Deaths of amateur scuba divers

Four scuba diving deaths investigated by the Forensic Medicine Unit, University of Edinburgh Medical School, are reported. The pathological investigation of such deaths requires that a detailed history of the events prior to death is obtained and that the site of the accident is fully examined with underwater photographic recording where possible. The diving suits, breathing apparatus and other diving accessories also have to be examined carefully by experts and a complete autopsy with toxicological and histological examination is essential. The causes and mechanisms of death are discussed, as are the importance of special autopsy techniques and investigations. Possible interpretative problems are highlighted.