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Written by Ulrich van Laak
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Investigations of immersion accidents within the accepted “safe” boundaries of survival in cold waters have shown that hypothermia is not the main cause. Impairment of physical abilities and mental deterioration under moderate hypothermia, aggravated by swimming failure and the lack of a proper spray-hood, is leading to delayed drowning death despite of wearing a lifejacket. Due to significant gastro-intestinal ingestion of sea-water repetitive and subsequent vomiting is frequent. Aspiration of vomit enhances drowning related lung lesions, making the clinical situation even worse (6).
As the majority of fatalities under immersion occur in the stages 1 and 2 before severe hypothermia will develop, sea-survival equipment must focus on the short term incapacitating effects and the protection from drowning.
This underlines the absolute prerequisite of donning sea-survival equipment as soon as possible in an emergency situation.
Sudden immersion in cold water is life-threatening; even if it is relative cold water at about 15°C.
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15.5 Drowning at Surface
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