Deaths of scuba divers are quite common. Some divers drown in spite of the many benefits that scuba diving offers. Learn the causes and symptoms of scuba diver fatalities to prevent your next trip. These are the most common mistakes that scuba divers make that can lead to their deaths. Learn from others' mistakes so you can avoid them. You could even save someone's life. Here are five of the most common mistakes that divers make.
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. Among this group, cardiac conditions and pulmonary barotrauma were associated with drowning. The most common symptom is loss of consciousness, but other symptoms, such as loss coordination, could also be involved.
The first symptoms of decompression sickness for divers are usually a lack in oxygen. However, most symptoms disappear once the patient reaches the surface. To minimize swelling, barotrauma can be treated using antibiotics and other nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. If the injured body part has not yet been completely restored, nitrogen narcosis should be treated before the diver is re-introduced to air.
Triggers to a Dive Diver's Death
Most diving accidents occur because of panicked reactions. These responses are irrational and lower the chances of survival. Panic occurs when a diver faces a threatening situation and loses control of his depth. Panicked reactions only make the situation worse and are ineffective. Eyewitness accounts from diving accidents reveal that panic is a key factor in a diver's drowning.
A majority of diving fatalities can be attributed to problems with buoyancy. 52% are due to insufficient buoyancy while 8% are caused excessive buoyancy. DAN found that buoyancy problems were the most common cause of death in diving fatalities. In addition to buoyancy problems, the use of wetsuits played a significant role in fatalities. DAN provided a formula to determine the appropriate weight for divers when they go diving.
Causes of the death of a scuba diver
Many of the over 100 scuba dive fatalities each and every year were drowning. Other contributing factors include equipment failure, cardiac disease, environmental hazards and inappropriate responses. Equipment failure is not always the cause of death. However, it can play a significant role. In general, over 80% of these deaths are attributed to drowning, which obscures the true cause. Accidents do occur, even though most scuba divers always have enough breathing gas. Divers can drown from a variety of reasons, including unmanageable stress and cardiac disease.
A case in point is an older diver with ischaemic cardiovascular disease. While asthmatics may be prohibited from diving, only two to 3 percent of all scuba divers are affected. Nevertheless, nearly nine percent of diving deaths occur in asthmatics. Other heart disorders have been linked to drowning, including long QT syndrome and drop attacks. These conditions, regardless of the cause can have grave consequences.
Common mistakes of scuba divers
A study on fatalities in scuba diving shows that most of them are caused by a diver's failures to prepare for and plan ahead. These errors are called "precursor events." They can be major or minor. Training and sound diving practices can reduce most fatalities. However, even with proper training and sound diving practices, there are still hazards to diving. Dive companies must adhere to all federal and local laws.
Insufficient gas, entanglement and insufficient decompression were the main causes of fatal accidents. An insufficient level of training and experience could also lead to a diver's untimely death. A recent study revealed that nearly half of fatalities occurred due to incorrect decompression stops and buoyancy problems. Also common were entrapment and inadequate gas. Insufficient gas and inadequate training were the most common causes of fatal accidents, but there were cases of improper weights and procedures that may have resulted in a diver's death.