In our health and safety conscious times almost everything we do has a risk and there is advice on how to minimise the dangers. But a 43 year old holidaymaker met his death when canoeing on a fairly safe stretch of the Lot, with lifejacket and helmet. With his son he lost his paddle and jumped into the river to recover it. But he was immediately taken ill and despite efforts to revive him he died on the spot.
This was said to be a result of hydrocution - a condition which occurs due to sudden immersion in water which causes certain nervous reactions to close down access to the air passages to prevent drowning, but causing suffocation. The received wisdom is that it happens often after drinking alcohol, eating big meals, jumping into cold water or landing heavily on the abdomen - "belly-flopping". We were always to told by our Italian friends to allow two hours after eating before swimming, now we know why.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com
