Thread: Depth trauma and survival rates.

Not the bends, just bowel gas expanding in the lower surface pressure. I doubt the snapper die from the bends. After all if they are immediately released and swim back down to depth they are in nature's hyperbaric chamber. It's got to be the pure stress of the fight for their lives that kills them.

Interesting historical anecdote (sorry, can't help myself)...

The Messerschmitt 163 Komet was unpressurised and when it rapidly reached its top altitude of 12,000 metres (within 2-3 mins) the pilot's bowel gas would be painfully expanded (ambient pressure at that height is 1/5 of at sea level!). Probably a lot of hissing happening on the descent towards allied bomber formations. To counter this new problem pilots on stand-by were fed a diet less likely to produce bowel gas. No pea soup or baked beans. Again, no bends if the pilot survived, as back at depth pressure on the surface.