Angela Kearn
29 Mar 2023 · Coroner Caroline Topping · Surrey
The coroner's concerns
1. Immersion pulmonary oedema
“Awareness of Immersion Pulmonary Oedema in the medical profession: i.) Concerns were raised by the medical witnesses that there is very little awareness of Immersion Pulmonary Oedema in the medical profession and that it is not addressed in medical training, as a consequence, it can be missed by those treating the condition and is often mistaken for drowning”
2. use of full face snorkel mask by individuals with cardiovascular conditions
“The packaging of the mask has been revised to show a pictogram to warn against use of the mask by those with heart or other cardiovascular conditions.”
3. inadequate warning about cardiovascular risks of full face mask
“Decathlon have recently updated their website in the United Kingdom to include the following,”
4. widespread use of unsafe full face masks without adequate warning
“) The concern is that many million of the full face masks have been sold and the safety concerns about their use by those with ongoing cardiovascular and respiratory issues has not been widely publicised or brought to the attention of those who already own the masks. Those purchased before 2017 had no warning is relation to these matters and the warning included in the instructions from 2017 inwards was not prominent nor sufficient to alert prospective purchasers to the hazards of use which have”