Three survivors from the capsized dive boat Sea Story share their harrowing accounts of the 35 hours they spent trapped in a submerged air pocket, revealing alarming safety failures that led to the disaster.
Tragedy in the Red Sea: Survivors of Sunken Dive Boat Describe Nightmarish Ordeal
Tragedy in the Red Sea: Survivors of Sunken Dive Boat Describe Nightmarish Ordeal
Survivors of the ill-fated Sea Story recount their harrowing experience of survival following the boat's tragic capsizing in the Red Sea, raising serious safety concerns.
The Sea Story, an Egyptian dive boat returning from a popular diving trip, met a catastrophic fate on the night of November 25, when it capsized in the Red Sea. Among the 35 survivors, Lucianna Galetta describes her desperation. “By the end, I was just wondering how I would prefer to die,” she recalls, her voice trembling as she recounts spending 35 hours trapped in a dark air pocket within the upturned hull. Videos captured on her phone provide insight into her terrifying predicament, as rising seawater and debris obstructed any chance of escape.
On that fateful night, up to 11 people are still unaccounted for, including two British tourists, Jenny Cawson and Tarig Sinada. While Egyptian officials attributed the sinking to a massive wave, numerous survivors have cast doubt on this explanation, questioning the boat's crew competency and the vessel's safety design. Dr. Simon Boxall, an oceanographer, supports these claims, stating that weather conditions during the incident were not severe enough to cause a capsizing.
Survivors described feeling uneasy as the boat swayed violently. Hissora Gonzalez, a diver from Spain, remembered furniture sliding on the lower deck where she slept, and how the sudden tilt caught her off guard. her companion, Cristhian Cercos, urged her to escape the darkening cabin against the odds.
In a series of chaotic attempts to flee, Sarah Martin, an NHS doctor, and her cabin mate struggled against a jumble of debris to find their exit while relying on minimal light. Tragically, Lucianna and her partner, Christophe Lemmens, were not as quick to react, ultimately finding refuge in an air pocket at the vessel's rear. Alongside a dive instructor, they waited what felt like an eternity, their hope wavering as time stretched on without rescue.
Once they managed to exit the submerged vessel, those who jumped into the water faced additional dangers, swimming for survival while dodging floating and half-sunken debris. Their escape efforts were worsened by inadequate life rafts that were supposed to contain food and essential supplies, which instead lacked functionality.
Rescue efforts were delayed, with many survivors criticizing the Egyptian authorities for failing to check the capsized boat for signs of life. Ultimately, only a few managed to be rescued from the hull of the Sea Story, as the shadow of tragedy loomed larger with the absence of those who had perished in the disaster.
As further investigation continues, Lucianna implores the need for accountability. “I want their families to be able to grieve; we need to understand what went wrong," she emphasizes.
While the Egyptian government opened an investigation into the sinking, countless questions linger regarding the harrowing night when the Sea Story met its tragic end, leaving families and loved ones shattered by the loss of so many lives.
