DAN International Releases 2025 Annual Diving Report — Cardiovascular Events Lead Fatal Causes
Divers Alert Network's 2025 Annual Diving Report confirms that cardiovascular events remain the leading identifiable cause of fatal dive incidents globally, while running out of air and buoyancy-related incidents dominate non-fatal injury statistics — both largely preventable through pre-dive planning and medical screening.
Divers Alert Network (DAN) has published its 2025 Annual Diving Report, the most comprehensive yearly dataset on recreational scuba and freediving incidents worldwide. Drawing on data from dive operators, emergency services, and dive medical specialists across more than 60 countries, the report continues a tracking series begun in the 1980s and remains the definitive reference for diving safety trends.
Cardiovascular events — including heart attacks and fatal arrhythmias — remain the single largest identifiable cause of diving fatalities, accounting for approximately one-quarter of all deaths where a contributing factor could be established. The majority of these incidents occurred in middle-aged to older male divers, often during or immediately after ascent, and a significant proportion involved individuals with pre-existing but previously undiagnosed cardiac conditions. DAN continues to recommend pre-dive medical screening, particularly for new divers over 40 and anyone returning to diving after a health-related break.
Running out of air and buoyancy-related incidents together account for the next largest share of non-fatal serious incidents. Both categories remain strongly associated with inadequate dive planning and incomplete pre-dive equipment checks — preventable causes that have shown only marginal improvement across successive years of reported data.
A finding receiving particular attention in the 2025 report is the role of physical exertion in triggering both cardiovascular and near-drowning incidents. Divers who encounter unexpected current, rush gear preparation, or exhaust themselves swimming to a distant surface point are significantly over-represented in incident reports relative to their proportion of total dives. DAN recommends that recreational divers maintain cardiovascular fitness appropriate to the physical demands of the diving they intend to undertake.
The report also notes that technical diving — including deep recreational, rebreather, and overhead environment diving — continues to grow in popularity while maintaining a proportionally lower per-dive fatality rate than recreational open-water diving. This finding is attributed to the more rigorous training standards and structured planning norms inherent to technical diving culture.
The full 2025 DAN Annual Diving Report is available as a free download through the DAN International website and is recommended reading for dive instructors, shop owners, and dive medical professionals.