16/07/2021
Please share with your diving friends, dive smart, dive safe.
Yesterday we asked "TRUE or FALSE: Drowning is the primary cause of most diving fatalities" (We admit this question was super tricky, but we made it that way for a reason.)
TECHNICALLY, the most common cause of death in diving fatalities is drowning (this ultimate cause of death is determined by coroners or medical examiners).
HOWEVER, in the DAN & UHMS Medical Examination of Diving Fatalities Symposium, we found that a large number of scuba diving-related deaths ascribed to drowning may in fact be due to other causes: specifically sudden cardiac death and, to a lesser extent, arterial gas embolism (AGE). Also, some fatalities originally labeled as “immersion” or “drowning” deaths have subsequently been found to be caused by things such as running out of air, entanglement, hypothermia, and even events like a cuttlefish attack that caused a perforated ear drum, which led to panic, a rapid ascent and a gas embolism.
The point is: Answering TRUE or FALSE on this one doesn’t mean you’re all wrong or all right. It all depends on how you define “primary cause.”
The most important point to take from this post is that many scuba diving fatalities are PREVENTABLE. If you’re ready to learn how to dive smarter, start by checking out this infographic and sharing it with your dive buddies.