How is drowning defined?

Drowning is defined as the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid, which can lead to suffocation and, ultimately, death. The focus here is on the suffocation aspect that results specifically from being submerged in water, thus causing the victim to be unable to breathe effectively. In this case, the correct answer emphasizes the fatal outcome that is the end result of this process.

Other definitions could refer to related yet distinct incidents, such as the presence of a foreign object obstructing the airway, or general loss of consciousness that temporarily results from water inhalation, which might not reach the critical level of suffocation associated with drowning. Moreover, the inability to breathe after prolonged exposure to water does not accurately capture the immediate and acute nature of drowning, which is characterized by rapid onset of respiratory failure due to submersion. The definition under the correct answer encompasses the seriousness and urgency of the situation that drowning poses, clarifying that it is ultimately death from suffocation linked to being submerged in liquid.