Course overview

The PADI Rescue Diver course transforms you into a more confident, self-aware diver who can prevent and manage problems for yourself and others. Practised in the calm, warm waters off Nilaveli and around Pigeon Island, the realistic rescue scenarios are well-suited to Trincomalee's settled east-coast conditions, where good visibility makes it easier to focus on technique. Many divers describe it as the most demanding yet rewarding course they take.

What you’ll learn

• Recognise and manage diver stress before it becomes an emergency
• Perform self-rescue and respond to a panicked diver
• Search for and surface a missing or unresponsive diver
• Give in-water rescue breaths and tow a casualty to safety
• Manage a rescue scene and coordinate first aid and oxygen
• Build a personal emergency action plan for a dive site

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 12 (Junior Rescue Diver)
• PADI Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water (with Underwater Navigation) or equivalent
• Emergency First Response / CPR within the last 24 months
• Diver medical clearance signed by a physician

What's included · What's not

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Theory & self-rescue

   Complete the knowledge reviews and practise self-rescue and stress recognition in the calm shallows off Nilaveli.
2. Day2
   Rescue skills

   Work through the ten rescue exercises, from tired-diver tows to surfacing an unresponsive diver.
3. Day3
   Scenarios & certification

   Run the two full rescue scenarios on the reefs near Pigeon Island and certify as a PADI Rescue Diver.

Verified through iDive

Every partner school in the iDive network is vetted on safety, instructor credentials, equipment standards and student feedback. Talk to a iDive dive pro on WhatsApp for current availability and reviews specific to Trincomalee.

Frequently asked questions