Finding into death of Viet Quy Dinh
Deceased
Viet Quy Dinh
Demographics
39y, male
Date of death
2024-01-09
Finding date
2025-09-30
Cause of death
Drowning
AI-generated summary
A 39-year-old man drowned while snorkelling at Altona Beach wearing a 10.95 kg weight belt without fins or buoyancy compensation device. He became fatigued in deep, choppy water with poor visibility. The coroner found the weight belt design was basic with a low-profile buckle that, combined with diver's gloves, may have impeded quick release. The belt may also have shifted position, making the buckle difficult to locate. Absence of fins significantly compromised his ability to reach the surface. The coroner emphasized that weight belts used for snorkelling with wetsuits must prioritize ease of dumping, with robust buckle design, proper weight distribution, and clear safety messaging about immediate belt release when in difficulty.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Fatigue in deep and choppy water
- Negative buoyancy from weight belt without buoyancy compensation device
- Basic weight belt design with low-profile buckle
- Impeded ability to release buckle due to diver's gloves
- Possible belt slippage around body
- Absence of swim fins
- Poor water visibility
- Possible breath-holding blackout
Coroner's recommendations
- Weight belts used for snorkelling must be designed with ease of dumping as the first priority
- Construction, material, and placement of weights should reduce likelihood of belt slipping around the body
- Buckle design must allow entire belt release without catching when released
- Buckle profile must be easy to manipulate even with heavily gloved fingers
- Swimmers snorkelling with weight belts should select high-quality belts they can dump quickly and easily
- Safety messages should emphasize dumping the weight belt without hesitation if swimmer is in any difficulty
- Organizations and government agencies with water safety roles should regularly review effectiveness of safety messaging and programs
- Special efforts must continue to reach culturally and linguistically diverse populations regarding water safety
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