Speared by a Spearfish

About 12 years ago, a pair of commercial dive operators began offering adventurous divers a chance to go blackwater diving off the coast of Florida. Since then, blackwater dives have become an established fixture in the Palm Beach dive community, and I have been fortunate to log more than 1,000 such dives without incident.

deepwater cusk-eel larva

A Close Call in the Caribbean

DAN is available to help in all emergencies — not just ones that are dive related. Thanks to DAN, a woman received life-saving kidney stone removal and emergency transportation.

A man in a ball cap is radioing for help while on his boat

Trust Your Instincts

Err on the side of caution should unusual symptoms present after a dive. One DAN member experienced a rash and concentration issues. Read more about how DAN was able to help this diver.

Three divers approach a sunken ship

Rescue in the Gulf of Thailand

Technical divers regularly push beyond the limits of recreational diving, so we prepare for emergencies with contingencies neatly checked off like a detailed shopping list. Learn more about how DAN handled an incident.

A cream-colored hyperbaric chamber facility is waiting for its next patient

Canceling for Cancer

I always get DAN Trip Insurance for overseas trips, which gives me peace of mind should the unexpected happen. There is a modest upfront payment based on the total trip costs and your age, so I considered skipping it for a Raja Ampat trip since I’ve had many trips without having to file a claim. I’m glad I chose otherwise.

Mark Vanderlinden photographs a white-spotted puffer

Pneumonia in Germany

No one likes getting sick on vacation, but one individual had a hard experience trying to file a claim with their primary insurance provider. One call to DAN, and it was smoothed over.

A stock image of a doctor checking the chest x-ray of a patient

Wrecked in Namibia

A DAN member was in a horrible car accident in the Namibia savanna. He was left badly injured and had to wait hours for emergency services. Read more about how DAN was there for this member.

Man lies in hospital bed. He's shirtless and hooked up to electrode pads.

Bent in Baja

A routine dive unfortunately did not go according to plan and resulted in a diver getting bent. Read his story and how DAN helped him every step of the way.

Advanced-skills diver holds a camera and stares off into a distance

A Near-Fatal Blister

I have been a diver for about 35 years and a dive instructor for about 30 years. Some instructor friends and I run the Buzos del CAE and Paraná Divers dive schools.

Severe DCS in the South Pacific

Severe neck and shoulder pain plagued one diver after a day of scuba diving in the South Pacific. The pain worsened and other symptoms developed, but local treatments were not an option. Thanks to DAN, treatments were coordinated.

A diver fights strong currents by holding a line