Deaths on board ships assisted by Centro Internazionale Radio Medico (CIRM), the Italian Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service (TMAS) from 1984 to 2006.

Causes of deaths on board ships assisted by Centro Internazionale Radio Medico (CIRM) from 1984 to 2006 were analyzed. CIRM is the Italian Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service (TMAS) and provides free of charge medical assistance to ships of any nationality, sailing in all seas of the world. In the years considered, CIRM has assisted 21,869 patients on board ships. Deaths occurring were 339 (1.55%). In the sequence of the distribution of causes of death, on the first place were cardiovascular diseases, followed by accidents and violence, infectious and parasitic disease, alcohol and drug addiction, respiratory system diseases. In approximately 8% of cases, cause of death was not established. This kind of epidemiological analysis derived from data of a maritime telemedical centre and not from a post event evaluation of mortality reports may be relevant for the identification of situations of high risk of death for seafarers and for undertaking possible prevention measures.