Lost at sea: the medicine, physiology and psychology of prolonged immersion.

Heather Massey, John Leach, Michael Davis, Vicki Vertongen

Journal: Diving and hyperbaric medicine 2018;47(4):239-247

PMID: 29241234

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Abstract

In most countries, immersion represents the second most common cause of accidental death in children and the third in adults. Between 2010 and 2013, 561 deaths worldwide involving recreational divers were recorded by the Divers Alert Network. Consequently, there is no room for complacency when diving. Being lost at sea is a diver's worst nightmare. In 2006, a diver was lost at sea off the coast of New Zealand for 75 hours. It is unprecedented that, after such a long time immersed in temperate (16-17°C) waters, he was found and survived. His case is presented and utilised to illustrate the many physiological and psychological factors involved in prolonged immersion and what might determine survival under such circumstances. We also briefly review options for enhancing diver location at sea and a few issues related to search and rescue operations are discussed.

Copyright: This article is the copyright of the authors who grant Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine a non-exclusive licence to publish the article in printed and other forms.

Address: Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Portsmouth, Spinnaker Building, Cambridge Road, Portsmouth PO1 2ER, UK, [email protected].; Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.; Formerly Medical Director, Hyperbaric Medicine Unit, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand.; Emergency Medicine Department, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand.

DOI: 10.28920/dhm47.4.239-247

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MeSH Terms: Adult, Body Constitution, Cold Temperature, Diving, Drinking, Family, Humans, Hypothermia, Immersion, Male, New Zealand, Nutritional Status, Protective Clothing, Recreation, Religion and Psychology, Rescue Work, Shock, Stress, Psychological, Survivorship, Time Factors