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So would the divers have been conscious as they were drowning, or did they black out? Per the American Academy of CPR and First Aid, loss of consciousness during drowning usually doesn’t happen straight away. Instead, it often occurs after a period of heavy breathing or hyperventilation. At first, many people are still fully aware of what is happening.
Internal and oxygen-related changes in the first 24 hours
The body’s natural instinct to hold the breath can delay water from entering the lungs for a short time. However, as panic increases, breathing becomes more difficult, and the airway can eventually become blocked.
Within the first 24 hours, the main changes in the body are internal and oxygen-related, so any decomposition doesn’t occur. Visible decay usually takes longer and depends heavily on temperature, water movement, and other conditions; however, bodies in water can be affected by different insects and animals than those on land.
The early changes include water in the lungs and airways, organ damage from oxygen deprivation, pale skin, a cold body, and muscles gradually becoming stiffer, depending on the conditions.
So, what about how the body decomposes in water? In a 2017 study by James L. Caruso, MD, Chief Medical Examiner and Coroner for the City and County of Denver, decomposition in a wet environment differs from that in other settings and proceeds at a different rate.
Decomposition
He explains that changes that occur in a body after death are not solely determined by water temperature. Things like water currents and natural or man-made objects in the water can also change how a body looks or is preserved.
When a body is underwater or in a wet environment, it breaks down in a low-oxygen setting. This can sometimes lead to a process called adipocere, in which body fats slowly turn into a wax-like substance due to bacterial activity.
Bodies in water are also affected by different insects and animals compared to those on land. Scavengers can create damage on the body that may look like injuries, but is actually caused after death. This is why these changes must be carefully examined.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the late divers. Rest in peace.