TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2013//
TI  - Provisional report on diving-related fatalities in Australian waters 2009
JO  - Diving and hyperbaric medicine
A1  - Jamieson, Scott
A1  - Wodak, Thomas
A1  - Fock, Andrew W.
A1  - Lawrence, Christopher C.
A1  - Lippmann, John
SP  - 194
EP  - 217
VL  - 43
IS  - 4
N2  - INTRODUCTION: An individual case review of diving-related deaths reported as occurring in Australia in 2009 was conducted as part of the DAN Asia-Pacific Dive Fatality Reporting Project. METHOD: The case studies were compiled using reports from witnesses, the police and coroners. In each case, the particular circumstances of the accident and details from the post-mortem examination, where available, are provided. RESULTS: In total, there were 21 reported fatalities (two more than in 2008), including 18 males and three females. Twelve deaths occurred while snorkelling and/or breath-hold diving, eight while scuba diving and one while using surface-supply breathing apparatus. Apneic hypoxia continues to be a problem with breath-hold divers and appears to have caused the death of three victims in this series. Cardiac-related issues were thought to have been the disabling injury in the deaths of at least three snorkel divers and at least three scuba divers. One of the victims was a student who became separated from her instructor on an introductory scuba dive in poor visibility. CONCLUSIONS: Apneic hypoxia, pre-existing medical conditions, snorkelling or diving alone, separation and inadequate supervision were once again features in several deaths in this series.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1833-3516
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -