Kategorie: News
18 divers from Mayenne rescued from sinking vessel in Egypt
During the night from Wednesday to Thursday, the M/Y Seaduction, on which a group of divers from the Laval club (Mayenne, France) were travelling, sank in the Red Sea off the Egyptian coast. Fortunately, it is reported that all the ship's occupants – crew and passengers – escaped unharmed.
The weather was quite stormy last week. There were reports of very high waves and most of the safari boats heading south stopped in the area of Sataya Reef. Eyewitnesses reported that more than 40 boats were in the Sataya area on Wednesday and did not cruise further south.
Other safari operators report that the M/Y Seaduction was the only ship that moved further south. Unfortunately, the cruise ended in an accident, fortunately without loss of life.
On Thursday, October 24, the 18 members of Club Subaquatique Lavallois (CSL) experienced a huge scare. The ship began to sink around 4 o'clock in the morning. According to unconfirmed information, the ship was damaged by strong waves and heavy seas. Fortunately, both the crew and the guests reacted in an exemplary manner and all the ship's passengers could be saved.
A huge bang
One of the divers, Jean Damien from Mayen, reported: “At around 2:15 a.m. on Thursday morning, we felt the boat tilting heavily, and at 4 o'clock in the morning we heard a huge bang and then there was a terrible crash. The boat began to tilt more and more. Fortunately, the crew and the colleagues from the club reacted well and went from cabin to cabin warning the others to leave the rooms and berths, otherwise there would have been a tragedy."
Jean- reflexively took his cell phone and passport. ”Four lifeboats were lowered into the water for us and the ten crew members.” The water that entered these boats due to the swell had to be scooped out again and again. “We had to scoop, scoop, scoop, because with every wave we really got some, and if we hadn't scooped water, our lifesaving equipment would have quickly filled up.”
The shipwrecked people spent long hours on the water before they were rescued by a passing fishing trawler. “Eight hours after the sinking began, a trawler finally sighted our life rafts. Everyone managed to get safely onto the ship. They welcomed us and gave us warm clothes because everyone had jumped from the ship more or less in their pajamas and shorts. Only a few had a T-shirt on. All's well that ends well, I'd say, it could have been much more dramatic.”
After being taken over by a military boat and transported to the coast, a night bus was still needed to arrive at a hotel on Friday morning.
Arrival in Marsa Alam on Friday morning
On Friday morning, the rescued were in a hotel in Marsa Alam on the Red Sea. Thanks to his passport, which was saved at the last minute, Jean-Damien was able to return to France as early as Saturday. This is not the case for the other divers from Mayenne who lost their documents during the shipwreck and are waiting for a travel permit from the French Embassy in Cairo. They should be ready to travel on Tuesday, according to the group.
More information will be provided as it becomes available.
Last update, October 26, 10:11 p.m.