Can a person feel themselves drowing if they are unconscious?

Question

Five years ago my uncle died. He had too many beers and passed out and fell into the pool. Ive always wondered if he had suffered much pain.

Answer 1

I would say no. When you are unconscious you are completely oblivious to the world around you and can not feel a thing. When you drown, unless you are aware of the situation and struggle to live, you die quickly. It would be safe to say that your uncle did not feel any pain. I am sorry for your loss.

Answer 2

I'm sorry you lost your uncle. I agree with two previous respondents. First, if you're unconscious, you won't be aware of drowning. Second, I've heard that when you are under water and run out of oxygen, you go unconscious and feel no pain. People who are going unconscious because of a lack of oxygen don't realize that's what is happening. One of my relatives passed out because his home had carbon monoxide poisoning (bird's nest blocked the furnace vent). All he remembers is that one moment he was reading the paper and the next thing he knew, he was in the neighbor's car on the way to the hospital. He said there was no pain. (The neighbor came over because he didn't answer the phone.) So short answer: your uncle had a painless death.

Answer 3

No he didn't. My late father has told me since I was a child that if he had to choose a way to die it would be drowning. He said that when he was young he got into the deep end of a pool before he could really swim and he sank to the bottom. He was pulled out and revived but it was as close as he had ever come to death, But he also said it was like falling asleep. He did learn to swim and made sure all his boys did as well but often reiterated his thought that drowning was the best and easiest way to die.