Report on Decompression Illness, Diving Fatalities and Project Dive

Section 4 - Dive FatalitiesFigure 4.2-5 shows the number of dives that were performed by thediver in the 12 months prior to the incident. Information was availablein 54 cases. Nearly 45 percent of divers had no dives or had notdived in the previous 12 months. The 28 percent of divers had lessthan 20 dives in the past 12 months. They could be considered infrequentdivers. Twenty-eight percent of divers with more than 20dives in the previous 12 months could be classified as regulardivers. There were at least 10 "novice divers" or those with 20 orfewer lifetime dives.Figure 4.2-5Number of divesthat were performedby the diver in theprevious 12 monthsprior to the incident.Figure 4.2-6 shows the number of months between the last dive andthe accident dive (n=50). Fifty-six percent of divers were returningto dive after one to four years. A one dive trip per year is quite commonamong PDE divers and thus divers diving once a year may beproportionally represented among the fatalities. However, therewere several divers returning to diving after two or more years, andonly one had a formal refresher course.Figure 4.2-6Time betweenlast dive andday of accident.72DAN’s <strong>Report</strong> on Decompression Illness, Diving Fatalities and Project Dive Exploration: 2005 Edition