Snorkeller Dies Off Cemetery Beach Grand Cayman

[scagrotto]

I really can't recall of any incident in the Caymans where the initial news story is followed by an update with useful information about just what happened. We occasionally get details from other sources, but don't expect more than a data point to add to the raw statistics. What little I do see about incidents in the Caymans mostly suggests that once you get into your 50's and 60's there's a much better chance that you'll die while diving. Or snorkeling, if you're not a diver.

 

[Steve_C]

If you expire snorkeling, you would of most certainly had the same result diving....

Odd comment. If you expire gardeining you would of most certainly had the same result diving.

The point of discussing these accidents is to learn from them. If the accident did not involve scuba diving then there is usually nothing diving related to learn. People drop dead working in gardens and playing golf but we do not discuss them because they are not relevant to the reason we discuss scuba related deaths on scubaboard.

 

[KathyV]

Here's an article about scuba safety and the water-related deaths in Cayman last year.

One thing the article gets wrong is that it says you can get certified online.

Scuba safe if rules are followed

https://cnsbusiness.com/2015/04/16/scuba-safe-if-rules-are-followed/

 

[archer1960]

Fifteen last year? wow!

Considering that there were likely several thousand people (and more than that number of dives), it's probably not a very high rate. It was interesting that the article referenced above indicated that the death rate from running a marathon was about twice the death rate from SCUBA diving...

 

[AggieDiver]

First, this is "Scuba" board.com, not WaterActivity board.com. So it is reasonable that people here are interested in incidents involving scuba divers, not necessarily snorkelers. Doesn't mean we are cold hearted or don't have the family and friends in our prayers...it just isn't the focus of this website.

With that said, if you look at just about any relatively taxing physical activity, a large percentage of the people who die doing it will come from the 50+ age group, and most of them die because of some form of cardiac event, not from an inherent risk of the activity itself. Folks who are diving (or snorkeling) and who either are not physically fit, or who have underlying cardiopulmonary issues are at higher risk for dying than most of those other sports, because they may become unconscious or drown before anybody realizes they are in trouble or can get to them to help. The same 55 year old guy who has a mild heart attack on the golf course and gets rushed to the hospital for a relatively easy recovery, may die if it happens in the water because he drowns before anybody gets to him to help. It really skews the statistics on "dive incidents" or "water related fatalities" when you have a large percentage of the people doing it in the 50+ age group.

 

[Flutter]

Hmmmm. My husband & I just began diving at age 50+ & have been actively diving for the past 6 yrs. We both work to stay fit for diving (and life); we would like to enjoy many more years of it - especially since we got a late start. Our Drs. know we dive & we go in annually for basic check-ups. I sure hope we don't drop dead from heart issues anytime soon, particularily underwater - being over 50. . I have been hoping our "mature" status might cause us to take less risks than younger divers, and so in the end, it would be a "toss-up" regarding who is most at risk.

 

[Steve_C]

Hmmmm. My husband & I just began diving at age 50+ & have been actively diving for the past 6 yrs. We both work to stay fit for diving (and life); we would like to enjoy many more years of it - especially since we got a late start. Our Drs. know we dive & we go in annually for basic check-ups. I sure hope we don't drop dead from heart issues anytime soon, particularily underwater - being over 50. . I have been hoping our "mature" status might cause us to take less risks than younger divers, and so in the end, it would be a "toss-up" regarding who is most at risk.

I just turned 70. As long as the physical does not reveal any heart or similar problems I will keep diving.

 

[mbs]

Hmmmm. My husband & I just began diving at age 50+ & have been actively diving for the past 6 yrs. We both work to stay fit for diving (and life); we would like to enjoy many more years of it - especially since we got a late start. Our Drs. know we dive & we go in annually for basic check-ups. I sure hope we don't drop dead from heart issues anytime soon, particularily underwater - being over 50. . I have been hoping our "mature" status might cause us to take less risks than younger divers, and so in the end, it would be a "toss-up" regarding who is most at risk.

Stay away from the Caymans Just kidding. Sounds like u are doing all the right things to have a long safe time diving!

 

[Flutter]

@mbs,
We're heading to Brac in a few weeks. But we'll stay away from GC & Cemetary (Really??!) Beach.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

I really can't recall of any incident in the Caymans where the initial news story is followed by an update with useful information about just what happened. We occasionally get details from other sources, but don't expect more than a data point to add to the raw statistics. ....

Any follow up comes from the Coroner's Inquest. Those are usually many months, even a couple years, after the initial incident.