A New Zealand coroner has issued a warning to older recreational divers after the death of a 47-year-old freediver was linked to previously undiagnosed cardiovascular disease.
According to a report by RNZ, Hastings man Iakopo Sagote died while freediving for mussels near Bay View, north of Napier, in December 2025.
Coroner Rachael Schmidt-McCleave found that drowning was the cause of death, but concluded that significant underlying cardiovascular disease was a contributing factor.
The findings have renewed discussion around medical fitness, cardiovascular health, and the risks faced by middle-aged and older divers, particularly those returning to the water after long periods without formal health screening.
Reports from NZ Herald / Open Justice stated that Sagote had been diving with family members when he disappeared underwater. He was later recovered and could not be revived.
The coroner’s findings highlighted that cardiovascular disease can significantly impair a diver’s ability to respond to stress underwater, even during relatively routine recreational activities such as shellfish gathering or shallow freediving.
The case also prompted comments from Rob Hewitt of Water Safety New Zealand, who reportedly noted that many experienced male divers over the age of 45 may underestimate the impact of age-related health changes.
While diving accidents are often associated with environmental conditions or equipment failures, coronial investigations around the world increasingly point toward underlying medical events as a major contributing factor in fatalities involving experienced recreational divers.
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading medical causes identified in scuba and freediving deaths globally. Conditions such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and reduced cardiac fitness can dramatically reduce a diver’s ability to cope with exertion, cold water, stress, or breath-hold demands.
The coroner’s warning is likely to resonate throughout the dive community, particularly among older divers who continue to participate regularly without periodic medical evaluations.
Many training agencies already encourage divers over 45, especially those with risk factors including smoking history, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, or hypertension, to undergo regular cardiovascular screening and fitness assessments.
The findings stop short of calling for mandatory testing, but they reinforce a growing industry conversation around proactive health management and honest self-assessment before entering the water.
For many divers, particularly those who have been active for decades without issue, the message may be uncomfortable but increasingly difficult to ignore: experience underwater does not eliminate the risks posed by silent heart disease.
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