American tourists, were evacuated from ship, but two French passengers never were found and are presumed drowned.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, officials said.

In June, the government fined the cruise ship's operators — Cypriot-owned Louis Hellenic Cruises — €1.17 million (US$1.65 million) for polluting the Aegean Sea.