December 27, 2025, 12:01 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Death lurks in the depths: In the past 15 years, about 150 divers have paid with their lives for visiting the Blue Hole in Egypt, with estimates suggesting a total of around 300 fatalities. The beauty of this place became their downfall–many take irresponsible risks to experience it. In the end, their own bodies become the enemy …
In the small resort town of Dahab in the Gulf of Aqaba lies one of Egypt’s most famous natural wonders: the Blue Hole, a fascinating dive spot with an unparalleled underwater world to behold. And not only that, even inexperienced divers can descend into another world here, as there are neither dangerous currents nor animals. But it is precisely this beauty that, according to the science magazine “Galileo,” has already cost at least 150 people their lives.
The danger of death lurks at about 52 meters deep, where a kind of tunnel opens in the Blue Hole, a passage to the open sea. On good days, sunlight illuminates the sea in a magical way through it, tempting many to dive through. Inexperienced divers often make a fatal mistake here: They dive even deeper.
The Deadly Nitrogen Narcosis in the Blue Hole
What inevitably happens then is called nitrogen narcosis–a feeling akin to being tipsy, but with potentially deadly consequences. Nitrogen narcosis can lead to dizziness, perception disorders, hallucinations, and eventually unconsciousness, which means certain death underwater. Additionally, at a depth of 64 meters, oxygen becomes toxic, which can have devastating effects.
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Nitrogen narcosis is a result of the different pressure conditions underwater and occurs because, unlike exhaling on land, the nitrogen in the breathing air does not escape the body but instead accumulates, including in the brain. As the magazine “Faszination Wissen” explains, this disrupts the communication of nerve cells and prevents the transmission of impulses–the result is initially euphoric feelings of happiness, which then turn into panic and finally loss of control. The only antidote: immediate surfacing, but that is naturally not possible in the tunnel of the Blue Hole.
Blue Hole Has Already Gained Sad Fame
The popular dive spot gained sad fame at the latest in 2000 when Russian Iouri Lipski fell victim to this very circumstance and filmed his own death struggle with an underwater camera. According to a report by BILD, not only his recklessness but also the fact that his diving vest burst when he tried to inflate it became his downfall–it would have given him buoyancy and probably saved him. In memory of him and countless other victims, plaques with the names of the deceased stand all along the coast of Dahab–recovering them is the task of Tarek Omar, whom they now only call the “Death Diver.” He himself no longer knows how many bodies he has recovered over the years, BILD quotes him.
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Many divers also paid for their fascination with their lives because they ventured into the depths with dubious diving companies to save money and also often partied the night before a dive in the popular resort. Sport divers are not allowed to dive deeper than 40 meters anyway–the first effects of nitrogen narcosis can, however, set in as early as 30 meters. Therefore, it is to be feared that the Blue Hole has not yet seen its last victim.