The UK authorities’s Marine Accident Investigation Department (MAIB) has warned there may be ’trigger for severe concern’ concerning the security of vacationer boats within the Egyptian Crimson Sea.
In a assertion issued on 16 December, three weeks after the Dive Professional Liveaboard Sea Story capsized with the lack of 4 lives and 7 folks nonetheless lacking, MAIB says it has been notified of three accidents inside the final 20 months affecting UK residents on Egyptian dive boats working within the Crimson Sea.
The three liveaboards recognized within the assertion are the Carlton Queen, which capsized on 24 April 2023 with all passengers and crew safely rescued; Hurricane, which was destroyed by fireplace on 11 June 2023 ensuing within the deaths of three UK nationals; and the newest sinking of Sea Story on 25 November, wherein two UK nationals – who’ve subsequently been named as Jenny Cawson, 36, and Tariq Sinada, 49, from Devon – are nonetheless lacking, presumed useless.
(The MAIB assertion mistakenly cites the variety of fatalities/folks lacking from the Sea Story sinking as 18, based mostly on early stories that didn’t embrace particulars of passengers who have been later rescued, or the 4 our bodies which are identified to have been recovered from the wreck.)
The MAIB says that, on account of these incidents, it has ‘formally registered the UK as a Considerably State within the Egyptian security investigations into these accidents.’
Underneath the phrases of the Worldwide Maritime Group (IMO) Casualty Investigation Code, a ‘Considerably State’ is outlined, partly, as one wherein nationals of that State have misplaced their lives or acquired severe accidents in a maritime incident.
‘From the proof the MAIB has obtained to date there may be trigger for severe concern concerning the security of a few of the Egyptian dive boats working within the Crimson Sea,’ continues the assertion.
‘The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Security (EAMS) setting out his issues and searching for full participation within the EAMS investigations.
‘Within the meantime, the MAIB is making ready a security bulletin for publication setting out the areas of concern that people intending an afloat-based diving vacation within the area ought to take note of earlier than reserving.’
Sea Story capsized in sturdy winds on 25 November with 31 vacationers ‘of various nationality’ on board, plus an Egyptian crew of 13.
A complete of 33 folks have been ultimately rescued throughout an enormous search operation involving the Egyptian army, together with 5 individuals who have been rescued after spending practically 30 hours trapped underwater of their cabins respiratory from tiny air pockets to outlive.
4 British divers are thought to have been on board. Colin Sharratt, 65, and Sally Jones, 58, from London have been rescued, nonetheless, Ms Cawson and Mr Sinada are among the many seven folks nonetheless unaccounted for.
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