Undercover reporters investigated the safety of 17 tourist boats. All of the ships had safety deficiencies – most of them very serious. Experts reviewed and confirmed the findings.

The million-dollar liveaboarddiveboatbusiness in Egypt haswidespreadsafetyproblemsthatendangerhealth and livesoftensofthousandsoftouristseveryyear. This isreportedby the German magazinesternand broadcaster RTL, citingtheir own investigations and international experts on shipsafety.  

A research team sent undercover reporters to a total of 17 ships from various operators in three major Egyptian ports to assess their safety. International experts reviewed and confirmed the reporters‘ findings. 

According to this research, all of the ships had safety deficiencies, most of them serious or very serious. 

For example, almost all vessels carried unsuitable life jackets and inadequate life rafts. Many lower decks lacked bulkheads or had improper ones. Some ships were missing navigation and communication equipment. In addition, emergency exits were difficult to access – if they existed at all. 

In one case, a crew member was smoking in the engine room while the diesel engine was running, in an environment where highly flammable gases and liquids can form.  

„Many liveaboard ships in Egypt are life-threatening“

„Unfortunately, the results match our experience that a great many liveaboard ships in Egypt are life-threatening“,said marine engineer Mick Uberti, certifier at the marine consultancy Maritime Survey International. Hereviewedthe findings oftheresearchconductedbysternand RTL. 

Over thepasttwoyears, hiscompanyhas inspectedliveaboardboats in Egypt and reached a similarconclusion. All eightshipsexamined at the time were „in poorcondition“, saysUberti. 

The British Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) also concluded in an investigationreportthatdivesafariships in Egypt were „poorlyconstructed„. SeveralEgyptianauthorities, whoclaimtoregularly check thesafetyoftheseships, leftquestionsfromstern and RTL abouttheinadequatesafetystandardsunanswered. 

Causeforthereporters’ investigationis a seriesofshipaccidents on theRedSea –oneofthemostpopulardestinationsfor European tourists, – thatisunprecedentedworldwide. Nowhereelsehave so manydivesafariboatsrunaground, capsized, orburned in thepastthreeyears. 

In November 2024, forexample, theluxuryyacht ‚Sea Story‘ sank, killingelevenvacationers and crewmembers. Among the fatalities were three Germans, two Britons, two Poles, one Slovak, and three Egyptians. The casemadeheadlinesaroundtheworld for days.