People expect recreational diving to be an enjoyable experience of adventure and fun. Divers are explorers and retain a sense of optimism regardless of how many dives they have done. While we dive with great expectations, incidents do occur — often when we least expect them.
For more than 15 years, each quarterly issue of Alert Diver has featured harrowing tales of dive incidents in our recurring Incident Insight column. All these articles share a critical element in common: They are real-life, anecdotal stories from our readers. The situations often begin under ideal or routine conditions and quickly escalate into life-threatening or fatal emergencies.
A recent review of these cautionary tales highlights their themes and reminds divers of what they can learn from these stories and how to avoid similar situations.
Weather You Like It or Not
Nearly half of our Incident Insight articles feature calm seas, sunny skies, and clear visibility. These accounts start with perfect dive conditions, only to turn dangerous in seconds. This abrupt pivot from peaceful diving to a serious incident indicates that ideal weather conditions are no guarantee of safety.
From shark bites to equipment failures to panic responses, these stories remind us that emergencies can occur in any weather conditions. Incidents don’t depend on current or temperature; they can happen in calm, shallow water during checkout dives or while training in indoor pools.
Do not allow the weather to foster a false sense of security in your dive activities. The sudden chaos of an unexpected emergency in idyllic conditions can catch even the most experienced diver off guard.
Complacency Can Kill
Complacency is a major recurring contributor to these stories. Divers sometimes skip routine checklists or rush their dive plans. They may dismiss potential issues — such as fatigue, equipment wear and tear, and a lack of recent dive experience — as minor threats to diver safety.
Our readers share how seemingly small problems can rapidly escalate into injuries and fatalities: A diver with a flooded mask bolts for the surface, or mild inattentiveness to air consumption leads to an out-of-air emergency. Divers on vacation may be less vigilant about their safety, or a dive team may mentally check out before the end of their trip’s last dive, resulting in someone suffering the consequences.
A casual attitude toward hazardous marine life sometimes results in life-changing or -ending experiences. Divers delay treatment of decompression illness because they don’t take their symptoms seriously or don’t believe it could happen to them.
We have published all these types of stories and more. The simplest insight from all these different incidents is that the most dangerous dive is the one you underestimate. Ignore no symptoms, make no assumptions, and take no unnecessary risks.
Preparedness Saves Lives
These stories also highlight the critical role of a prepared response in an emergency. Stories with a favorable outcome typically involve the successful implementation of an emergency action plan (EAP), skills training, and the proper use of first aid equipment.
When time is of the essence, survival hinges on someone recognizing the problem and reacting quickly, which depends on their planning in advance of the actual emergency. The absence of an EAP and general preparedness can prove fatal. The Incident Insight column frequently demonstrates the need for an EAP, especially when you are absolutely sure nothing will go wrong. When your dive is so simple that you think you don’t need an EAP, that’s when you need one the most.
The perishable nature of dive skills is another common lesson from this column. Divers cannot afford to let their skills degrade. If you haven’t reviewed air-sharing techniques, practiced emergency ascents, or done a thorough buddy check in months or years, you won’t be ready to react when things go wrong.
First aid success stories are among the most heartening to read and raise an important point: First aid supplies are effective only if someone is properly trained to use them. Few stories are more distressing than fatal incidents where first aid skills or equipment such as oxygen units could have prevented the outcome.
Every Dive Has Risks
Diving is an otherworldly experience and a special opportunity for those who dare to explore a place where they cannot naturally survive, providing both beauty and adrenaline. But it is also among the most unforgiving recreational activities, with little tolerance for error or indifference.
Our published Incident Insight articles are cautionary tales intended to highlight that diving, while worthwhile and rewarding, carries inherent risks for both novice and experienced divers. We share these stories to educate and empower the dive community to engage in our adventure sport with a safety-driven mindset. The more knowledgeable you are about the risks, the better you can prepare yourself to respond to emergencies and work to mitigate them altogether.
© Alert Diver – Q3 2025