Zubeen Garg passes away; how common are scuba diving accidents?

Singer Zubeen Garg passed away today; he reportedly a recent scuba diving accident in Singapore. As per reports the singer was rescued from the sea by Singapore police and rushed to a nearby hospital, but eventually succumbed. No reports are confirming what exactly happened, but some news portals have claimed Zubeen Garg fell into the sea during an activity. So, how safe is scuba diving?

How common are scuba diving accidents worldwide? 2 per 100,000 dives, says one US study

According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association 2015 report, approximately 3 million people engage in scuba diving-related activities in the United States every year, and more than 9 million people identify as recreational divers. Scuba diving fatalities for recreational divers are about 2 per 100,000 dives. 

In the Indian context, a study of scuba instructors in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (2022-23) found that 10.4% of the participants reported one or more physical injuries underwater. The study did not get into the exact numbers of death.

However, another journal article on Unusual occurrence of diving accidents: Case reports from Andaman & Nicobar Islands lists seven cases of diving accidents, like decompression sickness, neurological symptoms, etc. in that region.

There are several risks to being scuba divers. Medical conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, pulmonary disease and lack of physical fitness are some causes behind increased scuba diving risk.

So, how can you stay safe as a scuba diver?

The first step is to get trained as well as you can. Get comfortable underwater and get certified. If you go diving in caves, caverns, wrecks, etc. have the proper training for that specific type of dive. Don't dive beyond your ability.

Breathe slowly and relax, instead of holding your breath in. It should be a given, but you should be in good physical shape. By that, we mean being able to swim and take the stress of diving, as a quarter to a third of all scuba diving fatalities occur due to heart and/or circulatory problems. Always dive with someone else, so that you and your scuba diving buddy can keep an eye on each other.

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