Incident Insights

Learning from your own mistakes and misfortunes is crucial, but don’t miss the opportunity to learn from others’.

DAN has maintained a diving incident database since 1989. Originally limited to scuba diving incidents, it now includes open-circuit scuba, breath-hold and rebreather incidents. We collect, analyze, anonymize and publish this data in the DAN Annual Diving Reports and in these insights for the benefit of the diving community. Often featuring expert commentary, these summaries help divers of all experience levels improve their risk management skills and identify safe diving practices. Scroll down to browse the case summaries, or use the search field to the right.

To report an incident, click here. DAN relies on divers to voluntarily report cases and near misses. No individual will be identified in any case reports published or presented orally. We appreciate every diver’s time and effort in telling their stories and sharing their insights.

Diver Was Half-Swallowed by a Whale Shark

Most animals have the potential to inflict harm if they are distressed or threatened. As divers, we are visitors to their environment and should respect their space.

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Dive Computer Display Led to Running Out of Gas

Tank pressures will change slightly when a tank is left in the sun, or when a diver enters the water, due to temperature change.

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Skipping the Pre-Dive Check Proved Deadly

The examination and testing of the rebreather showed that the unit worked as intended, but did not provide direct answers as to why the diver went off his working rebreather loop and closed the loop mouthpiece.

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Rescue Diver at Powerboat Race Injures Back Standing All Day

“With hindsight, the injury was caused because I chose to stand in full scuba gear to watch most of the event — which overloaded my back muscles.”

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A Diver Feels Unwell at Depth

A diver suddenly starts feeling very unwell, ascends and breaths oxygen for symptom relief.

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DCS After a Deep, Wreck and Night Dive

A case of decompression sickness (DCS) after a diver introduced many new factors into the dive: deep, wreck, night dive, multi-tasking and unfamiliar buddies.

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A Fully Serviced First Stage Gave an Air-Out After 12 Dives

Even servicing cannot prevent failures: buddy breathing is an essential skill.

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Go Easy on the Ears

By discontinuing diving as soon as symptoms appear and staying out of the water until they resolve completely, divers can avoid increasingly serious injuries and prolonged recovery times.

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A Mysterious Pain: Could It Be Decompression Sickness?

When a diver complains of pain in the armpit area and the abdominal region after diving, it seems reasonable to assume DCS. However, making the leap directly to DCS prevents consideration of other possible etiologies.

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