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Vol 68, No 4 (2017)
Case report
Submitted: 2017-11-27
Accepted: 2017-11-29
Published online: 2017-12-22
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Pattern of lethal trauma among swimmers colliding with a personal watercraft

Bledar Xhemali1, Gentian Vyshka2, Admir Sinamati1, Elmas Shaqiri1
DOI: 10.5603/IMH.2017.0035
·
Pubmed: 29297568
·
IMH 2017;68(4):187-189.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Forensic Pathology, Institute of Legal Medicine, Ministry of Justice in Tirana, Rr Dibres 371, 1005 Tirana, Albania
  2. Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine in Tirana, Rr Dibres 371, 1001 Tirana, Albania

open access

Vol 68, No 4 (2017)
MARITIME MEDICINE Case report
Submitted: 2017-11-27
Accepted: 2017-11-29
Published online: 2017-12-22

Abstract

Personal watercrafts (otherwise known as Jet Skis or wave runners) possess powerful propelling engines that enable them to reach high velocities. In overcrowded sea shores, especially due to a diversity of human errors (inexperience, underage operator, alcohol-related errors and lack of training), these vessels might cause severe damage to the operator himself, to swimmers in the whereabouts but to the environment as well. We present three fatal victims that were struck and overrun by personal watercrafts used for recreational purposes. One of them had a deep skull trauma resulting from being hit by the hull of the vessel. The other two cases had an impressive and particular pattern of tissue trauma, with deep parallel cutting wounds due to the contact with the propeller helix. All cases were treated as accidental drowning, because even when rescue operations were immediate, the loss of conscience following the severe blunt trauma inside the water left few chances, if any, to survival.

Abstract

Personal watercrafts (otherwise known as Jet Skis or wave runners) possess powerful propelling engines that enable them to reach high velocities. In overcrowded sea shores, especially due to a diversity of human errors (inexperience, underage operator, alcohol-related errors and lack of training), these vessels might cause severe damage to the operator himself, to swimmers in the whereabouts but to the environment as well. We present three fatal victims that were struck and overrun by personal watercrafts used for recreational purposes. One of them had a deep skull trauma resulting from being hit by the hull of the vessel. The other two cases had an impressive and particular pattern of tissue trauma, with deep parallel cutting wounds due to the contact with the propeller helix. All cases were treated as accidental drowning, because even when rescue operations were immediate, the loss of conscience following the severe blunt trauma inside the water left few chances, if any, to survival.

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Keywords

personal watercraft, Jet Ski, drowning, trauma, accidental drowning

About this article
Title

Pattern of lethal trauma among swimmers colliding with a personal watercraft

Journal

International Maritime Health

Issue

Vol 68, No 4 (2017)

Article type

Case report

Pages

187-189

Published online

2017-12-22

Page views

935

Article views/downloads

1434

DOI

10.5603/IMH.2017.0035

Pubmed

29297568

Bibliographic record

IMH 2017;68(4):187-189.

Keywords

personal watercraft
Jet Ski
drowning
trauma
accidental drowning

Authors

Bledar Xhemali
Gentian Vyshka
Admir Sinamati
Elmas Shaqiri

References (11)
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  10. Vyshka G, Troshani B, Bozaxhiu D, et al. Rotational head trauma with callosal contusion and C6 fracture: a high-speed motorcycle accident. Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2013; 19(1): 77–79.
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