UK Volunteer Chris Garrett, Who Risked His Life Clearing Mines, Dies in Ukraine During Humanitarian Mission

Two international volunteers, including British humanitarian and mine clearance specialist Chris Garrett, reportedly died near the town of Izium in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, the charity Prevail Humanitarian Aid confirmed on May 7.

The announcement was shared by Shaun Pinner, a former British soldier and Ukrainian marine, who posted the update on social media on behalf of the organization.

Garrett was the founder and chairman of Prevail, which works closely with Ukrainian agencies on landmine removal, trauma medical support, and other humanitarian efforts.

According to Pinner, the explosion occurred on May 6. “Prevail received the devastating news that our Founder and Chairman, Chris Garrett alongside other team members were severely injured in an incident near Izyum,” he wrote.

A later update confirmed that two of the three individuals critically injured in the blast had died, including Chris Garrett. Shaun Pinner, speaking on behalf of Prevail Humanitarian Aid, expressed deep condolences to the families affected and asked for patience during this difficult time. He noted that the team is working closely with investigative authorities and will share further updates within the next 48 hours.

Until then, the organization has declined to comment further, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Christopher Garrett, known as Swampy, was a native of the Isle of Man and well known for his volunteer work clearing unexploded ordnance in high-risk zones. His involvement in demining began in Myanmar in 2014 and later expanded to Ukraine, where he volunteered between 2014 and 2017. He returned shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

In interviews, Garrett spoke about the dangers of his work, particularly unexploded cluster munitions.

Garrett’s long-standing support for Ukraine was acknowledged by the country’s National Police.

In 2023, a Russian-controlled court in Donetsk tried him in absentia and sentenced him to over 14 years in prison on terrorism charges. Garrett dismissed the verdict, calling it “a pathetic attempt to smear me by those who have murdered, raped and tortured thousands of civilians in Ukraine,” according to Isle of Man Today.

Until his death, Garrett remained active in the field and regularly shared insights and updates about his work on social media.

Previously, it was reported that since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, there have been 811 incidents involving civilians due to explosive remnants of war. A total of 1,158 people have been affected, including 335 fatalities. Among the killed are 18 children.

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