A highly experienced British scuba diver is fighting for her life in India after becoming critically ill shortly after completing a dive in the Maldives.
Angela Munro, a PADI Dive Instructor with more than 26 years of diving experience and over 3,000 logged dives, was taken critically ill on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, after completing what her family describes as a non-eventful scuba dive.
Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she was placed into an induced coma and put on life support.
Two days later, on 24 July, Angela was transferred by medevac air ambulance to a specialist treatment facility in New Delhi, India, which provides hyperbaric medicine.
According to a fundraising appeal set up by Sophie Reed on behalf of Angela’s family, the hospital required a relative to be physically present before Angela could be admitted. Her daughter Joanne secured an emergency visa and travelled to India immediately, allowing Angela to be admitted without further delay.
Treatment for severe decompression illness
Angela was eventually able to begin hyperbaric chamber therapy on 30 July.
Her family says the treatment, which is used to treat severe decompression illness, would normally be started immediately. However, Angela was too medically unstable to undergo the therapy for eight days.
She has also required continuous dialysis since arriving in India because her kidneys are not functioning.
The family says there are now signs of improvement, although it remains too early to know Angela’s long-term prognosis.
Family says dive data showed nothing unusual
The circumstances surrounding Angela’s sudden deterioration remain unclear.
Her family says they have reviewed the data from her dive computer alongside a report from the dive centre she was diving with.
According to the family’s account, the dive did not exceed 30 metres and lasted 42 minutes. Angela was diving on Nitrox, and the family says the descent, ascent and safety stops were all conducted safely.
“At this stage, it remains unclear why Angela became so unwell shortly after returning to the boat,” the family says in the fundraising appeal.
The information is particularly notable given Angela’s extensive experience. The family describes her as a highly experienced diver and says she has won awards for underwater photography and videography and is well respected within the scuba diving community.
Insurance shortfall adds to family’s concerns
The family’s GoFundMe appeal says Angela had taken out a top-tier policy with DAN Europe, which specialises in international diving insurance.
However, the family says they were subsequently informed that the policy’s terms limit medical coverage to 30 days from the date of an incident.
Her medical consultants have advised that Angela’s treatment and recovery will be a long and complex process, with the possibility that she could remain in hospital for several months before she is well enough to return to the UK.
The fundraising appeal has therefore been established to help cover medical expenses that fall outside the insurance policy, as well as the considerable costs faced by the family while remaining with Angela in India.
The family says that if more money is raised than is required for Angela’s life-saving medical treatment, the excess will help her children remain by her side during her recovery.
A family and diving community hoping for her recovery
Angela is described by her family as a much-loved mum, nan, sister, aunt, friend and colleague. Away from diving, she works as a manager of a care home supporting adults with severe learning and physical disabilities and enjoys spending time with her seven grandchildren and visiting the theatre.
The fundraising appeal is also supported by the Dive Odyssea Team in Rochford, Essex, which the family describes as Angela’s “second family.”
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe appeal has raised more than £16,000 towards its £18,000 target, with hundreds of people having contributed.
Angela’s family says that donations and sharing the appeal will help reduce the immense financial pressure they are facing while ensuring that she can receive the long-term treatment and care she urgently needs.
The Scuba News wishes Angela and her family strength during her ongoing treatment and recovery.
This article has been updated following contact from Angela’s family and review of the family’s original fundraising appeal. The earlier version contained inaccurate information and has been removed.
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