Scuba-diving related deaths in Okinawa, Japan, from 1982 to 2007

We reviewed the autopsies of scuba-diving related deaths (SDRDs) that were collected from April 1982 until March 2007. In the period under consideration, a total of 40 SDRDs were registered, out of which 34 were males and 6 females. Ages ranged from 19 to 65 years, with the average of 41.5 years (SD = 12.9). Divers over the age of 40 accounted for 60% of all fatalities. The major cause of death was drowning (62.5%), followed by disease (28.5%). The average age for drowning and disease-related deaths was 38.6 (SD = 12.8) and 48.7 years (SD = 10.1), respectively. Of the 40 fatalities, 24 were beginners who had little or no experience. In this study, we compared SDRDs in the first term, from April 1982 to March 1995, and in the second term, from April 1995 to March 2007. The average age in the first and second terms was 35.4 and 45.2 years, respectively; the average age for the second term was 10 years older than the first. Of those in the first term, 13.3%, and of those in the second term, 40.0%, died from complications arising from already existing conditions. This study revealed that the onset of diseases during diving frequently causes fatal accidents, especially for older divers.