Only five per cent of divers in Malta are locals, according to data that shows that the bulk of dive centres are operated by foreign nationals with a passion for the underwater sport.

This explains why the majority of diving accidents or fatalities that make news headlines involve foreign divers, according to Cristian Pellegrini, digital marketing and communications specialist at DAN (Divers Alert Network) Europe.

DAN is a global dive safety organisation and the DAN Europe headquarters is located in Malta.

Cristian Pellegrini from Dan Europe, whose headquarters are based in Malta.

Earlier this month, two Polish divers died after finding themselves in difficulties while exploring a wreck off Żonqor, Marsascala. Back in May, a 44-year-old Swiss woman died while diving in Dwejra, Gozo.

In March, a 45-year-old man from the Netherlands died after he and a group of 17 other divers encountered difficulties and had to be rescued from the Rożi dive site in Ċirkewwa.

Pellegrini says that, according to a 2024 report commissioned by the Professional Diving Schools Association and the Malta Tourism Authority, there are 62 diving centres in Malta. The majority of them – 68% – are owned by non-Maltese. Among foreign nationals running the centres, the majority are from the United Kingdom (22%). There is an increase in centres opened by Polish divers, with an increase of 4% since 2020, to reach 7% in 2024.

When it comes to the divers themselves, the main nationalities include divers from the UK (25%), Germany (17%) and France (11%). Maltese represent only 5% of total divers.

A growing market

“There is a general increase of diving activities compared to pre-COVID trends. Overall, industry players express optimism that their growth in 2024 will surpass that of 2023,” Pellegrini says as he goes on to explain: “The Maltese archipelago is a mecca for divers. Rated as a top diving destination in Europe and one of the best in the world for its natural context, unique wrecks and also quite interesting caves.”

Pellegrini adds that diving in Malta is also known for its safety. While there are accidents and fatalities, the numbers are not alarming.

The Maltese archipelago is a mecca for divers.

Every year, DAN’s emergency and medical teams manage about 5,000 emergency cases worldwide: divers calling for medical assistance.

Last year, 25 diving-related incidents in Malta were reported to DAN. So far, until mid-July this year, DAN registered nine emergencies in Malta.

The most common cases reported include, in order of importance: decompression illness, barotraumas, traumas, marine life injuries and gas toxicity.

Why do accidents happen?

But what causes these medical emergencies and fatalities?

According to data collected in the DAN Annual Report of 2020, the main causes are overconfidence or pushing the limits, human error, equipment failure (much less common and often linked to poor maintenance), environmental issues (strong currents), lack of physical and mental fitness, dehydration  and more.

Asked about the currents in Malta, Pellegrini explained that Malta has the types of currents associated with an island, so experienced divers should be trained and prepared for them.

Last year, 25 diving-related incidents in Malta were reported to DAN.

Having a clear picture of all diving accidents and fatalities, and their causes, is not easy.

“When it comes to diving accidents, unlike civil aviation, unfortunately, the world of diving has no unified database that includes all accident reports,” he says.

While non-fatal accidents can be documented to some extent, fatal accidents are much harder.

In an article published in DAN’s international online diving magazine Alert Diver, of which Pellegrini is editor, author  Claudio Di Manao writes: “Fatal accidents often lack testimonies and coroner’s reports. Data is lacking for a variety of reasons, ranging from privacy issues to the length of time of forensic investigations, to local authority regulations.

When it comes to diving accidents, unlike civil aviation, unfortunately, the world of diving has no unified database that includes all accident reports

“Sometimes, the victim is the only witness. And, sometimes, the testimony of the dive buddy is unreliable… How many times, when talking about the circumstances of accidents with serious consequences, have we heard of disappearing dive computers, or of surviving divers telling of companions who vanished from sight in a heartbeat? Shock certainly plays a role but so do shame and fear of consequences.”

Pellegrini stresses that, while risk cannot be completely eliminated, it can be mitigated. DAN is working on several fronts to make diving safer. It does this through emergency management, accident analysis, scientific research, first aid training  and specific programmes to assist diving centres and professionals with procedures.

DAN Europe has unique initiatives aimed at diving safety. One of these is the BSc in Diving Safety Management, the first academic programme of its kind, he says.