Examined scuba divers' responses to four fatal accidents and found that accounts of deaths frequently blamed the victim for the fatality, emphasizing and centering on perceived errors of judgment and skill. Claims these accounts serve as mortality tales and as disclaimers of personal responsibility that mitigate grief and support continued…

Attempts to restore the "sentimental order" disrupted by drowning incidents continued until a consensus was reached that generally absolved staff of blame and assigned it elsewhere. Two factors may have influenced this process in the incidences observed: the degree of outside validation, and the social value of the victims. (Author)