Annual Diving Report - Divers Alert Network

APPENDIX B. DIVE FATALITY CASE REPORTS
04-56 Student in OW class with moderate heart disease, witnessed to have seizure on
ascent
Cause of Death: Drowning due to Air Embolism
This 52-year-old male was a student in an initial open-water certification class who made a shore
dive into the ocean with a buddy. The diver used a decongestant nasal spray prior to the dive
because he was congested. His medical problems included an elevated cholesterol level and
high blood pressure. The decedent suffered what appeared to his buddy to be a seizure while
ascending from 51 fsw (16 msw). The problem seemed to occur at approximately 30 fsw (10
msw). He was brought to the surface but could not be resuscitated. The autopsy demonstrated
changes associated with drowning as well as moderate atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries
and aorta. He also had intravascular gas and mediastinal emphysema. The death was
determined to be a drowning due to an air embolism.
04-29 Obese diver with heart disease on night dive for AOW certification, had problems
with mask, panicked and made rapid ascent to surface and lost consciousness
Cause of Death: Drowning due to Air Embolism due to Rapid Ascent
This 50-year-old male had basic open-water certification with six lifetime dives. He was enrolled
as a student in an advanced open-water class. The diver was also obese. During the day the
diver completed two uneventful dives to 30 fsw (10 msw) and a night dive was planned for the
evening. For the night dive the students entered the water from the boat; visibility was poor. The
decedent had problems clearing his mask and spit out his regulator. Despite coaching by the
instructor the student panicked and made a rapid ascent. He lost consciousness shortly after
reaching the surface. The autopsy revealed changes associated with drowning as well as air
embolism. He also had moderate to severe coronary artery disease and cholelithiasis.
04-63 Solo diver certified many years with unknown experience, on spearfishing dive,
made rapid ascent and lost consciousness at surface
Cause of Death: Drowning due to Air Embolism due to Rapid Ascent
This 42-year-old male had been a certified diver for twenty years, but his level of experience is
unknown. The diver made a solo dive from a boat for the purpose of spearfishing. He surfaced
from a dive to 89 fsw (27 msw) and rapidly lost consciousness. Resuscitation efforts were
unsuccessful. The autopsy disclosed changes associated with drowning, as well as pulmonary
and ear barotrauma, and gas in the arteries at the base of the brain. The decedent’s computer
showed that he made a rapid ascent on this fatal dive profile and in fact that he habitually made
rapid ascents.
04-84 Infrequent diver with unknown experience and certification level, diving on
rebreather for first time, separated from buddy, made rapid ascent and sank, body
recovered later
Cause of Death: Drowning due to Air Embolism due to Rapid Ascent
The certification status and experience of this 56-year-old female is unknown and she had not
made a dive in the previous two years. She was using a rebreather for the first time to make an
ocean dive to 50-60 fsw (15-20 msw). While she had a buddy early in the dive, she was diving
solo at the end. According to her computer she made a rapid ascent to the surface and then sank
back down. Her body was recovered 30 minutes later. An autopsy was performed but only the
death certificate was made available. The cause of death was listed as drowning but in all
likelihood the diver likely was incapacitated by an air embolism.
Annual Diving Report: 2006 Edition 73