Actor and competitive freediver Nick Mevoli tragically died at the Vertical Blue competition in the Bahamas after suffering a fatal lung squeeze that compressed his lungs to the size of oranges. The 32-year-old American, who had set records in the sport, lost consciousness after a dive and could not be revived.
The Final Dive
On November 17, 2013, Mevoli attempted to set an American record in the Constant Weight Without Fins (CNF) discipline at Dean's Blue Hole, the world's deepest known blue hole. He planned to dive to 72 meters (236 feet) on a single breath. At 68 meters, he appeared to begin his ascent but then continued downward. After 3 minutes and 38 seconds underwater, he surfaced but immediately fell backward into the ocean and lost consciousness.
Safety divers and the event physician attempted resuscitation for 90 minutes, but Mevoli was pronounced dead after being transferred to a local health center. He was the first athlete to die in an international freediving competition.
Cause of Death
Reports indicate Mevoli suffered from pulmonary edema, a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs' air sacs, preventing oxygen from entering the bloodstream and causing a sensation of drowning. This was likely triggered by a severe lung squeeze—a compression injury caused by extreme pressure at depth.
Prophetic Blog Post
Just months before his death, Mevoli wrote in a blog post: "Numbers infected my head like a virus and the need to achieve became an obsession. Obsessions can kill." British freediver Sara Campbell, who had spoken with Mevoli, described the post as "like a premonition." She called him "the most promising athlete in the US" but noted his "worrying tendency to squeezes and even shallow-water blackouts."
A Rising Star
Mevoli began freediving in early 2012 after a career in film and television, working on productions like Gossip Girl and Chappelle's Show, and acting in the independent film Exist. In less than two years, he set American records, including a 100-meter dive in the Constant Weight category in May 2013. Despite a respiratory squeeze two days before his fatal dive, he returned to the water, ignoring medical advice for one to two months of rest.
