title: Provisional report on diving-related fatalities in Australian waters 2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An individual case review of diving-related deaths reported as occurring in Australia in 2009 was conducted as part of the DAN Asia-Pacific Dive Fatality Reporting Project.
  
  
  METHODS
  The case studies were compiled using reports from witnesses, the police and coroners. In each case, the particular circumstances of the accident and details from the post-mortem examination, where available, are provided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, there were 21 reported fatalities (two more than in 2008), including 18 males and three females. Twelve deaths occurred while snorkelling and/or breath-hold diving, eight while scuba diving and one while using surface-supply breathing apparatus. Apneic hypoxia continues to be a problem with breath-hold divers and appears to have caused the death of three victims in this series. Cardiac-related issues were thought to have been the disabling injury in the deaths of at least three snorkel divers and at least three scuba divers. One of the victims was a student who became separated from her instructor on an introductory scuba dive in poor visibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apneic hypoxia, pre-existing medical conditions, snorkelling or diving alone, separation and inadequate supervision were once again features in several deaths in this series.
authors: Executive Director, Divers Alert Network (DAN) Asia-Pacific, doctoral candidate, Deakin University, Melbourne, P O Box 384, Ashburton VIC 3147, Australia, Phone: +61-(0)3-9886-9166, Fax: +61-(0)3-9886-9155, E-mail: johnl@danasiapacific.org.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Lippmann
authors: Director, Statewide Forensic Medical Services, Royal Hobart Hospital, Tasmania.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Lawrence
authors: Senior specialist for the Hyperbaric Service, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne.
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Fock
authors: Retired County Court judge and a past dive instructor.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Wodak
authors: Researcher, DAN Asia-Pacific.
authors: Scott
authors: S
authors: Jamieson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001344:Autopsy; D062485:Breath Holding; D002423:Cause of Death; D004242:Diving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004332:Drowning / Q000401:mortality; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000401:mortality; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Diving deaths; breath-hold diving; case reports; diving accidents; scuba; surface-supply breathing apparatus (SSBA)