It is not uncommon for scuba divers to die. Divers sometimes drown, despite all the benefits. Learn the causes and symptoms of scuba diver fatalities to prevent your next trip. These are common mistakes that scuba divers make and can result in their death. Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid them yourself. This could save your life. These are the 5 most common mistakes made by scuba divers.
Death of a Scuba Diver
Asphyxia, the leading cause of scuba diver death, is rarely the result of any one factor, though panic can trigger increased gas consumption. Approximately 40% of deaths attributed to asphyxia were inexperienced divers or those separated from their diving buddies. The most common causes of drowning were cardiac conditions and lung barotrauma. Although loss of consciousness is the most common symptom, there may be other causes, such as loss of coordination or cardiac conditions.
The earliest symptoms of decompression sickness in a diver are generally a lack of oxygen, but most of these symptoms go away once the patient reaches the surface. Barotrauma injuries, including a broken eardrum, can be treated with antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to minimize swelling. To ensure that the injured area is fully healed, nitrogen narcosis must be treated before the diver may be re-introduced.
Triggers to a Dive Diver's Death
Most diving accidents result from panicked reactions. These responses are irrational and lower the chances of survival. Panic happens when a diver is in danger and loses control over his depth. Panicked diving is an ineffective way to respond. Eyewitness accounts show that panic can play a significant role in the death of a diver.
The majority of diving fatalities are triggered by problems with buoyancy, with 52% of incidents being caused by inadequate buoyancy and 8% by excessive buoyancy. DAN surveyed the top causes of deaths for diving accidents. Not only did buoyancy issues play a major role in the deaths, but so did wetsuits. DAN provided a formula to determine the appropriate weight for divers when they go diving.
Causes of the death of a scuba diver
The majority of drownings that resulted in the deaths of scuba divers each year was among the over 100. Other than equipment failure, other factors that could contribute to death include environmental hazards, heart disease, and inadvertently responding. Equipment failure is often not the cause for death but it can be. In general, over 80% of these deaths are attributed to drowning, which obscures the true cause. Even though most divers have a supply at all times of breathing gas, accidents do happen. Divers can drown for a variety reasons, including heart disease and unmanageable stresses.
Ischemic heart disease could be the reason for an older diver. However, asthmatics are rarely allowed to dive. They make up just two to three percentage of all scuba divers. However, asthmatics make up nearly 9 percent of all deaths from diving. Drop attacks and long QT syndrome have also been linked to drowning. These conditions, regardless of the cause can have grave consequences.
Common mistakes made in scuba diving
Recent studies of fatalities among scuba divers show that the majority of these incidents result from scuba divers not being prepared and planning ahead. These mistakes are called "precursors events". They can be minor or major. With proper training and sound diving practice, most fatalities can be avoided. But even then, there are still many risks to diving, ranging from equipment failure to faulty dive instructors and unsafe water conditions. Dive companies must adhere to all federal and local laws.
Insufficient gas and entanglement are the most common causes of fatal accidents. Insufficient time for decompression was the next most serious. An insufficient level of training and experience could also lead to a diver's untimely death. A recent study found that almost half the fatalities were caused by improper decompression and buoyancy issues. Also common were entrapment and inadequate gas. Insufficient gas, inadequate training and insufficient gas were the main causes of fatal accidents. However there were also cases when improper weights and procedures could have caused a diver to die.