Red Sea dive boats: UK investigators warn of ‘serious concern’ over safety
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Three weeks after an Egyptian dive boat capsized and sank with the loss of up to 18 passengers and crew, UK investigators have warned of “serious concern” about the safety of some Red Sea vessels.
The UK government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (Maib) became involved because British nationals are among the dead and missing. The Maib registered the UK as a “substantially interested state” in the Egyptian safety investigations into these accidents.
In a statement, the British investigators said: “The Maib has been notified of three accidents within the last 20 months affecting UK citizens on Egyptian dive boats operating in the Red Sea. These include:
- The capsize of Carlton Queen on 24 April 2023 resulting in abandonment of the vessel with all passengers and crew rescued.
- A fire on Hurricane on 11 June 2023 resulting in the deaths of three UK nationals.
- The capsize of Sea Story on 25 November 2024 resulting in up to 18 fatalities/people missing, including two UK nationals.
“From the evidence the Maib has obtained so far there is cause for serious concern about the safety of some of the Egyptian dive boats operating in the Red Sea.
“The chief inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety (Eams) setting out his concerns.
“In the meantime, the Maib is preparing a safety bulletin for publication setting out the areas of concern that individuals intending an afloat-based diving holiday in the region should take into account before booking.”
Sea Story, the vessel involved in the latest tragedy, was a liveaboard diving boat based near the Red Sea port of Marsa Alam. She is one of dozens of similar vessels that take divers out to some of the most exciting underwater locations on the planet, offering diving amidst reefs, wrecks and colourful fish.
She was only two years old when she sank. The Red Sea governorate said the boat had passed a safety inspection in March 2024.
Seven people who were on board when the boat capsized are still missing, including British couple Jenny Cawson, 36, and her husband Tariq Sinada, 49.
The Foreign Office travel advice for Egypt says: “Safety standards of Red Sea resort diving operators vary considerably. Very inexpensive operators may not provide adequate safety and insurance standards.”
