Same thing happened to me months ago when I went swimming at the last bridge before the boss-fight key.
We were killing time while a crew member was getting Cerb XP, so I went for a swim to explore.
I drowned, and respawned at the beginning of that bridge/causeway.
No matter what I did for about 5-6 minutes I just kept drowning and respawning while standing in that same spot on the bridge, or if I tried to run somewhere. Just that gargling noise and my vision dimming every couple seconds and then a respawn.
I jumped into the Cerb as it was driving passed and drowned in it while it was driving towards the Hulker arena.
Weird, man, just weird.
These are just my opinions.
I have lots of opinions.
Some of them, on occasion, people have agreed with.
I do not trust those people.
NA/pc.
2013: Mid E-5XXX main, but I played 26+ 'toons from E400 to E5500. (Dormant)
2050: Lvl 499X main