This may be an historic example of "fake news" from the late nineteenth century:

At that time, there were reports in California newspapers of finding Chinese abalone fishermen drowned by a rising tide, their hand held fast by an abalone as the waters rose. These are not very detailed and the suspicion arises that we are dealing with an urban legend, fake news that exemplified the rather extreme prejudice prevailing at that time.

A basic question is - Does an abalone exert enough force when it clamps down (and they do clamp down hard when they sense disturbance) to immobilize a normal, fairly healthy male? Has this happened to others more recently?

I and colleagues are searching for data and information. So I call upon the expertise of those in this forum to shed some light on this matter.

When Europeans arrived in California during the Gold Rush, they eschewed abalone (snails! Bah, humbug!) The Chinese, who had been scarfing down abalone for centuries, recognized a bonanza and organized a vigorous fishery that processed and exported abs to China. Eventually every one caught on, and started chewing abalone, which today are at very low levels.

So, did Death By Abalone (DBA) actually occur? Is it a hazard today? Frankly, if I were held captive by an abalone, I would do an Aron Ralston and start whacking away.....