In March, a fire on another Dive Pro Liveaboard boat – the Sea Legend – killed a German tourist.
Last year, Maritime Survey International, an independent consultancy, produced a report on the safety of dive boats in the Red Sea. It inspected eight vessels, although not including any operated by Dive Pro Liveaboard, and found none had “a planned maintenance system, safety management system or stability books”, a crucial document for avoiding capsize.
It also found design standards to be “poor with all the vessels lacking watertight bulkheads, doors and hatches”.
It concluded that not a single vessel was safe and the dive boat industry in Egypt “plies its trade largely unregulated”.
On 7 January, a group of 15 survivors, including many of those we spoke to, emailed Egypt’s Chamber of Diving and Water Sports (CDWS), which regulates all diving activities and is linked to the Ministry of Tourism.
They relayed their safety concerns and questioned why Dive Pro Liveaboard was still able to operate. The CDWS managing director replied on 9 January and said there was an ongoing investigation into the case, which was being taken “very seriously”.
He added that “appropriate action” would be taken “against any negligence … that resulted in the compromise of people’s safety”.
