The annual Diving Incident Report for 2025, which recorded a total of 220 incidents and sadly nine fatalities throughout the UK, has now been released.
As part of its role as National Governing Body, BSAC reports annually on diving incidents in the UK from all diver training agencies. The report is compiled by BSAC Incident Advisor Jim Watson and data analyst Ben Peddie.
The Incident Report and its data analysis aim to promote diver safety, as well as to understand any trends that can support all diving agencies in their diver training programmes and safety advice.
The 2025 report covers incidents in the calendar year. During this period, a total of 305 incidents were recorded in the UK and overseas, which sadly included nine UK incidents resulting in nine fatalities. In 2025, the previously observed increase in incidents later in the diving season was not repeated and in September there was a noticeable decrease in incidents compared to the previous five years. We do see a slight increase in incident reports during November. These late season incidents are, for the most part, linked to diving at inland sites.
The report also continues previous analysis on incidences of Immersion Pulmonary Oedema (IPO) in the reports over the years. As noted previously, improvements in training programmes mean that divers are becoming increasingly aware of IPO, leading to earlier identification and resolution of the problem, so reducing the seriousness of an incident. Those medically confirmed cases, three confirmed and three probable, again reflect increased awareness of the condition in the medical community. Early recognition of IPO symptoms is key to preventing escalation and ensuring diver safety.
Last year we noted that there seemed to be an increase in inversion incidents.
This year we have conducted a review of the incident reports contained within the database extracting reports of drysuit divers who experienced migration of gas into the legs or boots of their suit, resulting in loss of buoyancy control, inversion and/or a feet-first ascent to the surface. The report includes additional analysis and advice on avoidance.
Other key features of the 2025 report include:
- The number of incidents continues to be closely linked to the amount of diving, with diving activity returning to pre-pandemic levels.
- Many potentially serious incidents are prevented from escalating through the prompt application of rescue skills and the swift response of emergency and rescue services.
- Experience and qualifications do not necessarily protect from the possibility of becoming a diving casualty.
The full BSAC Incident Report 2025 is now available for members and clubs to download. You can access the report at bsac.com/incidentreport
Learn more
Every diving incident and 'near miss' reported to BSAC helps make diving safer for everyone. Tonight, Monday 2 November at 7pm we’re going through what we learned in 2025, and you’re invited.
Our free online webinar will present the key findings from the BSAC Diving Incident Report 2025. It covers UK incidents involving divers from all agencies, and BSAC members worldwide, reported between 1 January and 31 December 2025.
Registration is essential - please register using the button below:
Register for the Incident Report presentation
Help us to keep diving safe
If you have been involved in or witnessed an incident, please report it – in confidence – and help BSAC to continue to shape a safe future for diving. Whether you are a BSAC diver or dive with another agency, a recreational or technical diver, or if the incident happened in the UK or overseas, BSAC wants to hear about it.
You can find the form online at bsac.com/reportanincident
