[3] The Diving Section was officially established in 1964 when Commodore Joe Deasy (then a lieutenant) brought back skills he learned from the British Royal Navy to the Irish Naval Service.

[3] In 1973, the NSDS was involved in its first high-profile operation during the interception of the Claudia, a vessel importing arms for the Provisional IRA.

[6] In 1979, the section was tasked to assist during the Whiddy Island disaster, in which the oil tanker Betelgeuse exploded in Bantry Bay claiming the lives of 50 people.

[6] In 1985, they were tasked with the search and recovery operation of Air India Flight 182, which came down off the south-west Irish coast in the deadliest terrorist bombing in aviation history, resulting in the deaths of 329 people.

[3] Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, chief of staff (2015-2021) of the Irish Defence Forces, is a former member of the NSDS.