TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Provisional report on diving-related fatalities in Australian waters 2010
JO  - Diving and hyperbaric medicine
A1  - Lippmann, John
A1  - Lawrence, Christopher
A1  - Fock, Andrew W.
A1  - Wodak, Thomas
A1  - Jamieson, Scott
A1  - Harris, Richard
A1  - Walker, Douglas
SP  - 154
EP  - 175
VL  - 45
IS  - 3
N2  - INTRODUCTION: An individual case review was conducted of known diving-related deaths that occurred in Australia in 2010. <br><br>METHOD: The case studies were compiled using statements from witnesses and reports of the police and coroners. In each case, the particular circumstances of the accident and details from the post-mortem examination, where available, are provided. A root cause analysis was made for each case. <br><br>RESULTS: There were 20 reported fatalities, one less than the previous year. Five of the victims were female (four scuba divers) and 15 were males. Twelve deaths occurred while snorkelling and/or breath-hold diving, seven while scuba diving (one of whom was using a rebreather), and one diver died while using surface supplied breathing apparatus. At least two breath-hold divers likely drowned as a result of apnoeic hypoxia. Cardiac-related issues were thought to have contributed to the deaths of at least three and possibly five snorkellers, and of at least one, possibly two compressed gas divers. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Snorkelling or diving alone, poor supervision, apnoeic hypoxia, pre-existing medical conditions, lack of recent experience and unfamiliar and/or poorly-functioning equipment were features in several deaths in this series. Reducing delays to CT-scanning and autopsy and coroners' reports documenting that the victim of a drowning was snorkelling or scuba diving at the time are aspects of the investigation of these fatalities that could be improved.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1833-3516
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -