Annual Diving Report - Divers Alert Network

4. DIVE FATALITIES
Figure 4.2-5 shows the number of dives performed in the 12 months prior to death which was
available in 44 cases. Seven percent of divers had not dived in the previous 12 months, and 43
percent had less than 20 dives in the past year and less than 20 lifetime dives.
Percent of Fatalities
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 1-19 20-49 50-100 100-300 >300
Number of Dives in Past 12 months
Figure 4.2-5 Number of dives in 12 months prior to death (n = 44).
Figure 4.2-6 shows the period between the previous dive and the fatal dive (n=40). In 68 percent
of the 2004 cases, the fatal dive occurred only days after the preceding dive. This differed from
previous years when 56 percent of fatalities had not dived for one or more years suggesting that
conclusions based on a single year must be viewed cautiously.
Percent of Fatalities
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Year or more Months Days
Time Between Previous Dive and Fatal Dive
Figure 4.2-6 Time between last dive and day of accident (n = 40).
48 Annual Diving Report: 2006 Edition