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Review
. 2022 Jun 30;52(2):108-118.
doi: 10.28920/dhm52.2.108-118.

A review of snorkelling and scuba diving fatalities in Queensland, Australia, 2000 to 2019

John Lippmann  1   2   3   4
Affiliations
Review

A review of snorkelling and scuba diving fatalities in Queensland, Australia, 2000 to 2019

John Lippmann. Diving Hyperb Med. .

Abstract

Introduction: This study examined all known diving-related fatalities in Queensland, Australia, from 2000 to 2019 to determine likely causes and potential countermeasures.

Methods: Data were extracted from the Australasian Diving Safety Foundation fatality database, including previously published reports. The National Coronial Information System was searched to identify diving-related deaths in Queensland for 2014-2019 and data were extracted, analysed, and combined with previously published data covering the period 2000-2013. Descriptive statistics and parametric and non-parametric tests were used to analyse these data.

Results: There were 166 snorkelling and 41 scuba victims identified with median ages of 59 and 49 years respectively, and 83% of snorkel and 64% of scuba victims were males. One quarter of snorkel and 40% of scuba victims were obese. Two-thirds of the snorkellers and three quarters of scuba divers were overseas tourists. Contributory predisposing health conditions were identified in 61% of snorkel and 50% of scuba victims. Nine scuba victims died on their first dive.

Conclusions: The increase in snorkelling deaths likely reflects increased participation, higher age, and poorer health. The main disabling condition in both cohorts was cardiac-related. Pre-existing health conditions, poor skills, inexperience, poor planning, supervision shortcomings and lack of effective buddy systems featured in both cohorts, and apnoeic hypoxia in breath-hold divers. Suggested countermeasures include improved education on the importance of health and fitness for safe diving and snorkelling, increased emphasis on an honest and accurate pre-activity health declaration and subsequent implementation of appropriate risk mitigation strategies, improved supervision, better buddy pairing, and on-going education on the hazards of extended apnoea.

Keywords: Age; Breath-hold diving; Cardiac; Chain of events analysis; Diving deaths; Obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest and funding

This work was funded by the Australasian Diving Safety Foundation. No conflicts of interest were declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Snorkel (SN) and scuba (SC) diving fatalities in Queensland and Australia as a whole from 1970–2019
Figure 2
Figure 2
Body mass index categories of snorkel and scuba victims of diving fatalities in Queensland 2000−2019
Figure 3
Figure 3
Disabling conditions for snorkel and scuba victims of diving fatalities in Queensland 2000−2019
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Australian Museum . The Great Barrier Reef. [cited 2022 Feb 17]. Available from: https://australian.museum/get-involved/amri/lirs/great-barrier-reef/?gcl....
    1. Queensland Government . Recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling Code of Practice 2018. Office of Industrial Relations - Workplace Health and Safety Queensland; 2018. [cited 2022 Feb 15]. Available from: https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/23596/rec-di....
    1. Lippmann J, Stevenson C, Taylor D McD, Williams J. Estimating the risk of a diving fatality in Australia. Diving Hyperb Med. 2016; 46: 241- 6. . cited 2022 Feb 17. Available from: https://www.dhmjournal.com/images/IndividArticles/48March/Lippmann_dhm48... - PubMed
    1. National Coronial Information System (NCIS) [Internet] . Administered by the Victorian Department of Justice and Regulation; 2018. [cited 2020 May 15]. Available from: http://www.ncis.org.
    1. Australasian Diving Safety Foundation . Diving-related fatality database and cumulative register. Data available to authorised internal researchers from: http://www.adsf.org.au.

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