DIVING

Appendix C. Asia-Pacific Diving Deaths 2010 (Excluding Australia)
INDIA
IND-BH 10/01
This 25-year-old woman was a tourist visiting a tropical island resort which has a strong focus on watersports including
snorkeling and diving. This island is also located only 70 km (43 miles) from a saltwater crocodile sanctuary. The victim
had gone snorkeling from the beach with her boyfriend who witnessed a large saltwater crocodile surface, grab the
victim in its jaws and drag her underwater. Her body was recovered two days later. The attack is described as unusual
as it occurred in open water over a coral reef and not close to mangroves. It was also an unusual time of day for the
predator to be hunting.
INDONESIA
IN-BH 10/01
This 71-year-old woman was a tourist visiting a popular beach to go snorkeling. She was a doctor in her home country.
On this day, there were 100 tourists on the cruise. Shortly after arriving at the island, the victim left the group to go
snorkeling by herself at a local reef. A search was initiated when she failed to rejoin the group and her body was found
a short time later.
IN-BH 10/02
This 28-year-old ex-pat Australian male victim, was manager of a local dive shop and a very experienced breath-hold
diver. He had been snorkeling on a deep drop off and failed to surface. His body was found in 12 meters (39 feet) of
water. Others were freediving in the area but there was no close buddy system in place. Breathholding blackout was
believed to have been a likely cause of his demise.
IN-BH 10/03
This 33-year-old male tourist was freediving with friends when he failed to surface from a dive. His body washed ashore
three days later. At this time he was still wearing all his gear. The police reported that he was trying to extend his times
underwater and may have drowned. Breathholding blackout was a likely precipitant.
IN-SC 10/01
The victim was a 37-year-old woman who was undergoing scuba training at the time of her death. She had already
completed one dive and was undertaking the controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA) skill on the second when
she experienced an out-of-air emergency due to a closed cylinder valve. By the time the victim was recovered to the
boat she was unconscious and vomiting. CPR was not commenced until the boat reached shore 20 minutes later. Her
cylinder was found to be turned off but with approximately 140 bar of gas remaining.
IN-SC 10/02
This 41-year-old male tourist was on a recreational dive under the supervision of an instructor when he went missing.
Despite an extensive search the man was not found until four days later when his body, still wearing all the diving equipment,
was washed ashore.
IN-SC 10/03
This 71-year-old American tourist was diving at a site with strong currents. He had done previous dives with this operator
but it is not known if he had dived this location previously. He always dived under the supervision of a dive guide. On
this dive, he struggled with the current and surfaced with breathing difficulties. He became unconscious and was taken
ashore where CPR was commenced, albeit unsuccessfully.
IN-SC 10/04
This 62-year-old man was a very experienced diver with over 3000 lifetime dives although he had not dived for almost a
year. He had just arrived from the USA and this was his first dive for the trip. Conditions were described as good, calm
with no currents and he was buddied with an instructor. After about 20 minutes into this 20 meter (66 feet) dive, the victim
indicated that he wanted to ascend and made a direct, controlled ascent to the surface. On surfacing, he began to
vomit. He was assisted into the boat, laid down on a bench and several minutes later became unconscious with noisy,
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