Drinking water before a dive can save your life, divers were told yesterday during an event in Ċirkewwa as part of a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of hydration.

DAN Europe, an NGO dedicated to ensuring divers’ safety, handed out free bottles of water to divers who were ready to dive.

“If scuba divers drink more water before diving they could considerably reduce their chances of decompression sickness, which in serious cases, may lead to paralysis or even death.

“This message is particularly important during the hot summer months in Malta which attracts thousands of divers from around the world,” said Cristian Pellegrini, head of marketing and communications at DAN Europe.

At the event, Environment Minister Leo Brincat unveiled a plastic statue of a scuba diver made from plastic bottles collected from this summer’s hydration campaign ‘More Water, Less Bubbles’.