(AP) — A rise in drowning deaths or near drownings during Hawaiʻi snorkeling excursions has been linked to a pulmonary condition that was not previously associated with snorkeling. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that the state Department of Health says a specific form of asphyxiation known as rapid onset pulmonary edema has been implicated in 206 Hawaiʻi drownings from 2009 to 2018. Officials say an alarming increase in drownings included 189 island visitors struck by the edema. A study of varieties of snorkeling equipment determined masks with high air-flow resistance that result in difficulty inhaling may lead to the rapid edema condition.

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