diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/SightingDetailPage.css b/frontend/src/pages/SightingDetailPage.css
index 3e52210..6f0e58e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/SightingDetailPage.css
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/SightingDetailPage.css
@@ -3,6 +3,18 @@
   gap: 24px;
 }
 
+.sighting-detail__announcement {
+  position: absolute;
+  width: 1px;
+  height: 1px;
+  padding: 0;
+  margin: -1px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  clip-path: inset(50%);
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  border: 0;
+}
+
 .sighting-detail__back {
   justify-self: start;
   color: var(--accent);
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/SightingDetailPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/SightingDetailPage.tsx
index 93e45c9..0866594 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/SightingDetailPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/SightingDetailPage.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   formatLocation,
   formatShape,
 } from '../utils/format-sighting'
+import '../components/SightingList.css'
 import './SightingDetailPage.css'
 
 /**
@@ -59,63 +60,77 @@ function SightingDetailPage() {
     </Link>
   )
 
-  if (!sighting) {
-    return (
-      <div className="sighting-detail">
+  return (
+    <>
+      <p
+        className="sighting-detail__announcement"
+        aria-live="polite"
+        aria-atomic="true"
+      >
+        {error ? '' : loading ? 'Loading sighting…' : title}
+      </p>
+      <article className="sighting-detail" aria-busy={loading}>
         {backLink}
-        <h1>{title}</h1>
-        {error ? (
-          <div role="alert">
-            {CombinedGraphQLErrors.is(error) ? (
-              <p>The server could not load this sighting. Try again later.</p>
+        {!sighting ? (
+          <>
+            <h1>{title}</h1>
+            {error ? (
+              <div role="alert">
+                {CombinedGraphQLErrors.is(error) ? (
+                  <p>
+                    The server could not load this sighting. Try again later.
+                  </p>
+                ) : (
+                  <>
+                    <p>Check your connection and try again.</p>
+                    <button
+                      type="button"
+                      className="sighting-results__button"
+                      onClick={retry}
+                    >
+                      Try again
+                    </button>
+                  </>
+                )}
+              </div>
             ) : (
-              <>
-                <p>Check your connection and try again.</p>
-                <button type="button" onClick={retry}>
-                  Try again
-                </button>
-              </>
+              !loading && <p>There is no sighting with id “{id}”.</p>
             )}
-          </div>
+          </>
         ) : (
-          !loading && <p>There is no sighting with id “{id}”.</p>
-        )}
-      </div>
-    )
-  }
+          <>
+            <header className="sighting-detail__header">
+              <h1>{title}</h1>
+              <time dateTime={sighting.datetime ?? undefined}>
+                {formatDate(sighting.datetime)}
+              </time>
+            </header>
 
-  return (
-    <article className="sighting-detail">
-      {backLink}
-      <header className="sighting-detail__header">
-        <h1>{title}</h1>
-        <time dateTime={sighting.datetime ?? undefined}>
-          {formatDate(sighting.datetime)}
-        </time>
-      </header>
+            <SightingMap
+              sighting={sighting}
+              interactive
+              zoom={11}
+              className="sighting-detail__map"
+            />
 
-      <SightingMap
-        sighting={sighting}
-        interactive
-        zoom={11}
-        className="sighting-detail__map"
-      />
+            <dl className="sighting-detail__facts">
+              <div>
+                <dt>Shape</dt>
+                <dd>{formatShape(sighting.shape)}</dd>
+              </div>
+              <div>
+                <dt>Duration</dt>
+                <dd>{formatDuration(sighting.durationSeconds)}</dd>
+              </div>
+            </dl>
 
-      <dl className="sighting-detail__facts">
-        <div>
-          <dt>Shape</dt>
-          <dd>{formatShape(sighting.shape)}</dd>
-        </div>
-        <div>
-          <dt>Duration</dt>
-          <dd>{formatDuration(sighting.durationSeconds)}</dd>
-        </div>
-      </dl>
-
-      {sighting.comments && (
-        <p className="sighting-detail__comments">{sighting.comments}</p>
-      )}
-    </article>
+            {sighting.comments && (
+              <p className="sighting-detail__comments">{sighting.comments}</p>
+            )}
+          </>
+        )}
+      </article>
+    </>
   )
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/tests/SightingDetailPage.test.tsx b/frontend/src/tests/SightingDetailPage.test.tsx
index 3fcf2a8..cc832b9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/tests/SightingDetailPage.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/tests/SightingDetailPage.test.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {
   type MockedProviderProps,
 } from '@apollo/client/testing/react'
 import { GraphQLError } from 'graphql'
-import { fireEvent, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { MemoryRouter, Route, Routes } from 'react-router'
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { SIGHTING_QUERY } from '../graphql/queries'
@@ -56,7 +56,16 @@ describe('SightingDetailPage', () => {
 
   it('renders sighting details and preserves the originating search link', async () => {
     vi.spyOn(window, 'scrollTo').mockImplementation(() => {})
-    renderDetailPage('/sightings/1', [found], { fromSearch: '?q=San+Marcos' })
+    const { container } = renderDetailPage('/sightings/1', [found], {
+      fromSearch: '?q=San+Marcos',
+    })
+    const announcement = container.querySelector('[aria-live="polite"]')
+    const content = screen.getByRole('article')
+
+    expect(announcement).toHaveTextContent('Loading sighting…')
+    expect(announcement).toHaveAttribute('aria-atomic', 'true')
+    expect(content).toHaveAttribute('aria-busy', 'true')
+    expect(content).not.toContainElement(announcement as HTMLElement)
 
     expect(
       screen.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Loading sighting…' }),
@@ -64,6 +73,11 @@ describe('SightingDetailPage', () => {
     expect(
       await screen.findByRole('heading', { name: 'San Marcos, TX, US' }),
     ).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(container.querySelectorAll('[aria-live]')).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(container.querySelector('[aria-live]')).toBe(announcement)
+    expect(announcement).toHaveTextContent('San Marcos, TX, US')
+    expect(screen.getByRole('article')).toBe(content)
+    expect(content).toHaveAttribute('aria-busy', 'false')
     expect(screen.getByText('45 min')).toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(screen.getByText(/This event took place/)).toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(
@@ -129,14 +143,19 @@ describe('SightingDetailPage', () => {
     ).toHaveAttribute('href', '/')
     expect(screen.queryByTestId('detail-map')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(document.title).toBe('Sighting not found · UFOund it')
+    expect(screen.getByRole('article')).toHaveAttribute('aria-busy', 'false')
+    expect(document.querySelector('[aria-live]')).toHaveTextContent(
+      'Sighting not found',
+    )
   })
 
   it('shows an error and lets the user retry', async () => {
     vi.spyOn(window, 'scrollTo').mockImplementation(() => {})
-    renderDetailPage('/sightings/1', [
+    const { container } = renderDetailPage('/sightings/1', [
       { ...found, error: new Error('Network down') },
       found,
     ])
+    const announcement = container.querySelector('[aria-live]')
 
     expect(await screen.findByRole('alert')).toHaveTextContent(
       'Check your connection',
@@ -145,10 +164,24 @@ describe('SightingDetailPage', () => {
       screen.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Could not load sighting' }),
     ).toBeInTheDocument()
 
-    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Try again' }))
+    expect(announcement).toBeEmptyDOMElement()
+    expect(screen.getByRole('article')).toHaveAttribute('aria-busy', 'false')
+    const retryButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Try again' })
+    expect(retryButton).toHaveClass('sighting-results__button')
+    fireEvent.click(retryButton)
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(announcement).toHaveTextContent('Loading sighting…'),
+    )
+    expect(screen.getByRole('article')).toHaveAttribute('aria-busy', 'true')
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('alert')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
 
     expect(
       await screen.findByRole('heading', { name: 'San Marcos, TX, US' }),
     ).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(container.querySelectorAll('[aria-live]')).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(container.querySelector('[aria-live]')).toBe(announcement)
+    expect(announcement).toHaveTextContent('San Marcos, TX, US')
+    expect(screen.getByRole('article')).toHaveAttribute('aria-busy', 'false')
   })
 })