Kategorie: News
3 British divers missing after fire
Update June, 12th - see below
A fire broke out on the M/Y Hurricane, a liveaboard vessel of the Tornado Marine Fleet, at 09:15-09:30 on Sunday 11 June, according to reports from the Red Sea Governorate. According to the BBC, however, the fire broke out around 06:30 (at the morning briefing). The vessel was off the coast of Marsa Alam at the time. While the ship was still burning, the governorate has already released a message on the cause of the fire: "The initial investigation revealed an electrical short-circuit in the engine room, and the public prosecutor's office has been tasked with the investigation and enquiry."
The first reports said that the 30 people on the ship: 15 British divers, 2 guides and 13 crew members could be rescued. Sadly, it was only as the hours went on that the terrible news emerged that 3 divers were still missing.
Search for the missing divers
A search is underway for three missing British passengers after a dive boat caught fire in the Red Sea off the Egyptian coast, authorities said. Twelve tourists were rescued from the boat in Marsa Alam, which had 15 British passengers, 13 crew members and two guides on board, according to local authorities.
According to initial reports, the fire was due to an electrical fault. The ship had left Port Ghalib on Tuesday (6 June) and was due to return on Sunday. The Red Sea governorate said: "The initial investigation revealed an electrical short circuit in the engine room and investigating authorities have set out to conduct an inspection and investigation." The assumption regarding the cause of the fire - even if the word investigation was used - was already made during the fire and is not to be considered a proven fact.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are in contact with local authorities following an incident on board a dive boat near Marsa Alam and are supporting the British nationals affected."
The fire was discovered at 9.15am (06:30 according to BBC) on Sunday, and according to a statement issued by the Red Sea Governorate, the secretary general of the governorate confirmed that the fire started on the boat named "Hurricane". He further pointed out that the crew and passengers from the boat named 'Blue' were rescued and returned to the centre of Marsa Alam, and that the search for the three British passengers by the relevant authorities and other boats is still ongoing, stressing that the Ambulance Authority and the Directorate of Health Affairs have been notified to increase preparedness, and that follow-up operations are underway.
Around 19:30 local time, the burnt-out and still smoking wreck of the Hurricane was towed to the port of Marsa Alam. Further investigations will probably be carried out here. (Video about this at www.facebook.com/Taucher.Net/videos/2368735706620323 (Facebook)).
BBC report on the fire on the M/Y Hurricane (youTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4CvzmOVcnE
Facebook video
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=644429177545061
M/Y Hurricane on Taucher.Net
https://taucher.net/liveaboard-m_y_hurricane-baz17399
Update 12 June 2023: Missing divers pronounced dead
Following the tragic fire on the Hurricane yesterday (Sunday), the three missing divers were declared dead today.
In a statement released by Scuba Travel, who chartered the vessel for the trip, the following information was released:
"When the fire broke out, 12 divers were attending a briefing on board, while the missing divers had apparently decided not to dive that morning and sleep in. Due to the severity of the fire, the 12 divers were immediately evacuated by lifeboat to another boat nearby, and the 14 crew members, including the captain and two dive guides who had been trying to reach the missing guests, also had to abandon ship and were rescued by lifeboat."
Our thoughts are with the families of those affected.
According to unconfirmed reports, the M/Y Hurricane sank in the port of Marsa Alam. The burnt-out wreckage was towed into the harbour yesterday where it was to be examined.
We will report here as soon as new information is available.