The survivors of the sunken liveaboard dive vessel Sea Story are accusing the vessel’s owner and the Egyptian government of covering up key facts about the accident and pressuring them to sign waiver agreements stating that no one was at fault.
The BBC reported this week that while authorities want to blame the sinking on an “abnormally huge” wave, the survivors said the waves at the time of the accident were not that big, and an oceanographer told the BBC that meteorological data from that day supported their memories.
Additionally, the survivors said the person who was taking their statements was an employee of Dive Pro Liveaboard, which the boat was registered under in Hurghada, Egypt.
While Dive Pro Liveaboard in November reportedly denied having taken any unnecessary risks, the BBC reported that certain details pertaining to safety issues on the boat that survivors told investigators were not included in the official paperwork.
The 150-foot/46-meter Sea Story was built in 2022 and based out of Hurghada.
From April 2023 to November 2024, at least three liveaboards in the Red Sea capsized or caught fire, resulting in the deaths of several British nationals.
British government investigators have since begun taking a hard look at the recent spate of dive boat accidents in the Red Sea involving UK citizens.
Liveaboard vessel operators in the Red Sea earlier this month said they want the Egyptian government to allow more time to hire and train qualified engineers for their boats.