Decompression illness associated with underwater logging: 6 case reports from Kenyir Lake, Malaysia

The formation of Kenyir Lake as part of a hydroelectric project in the 1980s caused much forest area to be submerged. From 1991, underwater divers were employed to log these sunken trees at depths of up to 100 meters. At least 6 mishaps involving underwater logging personnel were recorded from March 1994 to August 1996. We retrospectively reviewed 5 cases who were managed in Hospital Kuala Terengganu. The patients presented with marked cardiorespiratory and neurological disturbances. One diver died in the Hospital while another died at the recompression chamber. Three divers were treated with recompression and improved. Average delay before the start of recompression was 14 hours. Underwater logging has definite dangers and steps must be taken to ensure that both the divers and the equipment are appropriate for the task. Availability of a nearby recompression facility would greatly enhance the management of diving accidents, not only for commercial divers but also for recreational divers who frequent the islands nearby.