Diving legend Teddy Tucker is among those to pay tribute to American journalist Walter Cronkite, who died on Friday evening.

Mr. Tucker recalled Mr. Cronkite's visit to the Island in the 1990s to observe the Beebe Project, and described the veteran broadcaster as "an excellent reporter and a man of integrity".

Mr. Cronkite died in New York, aged 92. He covered some of the most memorable events in American history, from the assassination of John F. Kennedy and Watergate to the Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 moon landings.

The anchorman of the CBS evening news from 1962-1981 also played a crucial role in turning American public opinion against the Vietnam War.

In the 1990s he visited Bermuda to report on the Beebe Project, a study of the geology and biology of the Bermuda Seamount. Mr. Tucker was joined by scientists from all over the world in his research and by the Russian ship 'Keldysh' which had two submersibles.

"The Russians had two submersibles which could descend the deepest at that time, and Mr. Cronkite dove down to 500 fathoms," said Mr. Tucker.

"It was always a great pleasure to be in his company and he will be sadly missed."

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