A Look At The Death-Defying Stunts Of Freedivers
May 29, 2015
This sport is very dangerous and does not go without consequences. There are around 5,000 freedivers throughout the world and an estimated 100 die each year. Once a diver reaches the depth they want, they inflate a balloon that quickly carries them back to the surface. The last few feet, as the body adjusts to the pressure near and at the surface, are the most dangerous.
CNN has a new series, "New Explorers," that looks at some of the most daring people on the planet. One such person is Jonathan Sunnex, also known as Johnny Deep. Sunnex is a champion freediver from New Zealand and is also a freediving instructor. Freediving is a type of sport that relies on the diver's ability to hold his or her breath. The dives of Sunnex, and other leaders in the sport, are often 100 meters (around 328 feet) or deeper using a single breath of air. In order to manage this, the divers must be extensively trained in breathing techniques. Divers have to use the muscles of their diaphragm in order to breathe in as much oxygen as possible. Consequently, they also lower their heart rate and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in their body (in order to create more room for oxygen).