Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. There is no additional cost to you whatsoever.
Dive Pro Liveaboard has misplaced 2 boats this yr. Another one caught hearth in 2022. In November, Sea Story tipped and capsized in open water. Eleven vacationers are presumed lifeless, plus a variety of crew.
Dive Pro Liveaboard has misplaced 2 boats this yr within the Red Sea. 12 vacationers and a variety of crew have died, but the corporate continues to be taking bookings for Christmas
The Red Sea is a magical place. It’s within the mountains of Sinai the place God first spoke with Moses and gave him the ten commandments. The stunning folks, the meals, the pure combine between sea and desert. The colours of purple, pinks, yellows, oranges, white and black. The coral reefs in all places and diving within the Blue Hole is an journey of a lifetime for a lot of divers who do return many times. Especially Europeans the place Cairo is a 5 hour airplane trip away.
But am Egyptian dive vacation went fallacious for 33 vacationers this previous November when the second boat in the identical fleet owned by the dive firm Dive Pro Liveaboard listed, capsized and sunk. The accident occurred on November 25, a Monday, within the early hours of the morning, as early as 2:30am close to the realm of Marsa Alam about 20 km out into the Red Sea.
Location of the Sea Story tragedy on the Red Sea
The Egyptian Navy wasn’t known as till a reported 5:30am and helicopters didn’t present up till about 10am or 11am, in response to survivors. We first reported on the dive boat accident here right after it happened. Soon after, we have been made conscious that there have been suspicious reports of the dive boat not suited to open seas because it had no keel and was refurbished with an extra floor making it top heavy (read here). Soon after a German diver reached out a couple of thesis a German pupil was engaged on documenting the hazards of Red Sea diving. He provided some options for fixing the rising issues amongst dive boats and a dive boat checklist – you can get it here.
What we do know is that on Monday, 23 folks out of 44 onboard, together with crew and vacationers, made their technique to security on rescue boats. The subsequent day, some 36 hours later rescue crews pulled out 5 survivors, 4 vacationers and one crew, a nephew of one of many rescue crew. We have the story of one of the survivors, Michael Miles from Vaud, Switzerland, here, as told to us by his daughter.
The dive working firm Dive Pro Liveaboard and the corporate that has facilitated the bookings of the journeys haven’t responded to survivors requests for compensation or assist. They haven’t responded to our requests to be interviewed. The Egyptian Navy’s emailed bounced. Dive Pro Liveaboard relies in Hurghada and primarily based on its web site is run by Ali Aref. They are nonetheless taking bookings for his or her remaining 2 boats.
“Crazy! Insanely dangerous administration,” says a Reddit commenter. “They additionally ran a ship Sea Legend that caught hearth in Feb the place one German diver died. And in 2022, one other of their boat additionally caught hearth. How are they nonetheless allowed to function? Makes you query the native programs and enforcement too.”
Both corporations Dive Pro Liveaboard and the Dutch-based Liveaboard.com are persevering with to e book dive journeys on dangerous boats regardless of the issues. We have here an eyewitness who travelled on the Tillis, one of many boats being provided by Liveaboard.com presently on its Holland-based reserving platform noting how they feared for his or her life on that boat. Yet solely constructive evaluations are proven on the location.
Sea Story survivor Michael Miles informed his daughter he booked on the Tillis (read here one tourists account of lack of safety standards on the boat) however was transferred to Sea Story. See screenshots from December 8 under that bookings are nonetheless being made for the dive boat firm and when you learn feedback you will note that Liveaboard.com and Dive Pro Liveaboard in Egypt have a historical past of switching out boats. Why?
Liveaboard.com nonetheless carrying on reserving holidays for the Dive Pro Liveaboard which misplaced 2 boats within the final yr from catastrophic accidents which have killed 12 vacationers and lots of crew.
Tillis reserving liveaboard.com transferred to Sea Story boat on arrival. This was a typical factor, as famous within the feedback. Guest Michael Miles was switched from Tillis to Sea Story when he goat to the boat. Tillis went out on the journey however was not concerned within the accident.
The deadly accident on November 25 has left dozens of survivors and the households of those that have died on the lookout for solutions and within the very least some monetary compensation. Over the final 2 weeks, there are the questions we’ve got collected, nonetheless unanswered. If you’ve gotten any details about the Sea Story, reply within the feedback under or e-mail us [email protected].
Open questions after the Sea Story dive boat tragedy
Where did the accident truly occur?
By the time the Navy arrived to the sinking boat a number of hours after it capsized, they cordoned off the realm across the boat, and wouldn’t enable rescue crews from different dive corporations in for an additional day, some 36 hours, on Tuesday. The motive is that there was a danger of a diver bubble coming into an air pocket and altering the stress within the boat. The entire boat may go down. One supply says the boat was in 12 to fifteen meters of water, one other stated 1000 meters. What was it? In deep open water or nearer to the shore. If you have a look at the maps of the Indian Ocean/Red Sea areas you don’t have to boat lengthy to get into water reaching lots of of meters of depth. Why did it take the Navy 36 hours to comply with let divers inside despite the fact that survivors could possibly be heard knocking and whistling from the skin?
Sea Story travelled from Port Ghalib at Marsa Shouna round 9 to 10pm. They have been alleged to arrive at Sataya Reef after 6 or 7 hours at sea early within the morning. Around 2:30 am the boat went down inside minutes (as many as 10), however the elements of the underside of the boat floated concerning the floor. Information equipped by survivors interviewed by Green Prophet.
Eyewitness accounts put the boat as near 20km to shore and so far as 80km. A delivery boat was seen passing by at 10am by the survivors curious to know the precise location of the wreck. Marsa Alam sea Story dive boat nautical maps by fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com
Sea Story’s approximate location within the Red Sea/Indian Ocean. One supply estimates 80 km out, one other 20 km out within the sea. Depths are round 600m. Why is it reported that the boat sunk in 12 to fifteen meters?
One survivor informed Green Prophet that at 10:00 am a helicopter arrived on the wreck. Shortly after, he says (perhaps one hour), the motor boats of the Masa Nakari, a dive middle introduced the survivors from the life rafts to the Polish liveaboard.
Why did it take the Navy so lengthy to let rescue divers in?
Rescue divers reported listening to knocking sounds popping out of the boat, which means there have been folks trapped inside after the preliminary rescue. From Monday there was knocking popping out of My Sea Story. Why did the Navy solely let the non-public rescuers in on Tuesday?
Why did it take so lengthy for the Navy to come back? The boat began sinking round 2:30 am. The Navy confirmed up at round 10am or 11.
Why does the Navy haven’t any dive guides? Or tools?
Questions concerning the boat operator
Why did the Tillis and My Sea Story exit when there have been warnings and advisors in opposition to going to sea?
Was the cook dinner driving the boat?
Why was an inexperienced captain in command of such a big vessel?
Where is the captain of the ship? Is he on the run? A Facebook eulogy by a good friend urged he killed himself; others say he was in jail. Maybe he’s in hiding?
Why are folks reserving on one boat and getting transferred to a different?
How are they nonetheless reserving journeys on Tillis?
Why is Liveaboard.com not refunding cash to folks afraid of the Dive Pro firm within the Egypt who’ve booked journeys on boats like Tillus, additionally unsafe reworked boats?
Who is certifying an historical dive boat as seaworthy?
Why was My Sea Story away from the dive website and why did they separate from Tillis, the sister boat on Sunday?
The Navy and the Egyptian Authorities
Why are there no pictures popping out from the Navy of the boat within the water?
Where is the wreck now?
Why are they hiding the unique location of the wreck?
Why has the general public not been informed if the boat lastly sank?
Why have been rescued passengers denied their passports to go residence except they signed a waver?
One diver reported a gap within the boat? Was there a gap within the boat?
Why didn’t the marines attempt to prop up the boat from sinking? Use floatation tools?
Where is the crew? Why aren’t they allowed to speak with the media?
Why are the precise divers who went into the Sea Story and saved lives, not being celebrated? Their contribution being informed?
Who will compensate vacationers and the crew who misplaced their lives?
Some speculate that the Navy has towed the boat from the location the place the boat overturned into shore, near a reef. Why?
The rescue crew that went in rescued 5 folks. They discovered 4 our bodies. There have been no different our bodies on the boat. Were there folks nonetheless alive of their cabins? According to this rescue story (we interviewed the daughter) the rescue crew couldn’t get into all of the cabins. Did they offer up on them? Were the dangers too nice?
There is a debate on whether or not the boat was in 12-15 meters or in 1000 meters of water. This truth may have modified rescue methods. Some sources say the boat was near shore close to a reef and ultimately sunk in 12 to fifteen meters of water. Other say 20 to 80km out within the open water, at about 1000 m depth and the boat was towed again to shore and sunk close to a reef by the Navy.
If you’ve gotten something to contribute to this evolving story, ship us an e-mail: [email protected]
#wpdevar_comment_1 span,#wpdevar_comment_1 iframe{width:100% !essential;} #wpdevar_comment_1 iframe{max-height: 100% !essential;}
Comments
feedback
