Safety fears mount as MAIB investigates multiple Red Sea dive boat incidents
Hurricane, which caught fire in the Red Sea on 11 June 2023. The accident tragically took the lives of three UK nationals. Image courtesy of Vijaya S @VijayaS04
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published an update on accidents involving dive boats operating in the Red Sea. The branch has made public its worry of ‘serious concerns with safety’ with some of the boats.
Chief inspector of MAIB Andrew Moll has written to the Egyptian Authority of Maritime Safety (EAMS) detailing his concerns and seeking its participation in investigations.
This issue has become more prominent due to a number of accidents involving UK citizens within the last 20 months.
The main accidents under scrutiny include the 42-metre Carlton Queen’s capsize on 24 April 2023, which resulted in the liveaboard being abandoned and all passengers being rescued.
Another is Hurricane, which caught fire on 11 June 2023. MIN reported on this at the time. The accident tragically took the lives of three UK nationals. And, on 25 November 2024 the liveaboard dive boat Sea Story sank, which concluded with up to 18 fatalities, including two from the UK.
As per the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) casualty investigation code, MAIB has formally registered the UK as a ‘substantially interested state’ in the Egyptian safety investigations into these accidents.
In the meantime, MAIB is preparing a safety bulletin for publication, setting out the areas of concern that individuals should take into account before booking a diving holiday in the region .
MIN regularly reports on MAIB’s marine accident conclusions.
