Death by Drowning – or a Medical Event in the Water?

Radio NZ has noted an increase in ‘drownings’ with 57 already reported this year.  Unsurprisingly the discussion did not include the possibility that a number of these drownings were actually medical events occurring in the water.

In light of this, we have reviewed yet more coroner’s reports relating to New Zealanders suddenly dead in the water.  We note there have been many, many reports of “water-related incidents” in the last few years with scanty or sketchy detail of whether the person was actually having trouble swimming or staying afloat in the water versus experiencing a medical event that caused loss of consciousness while in the water.  

Most of the following are fit, healthy, experienced and confident swimmers.

As with our other similar articles…

How Many Children and Young People Are We Prepared to Sacrifice?

Unexplained Sudden Death of Healthy 21-Year-Old: Coroner Records Cardiomyopathy and Myocarditis

Young Man Dies One Day After Covid Booster: Why Was Recent Vaccination Not Addressed?

Coroner Collusion: Vascular Damage, Aortic Dissections and Aneurysms

…the information below is based on Coroner (lawyer) reports and not the post-mortem (pathologist/doctor) reports.

A highly experienced male swimmer swam across Cook Strait in early 2022.  He was within metres of the finish on the North Island coast when he suddenly stopped swimming, appeared to tread water with one arm and had the other touching his chest.  He was then observed to be hunched over facedown under water and starting to sink. He was pulled from the water but was unable to be revived.  He underwent post-mortem examination.   Although cardiac arrhythmia is mentioned in passing, the pathologist did not think a cardiac event was the primary cause of death because “the heart and coronary arteries were not that significantly abnormal”.  Coroner Steel determined the cause of death to be drowning, in this very fit endurance swimmer.

Following a surfing event in early 2022, a very experienced 35 yr old male surfer was seen to be surfing a wave in big conditions.  He did not resurface and his board was noted to be floating.  A fellow surfer went to the board and found the man attached but unresponsive.  He was taken to shore, underwent CPR but could not be revived.  He underwent an external postmortem only, which means no tissues were examined under the microscope. He was also referred to the Cardiac Inherited Diseases Group (CIDG) which did not find any inheritable condition.  His cause of death as determined by Coroner McKenzie was drowning.

A 46 yr old woman was found dead in her bath one morning in late 2021.  She had been well prior to having her bath.  A full post-mortem was undertaken and Coroner Wilton determined the cause of death to be drowning.  No underlying reason for the drowning is documented though the coroner briefly discusses the possibility she fell asleep but dismissed that as speculative.

A 46 yr old man (known to be a good swimmer) was snorkelling not far off shore in a sheltered bay in late 2024.  He disappeared from view and was found an hour or so later face down in the water with snorkel and mask still attached to his face.  The brief coroner report does not mention resuscitation efforts or whether a post-mortem was undertaken but does note the presence of recreational drugs of unspecified significance.  His cause of death was determined to be drowning.

A 64 yr old woman went missing early one morning in mid 2021.  She was found within hours deceased under a jetty at a Wellington beach.  She had a history of pre-diabetes but was not on any medication. Interestingly in this report the coroner has noted she “had her first COVID immunisation the week prior to her death and she had become breathless with a weakness in her left arm” (possible symptoms of myocarditis).  However, with regards to a potential link between covid vaccination and death he determined: “Unfortunately, the evidence does not lead me to being able to prove or disprove a link between these events.” Coroner Telford accepted the pathologist’s advice that the cause of death was drowning, despite noting that it was “possible that this was preceded by a sudden cardiac event”. 

A fit and healthy 47 yr old man who was a strong, confident swimmer was found unresponsive in a swimming pool in early 2023.  He underwent a post-mortem examination and a mildly enlarged heart was noted, with the comment that this “may cause an abnormal rhythm disturbance leading to unconsciousness” (but without recording that myocarditis can produce heart muscle swelling and inflammation).  Despite noting this, the cause of death was determined by Coroner Mills to be shallow water blackout which can occur when someone hyperventilates (over breathes) before holding their breath underwater or diving.

A 50 yr old woman competing in a multisport event in late 2023 was found by another competitor to be floating unresponsive in the water.  She was unable to be resuscitated.  She underwent a post-mortem examination and the findings concluded she died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the setting of immersion with the pathologist noting that the findings (narrowing and hardening of the heart arteries and, visible by microscope, scarring of heart) were not strongly indicative of drowning.  It is not clear from the coroner’s report what has caused the scarring of the heart.  Myocarditis can cause scarring which can later be a focus for a fatal arrhythmia.

There is also the tragic but bizarre case of a 25 yr old father who “drowned of sand” at a Kapiti Coast beach whilst out with his little daughter.  Coroner Wilton has recorded the cause of death as asphyxia by sand which suggests sufficient sand in the airways to inhibit breathing!  This is despite noting that the pathologist “had found sand within the trachea (windpipe) indicating he had a medical event which caused him to fall face down onto the sand, subsequently continuing to breathe​​​​​​​”.  The pathologist mentioned the possibility of a sudden collapse and suggested that arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (in a 25 yr old!) might have contributed. Have all these people lost their minds? We believe post-vaccine myocarditis or a seizure is more likely.

A near-miss

In contrast with these people who did not make it, Radio NZ reported recently on another fit, experienced swimmer who suffered a medical event in the water (swimming pool) but had lifeguards on hand to resuscitate her. 

In May, Lorraine Moser was halfway through her usual three-kilometre swim when her heart gave out, and she started drowning in the middle of the pool.

“A really strange feeling, I just got this really strange feeling over my body and I thought ‘oh gosh I better stand up.’ But before I even had a chance to stand up, I was out,” she recalled.

A fit and avid swimmer, she said the sudden cardiac arrest came as a complete shock.  She spent five weeks in hospital, where her lungs were drained and she underwent open heart surgery.​​​​​​​

Medical events in the water

It would seem much more likely, or at least possible, in all the above cases that the deceased experienced a medical event e.g. cardiac arrhythmia (heart rhythm disturbance) while in the water (or that caused them to fall into the water) which led them to collapse/become unresponsive and then they ‘drowned’. 

It seems highly odd that a person who has just swum across Cook Strait who displayed signs of medical distress, can be determined to have ‘drowned’, rather than to have had a medical event that caused a ‘collapse in the water’.  In only one of these cases has the coroner considered that a medical event may have occurred in the water.

What does ‘drowning’ actually mean pathologically, legally?

Clearly, if you inhale water (or sand) into the lungs, you will suffocate, essentially, as oxygen deprivation sets in quickly and you lose consciousness then die if brain oxygenation is not restored. Our contention is that either a seizure or cardiac arrest may cause the person to pass out first. The presence of water in the lungs does not mean the person hadn’t already stopped breathing. Alternatively, if the person is still breathing but unconscious they can then go on to drown as they don’t know to hold their breath, and protect their airway. 

Covid vaccination

As with our other articles commenting on specific coroner’s reports, we do not know the covid vaccination status of all the deceased.  We are concerned about the apparent superficial nature of the coronial investigations that have omitted this one particular risk factor for sudden unexpected death/collapse/medical event whether occurring in the water or on land.

Covid vaccination can cause a number of medical events that could present as sudden collapse e.g. myocarditis causing arrhythmia, ruptured artery, stroke, pulmonary embolus, coronary artery blockage, seizure.

At the very least we say these deaths should have documented covid vaccination status and a comment as to whether covid vaccination has caused or contributed to death or been excluded, with a discussion of how that determination was reached. In other words, we would like to see evidence that someone has thought about this possibility, investigated it and drawn a conclusion.  At present we have what appears to be a deliberate avoidance of the issue.

A cover-up?

In fact, a co-ordinated cover-up is the only rational explanation for all these neglected cases we have been examining. So, we wonder where the instructions to do this have come from. Coroners come under the Ministry of Justice. How ironic. Justice for whom? Apparently not for the victims and their families. 

But haven’t any coroners had their own personal moralities and intellects trouble them enough to risk the prestigious positions they applied for? There should be no privilege without responsibility, especially when burying the truth along with the victims can cause a lifetime of deception and severe wounding for the loved ones left behind – and lead others into the same risks as the truth is suppressed.  

What to do if you have concerns

If you have concerns about a coroner cause-of-death report for a loved one and want to get the decision reviewed or want the coroner to consider additional information, it is not a simple process.  Once a coroner has closed a case, s/he does not generally reopen it.  You have to apply to the Solicitor-General or the High Court, under section 97 of the Coroners Act 2006, for an order that a new Coroners Court inquiry be opened.  You must satisfy the Solicitor-General or the High Court that a new inquiry should be opened because of fraud, rejection of evidence, irregularity of proceedings, or discovery of new facts, or for any other sufficient reason.