100 Year Old Spanish Diver Plans Lanzarote Attempt for Guinness Record
Spanish diver Modesto Villaverde, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday, is preparing for a scuba dive that could see him recognised as the world’s oldest male scuba diver.
Modesto Villaverde, a retired Spanish police officer and certified scuba diver, is hoping to attempt a Guinness World Records title during a dive in Lanzarote later this year.
Villaverde turned 100 on 18 August 2026. According to reports from Spain, his most recent dive took place four years ago, when he was 96, in the Red Sea.
His family is now seeking support from a dive centre that can organise the proposed record attempt, with Lanzarote in the Canary Islands currently their preferred location.
Guinness Record Attempt
According to Villaverde’s grandson, Guinness World Records has accepted an application for the attempt. This does not mean the record has already been awarded. The dive would still need to be completed according to the required conditions and subsequently verified by Guinness World Records.
Reports state that the proposed dive must take place in open water, reach a minimum depth of 12 metres and last at least 30 minutes, with a qualified diving instructor present as a witness.
A dive centre in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote, has reportedly expressed willingness to support the attempt. Villaverde’s family hopes the dive could take place during September or October 2026.
The family has also reportedly contacted diving organisations in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East while exploring possible locations and operators, although their preference is for Villaverde to complete the attempt in Spain.
Current Guinness Record
Guinness World Records currently lists American diver William Lambert as the oldest male scuba diver. Lambert completed his recognised dive at Pearl Lake in South Beloit, Illinois, on 7 September 2020, when he was 100 years and two days old.
If Villaverde successfully completes his planned dive and Guinness verifies the attempt, he could therefore surpass the currently published record.
For now, however, the achievement remains a planned record attempt rather than a confirmed world record.
Villaverde and his family are continuing preparations and searching for the necessary local support to make the dive possible. If the attempt goes ahead in Lanzarote, it would mark his return to scuba diving at the age of 100 and potentially place his name in the Guinness World Records.
Mohsen Nabil is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Diventures Magazine. A mechanical engineer and scuba diving instructor based in the Red Sea, he writes about diving safety, marine conservation, underwater exploration, and developments in the global dive industry. Through Diventures Magazine, he works to connect divers, scientists, and ocean advocates while promoting responsible diving and protection of the oceans.
