Seattle diver dies of "near drowning"

[Underh2osamurai]

This happened early this year. However, I am just hearing about it. Thought I would share the link for those interested. This accident reminds us that even at shallow depth, we are still susceptible to deadly accidents.

Phill

Local News | Scuba diver near Edmonds ferry dock died of 'near drowning' | Seattle Times Newspaper

 

[idocsteve]

We're suseptible to deadly accidents at any depth.

Too bad the article is less than a paragraph and doesn't give a single detail about the accident other than "he surfaced several times calling for help" before he was finally rescued by other divers.

Could have been anything from a heart attack to a panic to some sort of entanglement problem.

 

[Underh2osamurai]

I agree i-doc, unfortunately it was reported without any information so that we might gain some insight as to what might have happened.

Perhaps, someone will read this and fill in the details for the rest of us.

 

[diver 85]

Sorry to hear----all it takes is about a foot---or less........gotta be careful, ALL the time.......here's to safe diving in the future....

 

[Ken Kurtis]

There's actually a different, very valuable lesson in this one and it really doesn't have anything to do with the details/causes of the accident. It lies within the phrase "near drowning."

I may not get all the physiology exactly correct but the layman's version is that when we have some who almost drowns, even after they're pulled out of the water and seem fine, there can still be fluids slowly accumulating in the lungs. In effect, they are "still" drowning and can succumb to this some time later if no one's looking for this (because everyone thought they were fine).

This is why, quite often in the case of near-drowning, the victim will be hopsitalized overnight for observation. If there's any evidence of fluid accumulation, it can be dealt with. If there's no evidence of it, then they're relased.

It sounds like this guy was pretty bad off. But the walkaway from this is that you can "drown" long after you've been pulled from the water so don't automatically assume everyhting's done with when the victim goes, "Thanks, I'm OK now."

- Ken

 

[Ed L.]

Parking lot drowning. I understand what yor saying Ken1

 

[Garrobo]

"all it takes is about a foot---or less", "suseptible....... at any depth", etc. Every time I hear this I want to puke. I've never heard of a certified diver drowning in one foot of water.

 

[Dr Wu]

"all it takes is about a foot---or less", "suseptible....... at any depth", etc. Every time I hear this I want to puke. I've never heard of a certified diver drowning in one foot of water.

Yet non-certified people drown on puke all the time.

Kinda blows your mind right?

 

[AbyssalPlains]

"all it takes is about a foot---or less", "suseptible....... at any depth", etc. Every time I hear this I want to puke. I've never heard of a certified diver drowning in one foot of water.

I have. He didn't drown, but almost. I know it sounds ridiculous at first, but consider the following scenario: Diving from shore with doubles. Upon entry, an unexpected wave that the diver didn't anticipate knocks him over. Lands on his back like an overturned turtle. Didn't have his regulator in his mouth yet. According to his report, what saved him was that his harness had buckles, otherwise he would have drowned in a couple of feet of water.

 

[idocsteve]

"all it takes is about a foot---or less", "suseptible....... at any depth", etc. Every time I hear this I want to puke. I've never heard of a certified diver drowning in one foot of water.

Not one foot of water.

One foot from the SURFACE.

Read "Lesson's For Life" over at Scuba Diving Magazine's Website, or the book "Diver Down."

There's at least one story there about a guy who died right below the surface due to an entanglement.

It happens.