2024 Red Sea tourist boat disaster
| Time | 5:30 a.m. (GMT) |
|---|---|
| Cause | Capsizing |
| Participants | 44 |
| Deaths | 4 |
| Missing | 7 |
On 25 November 2024 the tourist boat Sea Story sank in the Red Sea. In the immediate aftermath, sixteen people were confirmed missing, including twelve foreigners and four Egyptians, while 28 others were rescued.[1] The survivors were found in the Wadi El Gemal area of the sea.[1] The warship El Fateh of the Egyptian Navy assisted in the rescue.[1] The next day, four people were found dead, while the number of missing was lowered to seven as five more were rescued alive.[2]
Background
[edit]The Red Sea coast is a major tourist destination in Egypt, however while dozens of dive boats operate every day the robust safety regulations are unevenly enforced. Earlier in November 2024, 30 people were rescued from a sinking boat near the Daedalus reef, in June 2024 24 French tourists were evacuated before the boat sank, and in 2023 three British tourists died after a fire broke out on their vessel.[3]
Ship
[edit] Sea Story in November 2022.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Egypt | |
| Name | M/Y Sea Story |
| Port of registry | Safaga, Egypt |
| Builder | Vanquish Yachts |
| Launched | 2022 |
| Out of service | 25 November 2024 |
| Fate | Capsized after being struck by a large wave |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Motor yacht |
| Length | 44 m (144 ft 4 in) |
| Decks | 4 |
| Speed | 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) max speed, 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) cruising speed |
| Capacity | 36 passengers in 18 cabins |
| Crew | 12 |
 A photo of the boat involved |
The M/Y Sea Story is a four-deck motor yacht built out of wood in 2019 in and launched in 2022. The Sea Story was a luxury yacht with a sundeck, a leisure deck, three salons, two dining areas and a bar.[4][5][6] According to officials the boat had been inspected in March 2024 and there had been no issues found, and it had obtained a license for a year.[7]
Sinking
[edit]Sea Story, a four-deck wooden-hulled motor yacht, had left Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam on 23 November for a diving trip of five days and was due to dock on 29 November in Hurghada.[3] The Egyptian Meteorological Authority had warned of expected high seas on 24 and 25 November and advised against maritime activity for both days.[8] According to reporters, the boat was carrying 31 tourists from Britain, China, Finland, Poland, Slovakia and Spain as well as 13 crew.[1][9][3]
A large wave struck the boat causing it to capsize and sink 46 nautical miles from the shore off Marsa Alam in 5-7 minutes, before coming to rest mostly submerged about 12 metres below the water line, with about half a metre above the water line.[10][11] A distress signal was received from a member of the crew by the regional Red Sea control center at 5:30 a.m. local time.[8] Twenty-eight people were rescued from the sinking vessel the day of the sinking.[12] Some of the survivors were airlifted from the rescue vessels for medical treatment, while others were assisted on the vessels until a military frigate transported them back to shore. Red Sea Governor Major General Amr Hanafi indicated that military aircraft and naval units were still searching the day of the rescue for those still unaccounted for.[8]
The day after the sinking it was announced that four additional people; two Belgians, one Egyptian and one Swiss nationals were recovered alive while four others were recovered dead.[7] According to a rescue diver some of the recovered passengers were caught in their cabins and unable to get out before the vessel sank.[12]
While authorities have not confirmed nationalities of the tourists, the Chinese embassy reported two of their citizens were rescued; the Finnish foreign ministry that one of their citizens were missing; and the Polish foreign ministry confirmed that two of the tourists may have had Polish citizenship.[3]
Aftermath
[edit]Divers who have dived with the company speculate that the boat was not as young as the owners claimed and that it wasn't built for open water. Past customers have complained about the lack of standards and safety equipment aboard the ships owned by the same company that owned M/Y Sea Story.[13]
On 2 December, the search for the rescue of the seven missing people was called off, but there was no official confirmation by the coast guard.[14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Khalil, Hafsa; Gritten, David (25 November 2024). "Seventeen missing after Red Sea tourist boat sinks". BBC News. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Four bodies recovered from capsized tourist boat in Red Sea with nine missing". The Guardian. 26 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Egypt says 17 missing after Red Sea tourist boat capsizes". France 24. 2024-11-25. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
- ^ "M/Y SEA STORY - Dive Pro Liveaboard". Dive Pro Liveaboard. Archived from the original on November 25, 2024. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ^ "About M/Y Sea Story - Charter with Arthaud Yachting". Arthaud Yachting. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ^ "M/Y Sea Story Reviews & Specials - Bluewater Dive Travel". Bluewater Dive Travel. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ^ a b Shawkat, Ahmed (2024-11-26). "8 still missing, search continues after Egypt tour boat sinks on Red Sea diving trip - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b c Shawkat, Ahmed (2024-11-25). "Egypt tour boat sinks on Red Sea diving trip, leaving 17 people missing - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
- ^ Press, Associated (2024-11-25). "Egyptian authorities say 17 people missing after tourist boat sinks in Red Sea". CNN. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
- ^ "Family of British couple missing in Red Sea yacht sinking say they are in 'disbelief'". The Independent. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Egypt says over a dozen missing after Red Sea tourist boat capsizes". Agence France-Presse. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ a b Croft, Alex (2024-11-27). "Egypt tourist boat latest: Diver reveals survivors pulled from cabins 40 feet underwater on sunken yacht". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Kloosterman, Karin (2024-12-01). "Egypt dive boat sank because it wasn't built for open water - Green Prophet". Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ Seaman, Molly (2 December 2024). "Search 'called off' for South West couple missing in Red Sea after yacht sank". SomersetLive. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
