Sports and recreation
Snorkeling
Estimated population-level acute risk associated with a single recreational snorkeling session.
Base risk estimate
5 micromorts per sessions
Population-level estimate. Not a personal prediction.
Assumptions
Approximate estimate based on DAN snorkeling fatality data for US populations. Assumes a healthy adult snorkeling in typical recreational conditions (shallow reef, calm water).
Limitations
Per-session exposure data is not routinely published; this estimate involves assumptions about sessions per snorkeler per year and may undercount fatalities in non-DAN-member populations. Risk is substantially higher for older adults (especially those with cardiac conditions), tourists unfamiliar with local conditions, and solo snorkelers without buddy systems.
Source notes
DAN estimates approximately 5 snorkeling deaths per million snorkelers per year in the US. Converting to per-session: assuming ~1–5 snorkeling sessions per person per year yields 1–5 micromorts per session; 5 micromorts is used as a conservative upper-bound estimate. See also: Edmonds C et al., 'An underappreciated cause of ocean-related fatalities: a systematic review on snorkelling-related drowning,' Int J Aquatic Research Education, ScienceDirect 2021. Studies of Hawaiian tourist populations suggest the rate may be substantially higher among older adults with undiagnosed cardiac conditions.
Last reviewed
5/31/2024