A red flag with a diagonal white stripe is ubiquitous in scuba diving. You’ll find its image emblazoned on everything from equipment bags to bumper stickers. It is commonly referred to as the diver down flag, but did you know that it’s not the official flag to fly when actively diving from a boat in Washington?
Washington State law specifies that the proper flag to display during active diving from a boat is the international alpha flag – a blue and white swallow-tailed flag that is part of the larger set of signal flags specified by the International Code of Signals. While the alpha flag represents the letter “A” when combined with other signal flags, when used alone the alpha flag means “I have a diver down, keep well clear at slow speed.”
Every boat operator, whether commercial or recreational, who engages in scuba diving from their vessel must display the alpha flag whenever divers are in the water. More information on regulations related to boat diving can be found on the U.S. Coast Guard website.
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