Red Sea Liveaboards: UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch report

Is there a solid statistical analysis available how the numbers (e.g. 16 boats lost in 5 years) compare to other regions of the world?

I mean that one needs to normalize these numbers to the sheer number of diving vessels that cruise in the Red Sea - I guess the number of vessels cruising there is many hundreds - with the number of vessels that cruise in other regions (usually a few vessels per region - and also there boats are lost from time to time).

Only then a comparison of the numbers of accidents makes sense...

My personal observation is that the safety protocols in diving vessels are poor in Egypt, but I did not observe that these protocols are any better in other regions of the world (e.g. our Safari boat in Raja Ampat 2020 did not even have a second emergency exit from the lower deck in case of fire)...

Wolfgang

I get your point, Wolfgang but is statistical comparison really relevant in something like this?

16 boat sinkings in 5 years highlights your point on poor observance of safety protocols for dive boats in Egypt. Does it really matter whether that's better or worse than, eg Raja (where I'm off to shortly!)? Fact is it's bad.

There has been such massive growth in the liveaboard business and competition in Egypt perhaps it's not surprising that corners are being cut. Back in the mid-90s, when I first dived there , there was a dozen or so boats out of Sharm. Now there are what seems like hundreds. Even Marsa Alam is now packed with liveaboards. I bet corners are being cut!

On 2/8/2025 at 12:00 PM, TimG said:

I get your point, Wolfgang but is statistical comparison really relevant in something like this?

 

16 boat sinkings in 5 years highlights your point on poor observance of safety protocols for dive boats in Egypt. Does it really matter whether that's better or worse than, eg Raja (where I'm off to shortly!)? Fact is it's bad.

 

There has been such massive growth in the liveaboard business and competition in Egypt perhaps it's not surprising that corners are being cut. Back in the mid-90s, when I first dived there , there was a dozen or so boats out of Sharm. Now there are what seems like hundreds. Even Marsa Alam is now packed with liveaboards. I bet corners are being cut!

Statistical comparison is NOT  and NEVER can be relevant, when loss of human lifes are concerned - the safety standrards clearly should/must be better - no arguing and dot...

Statistics is, however, relevant, when comparing the safety on liveaboards in different regions of the planet. I believe these standards are pretty the same and very low everywhere. Consider e.g. the terrible accident in California/US, few years ago, that costed the lives of approx. three dozends of divers (you can find a detailed discussion in Scubaboard). Somebody posted in Scubabordt a ground plan of the vessel: a common sleeping room for all (approx. 3 dozends) divers, double bunk beds in three etages, extremely obstructed. I believe such a boat would not have been approved, even in Egypt...

=> I just find it not fair when people are focusing now on Egypt, creating the illusion that liveabords are safer in other regions of the world...

Wolfgang

Thinking of ways to quantify % of liveaboards in the Red Sea, so I went to liveaboard.com and they list a total of 311 liveaboards worldwide, while in Egypt they list 42.

They probably don't list all options in Egypt, but likewise they probably don't list all options worldwide.  They have for example 52 in Indonesia and 24 in the Maldives.

I think this shows that the safety performance in Egypt is very poor compared to the rest of the world.

The stats on sinking are just the tip. 

I have been on a Red Sea liveaboard where safety issues included diesel fumes being pumped through the cabins by a badly fitted AC unit and the crew denying there was any problem. Most customers ended up sleeping on deck. That was a boat booked by a major tour operator, so it is not just the danger of booking direct based on a web price.

Its not just the Red Sea. I was staying at a resort in Raja Ampat where some divers turned up on-spec having jumped ship from a liveaboard they considered unseaworthy.

There are safe and well maintained liveaboards. But in general, you need to accept that in many less developed countries none would match the safety standards expected of a boat operating in (for example) the UK, even if they do surpass the comfort/luxury levels of many UK boats.