Thrilling but dangerous

You can obtain a scuba diving certificate with just two days of training. © Anders Finn Jorgensen

In France, there are over 1000 victims of watersport accidents every year and, although diving is not the most dangerous of these sports, even experienced divers are susceptible to  deathly hazards.

‘The ruptures of the deep’, for example, is one of the most serious conditions divers can face. Also known as nitrogen narcosis, this problem occurs when divers breathe compressed air in deep waters.

It can affect a diver’s ability to deal with emergencies, and  can cause unconsciousness.
Nitrogen narcosis, can occur during shallow dives but usually does not become noticeable until a diver reaches greater depths going beyond 30 meters.

While sometimes the cause of a diver’s death remains ambigious, respiratory disorders prove to be the most common.
Even with its risks, obtaining a scuba diving certificate is not difficult. The only requirements are a two-day training course and a medical fitness certificate.

It stands in stark contrast to the qualifications for other tasking sports, which take years of training before they are mastered.

Ade Adeyinka