Underwater diving emergency

A diving emergency or underwater diving emergency is an emergency that involves an underwater diver. The nature of an emergency requires action to be taken to prevent or avoid death, injury, or serious damage to property or the environment. In the case of diving emergencies, the risk is generally of death or injury to the diver, while diving or in the water before or after diving.

Underwater diving is an activity in which there is a constant risk of an emergency developing. This is a situation common to many human activities. The diver survives in an inherently hostile environment by competence, suitable equipment, vigilance, and attention to detail at a level appropriate to the specific situation. The emergency is the stage of an accident or incident between the causes and the effects, often while it is still possible to take effective action to rectify or mitigate the situation. Like many other classes of emergency, diving emergencies can often be prevented from developing further by appropriate action at an early stage, and by having the appropriate skills and equipment. Professional diving teams are required to have emergence plans in place, and recreational divers are also expected to do so, to the extent appropriate to the dive plan.

An alternative meaning, in the context of medicine, is a medical emergency which was initiated while diving, which may also be described as a diving medical emergency.