Annual Diving Report - Divers Alert Network

APPENDIX B. DIVE FATALITY CASE REPORTS
with drowning as well as mild coronary atherosclerosis, mild pulmonary emphysema, and some
minor abrasions.
04-19 Diver with moderate amount of experience, diving with group, had problem with
regulator at depth and drowned
Cause of Death: Drowning
This 53-year-old female had been a certified diver for two years and had a moderate amount of
diving experience. She entered the water with three other divers, one of whom was a paraplegic.
Approximately two minutes into the dive and at 117 fsw (36 msw) the decedent had difficulty
using her regulator and apparently drowned. An examination of the regulator revealed that it
missing a diaphragm seal. The regulator was owned by the diver, but it is not clear if she had
used it for diving since the last time routine maintenance was performed.
04-21 Inexperienced, obese diver made night dive with group, dropped regulator for
unknown reason at depth, refused to share air and lost consciousness
Cause of Death: Drowning
This 34-year-old male received his open-water certification approximately one year earlier and
had made fewer than eight lifetime dives. His medical problems included obesity. It was the third
dive of the day for the group of divers, a planned night dive on a wreck. For unknown reason, the
diver dropped his regulator from his mouth at 80 fsw (24 msw). He would not take an alternate air
source from his dive buddy and proceeded to lose consciousness at depth. The other divers
brought the stricken diver to the surface where resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. In the
official investigation report, a comment was made that “the repetitive dives would have caused a
buildup of nitrogen, possibly causing narcosis at a shallower depth.” There is no physiologic basis
for the possibility of such a phenomenon and narcosis would not have played a role in this death.
The autopsy showed cardiomegaly, mild atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and changes
associated with drowning.
04-26 Inexperienced diver made series of dives with group, lost consciousness on bottom
while waiting for others to go through lava tube, found with regulator out of mouth
Cause of Death: Drowning
This 46-year-old female was an inexperienced diver with open water certification. The diver made
a series of four dives from a live-aboard boat with two other divers. There was a 30 ft (9 m) long
lava tube that the other divers went through but the decedent did not. She apparently lost
consciousness on the bottom and was found with the regulator out of her mouth. The diver was
brought to the surface and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. The autopsy did not reveal
any significant natural disease processes, and the case was signed out as a drowning.
04-27 Uncertified teenage diver with medical history of seizure disorder on medication,
made shore dive with buddy in strong current, became separated, found on bottom, BC
found not to hold air
Cause of Death: Drowning
This 14-year-old male was uncertified and had a history of a seizure disorder for which he took
medication. He was diving with his father who was also uncertified. The two divers made a shore
entry dive in a strong current. They became separated when the father surfaced to clear his
mask. The father could not locate his son after they became separated. Lifeguards recovered the
boy’s body from the bottom. The autopsy findings were consistent with a drowning. An evaluation
of the equipment revealed that the diver had weights in the pockets of the buoyancy compensator
and the buoyancy compensator would not hold air.
82 Annual Diving Report: 2006 Edition