Survivors of the tragic sinking of the dive boat Sea Story in the Red Sea have accused authorities of attempting to cover up the incident, which claimed four lives and left seven others missing. The 11 survivors, after being rescued, reported feeling pressured to sign legal documents in Arabic—language they did not comprehend—allegedly prepared by an employee of the boat company. They contend that the authorities were eager to attribute the disaster to a massive wave rather than systemic safety failures.
The dive boat sank on November 25 last year, while carrying 46 people. Survivors claim they were interviewed while recovering in local hospitals and at nearby resorts, sometimes being subjected to what some described as "interrogations" by officials they believed were judges. Sarah Martin, an NHS doctor among the survivors, expressed disbelief at their treatment, noting that they were unable to leave a room until all statements were collected.
The translator provided during these questioning sessions was revealed to be affiliated with Dive Pro Liveaboard, sparking concerns of a conflict of interest among those present. Spanish diver Hissora Gonzalez recounted how she and others had to relay their experiences to someone connected to the very company being investigated. Frøydis Adamson, also a survivor, voiced her concern that what they signed bore no authenticity as they were incapable of understanding the translations.
In the aftermath, several survivors were approached to sign documents absolving the boat operators of responsibility, including a waiver asserting that they would not accuse anyone of wrongdoing. Justin Hodges, an American diver, recounted how he was handed a liability release while providing a statement, and he felt misled as he initially assumed he was speaking to an official investigator.
The survivors also expressed frustration that key details about the vessel's safety and condition did not make it into their official statements, leading several to criticize the investigation as inherently flawed. Hissora noted investigators defaulting to external blame, stating the narrative framed by the authorities was already pre-determined as blaming the sea.
In light of these revelations, friends of the two Britons still missing, Jenny Cawson and Tarig Sinada, are voicing broader concerns about the credibility of the Egyptian government’s communications regarding the incident. They argue that authorities are keen to protect the tourism image of the region, as echoed by a scathing report from Maritime Survey International which highlighted significant safety deficits in the dive boat industry, calling it largely unregulated.
The call for an open and transparent investigation continues as the debate around accountability and safety within Egypt's dive sector intensifies.
The dive boat sank on November 25 last year, while carrying 46 people. Survivors claim they were interviewed while recovering in local hospitals and at nearby resorts, sometimes being subjected to what some described as "interrogations" by officials they believed were judges. Sarah Martin, an NHS doctor among the survivors, expressed disbelief at their treatment, noting that they were unable to leave a room until all statements were collected.
The translator provided during these questioning sessions was revealed to be affiliated with Dive Pro Liveaboard, sparking concerns of a conflict of interest among those present. Spanish diver Hissora Gonzalez recounted how she and others had to relay their experiences to someone connected to the very company being investigated. Frøydis Adamson, also a survivor, voiced her concern that what they signed bore no authenticity as they were incapable of understanding the translations.
In the aftermath, several survivors were approached to sign documents absolving the boat operators of responsibility, including a waiver asserting that they would not accuse anyone of wrongdoing. Justin Hodges, an American diver, recounted how he was handed a liability release while providing a statement, and he felt misled as he initially assumed he was speaking to an official investigator.
The survivors also expressed frustration that key details about the vessel's safety and condition did not make it into their official statements, leading several to criticize the investigation as inherently flawed. Hissora noted investigators defaulting to external blame, stating the narrative framed by the authorities was already pre-determined as blaming the sea.
In light of these revelations, friends of the two Britons still missing, Jenny Cawson and Tarig Sinada, are voicing broader concerns about the credibility of the Egyptian government’s communications regarding the incident. They argue that authorities are keen to protect the tourism image of the region, as echoed by a scathing report from Maritime Survey International which highlighted significant safety deficits in the dive boat industry, calling it largely unregulated.
The call for an open and transparent investigation continues as the debate around accountability and safety within Egypt's dive sector intensifies.
