there are three basic ways to die from drowning : during the initial submersion , pulmonary edema from water trapped in the lower airway passages obstructing red blood cell oxygenation ( sometimes called the secondary or parking lot drowning , because it happens potentially hours later , in the parking lot as you leave ) , complications of emesis during resuscitation ( its a fair bet that most patients vomit after nearly drowning , and vomitus in the lungs can lead to drowning , infection , or if it is highly acidic enough , destruction of the lung tissue ) .