Sub-Aqua Association

Private and voluntary organisations · Company limited by guarantee

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First report 18 Nov 2025•Latest report 18 Nov 2025

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Reports
1

Naming this recipient

Published responses
100%

Found for named reports

Concerns addressed
1

Across all linked responses

Stated actions
5

Described in responses

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from Sub-Aqua Association linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. West Sussex, Brighton and Hove

    AI-generated summary

    Dominic Edward Arthur HURLEY · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    On 8 July 2024, Dominic Hurley became unwell during an offshore dive, made a rapid uncontrolled ascent, became unconscious, and later died in hospital. The principal concern was that he had not disclosed a previous serious diving incident and cardiac history when renewing his diving licence, with reliance on self-declaration questionnaires without further enquiry or access to previous medical history identified as a potential risk.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Sub-Aqua Association; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Overreliance on self-declaration questionnaires without further enquiry or access to previous medical history

    Wider context from the report

    “In 2018 Mr Hurley suffered shortness of breath and pulmonary oedema during a dive in Malta. This led to him having a heart bypass on his return to the UK. There was significant family history of cardiac related issues. Time passed but in 2021 and 2023 Mr Hurley sort to renew his diving licence. Mr Hurley completed his self declaration questionnaire. At no stage did he declare the events in 2018 in relation to his dive and nor did he discuss this with the Dr assessing him. It is likely that he Dr been aware of the previous diving incident a different course of action may have taken. There is currently too much reliance placed on the self declaration questionnaire without any further enquiry or access to previous medical history. This leads to a false sense of reality and put the diver and others at potential risk of death on further dives. ”
    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Remind members at renewal and through periodic newsletters to complete medical declarations accurately.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “I believe that the SAA has advised its membership and revised their training programme in such a manner as to have already implemented the changes required to mitigate the risk of IPO when diving, in so far as any risk can be mitigated. However, the SAA will ensure that the membership is reminded of the importance of accurately completing medical by emphasising the fact at renewal and with periodic reminders in their newsletters.”

    Source location

    Response from Sub Aqua Association Space Solutions Business Centre
    Page 2 · response
    Published 19 November 2025

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Include immersion pulmonary oedema in the diving medical screening declaration.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The SAA use the medical screening system managed by the UKDMC (United Kingdom Diving Medical Committee) (https://www.ukdmc.org/). I have checked my medical form archive and note that “immersion induced pulmonary oedema” was introduced in the May 2020 version of the declaration at question 17. The current version, May 2024, of the form has this at question 16.”

    Source location

    Response from Sub Aqua Association Space Solutions Business Centre
    Page 1 · response
    Published 19 November 2025

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Revised medical screening forms and existing training changes are considered sufficient to mitigate the risk of immersion pulmonary oedema in diving.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “I believe that the revision to the current dive medical screening forms now meet the change you are now seeking to make.”

    Source location

    Response from Sub Aqua Association Space Solutions Business Centre
    Page 2 · response
    Published 19 November 2025

    Open published response
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Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026