Ambergris Caye fatality - Belize

[DandyDon]

Tourist drowns while diving off Ambergris Caye

Seventy-two-year-old Mona Bhatti, a doctor visiting from the United States, apparently drowned in the waters of the Caribbean Sea off San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye on Monday.

Information is that Bhatti and three other persons went diving with Ambergris Divers, led by dive master and tour guide Manuel Ruben Caliz.

Bhatti was paired with another diver, but ten minutes into the excursion Caliz noticed that Mona had begun ascending to the surface. He released his safety inflation device to indicate to the boat that a diver was coming up and to be on the lookout, and began following up himself along with the rest of the diving crew and tourist divers.

On reaching the surface, he observed the boat captain holding Mona’s hand to keep her above water. CPR and oxygen were unsuccessfully administered as Mona did not respond, and the crew set off back to town and the Ambergris Hope Clinic, where Mona Bhatti was formally pronounced dead.

The matter is being treated as a sudden death investigation by police.

 

[Kinasi]

As someone who was diving in Belize from a live aboard, I wonder what went wrong here. Diving in Belize is quite easy when compared to other places so this accident makes me wonder. I think the boat captain trying to safe her by holding her hand points to the fact that either something went wrong with her equipment or she ran out of air. It would be interesting to know if she dumped her weights. Very sad indeed, rest in peace old lady.

 

[Wathdoc]

Or anyone of a number of medical causes of death in this age group.

 

[Biotech Diver]

Or anyone of a number of medical causes of death in this age group.

Since I’ve been following these accidents threads it seems a high percentage of fatalities are of people over 50. I have also noticed that the number of divers over 50 (me included, I started in my early 30s) I see on dive boats or other dive sites are over 50. I think it can be explained that that in general younger people have less disposable income and would rather spend their money on other hobbies. LOL! Between that and health issues that come with aging, I think that’s why the 50-70 age group is over represented in B the fatal accidents. Again, that just my general observation.

 

[JFS]

Since I’ve been following these accidents threads it seems a high percentage of fatalities are of people over 50. I have also noticed that the number of divers over 50 (me included, I started in my early 30s) I see on dive boats or other dive sites are over 50. I think it can be explained that that in general younger people have less disposable income and would rather spend their money on other hobbies. LOL! Between that and health issues that come with aging, I think that’s why the 50-70 age group is over represented in B the fatal accidents. Again, that just my general observation.

I live and work in Cozumel. I always look around at other dive boats to see what age groups are dominant. Yes it is definately 50-70. Most of the incidents in Cozumel are cardiac issues. I agree with your thought on younger people diving. Lots of other things that take up their time...

 

[Kimela]

Hard to find time, even if you have plenty of money, when you have little kids or are full-on in a career. So we dive as we near retirement. Sad to hear about this woman and hope her passing was as painless and without fear as possible.

 

[DanBMW]

The Baby Boomers are in their late 60's and 70's. Number one cause of death is heart disease...

 

[boulderjohn]

LOL! Between that and health issues that come with aging, I think that’s why the 50-70 age group is over represented in B the fatal accidents. Again, that just my general observation.

DAN has been stating for well over 10 years that the average age of fatalities is climbing and is now past what we would usually consider middle age. Your observations are therefore consistent with established data. Yes, medical issues, including especially cardiac issues, constitute the largest group of fatalities in their annual report.

BTW, I am not in the 50-70 age group. I wish I were.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Baby Boomers are in their late 50's

Fixed it for you - 1946 to 1964 - are the Baby Boomer years... does not put all of us in our late 60's.

 

[DandyDon]

Number one cause of death is heart disease...

That's true for the general population.

Fixed it for you - 1946 to 1964 - are the Baby Boomer years... does not put all of us in our late 60's.

The current age for Boomers born 1946 to 1964 would be 57-75.

I am not in the 50-70 age group.

Me neither. Used to be, but I survived those years. Dad came home from the war in 1945. My school class was the biggest ever I think, but then they knew we were coming for years. So I guess my years are numbered in the low range. I really hope to still be able to get around on my own for the 2023 & 2024 Solar Eclipses, but I just did my last passport renewal. I'll croak somewhere sometime, and I hate that it'll be a bother to those around me as well as at home, but I'm too active for now to sit around waiting for the end - sorry. DAN will ship me home if someone will call them. If it's on a dive trip, y'all can discuss it here. I'm going to Roatan with a LDS group, and I see that my age requires that I get my physician to approve. I doubt that she knows much about scuba diving, but I guess it gets the shop off of the hook. The owner's father and I did get assigned the downstairs duplex closest to the dock so I love that.