Diver Rescue - Rescue Activities

Rescue Activities

The effort and difficulty of a rescue varies widely and depends on many factors such as the nature of the problem, the underwater conditions and the type and depth of the dive site. A simple rescue could be to tow to safety a diver on the surface who is exhausted or suffering from leg cramps. A complex and high-risk rescue would be to locate, free and bring to the surface a lost diver who is trapped underwater in an enclosed space such as a shipwreck or cave with limited breathing gas supplies.

The sequence of potential activities needed in a generic rescue are:

  • Recognising or identifying the need for a rescue
  • if the casualty's position underwater in unknown, locate the casualty and, if possible, mark the position
  • if the casualty is low on breathing gas, provide more gas
  • if the casualty is trapped, free the casualty
  • if the casualty is submerged, bring the casualty to the surface
  • if the casualty has a decompression obligation, decompress if safely possible. The rescuer must also take into account his/her personal decompression requirements.
  • if the casualty is not buoyant at the surface, make the casualty buoyant
  • if help at the surface is available but not at hand, attract help
  • if the casualty is not breathing, carry out continuous artificial respiration on the surface
  • if the casualty is on the surface in the water and no help is available, tow the casualty to a boat or to land
  • if the casualty is beside a boat or the shore, remove the casualty from the water
  • if necessary, resuscitate, provide first aid and arrange transport to professional medical help

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