Specialty Course: Search & Rescue

Accidentally drop something in the water? Looking for lost treasure? Learn effective ways to locate objects underwater with PADI’s Search & Recovery Diver program!

To take the program you’ll need to be at least PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent) with the dive credential of PADI Underwater Navigation (Junior ratings accepted) or PADI Advanced Open Water Diver(Junior Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent). You also need to be at least 12.

During your program you’ll go on four open water dives, which are conducted over at least a two-day period, with time being equally divided between academic and actual water-training sessions.

Your program will cover techniques and application of a variety of search and recovery methods and includes the following:

  • The planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems, and hazards of search and recovery diving.
  • Limited-visibility diving and underwater navigation techniques.
  • Proper techniques and safety considerations for object location, including the use of various search patterns, lines and reels.
  • Proper techniques and safety considerations for recovery of objects using various lifting devices.

The elective search and recovery dives conducted during the Adventures In Diving program may count toward this specialty at the discretion of the instructor.