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Article: Fatalities associated with harvesting of sea urchins - Maine, 1993.
- Article from:
- MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- Article date:
- April 8, 1994
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 U.S. Government Printing Office. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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During 1992-1993, six persons died while diving for sea urchins in Maine waters--two during 1992 and four during August-November 1993. The four 1993 deaths were investigated by the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Maine, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); each of the deaths was attributed to drowning. This report describes the results of the investigations of these cases.
Case 1. On August 19, an experienced 52-year-old diver was harvesting sea urchins from a vessel anchored in heavy fog. He exhausted his air supply after I hour and, while still in the water, ...