Surviving the Abyss: Red Sea Dive-Boot Survivors Share Their Harrowing Tales

In a gripping recount of survival, former passengers from the ill-fated Sea Story look back on their escape from the sunken dive boat that claimed lives and triggered questions regarding safety practices in maritime tourism. Accusations of crew error and a lack of communication from authorities raise concerns as survivors seek clarity on the tragedy that altered their lives forever.

The terror of drowning in a persistent vacuum of darkness lingered in Lucianna Galetta's mind as she recalled being trapped for 35 hours in the submerged hull of the Sea Story, an Egyptian dive boat that sank in the Red Sea on November 25 last year. With her voice cracking, she shared glimpses of her ordeal through a video captured on her phone's light, highlighting the moment when she thought her life would come to an end. The wreckage claimed the lives of at least 11 individuals, including two British nationals, Jenny Cawson and Tarig Sinada from Devon.

While Egyptian authorities initially attributed the disaster to a colossal wave of up to 4 meters (13 feet), survivor testimonies conflict with this narrative. Multiple accounts, supported by an oceanographer's analysis, suggest that crew errors and potential vessel design flaws are to blame. Survivors have described a series of safety oversights by the company operating the Sea Story, Dive Pro Liveaboard, and criticized Egyptian authorities for their delayed response, potentially exacerbating the loss of life.

The Sea Story embarked on its journey from Port Ghaleb with 31 international guests, three dive guides, and 12 crew members en route to Sataya Reef. Lucianna, who boarded with her partner, initially expressed satisfaction with the boat—a sentiment shared by many, although some guests were unhappy about being transferred from another vessel.

Once at sea, the survivors described increasingly unstable conditions that foreshadowed the impending disaster. Hissora Gonzalez, another passenger, expressed her distress as the boat rocked heavily, and shortly before 3 AM, the Sea Story capsized. Confined in darkness, the chaos ensued, leaving passengers scrambling and disoriented.

As the crew and guests fought to escape, Hissora and Sarah Martin, another survivor, outlined their struggles in navigating blocked exits, slippery floors, and unsecured furniture. Their desperate escapes led them to the upper deck, where they faced another peril: the decision to jump into the unforgiving waters below.

The lucky ones made it onto life rafts that came with their own set of disappointments—missing supplies, ineffective emergency lights, and inadequate safety gear. Lucianna and her partner were not as fortunate. They ended up trapped in an air pocket alongside a dive instructor, waiting without knowledge of their fate.

While the rescue operations drifted painfully slow, ultimately, they involved brave local divers willing to risk their lives to search for survivors. Eventually, a diver found Lucianna and Christophe, but not without a profound sense of loss for those still unaccounted for.

As investigations continue in the aftermath of the sinking, the survivors are left questioning the safety records and protocols of dive operations in the Egyptian waters. Simultaneously, friends of the missing mourn. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers within the tourism industry and the importance of accountability in ensuring the wellbeing of all guests at sea. Lucianna's final plea echoes hope for answers, not only for themselves but for the loved ones of the departed.